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Philippians 2:3–4

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The Bronze Snake and Balaam's Donkey

Friday, Jun 2, 2023

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Do you remember God's promises to Abraham?

Key Verse | Numbers 22:12

But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”

Numbers 22:7–21

7Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel.* They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. 8“Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.

9That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”

10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message: 11‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’”

12But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”

13The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.”

14So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. 16They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me. 17I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

18But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God. 19But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”

20That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”

Balaam and His Donkey

21So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.

Footnotes

22:7 Hebrew set out with the money of divination in their hand.