Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
Look, there's a nation that came out of Egypt, and they cover the whole land like a blanket. Come now and put a curse on them for me. Maybe then I'll be able to defeat them and drive them away.
King Balak is asking the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites because he's afraid of their great numbers and wants God's people defeated.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites had recently escaped from Egypt and were encamped on the plains of Moab, which made the local king, Balak, fearful of their growing numbers and military successes. Balak believed that by enlisting the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, he could weaken them and drive them out of his territory to protect his kingdom. This verse specifically records the message Balak sent to Balaam, emphasizing the Israelites as a vast threat that covered the land.
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