Balaam, on the other hand, made no further attempts to induce God to
curse Israel, but thought he might be able to bring misfortune upon
Israel by enumerating the sins they had committed in the desert, and in
this way to conjure up God's wrath against them. But the desert had
also been the place where Israel had accepted the Torah, hence the
mention of the desert called up God's love instead of His wrath. [776]
Balaam himself, when he let his eyes wander over the camp of Israel,
and perceived how their tents were so pitched that no one might see
what was going on in the homes of the others, found himself compelled
to burst into praises of Israel; [777] and, under the inspiration of
the prophetic spirit, the curses he had intended to speak were changed
in his mouth into blessings, and he spoke of the extent and importance
of the kingdom of Israel. [778] But whereas Moses blessed his people in
a low, quiet voice, Balaam spoke his words of blessing in a very loud
voice, so that all the other nations might hear and out of envy make
war upon Israel. Balaam's blessings were therefore accounted to him not
as blessings, but as curses. God said: "I have promised Abraham, 'And I
will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I
curse,' hence will I account Balaam's blessings as curses." [779] And
indeed all of Balaam's blessing later turned to curses, except his
blessing that houses of teaching and of prayer should never be missing
among Israel. [780]
The words that Balaam announced were heard by all the inhabitants of
the earth, such power did God lend to his voice, for He knew that at
some future time there would be a man born of woman who would pass
himself for a god and would mislead all the world. Hence God permitted
all the world to hear Balaam's words, that said: "God is not a man, and
the man that passeth himself for God lieth. But he that will mislead
the world by declaring that he will disappear for a time and then
reappear will promise what he can never fulfil. Woe then to that nation
that will lend ear to the man who will pass himself for God." [781]
Balaam furthermore announced the events that would come to pass at the
time of David's sovereignty; and also what will happen at the end of
days, in the time of Messiah, when Rome and all other nations will be
destroyed by Israel, excepting only the descendants of Jethro, who will
participate in Israel's joy and sorrows. [782] Yea, the Kenites are to
be the ones to announce to Israel the arrival of the Messiah, and the
sons of the Kenite Jonadab are to be the first at the time of the
Messiah to bring offerings at the Temple and to announce to Jerusalem
its deliverance. [783] This was Balaam's last prophecy. After this, the
prophetic spirit left Balaam, and God in this way granted Moses' wish
to reserve the gift of prophecy as a special distinction to Israel.
Balaam was the last prophet of the nations. [784]