Bamidbar 22 במדבר כ״ב

וירא בלק בן צפור את כל אשר עשה ישראל לאמרי. אָמַר, אֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁהָיִינוּ בְטוּחִים עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא עָמְדוּ בִּפְנֵיהֶם, אָנוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, לְפִיכָךְ "וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב" (תנחומא):

Balak saw . . . all that Yisroel had done to the Emorite. He said, “Those two kings whom we relied on could not withstand them, certainly we can not.” Therefore, “Moav became terrified.”

ויגר. לְשׁוֹן מוֹרָא, כְּמוֹ "גּוּרוּ לָכֶם" (איוב י"ט):

[Moav] became terrified. The word denotes fear, as in “fear for yourselves.”

ויקץ מואב. קָצוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶם:

Moav detested. They detested their lives, similar to “I am disgusted with my life.” This is a shortened sentence.

אל זקני מדין. וַהֲלֹא מֵעוֹלָם הָיוּ שׂוֹנְאִים זֶה אֶת זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הַמַּכֶּה אֶת מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב" (בראשית ל"ו), שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְיָן עַל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה? אֶלָּא מִיִּרְאָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם; וּמָה רָאָה מוֹאָב לִטֹּל עֵצָה מִמִּדְיָן? כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹצְחִים שֶׁלֹּא כְמִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ מַנְהִיגָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ בְּמִדְיָן נִתְגַּדֵּל, נִשְׁאַל מֵהֶם מַה מִּדָּתוֹ, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם אֵין כֹּחוֹ אֶלָּא בְּפִיו, אָמְרוּ, אַף אָנוּ נָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאָדָם שֶׁכֹּחוֹ בְּפִיו (תנחומא):

To the elders of Midian. But were they not ancient enemies, as it is said, “who attacked Midian in the field of Moav,” when Midian went to war against Moav? Still, because of their fear of Yisroel, they made peace. But why did Moav see fit to accept advice from Midian? When they saw the supernatural victories of Yisroel, they said, “Their leader was raised in Midian. Let us ask them what his character is.” They told them: “He has no power, except with the mouth.” They said, “We, too, will confront them with a man whose power is with his mouth.”

כלחך השור. כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַשּׁוֹר מְלַחֵךְ אֵין בּוֹ בְרָכָה (שם):

Just as the ox laps up. Whatever an ox laps up is no longer marked by blessing.

בעת ההוא. לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לְמַלְכוּת, מִנְּסִיכֵי מִדְיָן הָיָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּת סִיחוֹן מִנּוּהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְצֹרֶךְ שָׁעָה (שם):

At that time. He was unsuited for royalty. He was one of the chieftains of Midian, and when Sichon died, he was appointed over them temporarily.

פתורה. כְּשֻׁלְחָנִי זֶה שֶׁהַכֹּל מְרִיצִין לוֹ מָעוֹת, כָּךְ כָּל הַמְּלָכִים מְרִיצִין לוֹ אִגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם, וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא כָּךְ שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם (שם):

To Pesor. Like the money changer, to whom everyone dispatches money. Similarly, all the monarchs dispatched their correspondence to him. According to the plain meaning of the passage, this was the name of the place.

ארץ בני עמו. שֶׁל בָּלָק, מִשָּׁם הָיָה, וְזֶה הָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ, עָתִיד אַתָּה לִמְלֹךְ; וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִפְּנֵי מָה הִשְׁרָה הַקָּבָּ"ה שְׁכִינָתוֹ עַל גּוֹי רָשָׁע? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה פִתְחוֹן פֶּה לָאֻמּוֹת לוֹמַר, אִלּו הָיוּ לָנוּ נְבִיאִים, חָזַרְנוּ לְמוּטָב, הֶעֱמִיד לָהֶם נְבִיאִים וְהֵם פָּרְצוּ גֶדֶר הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ גְדוּרִים בַּעֲרָיוֹת, וְזֶה נָתַן לָהֶם עֵצָה לְהַפְקִיר עַצְמָן לִזְנוּת:

The land of his people. Balak’s — he came from there. This person (Bil’am) prophesied, and said to him, “You are destined to be a king.” Should you ask, why did the Holy One, Blessed is He, visit His Divine Presence on an evil gentile? So that the nations might not extenuate themselves by saying, “If we had prophets, we would have repented.” He established prophets for them, and they breached a universal barrier; they had originally refrained from promiscuity, but this person (Bil’am) advised them to indulge freely in promiscuity.

