“He sent messengers to Bilam son of Beor, to Petor, that is by the river, in the land of the members of his people, to summon him, saying: Behold, a people emerged from Egypt; behold, it has covered the face of the earth, and it sits across from me” (Numbers 22:5). “He sent messengers” – the Holy One blessed be He performed miracles on their behalf. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I redeem you and perform miracles on your behalf, but you defy Me.
Come and see seven redemptions that I redeemed you, and you were obligated to praise Me seven praises corresponding to the seven redemptions. Likewise, it says: “The Lord said to the children of Israel: Was it not by the Egyptians, by the Emorites, by the children of Amon, by the Philistines, the Sidonians, Amalek, and Maon [that you were oppressed], and you called to Me, and I saved you from their hand” (Judges 10:11–12); these are seven redemptions.
And you defied Me with seven idols, as it is stated: “The children of Israel continued to perform evil in the eyes of the Lord, and they worshipped the Be'alim, and the Ashtarot, [and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moav, and the gods of the children of Amon, and the gods of the Philistines…]” (Judges 10:6). And so, He rebukes them: “My people, what did I do to you, and how did I exhaust you?” (Micah 6:3).
In what way did I cause you exertion? Did I, perhaps, say to you: Bring Me burnt offerings from the animals in the mountains? There are three animals in your possession: “An ox, a sheep, and a goat” (Deuteronomy 14:4), and seven that are not in your possession: “A deer, a gazelle, a fallow deer, a wild goat, an oryx, an aurochs, and a wild sheep” (Deuteronomy 14:5). Did I cause you exertion to bring an animal that is not in your possession?
Did I not command you only from the animal that is in your possession, as it is stated: “An ox, or a sheep, or a goat, when it is born…[shall be accepted as a fire offering to the Lord]” (Leviticus 22:27). Likewise, “from animals, from cattle or from the flock [you shall bring your offering]” (Leviticus 1:2). When Siḥon and Og went out to wage war against you, did I not topple them before you? Did I cause you exertion?
Did I, perhaps, say to you to bring an offering in their regard? Did Balak ben Tzipor not see that I performed all the miracles on your behalf and hired Bilam against you but I transformed the curses into blessings?’