(Numb. 22:39:) “Then Balaam went unto<sup class="footnote-marker">38</sup><i class="footnote">The Masoretic text reads both this and the following UNTO as WITH.</i> Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-Huzoth (literally: city of markets),” where he had made market places for buying and selling.<sup class="footnote-marker">39</sup><i class="footnote">Numb. R. 20:17.</i> He had [also] made a bazaar.<sup class="footnote-marker">40</sup><i class="footnote">’<i>TLS</i>. Cf. Gk.: <i>katalusis</i> (“settlement,” “resting place”).</i> [His purpose was] to show him crowds<sup class="footnote-marker">41</sup><i class="footnote">Gk.: <i>ochloi</i>.</i> and say, “See what those [people] are coming to kill, people and infants who have done them no wrong.” (Numb. 22:40:) “Then Balak sacrificed an ox and a sheep.”<sup class="footnote-marker">42</sup><i class="footnote">Bible translations usually render “OX” and “SHEEP” as plurals, but the midrash is interpreting them as singular.</i> The righteous say little and do much.<sup class="footnote-marker">43</sup><i class="footnote"><i>BM</i> 87a; <i>ARN</i>, A, 13; <i>ARN</i>, B, 23; see <i>Ned</i>. 21b.</i> It is written of Abraham (in Gen. 18:5), “Let me bring a piece of bread that you may refresh your souls.” But after that (in vs. 6-7), “’Hurry up with three <i>se'ah</i> [of fine meal]….’ Then Abraham ran unto the herd.” But the wicked say a lot and do not even do a little. Balak said (in Numb. 22:17), “For I will surely honor you greatly….” When [Balaam] came, he only sent him an ox and a sheep. Balaam began gnashing his teeth at him, for he was greedy. He said [to himself], “Is this what he sent me? Tomorrow I will deliver a curse through his [own] property,” as stated (in Numb. 23:1), “Then Balaam said [unto Balak], ‘Build [seven altars] for me here, [and make ready for me here seven bulls and seven rams]….’” (Numb. 22:41:) “So it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, [and from there he saw the edge of the people].” Balak was a more of a master of divinations and auguries than Balaam, for Balaam was being dragged along after him like a blind man.<sup class="footnote-marker">44</sup><i class="footnote">Numb. R. 20:18.</i> What did the two of them resemble? Someone who had a knife in his hand but did not know [where to find] the [animal] joints, while his companion knew the joints but did not have a knife in his hand. Balak saw the places in which Israel would fall and (ibid.) “brought him up into the high places of Baal.” This was Baal Peor, where he saw that Israel would fall. (Numb. 23:1:) “Then Balaam said unto Balak, ‘Build seven altars for me here.’” Why seven altars? [They] corresponded to seven righteous ones from Adam to Moses, who built seven altars and had been accepted: Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Then [Balaam] said, “Why did you accept these? Was it not because of the service (the sacrifices) which they performed before you that you accepted them? Is it not [more] suitable for you to be served by seventy nations and not by [merely] one nation?” As it were, the holy spirit [answered him] (in Prov. 17:1), “Better a dry morsel with tranquility than a house full of quarrelsome feasting.” Better (in the words of Lev. 7:10) “a grain offering mixed with oil or dry” than (in Prov. 17:1) “a house full of quarrelsome feasting”;<sup class="footnote-marker">45</sup><i class="footnote">The words HOUSE and FEASTING can also mean “temple” and “sacrifice” respectively.</i> for you want to introduce strife between Me and Israel. (Numb. 23:2-3:) “Then Balak did as Balaam had [spoken…]. And he said to Balak, ‘Stand beside your burnt offerings [...]’; so he went alone (rt.: <i>shph</i>).” [Balaam] had been at ease (rt.: <i>shph</i>) to curse. Thus he had been at ease until that moment, but from that moment on he was troubled.