Commentary for Numbers 23:4

ויקר AND [GOD] HAPPENED TO MEET [BALAAM] — This is an expression ordinarily used to denote events of a casual character, an expression for something shameful, an expression for an unclean happening (קרי). It is as much as to say: with reluctance and in a contemptuous manner. And on this occasion He revealed Himself to him by day, only to show how dear Israel was to Him (cf. Genesis Rabbah 52:5; Rashi on Leviticus 1:1).

AND G-D HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM. Because this man had not reached the status of prophecy, therefore Scripture speaks of him in this way, [meaning to say] that now the [Divine] communication came to him by way of chance, and in honor of Israel. Hence it says concerning him, and G-d ‘came’ unto Balaam,¹¹⁶Above, 22:9. for this expression is not used in connection with [true] prophets, but only about a person who has not attained this status. Similarly [we find]: and G-d ‘came’ to Abimelech; and G-d ‘came’ to Laban.¹¹⁷Genesis 20:3 — Ibid., 31:24. It is possible that [the term “coming” in these verses] means the “coming” through speech of the Will from the Most High to the [Separate] Intelligences⁶³See Vol. I, p. 59, Note 237. See also ibid., pp. 228-231, where Ramban discusses at length the subject of angels in relation to prophecy. that cause one to dream, for Balaam also would fall down at daytime, and a deep sleep would fall upon him while he was yet with opened eyes.⁹⁷Further, 24:4.

ויקר אלוקים אל בלעם, “G’d happened upon (met with) Bileam, etc.” The Torah chose this expression for the encounter between G’d and Bileam in light of the fact that Bileam was not a prophet in the true sense of the word. Communications to Bileam from G’d, or even Hashem as in verse 17, are only due to G’d’s benevolent interest in the Israelites, as at the time of Avraham (Genesis 20,3) when He told Avimelech to return Sarah to her husband. This is also why the Torah speaks of G’d appearing to Lavan, warning him not to harm Yaakov. (Genesis 31,24) We must not err and assume that such nocturnal apparitions or voices of heavenly origin are testimony to the recipients being considered by G’d as especially deserving.