Light and Darkness 73

After twice defeating Amorite kings who attacked them, Israel temporarily settled in captured towns as they looked northward towards Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, was fearful of an Israelite invasion and sent emmisaries to hire a pagan prophet to curse God's people. Balaam received the foreign messengers, then consulted the God of Israel for His instructions. Yahweh forbade Balaam from cursing Israel and then told the seer to go along with the second group of emmisaries.