Numbers 23:2
“Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.”
What does Numbers 23:2 mean?
Balaam, a pagan prophet hired by King Balak to curse Israel, instructed the king to build altars and make offerings. Here Balak follows through with animal sacrifices on each of the seven altars they'd constructed. Though Balaam was working for Balak's purposes, these rituals show both men trying to appease spiritual powers before Balaam attempts to speak curses over Israel. What happens next in the story is poignant: despite all this preparation and Balak's desperation, God prevents Balaam from cursing Israel and turns his words into blessings instead. It's a reminder that human manipulation and effort, no matter how elaborate, cannot override God's protection of his people.