Numbers 22:15
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
Original Language Analysis
וַיֹּ֥סֶף
yet again
H3254
וַיֹּ֥סֶף
yet again
Strong's:
H3254
Word #:
1 of 8
to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
ע֖וֹד
H5750
ע֖וֹד
Strong's:
H5750
Word #:
2 of 8
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
שְׁלֹ֣חַ
sent
H7971
שְׁלֹ֣חַ
sent
Strong's:
H7971
Word #:
4 of 8
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
רַבִּ֥ים
more
H7227
רַבִּ֥ים
more
Strong's:
H7227
Word #:
6 of 8
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
Historical Context
Moabite kings, descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:37), ruled a territory east of the Dead Sea. Balak's willingness to send multiple high-level delegations hundreds of miles demonstrates how desperately Moab feared Israel's approach and how highly Balaam's curse-power was valued.
Questions for Reflection
- When worldly authorities escalate their offers after your initial "no," what does your wavering communicate about God's authority in your life?
- How does leaving interpretive room in your obedience invite more sophisticated temptations?
- What half-open doors in your spiritual life allow the enemy to send "more honourable princes" to negotiate?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they—Balak escalated both the size and status of his delegation. The Hebrew יְקָרִים (yeqārîm, "more honourable") indicates higher-ranking nobles, a greater honor for Balaam. This ancient Near Eastern strategy—when initial envoys fail, send more prestigious representatives—aimed to flatter recipients into compliance.
Balak's persistence reveals he interpreted Balaam's first refusal as negotiable, not absolute. Had Balaam definitively closed the door ("God forbids cursing His people, and I will not discuss this further"), no second embassy would come. But his ambiguous response signaled he might be persuaded.