Numbers 22:3

_AND MOAB WAS SORE AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY WERE MANY: AND MOAB WAS DISTRESSED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL._ And Moab was sore afraid of the people. The presence of so vast a multitude, and the irresistible rapidity of their conquests in the adjoining kingdoms, naturally diffused a panic throughout the country of Moab; and this feeling of dismay had been predicted (Exodus 15:15; Deuteronomy 2:25). AND MOAB WAS DISTRESSED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The addition of this clause being tautological, Michaelis and Hengstenberg take the verb х_ QUWTS_ (H6972)] in its primary signification, to loathe, to be disgusted, or wearied of a thing ...

1-14 The king of Moab formed a plan to get the people of Israel cursed; that is, to set God against them, who had hitherto fought for them. He had a false notion, that if he could get some prophet to pray for evil upon them, and to pronounce a blessing upon himself and his forces, that then he should be able to deal with them. None had so great a reputation as Balaam; and Balak will employ him, though he send a great way for him. It is not known whether the Lord had ever spoken to Balaam, or by him, before this; though it is probable he had, and it is certain he did afterwards. Yet we have abundant proof that he lived and died a wicked man, an enemy to God and his people. And the curse shall not come upon us if there is not a cause, even though men utter it. To prevail with Balaam, they took the wages of unrighteousness, but God laid restraint upon Balaam, forbidding him to curse Israel...

EXPOSITION THE COMING OF BALAAM (Numbers 22:2). NUMBERS 22:2 BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR. The name Balak is connected with a word "to make waste," and "Zippor" is a small bird. Balak was, as is presently explained, the king of Moab at this time, but not the king from whom Sihon had wrested so much of his territory (Numbers 21:26). He seems to be mentioned by name on a papyrus in the British Museum (see Brugseh, ‘Geogr. Inschr.,' 2, page 32). The later Jews made him out to have been a Midianite, but this is nothing but the merest conjecture....

AND MOAB WAS SORE AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE,.... Lest they should enter into their country and do to them as they had done to Sihon and Og, and their countries; on this account the king of Moab, his nobles, and the people of the land, were in an exceeding great panic, which was a fulfilling of the prophecy of Moses in Exodus 15:15: BECAUSE THEY WERE MANY the number of them taken a little after in this place, where they now were, in the plains of Moab, even after 24,000 had died of the plague, was 601,730, Numbers 25:9: AND MOAB WAS DISTRESSED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; though they had no reason for it, had they considered their relation to them, being the descendants of Abraham, the uncle of Lot, whose posterity they were; and that the Israelites had done them service

III. EVENTS IN THE PLAIN OF MOAB FACING THE LAND 1. Balak and Balaam and Balaam's Parables CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Balak's message to Balaam (Numbers 22:1)_ 2. The journey of Balaam (Numbers 22:21) 3. Balaam with Balak (Numbers 22:36) The last section of the wilderness book begins with the story of Balak and Balaam. An enemy, the Gentile Balaam, has to speak the words of prophecy, predicting wonderful blessing and glory for the hosts of Israel. The advancing Israelites inspired terror and Balak (waster), the king of Moab, not willing to meet Israel in open battle, sent for Balaam (devourer of the people) to put his powerful magic spell upon Israel and curse them. Balaam, or

MOAB'S FEAR OF ISRAEL. Of these verses I comes from P, the rest from JE (the presence of both constituents being shown by the repetitions in Numbers 22:3). As the Moabites were great breeders of sheep (2 Kings 3:4), they feared that the pasturage would not suffice for both themselves and Israel (likewise a pastoral people). The reference in Numbers 22:4 (and also Numbers 22:7) to _Midian_ is probably due to an editor who wished to bring P's allusions to Balaam in Numbers 31:8; Nu

Balak king of Moab being frightened by the near proximity of the Israelites sent for Balaam a famous soothsayer to curse them, offering him liberal payment. Balaam came but refused to utter any oracle but that which Jehovah revealed to him. _Zippor_ The word denotes -a little bird," the fem. of which is seen in Ẓippôrah, Moses" wife. The name may point to early totemistic beliefs (see Frazer, _Totemism_2, W. R. Smith, _Rel. Sem._2 124 ff.). _the Amorites_ Og, the king of Bashan, is not mentioned; see on Numbers 21:33-35....

AND MOAB WAS SORE AFRAID— i.e. Balak the king, and the people of Moab; for they were ignorant of God's commands, prohibiting the Israelites to disturb the Moabites in their possessions. Thus was fulfilled what Moses foretold, Exodus 15:15....

Part Four: On The Plains of Moab (Numbers 22; Numbers 23; Numbers 24; Numbers 25; Numbers 26; Numbers 27; Numbers 28; Numbers 29; Numbers 30; Numbers 31;...

22:3 distressed (f-16) The word implies 'fear' and 'aversion,' Exodus 1:12 ....