לקרא לו. הַקְּרִיאָה הָיְתָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְלַהֲנָאָתוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה פוֹסֵק לוֹ מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה:

To call him. The invitation was his, for his benefit, as he offered him a large sum of money.

עם יצא ממצרים. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מַה מַּזִּיקְךָ?

A nation came out of Egypt. You may ask, “Why is this harmful to you”?

הנה כסה את עין הארץ. סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתָנוּ עָמְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַהֲרָגוּם:

Behold, they have covered the face of the earth. Sichon and Og, who were our guardians, were killed by them.

והוא ישב ממלי. חָסֵר כְּתִיב, קְרוֹבִים הֵם לְהַכְרִיתֵנִי כְּמוֹ (תהילים קי"ח) כִּי אֲמִילַם (תנחומא):

And is located across from me. This is written incompletely. They are nearby, to cut me down, as in, “I cut them down.”

נכה בו. אֲנִי וְעַמִּי נַכֶּה בָהֶם. דָּ"אַ — לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה הוּא (ב"מ ק"ה), מְנַכֶּה לוֹ מִן הַדָּמִים — לְחַסֵּר מֵהֶם מְעַט (תנחומא):

[Enable] us to strike at him. My people and I will strike at them. Another interpretation: This term is found in the Mishnah, “He reduces the price for him” — to diminish them a little.

כי ידעתי וגו'. עַל יְדֵי מִלְחֶמֶת סִיחוֹן שֶׁעֲזַרְתּוֹ לְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב:

For I know, etc. Through the war of Sichon, whom you assisted in striking down Moav.

וקסמים בידם. כָּל מִינֵי קְסָמִים, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אֵין כְּלֵי תַשְׁמִישִׁי עִמִּי; דָּ"אַ — קֶסֶם זֶה נָטְלוּ בְיָדָם זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן, אָמְרוּ אִם יָבֹא עִמָּנוּ בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת יֵשׁ בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, וְאִם יִדְחֵנוּ אֵין בּוֹ תוֹעֶלֶת, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם "לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה" אָמְרוּ אֵין בּוֹ תִקְוָה, הִנִּיחוּהוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם", אֲבָל זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן הָלְכוּ לָהֶם (שם):

With magic chas in their hands. All types of magic charms, so that he could not say, “My tools are not with me.” Another interpretation. The elders of Midian took up this mystical omen: They said, “If he comes with us this time, there is something to him; but if he rebuffs us, it is useless.” This is why, when he said to them, “Spend the night here,” they said, “It is hopeless.” They left him there and departed, as it is said, “the Moavite chieftains stayed with Bil’am,” but the elders of Midian departed.

לינו פה הלילה. אֵין רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה, וְכֵן לְכָל נְבִיאֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְכֵן לָבָן בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל"א) "וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה" כְּאָדָם הַהוֹלֵךְ אֵצֶל פִּילַגְשׁוֹ בְּהֵחָבֵא (תנחומא; ויקרא רבה א'):

Spend this night here. The Sacred spirit visits him only at night. It is the same with all of the gentile prophets, and it was the same with Lavan — in a dream at night, as it is said, “God appeared to Lavan the Aramean in a dream that night,” like a man who visits his concubine secretly.

כאשר ידבר ה' אלי. אִם יַמְלִיכֵנִי לָלֶכֶת עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּמוֹתְכֶם, אֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם, שֶׁמָּא אֵין כְּבוֹדוֹ לְתִתִּי לַהֲלֹךְ אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרִים גְּדוֹלִים מִכֶּם:

According to what Adonoy tells me. If He advises me to go with people like you, I will go with you. Perhaps it is beneath His dignity to allow me to go, unless it is with higher ranking officials than you.

וישבו. לְשׁוֹן עַכָּבָה:

Remained (lit. sat) The word denotes remaining.

מי האנשים האלה עמך. לְהַטְעוֹתוֹ בָא, אָמַר פְּעָמִים שֶׁאֵין הַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ שָׁוָה עָלָיו, אַף אֲנִי אֶרְאֶה עֵת שֶׁאוּכַל לְקַלֵּל וְלֹא יָבִין (תנחומא):

Who are these men with you? He gave him the opportunity for error. He (Bil’am) said, “At times, not everything is revealed to Him. He is not omniscient. So I shall divine a time when I can curse without his understanding.”

בלק בן צפור וגו'. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁאֵינִי חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינֶיךָ, חָשׁוּב אֲנִי בְּעֵינֵי הַמְּלָכִים (שם):

Balak son of Tzipor, etc. Although I am not distinguished in Your eyes, I am distinguished in the eyes of kings.

