Baalam's Parables

According to the synoptic gospels when Jesus taught the multitudes of the nature of His coming Kingdom, He taught in parables.

“And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables“ (Matthew 13:2,3a).

THE FIRST TIME “PARABLES” are mentioned in the Bible is in the Old Testament with Balaam’s blessings in Numbers 23. [i] The King James Version has the English word parable/s 18 times[ii] in the Old Testament compared to 47 times in the New Testament.[iii] The King James uses the Mesoretic Hebrew source-- a copy itself, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes just around 1000 years ago.[iv]

MY REASONING. Why would we be particularly interested in Old Testament parables? If there be any question about the interpretation of Jesus’ parables and how they are fulfilled, we have a cache of ancient, fulfilled prophetic parables to compare. For example, to what extent is the content of Jesus’ parables to be interpreted? I submit that the prophecies of Balaam were fulfilled. So, it is relative then to study his parables, as stated and applied.

IN ADDDITION, the Greek Septuagint (translation from the Hebrew) was made by Jewish scholars during the years of the dispersion just prior to the first century. The NT writers were using the Greek word “parable” that had been used in the LXX for the Hebrew word mâshâl^H4912. This Hebrew word translated as “parable” in the Greek meant “a pithy maxim[v], usually of a metaphorical nature; hence a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)” (Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary).[vi] )In other words the Greek word parabole should be refined to include a maxim that can include metaphors.

BIBLE VERSIONS “translation*” FOR mâshâl ^H4912:

“PARABLE” in AFV, KJV, ASV, BRENTON, CEPHER, DRB, JPS, RV “WORDS” in BBE; “SAID” in CEV;
“DISCOURSE” in ESV;
“MESSAGE” in ERV, GW;
“PROPHECY” in GNB; “PROPHETIC STATEMENT” in ISV;
“ALLEGORY” in LSV;
“παραβολην” in ABP+ & GREEK OT+

* There are at least three types of Bible "translations": (1) word-for-word; (2) phrase-for-phrase; (3) paraphrased --www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/infographic-types-of-bible-transl ...

THE STAGING FOR BALAAM AND HIS PARABLES. In Numbers 1-5, God counts the people, organizes their tents, gives their duties, and commands that they will be His children by being undefiled, i.e., a pure people, sanctified and a separate people for Him. The king of the Moabites tries to hire Balaam to curse Israel.

I. His initial response to Balak is in the Scriptures in Numbers 23:7-10 that Balaam “took up his parable.”

a. Nature of God. Man cannot curse or defy whom the Lord has not cursed or defied.

b. Prophecy of Israel. Sanctified for God’s purpose (1 Kings 8:53); meaning: not a participant in the idolatry of the nations.

Note: BALAK WILL TEMPT ISRAEL TO SIN TO LOSE GOD’S FAVOR (Number 25) apparently from his interpretations of these parables?

c. COMPARISON. As promised to Abraham, Israel will be as the number of dust.

II. His second response to Balak is in Numbers 23:18-24 that Balaam “took up his parable[GW1] .”

III. His third response to Balak is in Numbers 24:4-9 that Balaam “took up his parable.”

b. FIGURES. Like gardens well-watered, Lord’s trees of lign aloes (sweet fragrance) , cedar trees by waters (durable lasting, Psalm 92:12) 24:6

e. FIGURES. His strength is like an unicorn 24:8 (wild bull); eats up his enemies

IV. His fourth response to Balak is in Numbers 24:15-24 that Balaam “took up his parable.”

a. Figures of the Star & Sceptre out of Jacob, Israel (Rev. 22:16). Subdues and conquers. 24:17. [David & Messiah].

Balaam’s parables were rules of conduct including metaphorical visions of the future. Its blessings were to an Israel faithful to God. Cursings were applied to their opponents. God provides for the growing nation of Israel because they were to be faithful and righteous. The figures of the king’s shout with the unicorn and lions are appropriate because we know of the fulfilled swiftness and success of their conquering the promised land. It reminds me of the figure of the winged leopard predicting the speed of Alexander the Great’s conquering the world in Daniel 7:6. The similes[viii] are to be interpreted in the context of a faithful Israel to God. Sadly, Balak's prostitutes will tempt Israel to sin which will result in 24000 killed in Israel (Numbers 25:9).

[i] The New Testament mentions this Old Testament prophet Balaam three times. He was an Edomite, not Israelite, but kin through Esau. He was offered pay by Balak, the Moabite, to have His God curse the newly freed Israel recently from Egyptian bondage. Both Peter and Jude describe him negatively as the symbol of greed in using his religion for personal gain (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11). Revelation 2:14 also mentions "the doctrine of Balaam," which is inducing others to sin.

What the Bible says about Balaam (bibletools.org)

[ii] משׁל H4912 mâshâl 37 times in the Hebrew but translated only 17 out of the 37 times as “parable.” 17 times as proverb/s. Once, “byword”; and once “use”.

[iii] παραβολήG3850 actually is in the NT Greek 50 times; 31 times in the OT Greek; παραβάλλωG3846 is 7 times in OT Greek and 2 times in the New; παροιμίαG3942 [4 times as proverb] is translated 1 time as parable in the New.

[v] Definition of maxim: “a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct.”

[vi] The Greek is defined as “a similitude, that is, ‘(symbolically) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apoth gm or adage’” (Strong’s Greek Dictionary).

[vii] Moab’s temptations to Israel to sin results in the deaths of 24,000 Numbers 25:9; 1 Corinthians 10:8).

[viii] Definition of simile. A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox). https://www.bing.com/search?q=simile+definition&form=ANNTH1&refig=93e1d2efe59a41e8b0fa674