The Way of Balaam

Numbers 22:4-13
And Mo’aḇ said to the elders of Miḏyan, “Now this company is licking up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balaq son of Tsippor was sovereign of the Mo’aḇites at that time,

5and he sent messengers to Bil‛am son of Be‛or at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “See, a people has come from Mitsrayim. See, they have covered the surface of the land, and are settling next to me!

6“And now, please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too strong for me. It might be that I smite them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7And the elders of Mo’aḇ and the elders of Miḏyan left with the fees for divination in their hand, and they came to Bil‛am and spoke the words of Balaq to him.

8And he said to them, “Spend the night here, and I shall bring back word to you, as יהוה speaks to me.” So the heads of Mo’aḇ stayed with Bil‛am.

9And Elohim came to Bil‛am and said, “Who are these men with you?”

10And Bil‛am said to Elohim, “Balaq, son of Tsippor, sovereign of Mo’aḇ, has sent to me, saying,

11‘See, a people has come out of Mitsrayim and cover the surface of the land. Come now, curse them for me. It might be that I am able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ”

12And Elohim said to Bil‛am, “Do not go with them. You do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

Genesis 12:2-3
And I shall make you a great nation, and bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing!

3“And I shall bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you. And in you all the clans of the earth shall be blessed.”

13And Bil‛am rose in the morning and said to the heads of Balaq, “Go back to your land, for יהוה has refused to allow me to go with you.”

Here is the meaning of Balaq so we have a fuller understanding:
1110 balaq baw-lak' a primitive root; to annihilate:--(make) waste.

1111 Balaq baw-lawk' from 1110; waster; Balak, a Moabitish king:--Balak.

Bil'am; 1109 Bil`am bil-awm' probably from 1077 and 5971; not (of the) people, i.e. foreigner; Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in Palestine:--Balaam, Bileam.

In verse 7 we read, "Fees for divination" ; 7081 qecem keh'-sem from 7080; a lot: also divination (including its fee), oracle:--(reward of) divination, divine sentence, witchcraft
The Hebrew word picture for this would be along these lines; The support behind the chaos....... Keep this in mind as we move on to these verses.

Numbers 22:22-34
22But the displeasure of Elohim burned because he went, and the Messenger of יהוה stationed Himself in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.--

Exodus 4;24
And it came to be on the way, in the lodging place, that יהוה met him and sought to kill him.

23And the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Bil‛am beat the donkey to turn her back onto the way.

Acts 22:9
And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear His voice speaking to me.

2 Peter 2:12-15
But these, like natural unreasoning beasts, having been born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheme that which they do not know, shall be destroyed in their destruction,13being about to receive the wages of unrighteousness, deeming indulgence in the day of pleasure, spots and blemishes, revelling in their own deceptions while they feast with you,14having eyes filled with an adulteress, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable beings, having a heart trained in greed, children of a curse,
15having left the right way they went astray, having followed the way of Bil‛am the son of Be‛or, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,

Jude 10-13
But these blaspheme that which they do not know. And that which they know naturally, like unreasoning beasts, in these they corrupt themselves.11Woe to them! Because they have gone in the way of Qayin, and gave themselves to the delusion of Bil‛am for a reward, and perished in the rebellion of Qoraḥ.
12These are rocky reefs in your love feasts, feasting with you, feeding themselves without fear, waterless clouds borne about by the winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots,13wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame, straying stars for whom blackness of darkness is kept forever.

24Then the Messenger of יהוה stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25And when the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Bil‛am’s foot against the wall, so he beat her again.
26And the Messenger of יהוה went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn aside, right or left.

Matthew 7:13-23
Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it.14“Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life, and there are few who find it.15“But beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are savage wolves.
16“By their fruits you shall know them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?17“So every good tree yields good fruit, but a rotten tree yields wicked fruit.18“A good tree is unable to yield wicked fruit, and a rotten tree to yield good fruit.
19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20“So then, by their fruits you shall know them –21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens.22“Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’23“And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness

27And when the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה, she lay down under Bil‛am. So Bil‛am’s displeasure burned, and he beat the donkey with his staff.

Revelation 1:17-18
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead, and He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last,18and the living One. And I became dead, and see, I am living forever and ever. Amĕn. And I possess the keys of the grave and of death.

28Then יהוה opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil‛am, “What have I done to you, that you have beaten me these three times?”

2 Peter 2:15-17
having left the right way they went astray, having followed the way of Bil‛am the son of Be‛or, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,16but he was rebuked for his transgression: a dumb donkey speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness of the prophet.17These are fountains without water, clouds driven by a storm, to whom the blackest darkness is kept forever

29And Bil‛am said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would have killed you by now!”

Proverbs 12:10
The righteous regards the life of his beast, But the compassion of the wrong is cruelty.

30And the donkey said to Bil‛am, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever known to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

2 Peter 2:16
but he was rebuked for his transgression: a dumb donkey speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness of the prophet.

31Then יהוה opened Bil‛am’s eyes, and he saw the Messenger of יהוה standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand. And he bowed his head and fell on his face.

Luke 24:15-16
And it came to be, as they were talking and reasoning, that יהושע Himself drew near and went with them.16But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

Luke 24:31
And their eyes were opened and they recognised Him. And He disappeared from their sight.

32And the Messenger of יהוה said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? See, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is reckless before Me

2 Peter 2:12-16
But these, like natural unreasoning beasts, having been born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheme that which they do not know, shall be destroyed in their destruction,
13being about to receive the wages of unrighteousness, deeming indulgence in the day of pleasure, spots and blemishes, revelling in their own deceptions while they feast with you,14having eyes filled with an adulteress, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable beings, having a heart trained in greed, children of a curse,15having left the right way they went astray, having followed the way of Bil‛am the son of Be‛or, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,16but he was rebuked for his transgression: a dumb donkey speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness of the prophet.

33“And the donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, I certainly would have killed you by now, and let her live.”34And Bil‛am said to the Messenger of יהוה, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. And now, if evil is in Your eyes, let me turn back.”

To sum it all up: John 10:1-15
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter through the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber.2“But he who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3“The doorkeeper opens for him, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4“And when he has brought out his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.5“And they shall by no means follow a stranger, but shall flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”6יהושע used this figure of speech, but they did not know what He had been saying to them 7.יהושע therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.8“All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9“I am the door. Whoever enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture.
10“The thief does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy. I have come that they might possess life, and that they might possess it beyond measure.
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
12“But the hireling, and not being a shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
13“Now the hireling flees because he is a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep.
14“I am the good shepherd. And I know Mine, and Mine know Me,15even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.

Bil'am was Not of the people, and he was offered fees for divination. Thus he was a False prophet! Once again as we study the Scriptures to show ourselves approved we see the direct correlation between this passage and some Newer Testament verses.

Much Shalom!