קבה לי. זוֹ קָשָׁה מֵאָרָה לִּי, שֶׁהוּא נוֹקֵב וּמְפָרֵשׁ (שם):

Curse for me. This [קָבָה לִּי] is harsher than אָרָה לִּי, as it is specific and clear.

וגרשתיו. מִן הָעוֹלָם, וּבָלָק לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא וַאֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ — אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא לְהַסִּיעָם מֵעָלַי, וּבִלְעָם הָיָה שׂוֹנְאָם יוֹתֵר מִבָּלָק (שם):

And banish him. From the world. Balak only said, “I will banish them from the land,” I seek only to get them away from me. Bil’am hated them more than Balak.

לא תלך עמהם. אָמַר לוֹ אִם כֵּן אֲקַלְּלֵם בִּמְקוֹמִי, אָמַר לוֹ לא תאר את העם, אָמַר לוֹ אִם כֵּן אֲבָרְכֵם, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינָם צְרִיכִים לְבִרְכָתְךָ, כי ברוך הוא, מָשָׁל, אוֹמְרִים לְצִרְעָה לֹא מִדֻּבְשֵׁךְ וְלֹא מֵעֻקְצֵךְ (שם):

Do not go with them. He (Bil’am) said to Him, “if so, I will curse them here.” He (God) said to him, “You shall not curse the people.” He (Bil’am) said to Him, “If so, I will bless them.” He (God) said to him, “They do not need your blessing.” For they are blessed. [This follows] the proverb: One says to the wasp, “Neither your honey nor your sting.”

להלך עמכם. אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרִים גְּדוֹלִים מִכֶּם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁרוּחוֹ גְבוֹהָה, וְלֹא רָצָה לְגַלּוֹת שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אֶלָּא בִלְשׁוֹן גַּסּוּת, לְפִיכָךְ ויסף עוד בלק:

To go with you. But with higher ranking officials than you. We learn that he was arrogant, and was unwilling to reveal that he was under God’s domination, except in insolent terms. Therefore, “Balak persisted. . .”

כי כבד אכבדך מאד. יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיִיתָ נוֹטֵל לְשֶׁעָבַר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ (שם):

I will honor you greatly. More than you have received in the past, I will give you.

מלא ביתו כסף וזהב. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ רְחָבָה וּמְחַמֵּד מָמוֹן אֲחֵרִים, אָמַר רָאוּי לוֹ לִתֵּן לִי כָּל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי צָרִיךְ לִשְׂכֹּר חַיָּלוֹת רַבּוֹת, סָפֵק נוֹצֵחַ סָפֵק אֵינוֹ נוֹצֵחַ, וַאֲנִי וַדַּאי נוֹצֵחַ (שם):

Silver and gold enough to fill his house. We learn that he was avaricious, and he coveted the money of others. He said, “He should rightfully give me all his gold and silver, since he would have to hire great armies, which may or may not succeed, whereas I will certainly succeed.”

לא אוכל לעבר. עַל כָּרְחוֹ גִלָּה שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּת אַחֵרִים, וְנִתְנַבֵּא כָאן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְכוּ הָאָבוֹת מִפִּי הַשְּׁכִינָה (שם):

I cannot transgress. He was forced to reveal that he was dominated by others. And he prophesied here that he would be unable to nullify the blesings which the patriarchs received by word of the Divine Presence.

גם אתם. פִּיו הִכְשִׁילוֹ — גַּם אַתֶּם סוֹפְכֶם לֵילֵךְ בְּפַחֵי נֶפֶשׁ כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים:

You also. His mouth ensnared him. You, too, will, in the end, leave in frustration, like the first ones.

מה יסף. לֹא יְשַׁנֶּה דְבָרָיו מִבְּרָכָה לִקְלָלָה, הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף לְבָרֵךְ; כָּאן נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁעָתִיד לְהוֹסִיף לָהֶם בְּרָכוֹת עַל יָדוֹ (שם):

What more will [Adonoy tell me]. He will not alter his word from a blessing to a curse. Would that he does not add a blessing. Here, he prophesied that He (God) would bless them further through him (Bil’am).

אם לקרא לך. אִם הַקְּרִיאָה שֶׁלְּךָ וְסָבוּר אַתָּה לִטֹּל עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר, קום לך אתם:

If [the men have come] to call you. If the invitation is for you, any you expect remuneration, then rise and go with them.

