Sometimes, it's not just about armies and strategies, but about the advice whispered in the ears of kings.
That's the situation King Balak finds himself in. He’s worried about the Israelites, this growing, powerful group on his borders. "What shall we do unto Israel?" he asks Balaam, the famed diviner. "We have tried several devices against this people, but we could not prevail over it. Now let me hear thy opinion."
Balaam, in turn, suggests bringing in the king's counselors. So, Reuel the Midianite and Job the Uzite are summoned. Let's focus on Reuel's response.
He basically tells Balak to leave the Israelites alone. "If it seemeth good to the king, let him desist from the Hebrews, and let him not stretch forth his hand against them, for the Lord chose them in days of old." Reuel reminds Balak that the God of the Israelites "took them as the lot of His inheritance from amongst all the nations of the earth, and who is there that hath dared stretch forth his hand against them with impunity, but that their God avenged the evil done unto them?"
It's a powerful argument, steeped in history. Reuel then proceeds to recount some of the amazing things God had done for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Think about the weight of those names!
He even brings up a more recent example: Joseph. "Verily, thy grandfather, the Pharaoh of former days, raised Joseph the son of Jacob above all the princes of Egypt, because he discerned his wisdom, for through his wisdom he rescued all the inhabitants of the land from the famine." Reuel is saying, "Remember what happened when Egypt welcomed Jacob and his sons? Blessings followed!"
His advice is clear: "Now, therefore, if it seem good in thine eyes, leave off from destroying the children of Israel, and if it be not thy will that they dwell in Egypt, send them forth from here, that they may go to the land of Canaan, the land wherein their ancestors sojourned." Let them go back to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel.
What’s striking here is the appeal to historical precedent and, frankly, enlightened self-interest. Reuel isn't just saying "be nice." He's saying, "Messing with these people has consequences. Look at history!" It's a fascinating insight into the political calculations, the moral questions, and the ever-present shadow of the Divine that shaped the ancient world. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the advice being given – and ignored – by leaders today.