וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר

I will bless those who bless you and will curse those who curse you

Bereishit /Genesis12:3

כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ מְבֹרָ֔ךְ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר׃

For I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse will be cursed

Bamidbar/Numbers 22:6

Balaam, a mercenary but potent prophet, is hired by Balak the King of Midian to curse the Israelites. Paradoxically, despite history considering him the incarnation of evil, Balaam’s eventual paean of poetry to the people of Israel is part and parcel of our daily morning liturgy. I have dealt with this astonishing fact previously (http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/parshat-balak-the-evil-poet-whose-verse-we-pray/ )

The Midianites are, understandably, terrified of being overrun by the Israelite hordes.

וַיַּ֥רְא בָּלָ֖ק בֶּן־צִפּ֑וֹר אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָֽאֱמֹרִֽי׃

Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

וַיָּ֨גׇר מוֹאָ֜ב מִפְּנֵ֥י הָעָ֛ם מְאֹ֖ד כִּ֣י רַב־ה֑וּא וַיָּ֣קׇץ מוֹאָ֔ב מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Moab was alarmed because that people was so numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites

Bamidbar/Number 22:2-3

Balak’s fears seem legitimate. And his quest for potent outside help is, under the circumstances, understandable. As for Balaam’s readiness to provide services to Balak and the Midianites, for this he would hardly deserve a medal. Nevertheless, Balaam would be no more wicked than, say, a........

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