He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
So he sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor by the river in his homeland. They were to invite him, saying, 'Look, there's a nation that came out of Egypt. They cover the land like a blanket, and they're camped right across from me.'
The writer is describing how Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to hire a prophet named Balaam because he was afraid of the huge number of Israelites camped near his territory.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Israel's wilderness journey after leaving Egypt, as they approached the Promised Land around 1400 BC. Balak, king of Moab, was terrified by the massive Israelite camp and sought to hire Balaam, a famous diviner from Mesopotamia, to curse them. Ancient kings commonly employed prophets and diviners to seek supernatural help against their enemies.
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