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Balak

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A Moabite king in Numbers who hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites, only to have blessings pronounced instead through divine intervention.

Detailed Definition
Balak, fearing Israel’s advance, sought supernatural aid against them but failed as Balaam blessed Israel instead. His story illustrates futile resistance to divine will. In poetry, Balak represents worldly power’s anxiety before God’s chosen, the futility of opposing providence, and the irony of enemies unwittingly affirming the very blessing they sought to destroy.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Balak’s fear of Israel (Numbers 22) illustrates the futility of opposing God’s people; In William Blake’s prophetic books, Balak symbolizes political anxiety; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Balak’s hiring of Balaam shows the limits of human schemes; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Balak’s rage is thwarted by divine word; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Balak represents the enemy of grace; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Balak’s mountains cannot curse the blessed.
Additional Notes
Balak: King of Moab who feared Israel and hired Balaam (Numbers 22–24). Though not Israelite, his story is central to Israel’s wilderness journey. In poetry, Balak symbolizes fear-driven opposition, the futility of resisting divine blessing, and the irony of intended curses becoming blessings. His name evokes geopolitical anxiety—useful in poems on xenophobia, divine sovereignty, or unintended consequences.
Also Known As
Balak king of Moab Balak son of Zippor
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