Balaam was once a good man and a prophet of God; but he had apostatized, and had given up to covetousness; yet he still professed to be a servant of the Most High. He was not ignorant of God's work in behalf of Israel; and when the messengers announced their errand, he well knew that it was his duty to refuse the rewards of Balak and to dismiss the ambassadors. But he ventured to dally with temptation, and urged the messengers to tarry with him that night, declaring that he could give no decided answer till he had asked counsel of the Lord. Balaam knew that his curse could not harm Israel. God was on their side, and so long as they were true to Him no adverse power of earth or hell could prevail against them. But his pride was flattered by the words of the ambassadors, "He whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed." The bribe of costly gifts and prospective exaltation excited his covetousness. He greedily accepted the offered treasures, and then, while professing strict obedience to the will of God, he tried to comply with the desires of Balak.


Patriarker og profeter kapitel 40. 224.     Fra side 439 i den engelske udgave.tilbage

Bileam

Bileam var en gang en god mand. Han havde været en Guds profet, men var faldet fra Herren og var blevet begærlighedens bytte. Han bekendte sig dog stadig til at være den Højestes tjener. Han var ikke uvidende om det, Gud havde gjort for Israel, og da budbringerne fremførte deres ærinde, var han fuldt ud klar over, at det var hans pligt at afslå Balaks belønning og sende dem bort. Men han vovede at lege med fristelsen og bad budbringerne blive hos ham om natten med den motivering, at han ikke kunne give dem et bestemt svar, før han havde rådspurgt Herren. Bileam vidste, at hans forbandelse ikke kunne gøre Israel fortræd. Gud stod på Israels side, og så længe de var tro imod ham, kunne ingen modstander på jorden eller i Helvede besejre dem. Men udsendingenes ord appellerede til hans stolthed: "Den, du velsigner, er velsignet, og den, du forbander, forbandet!" De kostbare gaver, som de ville bestikke ham med, og udsigten til at blive ophøjet og æret opflammede hans begær. Han tog med begærlighed imod de gaver, som blev tilbudt ham, og alt imens han foregav at vise streng lydighed imod Guds vilje, prøvede han at opfylde Balaks ønsker.

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