Numbers 22-24: Balaam And His Talking Donkey

Numbers 22-24 introduces Balaam, a prophet for hire, and his talking donkey. King Balak of Moab, fearing the Israelites, hires Balaam to curse them. God warns Balaam not to curse the nation He has blessed. When Balaam reluctantly agrees to go, his donkey sees an angel blocking the path and miraculously speaks to correct Balaam’s foolishness. Despite many attempts by Balak to manipulate him, Balaam can only speak God’s message, which contains blessings for Israel. These blessings reaffirm God’s unchanging promises to His people and foretell a coming star, the Messiah, who will rise from Jacob and rule forever. Through this story, we see God’s power over all creation, His unstoppable plans for His people, and the destructiveness of greed as exemplified in Balaam's eventual downfall.