Topical Bible: Balak

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Topical Encyclopedia

Balak, a significant figure in the Old Testament, was the king of Moab during the time of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. His account is primarily found in the Book of Numbers, chapters 22 to 24. Balak is best known for his interactions with the prophet Balaam, whom he summoned to curse the Israelites.

Historical Context

Balak reigned over Moab during a period of great anxiety for his people. The Israelites, having been delivered from Egypt and having wandered in the wilderness, were approaching the borders of Moab. The Moabites, witnessing the Israelites' victories over the Amorites, were filled with dread. Numbers 22:3 states, "And Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites."

Balak's Request to Balaam

In an attempt to protect his kingdom, Balak sought the services of Balaam, a prophet known for his ability to bless and curse. Balak sent messengers to Balaam with the request to curse the Israelites, hoping to weaken them. Numbers 22:6 records Balak's plea: "Please come now and curse this people for me, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land."

Balaam's Response

Initially, Balaam refused to go with Balak's messengers, as God instructed him not to curse the Israelites, for they were blessed. However, after Balak's persistent entreaties and the promise of great reward, Balaam sought God's permission again. This time, God allowed Balaam to go but instructed him to only speak what He commanded.

The Oracles of Balaam

Despite Balak's expectations, Balaam, under divine inspiration, pronounced blessings over Israel instead of curses. In Numbers 23:8 , Balaam declared, "How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced?" Balak, frustrated by Balaam's blessings, took him to different locations, hoping a change of scenery might alter the outcome. Yet, each time, Balaam continued to bless Israel, culminating in a prophecy of Israel's future dominance and the coming of a star out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17).

Balak's Reaction

Balak's reaction to Balaam's oracles was one of anger and disappointment. Numbers 24:10 describes Balak's response: "Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, 'I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.'"

Legacy and Lessons

Balak's account serves as a testament to the sovereignty of God over the affairs of nations and individuals. Despite Balak's intentions and efforts, God's will prevailed, demonstrating that no curse can stand against those whom God has blessed. Balak's reliance on human schemes and his failure to recognize the power of the God of Israel highlight the futility of opposing divine purposes.

Balak's narrative also underscores the theme of God's protection over His chosen people, Israel, and His ability to turn intended curses into blessings. This account is a reminder of the importance of aligning with God's will and the ultimate futility of resisting His plans.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Balak

who lays waste or destroys

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Balak

(spoiler), son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, who hired Balaam to curse the Israelites; but his designs were frustrated int he manner recorded in (Numbers 22:24) (B.C. 1451.)

ATS Bible Dictionary

Balak

King of Moab, when the Israelites were drawing near the promised land. He was filled with terror lest they should attack and destroy him, as they had Sihon and Og, and implored the soothsayer Balaam to come and curse them. His fears and his devices were both in vain, De 2:9. See BALAAM. He found he had nothing to fear from Israel if at peace with them, and nothing to hope if at war with them.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Empty; spoiler, a son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites (Numbers 22:2, 4). From fear of the Israelites, who were encamped near the confines of his territory, he applied to Balaam (q.v.) to curse them; but in vain (Joshua 24:9).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BALAK

ba'-ak balaq, ("devastator" or "one who lays waste"): Mentioned in connection with the story of Balaam/balak (Numbers 22-24; compare Joshua 24:9 Judges 11:25 Micah 6:5 Revelation 2:14). He was the king of Moab who hired Balaam to pronounce a curse on the Israelites.

See BALAAM.

Greek

904. Balak -- Balak, a king of the Moabites
... 903, 904. Balak. 905 . Balak, a king of the Moabites. Part of Speech:
Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Balak Phonetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/904.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

6834. Tsippor -- "bird," father of Balak
... 6833, 6834. Tsippor. 6835 . "bird," father of Balak. Transliteration: Tsippor
Phonetic Spelling: (tsip-pore') Short Definition: Zippor. ...
/hebrew/6834.htm - 6k

1111. Balaq -- "devastator," a Moabite king
... 1110, 1111. Balaq. 1112 . "devastator," a Moabite king. Transliteration: Balaq
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-lawk') Short Definition: Balak. ... Balak. ...
/hebrew/1111.htm - 6k

Library

Balak's Inquiries Relative to the Service of God, and Balaam's ...
... SERMON XVIII. Balak's inquiries relative to the service of God, and Balaam's
answer, briefly considered. Micah vi.6, 7, 8. "Wherewith ...
/.../sermon xviii balaks inquiries relative.htm

The Witness of Balaam to Israel
... And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ...
And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/ii the witness of balaam.htm

