Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Balak’s plea reveals a deep, albeit twisted, understanding of God's power: he believes curses and blessings have inherent, divine weight. This isn't just a political appeal; it's an acknowledgment that true power—the kind that dictates victory or defeat—resides with the one Balaam serves.
Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Israelites have reached the plains of Moab, and their sheer numbers and prosperity alarm King Balak and the Moabites. Fearful that Israel will overwhelm them, Balak sends messengers to the prophet Balaam, a renowned sorcerer, urging him to come and curse the Israelites, believing that such an incantation will give him the power to defeat them. Balaam, recognizing the potent spiritual authority of the God of Israel, seeks divine counsel before responding to Balak's request.
Facing an unstoppable force, a king turns to supernatural aid. What does his desperation reveal about his understanding of God and power?
Balak, the king of Moab, is utterly overwhelmed by the Israelites' presence. He sees them as a relentless force, like an ox consuming grass, and fears they will destroy his nation.
A King's Fear: Balak isn't just facing a military threat; he feels existentially threatened. The sheer number and apparent unstoppable advance of the Israelites paralyze him. His usual methods – military might – seem insufficient.
Seeking Supernatural Power: Unable to defeat Israel with his own strength, Balak resorts to what he believes is a higher power: the magic and divination of Balaam. He sees Balaam as someone who can influence the divine realm to act on his behalf. This highlights a common human tendency to seek supernatural solutions when earthly ones fail, often without regard for the true source of power.
Balak believes Balaam holds the key to either blessing or cursing Israel. But whose words truly hold power?
Balak's statement, 'for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed,' reveals a profound, albeit flawed, understanding of divine authority.
Balak's Belief: Balak believes Balaam has the power to pronounce curses that will stick and blessings that will prosper. This reflects a common ancient belief that certain individuals, through magic or divine connection, could wield supernatural influence over others' destinies. He is convinced that Balaam's words carry intrinsic power.
Ask a follow-up
God's Authority: While Balak is acknowledging a real principle – that divine favor or disfavor has immense consequences – he misunderstands the source. He attributes this power to Balaam, rather than to the God of Israel Himself. The text later shows that it is God, not Balaam, who controls the blessing and the curse. God can turn curses into blessings, demonstrating His ultimate sovereignty over all forces, including perceived magical ones.
Understand the original words
arar · Hebrew Verb
To invoke divine harm or judgment upon someone; in the ancient Near East, it was believed to have power to alter a person's or nation's destiny.
barak · Hebrew Verb
To speak favor or divine benefits over someone; it implies the invoking of God's power to provide prosperity, protection, or success.
This verse captures the moment of desperation for King Balak of Moab, who, facing the immense power of the Israelite nation newly arrived at his borders, resorts to hiring a foreign seer to curse them, revealing both his fear and a widespread ancient belief in the power of incantations to influence battles.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Depart Egypt
Following the Exodus and their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, the Israelites begin their journey towards the Promised Land.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wilderness Wandering
The Israelites spend 40 years in the wilderness, a period marked by trials, divine provision, and significant encounters with neighboring nations.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Moab Encounters Israel
The Israelites, having defeated the Amorites, are now encamped in the plains of Moab, causing great fear and consternation for King Balak and his people.
c. 1406 BC
Balak Hires Balaam
King Balak of Moab, overwhelmed by the presence of the Israelites, seeks to hire the sorcerer Balaam to curse them, believing this will enable Moab to defeat them.
This passage demonstrates the ancient belief that blessings and curses carried significant power, echoing Balak's conviction that Balaam's words could bring about fortune or ruin.
Deuteronomy 23:5This verse directly references the event of Balaam being hired to curse Israel, highlighting God's intervention to turn the intended curse into a blessing.
Joshua 24:10Joshua recounts this event to the Israelites, emphasizing God's power over Balaam's curses and his inability to harm those whom God blessed.
Nehemiah 13:2This passage recalls how the people remembered Balaam's attempt to curse Israel, showing how this event was remembered as a testament to God's protection.
Galatians 3:10Paul uses the concept of cursing in relation to the Law, contrasting it with the blessing found in Christ and indirectly showing the ultimate futility of attempting to curse those who are in God's favor.
gillNumbers 22:6: "Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed."
Come now, therefore, I pray thee,.... To my country, city, and court: curse me this people; by imprecations on them; and which being attended with various rites and ceremonies, brought calamities on persons, which…
calvinNumbers 22:1-41: "And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho."
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
Dixit igitur Moab ad seniores Madian, Nunc lambet congregatio haec omnes circuitus nostros, quemadmodum lambit bos gramen agri. Porto Balac filius Sippor…
Balak’s plea reveals a deep, albeit twisted, understanding of God's power: he believes curses and blessings have inherent, divine weight. This isn't just a political appeal; it's an acknowledgment that true power—the kind that dictates victory or defeat—resides with the one Balaam serves.
The Israelites have reached the plains of Moab, and their sheer numbers and prosperity alarm King Balak and the Moabites. Fearful that Israel will overwhelm them, Balak sends messengers to the prophet Balaam, a renowned sorcerer, urging him to come and curse the Israelites, believing that such an incantation will give him the power to defeat them. Balaam, recognizing the potent spiritual authority of the God of Israel, seeks divine counsel before responding to Balak's request.
The Israelites have reached the plains of Moab, and their sheer numbers and prosperity alarm King Balak and the Moabites. Fearful that Israel will overwhelm them, Balak sends messengers to the prophet Balaam, a renowned sorcerer, urging him to come and curse the Israelites, believing that such an incantation will give him the power to defeat them. Balaam, recognizing the potent spiritual authority of the God of Israel, seeks divine counsel before responding to Balak's request.
"Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”" — Balak’s plea reveals a deep, albeit twisted, understanding of God's power: he believes curses and blessings have inherent, divine weight. This isn't just a political appeal; it's an acknowledgment th…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026