How to learn from biblical nature imagery.

Commentary on Parashat Balak, Numbers 22:2-25:9

In the portion of Balak, the prophet Balaam, hired by King Balak of Moab, sets out to curse the children of Israel, only to find himself proclaiming four blessings instead. Each blessing builds on the one before it, becoming more sophisticated and exalted.

Balaam begins with introducing his theme and mission in the first, replies to Balak’s anger at not cursing the people as he promised in the second, and by the third launches into a praise song of Israel that is considered “neither vindication nor denunciation but pure prophecy (Nehama Leibowitz, Studies in Bamidbar).” Here the language itself becomes declamatory and filled with more symbolism; specifically more imagery taken from the natural world. In the first prophecy, only hills and rocks are mentioned, in the second, an ox and a lion, but in the third, both plants and animals are used to great effect. Let us examine one of the verses here.

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Topic:	Insights into Parashat Balak – Understanding nature imagery in Balaam’s messages.
Author(s):	Ilana Stein
Published by:	My Jewish Learning
Direct link:	www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-nature-of-balaams-prophecy/