(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Numbers 22:15–21, “And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.”
We learn from the New Testament that Balaam was greedy for riches (see 2 Pet 2: 15, “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”) He also taught Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication (Rev 2:14, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”) However, at this stage these problems were yet to be revealed. He was a man with a reputation for knowing the Lord. Balak was determined to call Balaam to curse Israel so he sent more princes to meet Balaam. Balak flattered Balaam by sending some of the highest order of prices he could find. Balaam knew that he was not meant to go but he continued to hope for riches and glory. He even told Balak that he would not go for riches, this was really just a suggestion as to what he was hoping to gain. He waited, hoping that the Lord would let him go and get the riches. The Lord knew that Balaam had made up his mind so he met Balaam in the night and told him he could go but he would be restricted to the words that the Lord gave him.
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