S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Balak was a king of Moab who appears in the Old Testament in Numbers 22-24. His story is in the context of the time of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. Moab, the land that Balak ruled,...

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August 14 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Balak was the king of Moab during the time when Israel was journeying to the Promised Land (Numbers 22-24). He saw how Israel had defeated the Amorites and became fearful that they would do the same to Moab. In response, he sought to hire Balaam, a prophet-for-hire, to curse Israel in an attempt to weaken them.

Balak’s Tactics with Balaam:

Balak used several tactics in his dealings with Balaam, including bargaining, manipulation, stalling, and threats:

Bargaining & Manipulation – He sent messengers with rewards of divination, hoping to entice Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22:5-7). When Balaam initially refused, Balak upped the ante by sending higher-ranking officials with greater promises of wealth and honor (Numbers 22:15-17).

Stalling – Balaam didn’t give a straightforward "no" but instead repeatedly stalled, asking the messengers to wait while he inquired of God, even though God had already given a clear answer (Numbers 22:8, 19). Balak also stalled in his responses when Balaam didn’t curse Israel but blessed them instead—he tried to change locations three times, hoping for a different outcome (Numbers 23:13, 23:27).

Threats & Frustration – When Balaam continued to bless Israel rather than curse them, Balak became angry and essentially threatened him by saying, “I said I will certainly honor you, but the Lord has held you back from honor” (Numbers 24:11). This was a veiled way of saying, “You’ve missed your chance at wealth and power.”

Conclusion:
Balak was a fearful, manipulative leader who relied on human schemes rather than submitting to God's sovereign will. His actions backfired because God used Balaam to bless Israel instead. However, Balaam himself later found a way to undermine Israel—not through curses, but by advising Moab to seduce Israel into idolatry and immorality (Numbers 31:16, Revelation 2:14), which led to judgment.

Balak's story serves as a lesson about trusting in God's power rather than using worldly tactics to oppose His plans.

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