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Numbers 22:13
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11 ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”
12 And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for athey are blessed.”  
13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”
14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more1 honorable than they.  
16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;
17 for I will certainly ahonor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. bTherefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”  
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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain Numbers 22:13:

Numbers 22:12-19

God's word to him was clear: Don't go with the Moabites, and don't curse Israel. But Balaam wasn't satisfied with that. His lust for wealth and esteem was overpowering. He tried to appear obedient, while he also tried to get God to change His mind.

What he was saying, in his own way was, "Let me see if I can convince God into letting me do what I want so that I can get the riches from you.

His answer to the Moabites in verse 13 reeks of self-righteous posturing. He complained, "the LORD has refused to give me permission to go with you." But in his proud heart, Balaam wished that God would give him permission. He wished God would be like him—a bit more permissive. When tempted with more money, Balaam went back to God again "just in case" God had changed his mind.

Balaam's attitude was one of self-centeredness. He wanted to see how much he could get away with. Eventually, God gave him enough rope to hang himself by—letting him go with the Moabites. Then God overruled Balaam's prophecies.

Excerpted from Authority: Why So Many Resent It



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