יהושע, פרק כ״ד, פסוק ט׳

The threat facing the Israelites as they stood across the Jordan River extended far beyond the battlefield. It was a clash that reached deep into the spiritual and psychological realms. Historical accounts mention Balak waging war against the Israelites, yet he never actually led an army into open combat. The primary approach among commentators is that this was not a conventional conflict fought with swords, spears, or cavalry. Instead, the battle was waged entirely through speech. Balak's strategy was to summon Balaam to curse the people. This act of calling upon a spiritual force to inflict harm posed a very real danger, making it fully equivalent to a physical military assault [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, Balak's deep-seated intention and careful planning are treated as actual deeds. His actions reveal that if he had possessed the military strength to attack the Israelites directly, he would have done so without a moment of hesitation [רד״ק].

God intervened in this extraordinary conflict, entirely dismantling Balak's strategy by transforming the intended curse into a blessing. This divine intervention served a twofold purpose. First, the resulting blessings were designed to instill fear and awe among the surrounding nations who heard Balaam's prophecies regarding the Israelites.

Second, God's wisdom prevented a dangerous historical and theological misunderstanding. Shortly after this episode, a devastating plague struck the Israelites as a result of their sins at Baal Peor. Had Balaam been permitted to curse the people, the surrounding nations, and perhaps even the Israelites themselves, might have mistakenly blamed the plague on the power of the curse. They would have failed to recognize the tragedy as a direct punishment from God for their wrongdoing. By ensuring that only blessings were spoken, God made it absolutely clear that He alone directs and governs all events [אברבנאל].