Day 56: Numbers 30-31

What made Balaam counsel Balak to get the cult prostitutes of Midian to seduce the Israelite men? He boldly blessed Israel while being paid and commanded to curse them from chapters 23-24. Balaam "rose up and returned to his place" in Numbers 24:25 and afterward the plan of Balaam is implemented , leading to the Lord's command to smite them (Numbers 25:16-18). I've always assumed there was an untold story of a threat by Balak that Balaam was unprepared for. Being outside of God's will he could not count on God's protection so he offered advice. But this is reading into the text.

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