במדבר, פרק כ״ג, פסוק כ״ט

In the third attempt to act against the Israelites, a fundamental shift occurs in the strategy and the dynamic between the prophet and the Moabite king. After two previous efforts ended in blessing rather than ruin, Balaam changes his approach and takes full control of the process. He now acts as the sole offerer of the sacrifices, a stark contrast to the earlier instances where Balak was either a partner or the primary offerer [העמק דבר]. Furthermore, Balaam no longer steps away to seek God in isolation; instead, the spirit of God rests upon him immediately as he stands by the offerings.

Conversely, the king's initial enthusiasm severely diminishes. Having witnessed that his efforts are futile and that the Israelites only receive blessings, Balak falls into despair. He becomes sluggish and unmotivated in constructing the altars he was instructed to build [הטור הארוך].

The specific request to construct seven altars stems from a profound realization. Balaam understands that he cannot alter the destiny of the Israelites, recognizing their existence as a core part of God's providence. Acting as a prophet for the nations of the world, he shifts his focus to saving the seven Canaanite nations that the Israelites are destined to conquer. Operating under the assumption that the destruction of these nations is not an absolute necessity for creation, but rather a decree that might be overturned through prayer, he dedicates one altar to each of the seven nations. His hope is to invoke mercy upon them, perhaps leading the Israelites to settle permanently in the desert—an outcome that would indirectly secure the safety of Moab as well [העמק דבר].

Although these sacrifices—consisting of seven bulls and seven rams—were offered with malicious intent rather than for the sake of heaven, they carried profound and far-reaching historical consequences. Across the three attempts, a total of forty-two sacrifices were offered. On one hand, the merit of these offerings worked against the Israelites years later, empowering the curse of the prophet Elisha that resulted in the deaths of forty-two Israelite children. On the other hand, these events illustrate the principle that engaging in spiritual acts for the wrong reasons can eventually lead to performing them for the right reasons. Through the merit of these very sacrifices, the Moabite king became the ancestor of Ruth, from whom King Solomon descended. Generations later, Solomon would offer a thousand burnt offerings to God with entirely pure intentions [תורה תמימה].