Balak

The Prince of Moab and Midian: the son of Zippor. We have his history, Num. xx2: and following chapters. His name signifies, wasting, from Lakak, to lick up, and the prefix Beth, with. See Balaam.

Ba´lak (emptier, spoiler), son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites (Num 22:2; Num 22:4), who was so terrified at the approach of the victorious army of the Israelites, who in their passage through the desert had encamped near the confines of his territory, that he applied to Balaam, who was then reputed to possess great influence with the higher spirits, to curse them. From Jdg 11:25, it is clear that Balak was so certain of the fulfillment of Balaam’s blessing, ’blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee’ (Num 24:9), that he never afterwards made the least military attempt to oppose the Israelites (comp. Mic 6:5; Rev 2:14).

King of Moab, when the Israelites were drawing near the promised land. He was filled with terror lest they should attack and destroy him, as they had Sihon and Og, and implored the soothsayer Balaam to come and curse them. His fears and his devices were both in vain, Deu 2:9 . See BALAAM. He found he had nothing to fear from Israel if at peace with them, and nothing to hope if at war with them.\par

Ba’lak. (spoiler). Son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, who hired Balaam to curse the Israelites; but his designs were frustrated in the manner recorded in Num 22:24. (B.C. 1451).

("vain, empty, son of Zipper".) Not hereditary king, but imposed on Moab by Sihon. (See BALAAM; HUR (2).) His employment of Balaam to curse Israel was near the close of Israel’s journeying. His knowing as to the seer in Mesopotamia would imply a circulation of intelligence, great considering the times. Moab’s descent from Lot, originally of Mesopotamia; also the merchant caravans passing across the deserts; also the advanced civilization of Moab in letters, proved by the Moabite stone some centuries later: all make it intelligible. Finding Israel "too mighty" for him (Num 22:6), and his hope of prevailing by Balaam’s enchantments being disappointed, he let them alone thenceforth. His "warring against Israel" (Jos 24:9-10) consisted not in "fighting," which is denied in Jdg 11:25, but in hiring Balak against them.

Balak. See Balaam.

By: Morris Jastrow, Jr., Charles Foster Kent, Marcus Jastrow, Louis Ginzberg

—Biblical Data:

According to Num. xxii.-xxiv., Balak was king of Moab when the Israelites emerged from their wanderings in the wilderness to the conquest of the East Jordanic land. Alarmed by the victories and numbers of the invaders, he summoned the prophet Balaam, who lived on the banks of the Euphrates, to curse them, believing, like most of the ancients, in the potency of a curse to work evil upon those against whom it was pronounced. In his zeal Balak offered rich sacrifices in order to place the Deity under obligations to grant his heart's desire; but he met with disappointment, for the prophet, acting under the directions of Yhwh, uttered blessings instead of curses upon his foes, the Israelites, and predicted for them victories and glories.

—In Rabbinical Literature:

Balaam prophesied that his fellow-countryman Balak would one day be king. Balak was the son, not of a king, but of an unimportant prince, and was for some time a vassal of Sihon, king of the Amorites. When Sihon died, Balak became his successor, and, seeing the prophecy of Balaam fulfilled, he sent for the latter. Balak was himself a skilful sorcerer and knew that a great calamity was to befall Israel, but did not know how he could be instrumental in bringing it about, so he desired the assistance of Balaam. His fear of Israel was chiefly due to the fact that the Israelites were at peace with Ammon, while Moab, his own kingdom, suffered from their arrogance, though God had forbidden them to wage actual war against it. Balak knew human nature well, and, aware of Balaam's greed, promised him wealth and honor in return for his assistance. But, after the latter came, Balak showed himself a niggard.

"The pious," says the Midrash, "promise little, but do much; Abraham invited the angels to a bite of bread and entertained them royally. The godless promise much and do little, as is shown by the example of Balak" (Num. R. xx. 2, 3, 17; Tan., ed.Buber, Balak, 3-9, 15). His hatred of Israel was so great that he even gave his own daughter to seduce the Israelitish noblemen. She was the woman slain by Phinehas (Num. xxv. 15). Here "Zur" is only another name for "Balak" (Num. R. l.c. 7, 24; Sanh. 82a).

—Critical View:

The narrative is drawn from the two old prophetic sources designated (J and E) of the Pentateuch. These in turn may have as their basis some historical incident. In any case the story is a very ancient testimony to the early opposition between the Moabites and the Israelites. The aim of the story is to show that the Hebrews were from the first especial objects of Yhwh's favor. See Balaam.

BALAK.—The king of Moab who hired Balaam, Num 22:1-41; Num 23:1-30; Num 24:1-25. See Balaam.

bā´lak בּלק, bālāḳ, “devastator” or “one who lays waste”): Mentioned in connection with the story of Balaam/Balak (Nu 22 through 24; compare Jos 24:9; Jdg 11:25; Mic 6:5; Rev 2:14). He was the king of Moab who hired Balaam to pronounce a curse on the Israelites. See BALAAM.

Balak is named in Rev_2:14 along with Balaam. Like Balaam (q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ), Balak is to be regarded here as a typical figure. The former teaches doctrine which is false in itself, corrupt in its motive, and immoral in its fruits; while Balak is, as in the OT, the heathen power which thrusts Balaam’s sorceries on the faithful. It is difficult to resist the conclusion that, if Balaam is the teacher of Gnosticism, Balak is the Roman power which has adopted syncretism and seeks to compel the Christians to adopt its ways also, and so makes them fall into the corruptions attendant on pagan worship.

W. F. Cobb.