Faced with a royal delegation, Balaam exposes a deeply complex character defined by pride and the specific nature of his spiritual abilities. He presents himself as entirely subordinate to the will of God, yet he actively attempts to manipulate reality for personal honor and financial gain. He uses his spiritual powers for corruption and cursing, standing in sharp contrast to the prophets of Israel who operated out of mercy [רש ר הירש]. His instruction for the men to stay the night reveals the inherent limitations of his prophecy. The primary approach among commentators is that gentile prophets do not receive the Holy Spirit during the day, but only in nocturnal visions, a dynamic compared to a man paying a secret visit to a concubine [רש״י, צאינה וראינה, שפתי כהן, ברטנורא, רקנאטי]. Alternatively, he simply needed the nighttime hours to prepare himself spiritually for a prophetic encounter [ספורנו].
His invitation also betrays a distinct arrogance. He offered them only temporary, basic lodging because he viewed the delegation as beneath his dignity [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה], and he may have restricted their stay to a single night out of sheer stinginess [אור החיים]. Conceptually, his request encompasses the three essential dimensions required for any action: the place, the time, and the act of bringing back an answer [אדרת אליהו].
Balaam boastfully declares that he will answer the men exactly as God dictates. He deliberately invokes God's highest, explicit name to project a superior spiritual status, even though his actual revelations occurred through a lower level of divine manifestation [העמק דבר, שפתי כהן]. This posturing does not make him a genuine worshiper. He recognized the God of Israel and feigned devotion, hoping to appease God into withdrawing His protection from the Israelites so they could be cursed, a standard practice among ancient nations [שד״ל]. Furthermore, he phrased his response to hide the fact that he was actually restricted by God. He wanted the emissaries to think he was merely waiting to see how God would instruct him to go, wondering if God would allow him to travel with such lowly men or demand an escort of more distinguished nobles [רש״י, גור אריה, שפתי חכמים, מזרחי, משכיל לדוד].
As the events unfold, the Moabite dignitaries remain to wait, raising the question of what happened to the Midianite elders who originally accompanied them. One perspective suggests the Midianites, who were seasoned experts in sorcery, immediately grasped the hopeless nature of the mission. Upon hearing that Balaam required God's permission, they realized that a father does not hate his son, and God would never allow His people to be harmed, prompting them to abandon the journey entirely [תורה תמימה, דעת זקנים, ברכת אשר].
Other commentators offer practical explanations for this absence. The Midianites may have only come to pay their respects before returning home, leaving the Moabites to await an answer for their king [מלבי״ם]. They might have left after receiving dismissive treatment from Balaam [רש ר הירש], or they simply found lodging with local acquaintances in the city, leaving the foreign Moabites to stay with Balaam [חזקוני]. A different approach argues that the Midianites never left at all, but are simply grouped under the title of Moabite princes because they were operating on behalf of the Moabite king [אם למקרא]. Ultimately, the Moabites' patience in waiting for the word of God worked to their advantage. Their willingness to wait delayed their nation's punishment until the era of King David, whereas Midian faced immediate punishment during the days of Moses [אדרת אליהו].