Numbers 24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to thy messengers which thou sent unto me, saying, 13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?
Thus, as the story goes, Balaam left feeling defeated as he was forced to bless instead of curse, and that night as he lay on his bed, rolling over in his mind all the words he was coerced to speak, he stumbled upon a sentence, that would turn out to be the key in reversing the blessings. Bingo! Here it is: Numbers 23: 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Thus, Balaam goes to work studiously, if haply he may trigger a change of fortunes in the children of Israel. Could he, by blending paganism with the true worship of God cause them to become destabilized? And could he thus, kill two birds with one stone by granting to Balak what he previously asked for, while he himself could return home with rich rewards? He decides to give it a shot, and the rest is history.
Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
Exodus 32: 3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, these be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!