Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Numbers 24:12/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״ד:י״ב

אהֲלֹא גַּם אֶל מַלְאָכֶיךָ יִתְנַצֵּל בִּלְעָם עַתָּה בְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר לְמַלְאָכָיו בְּשׁוּבָם אֵלָיו, טֶרֶם שֶׁיָּדַע מַה יּוֹסֵף ה' דַּבֵּר עִמּוֹ, אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי כֵן הֶרְאָה שֶׁיָּבֹא וִיקַלֵּל, עַד שֶׁהִתְרָה בּוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב״ן על במדבר כ״ב:כ׳):

1[AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK]: ‘SPOKE I NOT ALSO TO THY MESSENGERS ETC.?’ Balaam was now defending himself on the basis of what he had told Balak’s messengers when they came back to him, before he knew what the Eternal would speak unto him more;²²⁵, we are told that he said to Balak’s servants that he cannot go beyond the word of G-d even if Balak would give him a house full of silver and gold. It is on the basis of these remarks that he is now defending himself. But, as Ramban continues, in actual fact he misled Balak, because he still made out that he was prepared to curse the people even after the Eternal spoke to him further, and he did not tell Balak of G-d’s true message then. but afterwards [i.e., after G-d had told him that he may only go with them, but must not curse the people] he still made out that he was ready to come and curse [the people], until the angel warned him on the road, as I have explained.²²⁶, Verse 20.