THE meeting between the king of Moab and the soothsayer took place at Ir Moab, the “city” or capital of Moab, close by its northern boundary. ^{1Canon Tristram identifies this with the old Ar, or Rabbath Moab (Land of Moab, p. 110). But this latter seems too far south for the requirements of the text.} It commenced with gentle reproaches on the part of the monarch, which, Eastern-like, covered large promises, to which the soothsayer replied by repeating his old profession of being only able to speak the word that God would put in his mouth. There is no need of assuming hypocrisy on his part; both monarch and soothsayer acted quite in character and quite consistently. From Ir Moab they proceeded to Kirjath Huzoth, “the city of streets,” the later Kiriathaim. ^{2Joshua 13:19; Ezekiel 25:9, etc. See the description of the place, and of the prospect from it, in Tristram, u.s., pp. 270, 276.}BHOTV3 18.1

Here, or in the immediate neighborhood, the first sacrifices were offered, Balaam as well as “the princes” taking part in the sacrificial meal. Next morning, Balak took the soothsayer to the lofty heights of Mount Attarus, to Bamoth Baal “the heights of Baal,” so-called because that plateau was dedicated to the service of Baal. The spot, which also bears the names of Baal-meon, Beth Baal-meon, and Beth-meon, commands a magnificent view. Although “too far recessed to show the depression of the Dead Sea,” the view northwards stretches as far as Jerusalem, Gerizim, Tabor, Hermon, and Mount Gilead. ^{3Tristram, p. 304.} But, although the eye could sweep so far over the Land of Promise, he would, from the conformation of the mountains, only see “the utmost part of the people,” (Numbers 22:41) that is, the outskirts of the camp of Israel.BHOTV3 18.2

In accordance with the sacred significance which, as Balaam knew, attached to the number seven in the worship of Jehovah, seven altars were now built on the heights of Baal, and seven bullocks and seven rams offered upon them—a bullock and a ram on each altar. Leaving Balak and the princes of Moab by the altars, Balaam went forth in the regular heathen manner, in the hope of meeting Jehovah (Numbers 23:3), which is explained by Numbers 24:1 as meaning “to seek auguries,” such as heathen soothsayers saw in certain natural appearances or portents. And there, on the top of “a bare height,” ^{4So literally; Numbers 23:3.} God did meet Balaam, not in auguries, but by putting “a word in Balaam’s mouth.” As the man shared not in it otherwise than by being the outward instrument of its communication, this “word” was to him only “a parable,” and is designated as such in Scripture. Never before so clearly as in presence of the powers of heathenism, assembled to contend against Israel, did Jehovah show forth His almighty power, alike in making use of an instrument almost passive in His hand, and in disclosing His eternal purpose. ^{5The prophecies of Balaam certainly go far beyond the range of the prophetic vision of that time. Could it be, because Balaam was so entirely passive, as it were transmitting, without absorbing, any of the rays of light, nor yet mingling them with the coloring in his own mind.}BHOTV3 18.3

Chapter 1

First “Parable” of Balaam