Numbers 24–25: On Jacob’s Star and Israel’s Scepter (Bible Talk, Episode 51)

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03.09.2022

In Numbers 22–23, Balak the King of Moab hires Balaam, an international seer of the gods, to curse God’s people. In Numbers 24–25, we see just how disastrous that plan turned out to be.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

SHOW NOTES

1:31 / Where did our last episode leave off?

2:14 / What changes about Moses’ presentation of Balaam’s oracles on the third one?

3:13 / What does Balaam say in his third oracle?

6:24 / Who is Agag?

9:32 / How does Balaam’s oracle end as comically as his talking-donkey experience?

10:58 / Sam encourages us to learn to read the Bible from the biblical authors.

12:23 / Why is Balaam talking about a king and a garden?

13:00 / How does Balak respond to Balaam’s prophecy?

15:07 / What does Balaam’s fourth oracle consist of?

20:09 / Is this the last we see of Balaam?

21:27 / What is Israel doing while Balak is trying to bribe Balaam? (Is it happening simultaneously?)

23:44 / What instance of Israel’s sexual immorality does Moses highlight?

25:02 / Phinehas’ jealousy for the Lord is noteworthy enough to be referenced Psalm 106.

26:48 / Where are we in Numbers, and where are we going?

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Painting: Balaam’s Prophecy of Christ as Star and Sceptre, Flandrin (1858)

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