The Smart Donkey Series: Prologue

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." 
So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed." The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.
When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him.

This part just makes me wonder what Balaam was thinking...I don't know why he would even ask God if he should curse his chosen people.

God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" 
Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.'"
But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."
The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."
So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me."

Now Balaam is being bribed...don't listen to them!

But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me."

I wonder if Balaam really meant that. The reward might have tempted him.

That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Number 22:1-22

To be continued...
I can see God sighing, and wondering why Balaam fell into temptation

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
Jude 1:11

Jude says that Balaam was in it for the money. 

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
2 Peter 2:15

And says the same, that wickness won Balaam over. And God was very angry with him...

The Unfamiliar Judges: Abdon

After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel died, and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Judges 12:13-15

Here are some more verses about other Abdons.

The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher, clan by clan. Their territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, Allammelech, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath. It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Cabul on the left. It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the sea in the region of Aczib, Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages. 
Joshua 19:24-30

from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon, Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands--four towns;
Joshua 21:30

Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
1 Chronicles 8:22-25

Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife's name was Maacah, and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zeker
1 Chronicles 8:29-31

He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant:
2 Chronicles  34:20

Joshua 19:24-30 and Joshua 21:30 say that one of Asher's sons was Abdon. And the verse in Chronicles says that Abdon is also a son of a man named Shashak. And in 1 Chronicles 8:29-31, It says that Jeiel, who was the father of Gibeon (Not Gideon, but Gibeon) Had a firstborn named Abdon. But Jeiel Probably was in the tribe of Benjamin...

And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.
1 Chronicles 6:60

It's odd that a son named Gibeon was mentioned because normally, it says the firstborn child and no one else.
There was another Judge that mentioned donkeys too, and I said that the donkeys symbolize peace. Abdon's sons and grandsons were trying to bring peace. 
Abdon is the very last Judge mentioned in the book of Judges, which means that this is the last post in my series.

First

Previous

Last

The Unfamiliar Judges: Jair

He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair. When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.
Judges 10:3-5

Sometimes I'm reading the bible, and there are the weirdest details. This is one of those weird details. "He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys." And I have no idea how that has any relevance to the story. Seriously, I don't. 
UPDATE: I figured there was no harm in researching this topic and the whole donkey thing...Well donkeys are used to describe royalty. And that had me remember that kings and rulers ride donkeys as signs of peace and horses as a sign of war. So that could mean that Jair's thirty sons controlled Gilead and where peaceful. Jesus even rode a donkey! "When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields." (Mark 11:7-8) 
And later in Revelations, you find out that when Jesus comes back again, he will be riding a white horse. But people don't really think very highly of donkeys. They're know for their stubbornness and dumbness, but God still used them. Likewise God will use you because you are more important to him than animals. And if he used the "dumb" and "stubborn" animals, then he'll use anyone. 

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 
Mathew 10:29-31

First

Previous

Next

Last