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Whensoever God wished to humble an evil-doer, He at first exalts him, to fill him with
pride. So too He humbled Balaam after exalting him, for at first Balak had sent princes of
little distinction to him, whereupon God said to him, "Thou shalt not go with
them." When, however, he sent many renowned princes to him, God said to Balaam,
"Go with them," but this journey brought him nothing but humiliation and ruin,
for he fared in accordance with the proverb, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an
haughty spirit before a fall." God does this so that men might not say, "Whom
hath God destroyed? Surely not that insignificant person," hence God exalts sinners
before their fall. 753
When Balaam approached the Moabite boundaries, he sent messengers to Balak to announce his
arrival, and Balak went forth to his country's border to meet him. Pointing to the
boundary lines, Balak said to Balaam: "These have been fixed since Noah's days, that
no nation might push into the realm of another, but Israel set out to destroy the
boundaries, as their attitude toward Sihon and Og shows, into whose kingdoms they
entered." 754 He then greeted him with the words: "Did I not twice sent unto
thee to call thee? Wherefore camest not thou unto me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee
to honor?" Balak unconsciously uttered a prophecy, for in truth Balaam went hence in
disgrace and dishonor, and not covered with glory, as he could not fulfil the other's wish
to curse Israel. 755 It should now have been Balaam's duty, had he really desired to be
of service to the king of Moab, to say to him, "Why dost thou attempt to do what will
bring thee misfortune, and finally utter ruin?" But he spoke quite differently
instead, boastfully bragging with his gift of prophecy, pointing out that he was the last
prophet among the heathens. "And," continued he, "I, the last prophet among
the heathens, shall thus counsel thee. The ancestor of that nation erected to God an altar
upon which, thrice annually, he offered up seven oxen and seven rams; do thou, then, erect
seven altars, and offer up on each seven oxens and seven rams." God laughed when he
heard this counsel, saying: "Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a
thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field
are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is Mine, and the fullness
thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" 756
Balak led his guest from the border-line to the interior of the land, taking pains to show
him great multitudes of the people, having bazaars erected for that purpose. Pointing to
these multitudes, among which there were also may children, Balak said, "Look thou,
how Israel plan to destroy these multitudes of people that have done them no injury."
Balak slew for Balaam's welcome one ox and one sheep, proving the proverb, "The pious
promise little and do much, the wicked promise much and do little." Balak had sent
word to Balaam, saying, "I will promote thee unto very great honor;" yet when he
arrived, he offered him for food only one ox and one sheep. Suppressing his rage, Balaam
thought, "Is that all that he offers me! He will have to pay for this
to-morrow," for he instantly determined to have him offer up many sacrifices on the
following day to punish him for having treated him in so niggardly a fashion.
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