발람(Balaam) 은
Pethor 지방에 살고 있는 선지자로 타락한 선지자의 대명사이다.
He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor , which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt . Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
출애굽을 한 이스라엘 백성에 대해
모압 왕
Balak 이 전쟁으로는 이들을 이길 수 없음을 알고 저주를 하기 위해 초청했다.
처음에는 거절하였으나, 발락이 제공하는 많은 재물에 눈이 멀어 나귀를 타고 발락에게로 나아가던 중, 나귀의 입을 통해 경고를 받고 또 천사의 경고도 받았지만 욕심을 이기지 못해 저주를 하기 위해 나아갔다.
28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam , “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam , “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam , and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33 The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
그러나, 저주를 하려 하였으나 하나님께서 그 입을 주관하셔서 저주가 아닌 축복을 하도록 하셨다.
그러나 발람은 이에 굴하지 않고 모압 왕 발락에게 이스라엘 백성을 타락하게 하여 우상의 제물을 먹게 하고 행음을 하게 하면 하나님의 진노를 살 것이라 알려주어 백성들을 어려움에 빠트렸다.
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam , who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel , to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.