Torah: Numbers 22:2-25:9 Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8Brit Chadesha: 2Pe 2:9-22; Ro 11:25-32Psalms: 40, 94, 136Gospels: Luke 18

Balak - בלק : "Balak"

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Fun Facts about Balak

• 40th of 54 portions

• 7th of 10 in B’midbar

• Written on 178 lines in a Torah

• 33rd in length overall and it’s the 8th in B’midbar

• Balak contains none of the 613 mitzvot

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How is the Haftarah like Balak?

• Micah 6:7-8, “Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

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Why is Balak afraid?

• Numbers 22:2-3, “And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.”

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What’s so special about Balaam?

• Numbers 22:5, “He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:”

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Why was YHVH angry that Balaam went, when He had told him to go?

• Numbers 22:22, “And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.”

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How many times did the angel appear, but Balaam could not see?

• Numbers 22:27, “And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.”

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How determined was Balaam to curse Israel?

Site of attempts and where they are found

Balaam seeks to sway YHVH with offerings

Numbers 23:4

Heights of Baal

7 AltarsA bullock &

ram on each

Numbers 23:14

Mount Pisgah

7 AltarsA bullock &

ram on each

Numbers 23:29

Mount Peor 7 AltarsA bullock &

ram on each

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What moved Balaam to utter such a tenderhearted comment?

• Numbers 24:5, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!”

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Where do we find Balaam’s Messianic prophecy?

• Nu 24:7, “…his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.”

• Nu 24:8, “God brought him forth out of Egypt… he shall eat up the nations…”

• Nu 24:17, “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”

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What did Balak finally resort to in order to overcome Israel?

• Numbers 25:1, “And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.”

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Summary

• Balak hopes to buy a curse for children of Israel. On the way to meet the king, Balaam’s donkey speaks.

• 3 times from 3 points of view, Balaam tries

• YHVH changes his curses into blessings

• Balaam pronounces a Messianic prophecy

• Israelites are tempted by daughters of Moab

• Pinchas stops the plague