Balak
maleExodusMeaning: “Devastator; empty”
The king of Moab who, fearing Israel, hired the diviner Balaam to curse them — only for God to turn every curse into blessing.
Biography
Balak, son of Zippor, was the king of Moab when Israel, having come up out of Egypt, camped on his borders. Terrified by their numbers, "Moab was sore afraid of the people" (Numbers 22:3).
Hiring a curse
Rather than fight, Balak sent for the renowned diviner Balaam to curse Israel, promising him great reward (Numbers 22:6). Three times he brought Balaam to high places overlooking the camp; three times — to Balak's fury — Balaam could only bless what God had blessed (Numbers 23–24).
A lasting warning
Though his plan to curse failed, Balak's name became attached to the later seduction of Israel into idolatry at Peor by Balaam's counsel. The risen Christ recalls it as a warning to the church: Balaam "taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel" (Revelation 2:14).
Life Timeline
Hires Balaam to curse Israel
Watches in vain as Balaam blesses Israel instead
On the Bible timeline
Balak belongs to the The Exodus & Wilderness era (c. 1446 BC (early) / 1260 BC (late)).
- c. 1446 BC (early) / 1260 BC (late)The Exodus from Egypt
- c. 1446 BCThe Law Given at Sinai
- c. 1406 BCThe Conquest of Canaan
Themes & lessons from Balak
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Balak appears.
People they appear with
Places in their story
Scripture Appearances
41 verses in 5 booksNumbers37 verses
Numbers 22:2
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
Numbers 22:4
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.
Numbers 22:7
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Numbers 22:10
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Numbers 22:13
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
Numbers 22:14
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
Numbers 22:15
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
Numbers 22:16
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: Let: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc
Numbers 22:18
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Numbers 22:35
And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Numbers 22:36
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
Numbers 22:37
And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
Numbers 22:38
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Numbers 22:39
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. Kirjathhuzoth: or, a city of streets
Numbers 22:40
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
Numbers 22:41
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
Numbers 23:1
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Numbers 23:2
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
Numbers 23:3
And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. to an: or, solitary
Numbers 23:5
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
Numbers 23:7
And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
Numbers 23:11
And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
Numbers 23:13
And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
Numbers 23:15
And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
Numbers 23:16
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
Numbers 23:17
And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
Numbers 23:18
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Numbers 23:25
And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
Numbers 23:26
But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
Numbers 23:27
And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
Numbers 23:28
And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
Numbers 23:29
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
Numbers 23:30
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
Numbers 24:10
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Numbers 24:12
And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
Numbers 24:13
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
Numbers 24:25
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Joshua1 verse
Joshua 24:9
Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:
Judges1 verse
Judges 11:25
And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
Micah1 verse
Micah 6:5
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
Revelation1 verse
Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Frequently asked about Balak
Who was Balak in the Bible?
The king of Moab who, fearing Israel, hired the diviner Balaam to curse them — only for God to turn every curse into blessing.
What does the name Balak mean?
The name Balak means “Devastator; empty”.
What did Balak do in the Bible?
Balak served as king of moab.
Where does Balak appear in the Bible?
Balak is mentioned 41 times across 5 books: Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Micah, Revelation.
What can we learn from Balak?
The story of Balak touches on themes of desert, journey of israel through the, zippor, moabites, pisgah — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Balak's life.
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