במדבר, פרק כ״ב, פסוק י״ד

The Moabite leaders return to their king after a failed first mission, carrying news of a rejection. Their report reveals a fascinating gap between the divine command given to Balaam and how these officials interpreted his true motives.

Instead of mentioning that God prevented the journey, the officials place the blame entirely on Balaam, stating simply that he refused to uproot himself and travel with them [אבן עזרא, אבי עזר]. The primary approach among commentators is that the officials certainly heard Balaam claim that God forbade the trip, but they simply did not believe him. Viewing him merely as a sorcerer and a known deceiver rather than a true prophet of God, they assumed he was inventing the story. As [העמק דבר, אור החיים, מלבי״ם] note, this is the natural punishment of a liar: even when he speaks the truth, no one believes him.

Their suspicion was only strengthened by his behavior. Balaam had promised to give them an answer as soon as God spoke to him at night, yet he delayed his response until the morning. This hesitation led the delegation to conclude that the divine prohibition was nothing more than a personal excuse [אור החיים].

Consequently, the officials attributed the refusal to Balaam's character and his deep desire for honor. They assumed that traveling with their specific group was beneath his dignity, feeling that he did not consider them important enough [רשב״ם]. Because they viewed the rejection through this lens, they did not understand his answer as a final, absolute refusal. Instead, they saw it as a subtle hint at a minor obstacle that could easily be overcome [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They deduced that he actually wanted to make the journey, but was holding out for a new delegation made up of greater, more distinguished leaders who could properly satisfy his demand for respect [מלבי״ם, אור החיים].