Numbers 22:7 kjv
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Numbers 22:7 nkjv
So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner's fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
Numbers 22:7 niv
The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
Numbers 22:7 esv
So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
Numbers 22:7 nlt
Balak's messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak's message to him.
Numbers 22 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 22:4 | And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this company will lick up all that is around us..." | Alliance between Moab and Midian |
| Num 22:5 | He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor... that they might come and curse this people... | Balak's request for Balaam's services |
| Num 22:15 | Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. | Balak's persistent attempt to hire Balaam |
| Num 31:8 | And Balaam the son of Beor they killed with the sword. | Balaam's fate linked to his counsel against Israel |
| Num 31:16 | Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD... | Balaam's harmful counsel regarding immorality |
| Josh 13:22 | Balaam also, the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the people of Israel kill with the sword... | Balaam identified as a diviner and his death |
| Deut 18:10 | There shall not be found among you anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes... | Divine condemnation of divination |
| Lev 19:26 | You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. | Prohibition of divination in Israel |
| Isa 47:9 | These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day: the loss of children and widowhood; They will come upon you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your numerous enchantments. | Divination as a false hope, ultimately futile |
| 2 Kgs 17:17 | And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens... | Sin of Judah in practicing divination |
| 2 Pet 2:15 | For they have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam...who loved gain from wrongdoing; | Balaam's love for money and moral error |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error... | Balaam's error stemming from greed |
| Rev 2:14 | But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel... | Balaam's teaching as a corrupting influence |
| Mic 6:5 | O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him... | Remembering God's faithfulness despite Balak's plans |
| Neh 13:2 | ...because they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. | God's power to nullify intended curses |
| Prov 15:27 | Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household... | Condemnation of ill-gotten gain |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. | God's sovereignty over human plans |
| Isa 1:23 | Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and chases after gifts... | Bribery as a form of corruption |
| Jer 27:9 | So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your seers, or your sorcerers... | Warning against reliance on diviners |
| Num 23:8 | How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced? | Balaam's recognition of God's limitations |
| Num 23:20 | Behold, I received a command to bless: He has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. | Balaam compelled to bless, not curse |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil... | Danger of covetousness, like Balaam's |
Numbers 22 verses
Numbers 22 7 Meaning
Numbers 22:7 describes the official delegation sent by Balak, king of Moab, to secure the services of Balaam. Composed of high-ranking elders from both Moab and Midian, they arrived carrying the explicit "fees of divination"—a tangible symbol of their intention to pay Balaam for a supernatural curse against the Israelites. Their mission was direct: to convey Balak's desperate words and solicit Balaam's potent assistance. This verse highlights the worldly, transactional nature of their understanding of spiritual power, in stark contrast to the sovereignty of God.
Numbers 22 7 Context
Chapter Context (Numbers 22): This chapter opens a crucial and highly debated narrative involving Balaam. The Israelites have just achieved decisive victories over the Amorites (Num 21:21-35) and are now encamped in the plains of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, observes their vast numbers and successes with terror (Num 22:3-4). Fearing for his kingdom, he allies with Midian and decides against direct military confrontation, opting instead for a spiritual attack. He seeks out Balaam, a renowned diviner or prophet known to possess immense spiritual power, believing that whoever he blesses is blessed and whoever he curses is cursed. Balak's initial request and the sending of these elders, with the necessary payment, establish the urgency and the nature of the transaction.
Historical/Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, it was common for rulers to employ professional seers, diviners, or sorcerers to influence outcomes through curses or blessings, especially in military conflicts. Such services were typically remunerated with significant fees, often brought as a bribe or offering to empower the requested magical act. The alliance between Moab and Midian signifies their shared fear and the perceived overwhelming threat posed by Israel. Their joint action highlights the gravity of the situation in their eyes. The "fees of divination" (Hebrew: śeḵar qesāmîm) illustrate that they viewed Balaam's abilities as a purchasable commodity, a common pagan perspective that contrasted sharply with Israelite understanding of YHWH's exclusive control over blessing and curse, which was never for sale. The Israelite law (Deut 18:9-12) explicitly condemned such practices as detestable to YHWH, marking this entire transaction as an affront to true worship.
Numbers 22 7 Word analysis
- So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian: This refers to the senior, respected, and official representatives. Their presence underscores the seriousness and formality of the mission. The joint effort of Moab and Midian, traditional adversaries of Israel, highlights the severity of the perceived threat and the urgency of their combined response.
- departed (וַיֵּלְכוּ, vayyēl'ḵū): Simple past tense, "they went." It signifies prompt and direct action following Balak's command. There was no hesitation in executing the king's will.
- with the fees of divination (קְסָמִים שְׂכַר, śeḵar qesāmîm): This is a crucial phrase.
- śeḵar (שְׂכַר): wage, reward, hire, pay. This denotes payment, a mercenary gain.
- qesāmîm (קְסָמִים): divination, augury, soothsaying, magical arts. This term directly links to prohibited practices in Israelite law (e.g., Deut 18:10). The combination signifies payment for supernatural powers or acts, rather than spiritual service guided purely by divine will. It immediately frames Balaam, from their perspective, as a professional, hired diviner.
- in their hand (בְּיָדָם, bəyāḏām): Literally "in their hand." This detail emphasizes that the payment was physically present, visible, and ready for immediate transaction. It indicates their preparedness to secure Balaam's services through a direct, tangible offer.
- and they came to Balaam: This confirms they successfully located Balaam. Balaam was a known figure, living in Pethor, likely with a reputation extending across regions.
- and spoke the words of Balak to him: This clarifies their role as messengers, faithfully conveying the king's precise instructions and plea to curse the Israelite nation. Their mission was not merely exploratory but clearly defined by Balak's urgent need.
Numbers 22 7 Bonus section
The inclusion of both Moabite and Midianite elders points to a significant strategic alliance. While Moabites were direct descendants of Lot and distant relatives of Israel, the Midianites were nomadic tribes, sometimes allies, sometimes enemies of Israel. Their combined effort here highlights the extraordinary level of fear and urgency felt by these nations in response to Israel's advance. This alliance would later become highly significant, especially when Balaam's counsel to Balak led to the apostasy at Baal-Peor involving Midianite women, revealing that while curses were blocked, the deeper spiritual danger for Israel lay in moral corruption facilitated by Balaam's unholy advice for gain (Num 25, 31). This verse, therefore, implicitly foreshadows not only Balaam's mercenary character but also the deeper, more insidious threats Israel would face beyond direct military conflict.
Numbers 22 7 Commentary
Numbers 22:7 paints a vivid picture of pagan pragmatism encountering a spiritual power. Balak and his allied Midianite elders viewed Balaam as a potent weapon, a purchasable divine agent, much like they would hire mercenary soldiers. The "fees of divination" encapsulate their pagan worldview, where spiritual power is transactional, rather than inherently linked to a moral, sovereign God. This action sets the stage for a dramatic conflict between human manipulation (using money to control spiritual forces) and divine sovereignty. Balaam, a figure who straddled the line between a true prophet of YHWH and a mercenary diviner, is thus immediately presented with a moral dilemma centered on wealth and loyalty. Ultimately, this scene introduces the larger theological truth that YHWH is not only supreme but also unbribable, and His plans for His people cannot be thwarted by human machinations or pagan magic.