ואך. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אתו תעשה; וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעָם, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא אֲפַתֶּנּוּ וְיִתְרַצֶּה:

However. In spite of you, whatever I will say to you, you will do. Nevertheless, “Bil’am went.” He said, “perhaps I can convince him to agree.”

ויחבש את אתנו. מִכָּאן שֶׁהַשִּׂנְאָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת אֶת הַשּׁוּרָה, שֶׁחָבַשׁ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ; אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה רָשָׁע כְּבָר קְדָמְךָ אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כ"ב) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ" (תנחומא):

[He] saddled his donkey. From here [we derive] that hatred breeds impropriety — he saddled it himself. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “Evil one, their patriarch Avrohom has already preceded you”! as it is said: “Avrohom rose early and saddled his donkey.”

עם שרי מואב. לִבּוֹ כְּלִבָּם שָׁוֶה:

With the Moavite dignitaries. His heart (intent) was exactly the same as theirs.

כי הולך הוא. רָאָה שֶׁהַדָּבָר רַע בְּעֵינֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְנִתְאַוָּה לֵילֵךְ:

Because he went. He saw that the thing was evil in the Omnipresent’s eyes, and yet he craved to go.

לשטן לו. מַלְאָךְ שֶׁל רַחֲמִים הָיָה, וְהָיָה רוֹצֶה לְמָנְעוֹ מִלַּחֲטֹא, שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱטָא וְיֹאבַד (שם):

To thwart him. He was an angel of mercy, who wanted to prevent him from sinning, so that he would not sin and perish.

ושני נעריו עמו. מִכָּאן לְאָדָם חָשׁוּב הַיּוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ יוֹלִיךְ עִמּוֹ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים לְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ, וְחוֹזְרִים וּמְשַׁמְּשִׁים זֶה אֶת זֶה (שם):

Accompanied by his two attendants. From here we derive that when a distinguished person embarks on a journey, he should bring along two people to attend him, who will, in turn, attend to one another.

ותרא האתון. וְהוּא לֹא רָאָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּבָּ"ה רְשׁוּת לַבְּהֵמָה לִרְאוֹת יוֹתֵר מִן הָאָדָם, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת, תִּטָּרֵף דַּעְתּוֹ כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה מַזִּיקִין:

The donkey saw. But he [Bilam] did not see, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, granted an animal greater perception than a man, who, because of his intelligence, would become deranged from the perception of destructive spirits.

וחרבו שלופה בידו. אָמַר, רָשָׁע זֶה הִנִּיחַ כְּלִי אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, שֶׁכְּלִי זֵינָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בַּחֶרֶב, וְהוּא בָא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּפִיו שֶׁהוּא אֻמָּנוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם, אַף אֲנִי אֶתְפֹּשׂ אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ וְאָבֹא עָלָיו בְּאֻמָּנוּתוֹ, וְכֵן סוֹפוֹ — "וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶחָרֶב" (במדבר ל"א):

With his sword drawn in his hand. He said, ”This evil one abandoned the tools of his trade, for the weapon of the gentile nations is the sword, whereas he accosted them with his mouth, which is their calling. So I will take hold of his [tool], and accost him with his calling. This, too, is the way he came to his end — “and Bil’am the son of B’or, they killed with the sword.”

במשעול. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "בִּשְׁבִיל", וְכֵן "אִם יִשְׂפֹּק עֲפַר שֹׁמְרוֹן לִשְׁעָלִים" (מלכים א כ') — עָפָר הַנִּדְבָּק בְּכַפּוֹת הָרַגְלַיִם בְּהִלּוּכָן, וְכֵן "מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם" (ישעיהו מ') — בְּרַגְלָיו וּבְהִלּוּכוֹ:

In a narrow path. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, בִּשְׁבִיל, “in the path.” Similarly, “If the dust of Shomron is sufficient for the paths . . .,” the dust which attaches itself to the soles of the feet when walking. Similarly, “Who measured the waters with his step”? with his feet, when walking.

גדר מזה וגדר מזה. סְתָם גָּדֵר שֶׁל אֲבָנִים הוּא:

With a barrier at either side. Unless specified otherwise, גָּדֵר, refers to a barrier of stone.

ותלחץ. הִיא עַצְמָהּ:

She was pressed. She (the donkey), herself.

וַתִּלְחַץ: אֶת אֲחֵרִים — את רגל בלעם:

And pressed. Others — Bil’am’s foot.

