Num. 22; 23; 24
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INTRODUCTION. After the incident with the fiery serpents, the children of Israel continued their journey once more. They traveled north on the east side of the Dead Sea and eventually camped in the plain overlooking the Jordan River opposite the city of
Jericho.
First the Israelites fought with Sihon, king of the Amorites, and defeated him, possessing his land from the Amon River to the Jabbok River. Next Og, the king of Bashan, fought against the Israelites, and they defeated him and possessed his land. The Israelites then controlled all the land east of the Jordan River from the Amon River north to Mount Hermon (Num. 21:21-35; Deut. 2:26-3:8).
After the children of Israel defeated the two Amorite kings and their armies and were camped in the land they had conquered, Balak the king of Moab was alarmed, for the Israelite camp was on the borders of his territory. Therefore Balak hired Balaam, a soothsayer (magician) from Pethor, a city on the Euphrates River, to come and curse the Israelites by his magical arts.
Although God at first forbade Balaam to go to Balak, eventually Balaam did go. Nevertheless, God prevented Balaam from cursing Israel. Instead Balaam three times blessed Israel, for he spoke only as God directed him.
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