Numbers 22:8

Balaam has been blamed for hesitating here. This, however, is unjust. On the occasion of the first message from Balak he was honestly in doubt whether he ought to go or not, and it is to his credit that he would do nothing till he had learned what the mind of God was. It was otherwise, however, on the secoijd occasion (Numbers 22:19), when he dallied with the tempting offer, in the hope that God would change His purpose, and allow him to go and do as Balak wished. If the words the Lord, i.e. Jehovah, in this v. were really used by Balaam, and are not due to the historian, then it would appear that Balaam knew the God of Israel and worshipped Him. This is by no means impossible. Balaam lived in the land from which Abraham went out (see Genesis 11:28; Genesis 24:4), and he was no doubt aware of the history of Abraham's descendants, more especially if he was connected with the Midianites (see Numbers 31:8). It need occasion no surprise that God made use of this semi-heathen soothsayer to declare His will. It is but an illustration of the truth that the Spirit of God is not bound: cp. Amos 9:7. Throughout the whole incident Balaam appears as the somewhat unwilling medium whereby God chooses to confirm His unchangeable purpose towards Israel. He stands midway between the true prophet of Jehovah and the heathen magician or soothsayer.