Balak and Balaam: The next three chapters (22-24) comprise the extended narrative with the prophet Balaam, a delightful and complicated story with recurring themes centered around seeing and not seeing. Balaam is not an Israelite but joins in God’s blessing of the people before Israel enters the land. The story derives from earlier narratives that have been included in the Priestly accounts. Because the story is composite, it reveals some tensions. Olson has described the four main characters in the story (Numbers, pp. 140–41); attention to these may provide a way for readers to follow the development. Balaam is a prophet who functions in the Transjordan; Balak is the Moabite king who hires Balaam to curse Israel. God is the one who determines the future by the blessing of Israel. Israel i…