מדרש אויף במדבר 23:2

(Numb. 22:39:) “Then Balaam went unto³⁸The Masoretic text reads both this and the following UNTO as WITH. Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-Huzoth (literally: city of markets),” where he had made market places for buying and selling.³⁹Numb. R. 20:17. He had [also] made a bazaar.⁴⁰’TLS. Cf. Gk.: katalusis (“settlement,” “resting place”). [His purpose was] to show him crowds⁴¹Gk.: ochloi. 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.”⁴²Bible translations usually render “OX” and “SHEEP” as plurals, but the midrash is interpreting them as singular. The righteous say little and do much.⁴³BM 87a; ARN, A, 13; ARN, B, 23; see Ned. 21b. 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 se'ah [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.⁴⁴Numb. R. 20:18. 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”;⁴⁵The words HOUSE and FEASTING can also mean “temple” and “sacrifice” respectively. 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.: shph).” [Balaam] had been at ease (rt.: shph) to curse. Thus he had been at ease until that moment, but from that moment on he was troubled.

(Numb. 23:2–3:) THEN BALAK DID AS BALAAM HAD {SAID} [COMMANDED]. <SO BALAK AND BALAAM OFFERED A BULL AND A RAM ON EACH ALTAR>. THEN BALAAM SAID <TO BALAK>: STAND BESIDE <YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS, AND LET ME GO. PERHAPS THE LORD WILL COME TO MEET ME, AND WHATEVER HE SHOWS ME I WILL TELL YOU.> SO HE WENT ALONE (rt.: ShPH). <Balaam> had been at ease (rt.: ShPH) about cursing. Thus he had been at ease until that moment, but from that moment on he was troubled.

“It was in the morning, and Balak took Bilam and brought him up to the heights of Baal, and he saw from there the edge of the people” (Numbers 22:41).
“It was in the morning, and Balak took Bilam and brought him up to the heights of Baal” – Balak was a sorcerer and a diviner greater than Bilam, who was following him like a blind man. To what is the matter comparable? It is to one who has a knife but is unfamiliar with the joints, and his counterpart is familiar with the joints but does not have a knife. The two of them were similar.⁴⁶Bilam and Balak were such a pair. Balak would see the places at which Israel would fall, and he took him to the heights of Baal Peor, as he saw that Israel would fall there.
“Bilam said to Balak: Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams” (Numbers 23:1).
“Bilam said to Balak: Build for me here seven altars” – why seven altars? They are corresponding to the seven altars that seven righteous men built, from Adam to Moses, and they were accepted: Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. He was saying: ‘Why did You accept all these? Was it not because of the worship that they worshipped before You that You accepted them? Is it not fitting for You that you will be worshipped by seventy nations, and not by one nation?’ The Divine Spirit answered him: ‘“Dry [ḥareva] bread is better” (Proverbs 17:1), a meal offering that is mixed with oil⁴⁷A voluntary meal offering. or dry.⁴⁸The meal offering of a sinner. “Than a house full of offerings of strife” (Proverbs 17:1), as you seek to introduce strife between Me and Israel.’
“Balak did as Bilam had spoken, and Balak and Bilam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar” (Numbers 23:2).
“Bilam said to Balak: Stand with your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will happen upon me and He will show me some matter, and I will tell you. He went alone” (Numbers 23:3).
“Balak did as…and…offered up…. He went alone [shefi].” His intention was to curse, as until that moment, he was calm [shafui], but from that moment, he was troubled.⁴⁹He was no longer able to act according to his intent.
“God happened upon Bilam, and he said to Him: The seven altars I have prepared, and I offered up a bull and a ram on each altar” (Numbers 23:4).
“God happened upon⁵⁰The phrase “happened upon” indicates that the revelation was not part of a planned relationship, as opposed to Moses, for example, who was called before he was spoken to. Bilam” – He said to him: 'Wicked one, what are you doing?' He said: “The seven altars I have prepared.” This is analogous to a moneychanger who is deceiving regarding weights. The market supervisor came and sensed this in his regard. He said to him: 'You are deceiving regarding weights.' He said to him: 'I have already sent a gift to your house.' So it is with Bilam. The Divine Presence said to him: 'Wicked one, what are you doing?' He said to Him: “The seven altars I have prepared.” He said to him: “A meal of greens, [and love there], is better [than a fattened ox, and hatred with it]” (Proverbs 15:17). The feast that Israel prepared in Egypt and ate with unleavened bread and bitter herbs is better than the bulls that you sacrifice in your hatred.
“The Lord placed speech in Bilam's mouth, and He said: Return to Balak, and so shall you speak” (Numbers 23:5).
“The Lord placed speech in Bilam's mouth” – He contorted his mouth and restrained it, like a person affixing a nail into a board. Rabbi Elazar says: An angel was speaking:⁵¹God sent an angel to bless Israel, and the voice of the angel came out of the mouth of Bilam (Matnot Kehuna). “He said: Return to Balak, and so shall you speak.”
“He returned to him, and, behold, he was standing with his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moav” (Numbers 23:6).
“He returned to him, and, behold, he was standing with his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moav”– they were standing and awaiting when he would come.