Concerning Balaam the Prophet and what Kind of Man He Was.
... 2. When Balak, the king of the Moabites, who had from his ancestors a friendship
and league with the Midianites, saw how great the Israelites were grown, he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 concerning balaam the.htm

"On Conscience"
... The persons speaking are Balak the King of Moab; and Balaam, then under divine
impressions (it seems, then "not far from the kingdom of God, "although he ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 105 on conscience.htm

Balaam
... 'Remember,' says the prophet Micah, 'O my people, what Balak, king of Moab, consulted,
and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xiv balaam.htm

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.
... Balak, the King of Moab, had beard of Balaam, a famous soothsayer or wise prophet
of Chaldea, whose curses and blessings were reported to carry with them ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vii from kadesh to.htm

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
... a further word is in place. Balak the Moabite sent for this heathen prophet
to "curse" Israel. A handsome reward was offered for ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter eight sovereignty and human.htm

Upon the Character of Balaam. Preached the Second Sunday after ...
... And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from
Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come ...
//christianbookshelf.org/butler/human nature/sermon vii upon the character.htm

The Wilderness.
... The Moabites took alarm, though these, as descended from Abraham's nephew Lot, were
to be left unharmed; and their king, Balak, sent, as it appears, even to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

Savonarola -- the Ascension of Christ
... When Balak heard of Israel's march, he was afraid and sent to call Balaam
to curse Israel for him. Balaam set out on his way with ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/savonarola the ascension of.htm

Thesaurus

Balak's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Balak's (3 Occurrences). Numbers 22:7 And the
elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the ...
/b/balak's.htm - 7k

Balak (42 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BALAK. ba'-ak ... Israelites. See BALAAM.
Multi-Version Concordance Balak (42 Occurrences). Revelation ...
/b/balak.htm - 20k

Zippor (7 Occurrences)
... A little bird, the father of Balak, king of Moab (Numbers 22:2, 4). Int. ... Numbers
22:2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ...
/z/zippor.htm - 9k

Pierce (30 Occurrences)
... And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant! (YLT). Numbers
23:11 And Balak saith unto Balaam, 'What hast thou done to me? ...
/p/pierce.htm - 15k

Peor (14 Occurrences)
... Opening. (1.) A mountain peak (Numbers 23:28) to which Balak led Balaam as
a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. ...
/p/peor.htm - 13k

Princes (324 Occurrences)
... Numbers 22:13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak,
"Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you." (WEB KJV JPS ...
/p/princes.htm - 40k

Leaders (167 Occurrences)
... Numbers 22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak:
'Get you into your land; for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with ...
/l/leaders.htm - 35k

Utmost (21 Occurrences)
... Numbers 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to
the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost ...
/u/utmost.htm - 13k

Offereth (28 Occurrences)
... (KJV ASV WBS). Numbers 23:2 And Balak doth as Balaam hath spoken, and Balak --
Balaam also -- offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar, (YLT). ...
/o/offereth.htm - 15k

Extremity (46 Occurrences)
... Numbers 22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him, to
the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is at the ...
/e/extremity.htm - 22k

Resources

Who was Balak in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Balaam in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Did Balaam's donkey really talk to him? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Balak (42 Occurrences)

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
(WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:2
Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:4
Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:5
And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to 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.
(See NIV)

Numbers 22:7
The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:10
Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:13
Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:14
The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:15
Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:16
They came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor,'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:18
Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:35
The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:36
When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:37
Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn't you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:38
Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Numbers 22:39
Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:40
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 22:41
It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:1
Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Numbers 23:2
Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:3
Balaam said to Balak, "Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you." He went to a bare height.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:5
Yahweh put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:7
He took up his parable, and said, "From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:11
Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:13
Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, from whence you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:15
He said to Balak, "Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet Yahweh yonder."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:16
Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and say this."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:17
He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, "What has Yahweh spoken?"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:18
He took up his parable, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:25
Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:26
But Balaam answered Balak, "Didn't I tell you, saying,'All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do?'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Numbers 23:27
Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse me them from there."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:28
Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:29
Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Numbers 23:30
Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:10
Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:12
Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:13
'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says'?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 24:25
Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 24:9
Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 11:25
Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Micah 6:5
My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Balak

Balak: King of Moab

Balak: Tries to Bribe Balaam to Curse Israel

Sarcasm: Balak Reproaching Balaam

Related Terms

Balak (42 Occurrences)

Zippor (7 Occurrences)

Pierce (30 Occurrences)

Peor (14 Occurrences)

Princes (324 Occurrences)

Leaders (167 Occurrences)