ויוסף מלאך ה' עבור. לַעֲבֹר עוֹד לְפָנָיו — לַהֲלֹךְ לִהְיוֹת לְפָנָיו בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, כְּמוֹ "וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם" (בראשית ל"ג); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ בְּתַנְחוּמָא: מָה רָאָה לַעֲמֹד בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת? סִימָנֵי אָבוֹת הֶרְאָהוּ:

Adonoy’s angel passed further ahead. Passing further before him, proceeding to place himself before him in a different place, as in, “he passed before them.” There is a Midrash Aggadah in Tanchuma: Why did he see fit to stop in three places? He showed him the signs of the patriarchs.

זה שלש רגלים. רָמַז לוֹ: אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר אֻמָּה הַחוֹגֶגֶת שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים בַּשָּׁנָה? (תנחומא):

These three times (lit. legs). He hinted to him: “You seek to uproot a people which celebrates three pilgrimages a year?”

התעללת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי וּבִזָּיוֹן:

You ridiculed. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. The word denotes insult and humiliation.

לו יש חרב בידי. גְּנוּת גְּדוֹלָה הָיָה לוֹ דָבָר זֶה בְּעֵינֵי הַשָּׂרִים — זֶה הוֹלֵךְ לַהֲרֹג אֻמָּה שְׁלֵמָה בְּפִיו וּלְאָתוֹן זוֹ צָרִיךְ כְּלֵי זַיִן:

Would that I had a sword in my hand. This matter was extremely disparaging for him in the eyes of the dignitaries. This man is en route to kill an entire nation verbally, yet, for this donkey, he requires weapons of war!

ההסכן הסכנתי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְכֵן "הַלְאֵל יִסְכָּן גָּבֶר" (איוב כ"ב); וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ מִקְרָא זֶה בַּתַּלְמוּד, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מַאי טַעְמָא לָא רְכַבְתְּ אַסּוּסְיָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ בִּרְטִיבָא שְׁדַאי לֵיהּ כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת עֲ"זָ (דף ד'):

Was it ever my habit. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. Similarly, “does man benefit God by learning”? The Rabbis extrapolate this passage in the Talmud: They (the dignitaries) said to him, “Why are you not riding a horse”? He (Bil’am) said to them, ”I sent it out to pasture,” etc., as stated in Maseches Avodah Zarah.

כי ירט הדרך לנגדי. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ חַכְמֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה דְּרָשׁוּהוּ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן — יָרְאָה, רָאֲתָה, נָטְתָה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי (שבת קכ"ה), כְּלוֹמַר לְקִנְאָתִי וּלְהַקְנִיטֵנִי; וּלְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ כִּי חָרַד הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי, לְשׁוֹן רֶטֶט — כִּי רָאִיתִי בַעַל הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁחָרַד וּמִהֵר הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא לְכַעְסִי וּלְהַמְרוֹתִי, וּמִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ "וַתְּכַל דָּוִד" (שמואל ב י"ג); לִישָׁנָא אַחֲרִינָא יָרַט לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, וְכֵן "עַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵנִי" (איוב ט"ז) — מְפַיֵּס וּמְנַחֵם אוֹתִי עַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֵינָן אֶלָּא מַקְנִיטִים:

Because your way is contrary to me. Our Rabbis, the sages of the Mishnah, expound this as an acronym: “She was afraid [of me], she saw [me], and she turned, because the course is against me,” as if to say, “to arouse my vengefulness, and to anger me.” According to the plain interpretation, “because the course hurried against me.” The word [יָרַט] denotes hurrying. Because I saw that the traveler along the course (Bil’am) hastened and hurried on the course to anger and defy me. This is a shortened passage, similar to “Dovid longed.” Another interpretation: יָרַט denotes desire. Similarly, “through the wicked, He strives for my good will,” He attempts to appease and comfort me through the wicked, who only anger me.

אולי נטתה. כְּמוֹ לוּלֵי, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאוּלַי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן לוּלֵי:

Had she not turned aside. Like לוּלֵא, “if not.” Sometimes אוּלַי, (lit. “perhaps”) is used to connote לוּלֵא, “if not.”

גם אתכה הרגתי. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסֹרָס וְהוּא כְמוֹ גַּם הָרַגְתִּי אוֹתְךָ, כְּלוֹמַר, לֹא הָעַכָּבָה בִּלְבַד קְרָאַתְךָ עַל יָדִי, כִּי גַם הַהֲרִיגָה:

I would surely have killed you. This verse should be rearranged, to read “I would also have killed you.” As if to say, ”Not only would you have been restrained by me, but you also would have been killed.”

