It’s a scene ripe with drama, intrigue, and conflicting advice.
The story begins, as many of the best stories do, with a betrayal. Jethro, also known as Reuel—later to become Moses' father-in-law—dared to speak out against Pharaoh’s growing hostility towards the Hebrews. The text tells us that Pharaoh was "exceedingly wroth with him," and Jethro was promptly dismissed from his position in disgrace, forced to flee to Midian. Ouch. Imagine the courage it took to stand up to a king, especially one as powerful as Pharaoh!
Left without Jethro's counsel, Pharaoh turned to other advisors, seeking their opinions on how to deal with the growing "problem" of the Hebrew population. First up was Job. Yes, that Job, the one of immense suffering and unwavering faith. And what was his advice? Well, not much, actually. As the text recounts, Job essentially washed his hands of the situation, saying, "Behold, all the inhabitants of the land are in thy power. Let the king do as seemeth good in his eyes." Talk about a non-answer! It's a bit disappointing, isn't it? Especially coming from someone known for his moral fortitude.
Finally, Pharaoh called upon Balaam. Balaam, a fascinating and complex figure, was a non-Israelite prophet known for his powerful blessings and curses (Numbers 22-24). Now, Balaam's advice is where things get really interesting. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Balaam essentially warned Pharaoh that any attempt to destroy the Hebrews through methods that had challenged their forefathers would fail. "From all that the king may devise against the Hebrews, they will be delivered," Balaam declared.
He reminded Pharaoh that the Hebrews’ God had saved Abraham from the fiery furnace, as we see in the Book of Genesis and elaborated upon in various Midrashic traditions. "If thou thinkest to diminish them by the flaming fire, thou wilt not prevail over them, for their God delivered Abraham their father from the furnace." He further pointed out that Isaac had been spared from sacrifice, referencing the binding of Isaac (Akeidah) in Genesis 22. "Perhaps thou thinkest to destroy them with a sword, but their father Isaac was delivered from being slaughtered by the sword.” And, he added, even the back-breaking labor that Jacob endured while working for Laban couldn't break the Hebrews. "And if thou thinkest to reduce them through hard and rigorous labor, thou wilt also not prevail, for their father Jacob served Laban in all manner of hard work, and yet he prospered.”
So, what WAS Balaam's advice? His suggestion was chilling: target the newborn male children by throwing them into the Nile. "If it please the king, let him order all the male children that shall be born in Israel from this day forward to be thrown into the water. Thereby canst thou wipe out their name, for neither any of them nor any of their fathers was tried in this way.”
This was a tactic that hadn’t been used before, a way to circumvent the protective hand that had guided the patriarchs. A truly horrific suggestion! It’s a stark reminder of the depths of cruelty to which fear and prejudice can lead. We read in Exodus 1:22, "Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.’"
What's so fascinating about this whole episode is the way it highlights the power of memory and the weight of history. Pharaoh and his advisors weren't just dealing with a present-day population; they were grappling with a people deeply connected to their past, a past filled with divine interventions and miraculous escapes. Did Pharaoh truly believe he could outsmart the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Maybe. Or perhaps he was simply blinded by fear and a desperate desire to maintain control. It makes you wonder: what "advice" are we listening to today that might lead us down a similarly dark path?