Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 22:15-21

"And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab." — Numbers 22:15-21 (ASV)

A second delegation was sent to Balaam. It would be well for us if we were as earnest and constant in pursuing a good work, despite disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness, but also for his pride and ambition. How earnestly we should beg God daily to mortify such desires in us!

Thus, sinners spare no effort, spare no cost, and do not care how low they stoop to gratify their luxury or their malice. Should we then be unwilling to do what is right? God forbid! Balaam's convictions charged him to adhere to God's command; nor could anyone have spoken better.

But many claim God as theirs, yet they are not truly his—precisely because they are not only his. People cannot be judged by their words; God knows the heart. Balaam's corruptions, at the same time, inclined him to act contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the temptation, but he expressed no abhorrence of it.

He had a strong desire to accept the offer and hoped that God might give him permission to go. He had already been told what God's will was. Begging for permission to sin is certain evidence that corruption rules the heart. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. Just as God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in love, so he sometimes grants the desires of the wicked in wrath.