ואותה החייתי. וְעַתָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדִּבְּרָה וְהוֹכִיחַתְךָ, וְלֹא יָכֹלְתָּ לַעֲמֹד בְּתוֹכַחְתָּהּ — כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ויאמר לא — הֲרַגְתִּיהָ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁסִּלְּקָה בִלְעָם בְּתוֹכַחְתָּהּ וְלֹא יָכוֹל לְהָשִׁיב, שֶׁחָס הַמָּקוֹם עַל כְּבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכֵן (ויקרא כ') "וְהָרַגְתָּ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה", וְכֵן (שם) "אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה תַּהֲרֹגוּ" (תנחומא):

And she, I would let live. But now, because she spoke and admonished you, and you were unable to withstand her admonishment as it is written, “He said, ‘No”’ — I killed her, so that it should not be said, “this is the one that drove away Bil’am with her admonishment, and he was unable to reply.” For the Omnipresent is solicitous with human dignity. Similarly, “you shall kill the woman and the animal.” Similarly, “kill the animal.”

כי לא ידעתי. גַּם זֶה גְנוּתוֹ, וְעַל כָּרְחוֹ הוֹדָה, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן, וּפִיו הֵעִיד לֹא יָדַעְתִּי (שם):

Because I did not know. This, too, was disparaging, but he was forced to concede. He had boasted that he could divine the thoughts of Heaven, but his own mouth bore witness, “I did not know.”

אם רע בעיניך אשובה לי. לְהַתְרִיס נֶגֶד הַמָּקוֹם הִיא תְשׁוּבָה זוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הוּא בְעַצְמוֹ צִוַּנִי לָלֶכֶת וְאַתָּה מַלְאָךְ מְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרָיו, לָמוּד הוּא בְּכָךְ שֶׁאוֹמֵר דָּבָר וּמַלְאָךְ מַחֲזִירוֹ, אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם "קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ" וְגוֹ' (בראשית כ"ב), וְעַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ בִּטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, אַף אֲנִי אִם רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לָשׁוּב:

If it is wicked in your eyes, I shall return. This reply was an attack against the Omnipresent. He (Bil’am) said to him, “He Himself commanded me to go, yet you, an angel, are nullifying His words. This is customary with Him — He says something, and an angel withdraws it. He said to Avrohom, ‘please take your son, etc.’ then nullified His words through an angel. I, too, if it is wicked in your eyes, must return.”

לך עם האנשים. בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ, מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ:

Go with the men. A man is led along the path he wishes to follow.

לך עם האנשים. כִּי חֶלְקְךָ עִמָּהֶם וְסוֹפְךָ לֹאבַד מִן הָעוֹלָם (מכות י'):

Go with the men. Since your portion is with them — in the end you will perish from the earth.

ואפס. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ את הדבר אשר אדבר וגו':

But. In spite of your wishes, “the word that I will speak.”

עם שרי בלק. שָֹמַח לְקַלְּלֵם כְּמוֹתָם:

With Balak’s dignitaries. He reveled in cursing them as much as they.

וישמע בלק. שָׁלַח שְׁלוּחִים לְבַשְּׂרוֹ:

Balak heard. He dispatched emissaries to inform him.

אל עיר מואב. אֶל מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין שֶׁלּוֹ — עִיר הַחֲשׁוּבָה שֶׁלּוֹ, לוֹמַר רְאֵה מָה אֵלּוּ מְבַקְשִׁים לַעֲקֹר (תנחומא):

To the city of Moav. To his metropolis, his most prominent city, as if to say, “Look at what they are trying to uproot”!

האמנם לא אוכל כבדך. נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לָצֵאת מֵעִמּוֹ בְקָלוֹן (שם):

Am I really incapable of honoring you? He prophesied that he would, in the end, depart from him in disgrace.

קרית חצות. עִיר מְלֵאָה שְׁוָקִים, אֲנָשִׁים וָטַף בְּחוּצוֹתֶיהָ, לוֹמַר רְאֵה וְרַחֵם שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָקְרוּ אֵלּוּ:

Kiryas Chutzos The city filled with market places, with men, women, and children in its outer areas. As if to say, “observe, and take pity, so that they will not be uprooted.”

בקר וצאן. דָּבָר מוּעָט:

Cattle and sheep. A small amount — only one of the cattle, and one sheep.

במות בעל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "לְרָמַת דַּחַלְתֵּהּ", שֵׁם עֲ"זָ:

Bamos Ba’al. As Targum [Onklos] renders, “To the heights of his deity.” [Ba’al is] the name of an idol.