BALAC. - Moabite king, son of Zippor, at the time when the Hebrews were about to take possession of Palestine (Num. 22-24; mentioned in Judg. 11:25; Mic. 6:5; Rev. 2:14).

Shortly before the Israelites entered the Moabite plain, Sihon had taken the capital Heshbon from the local king, who is presented as the first king of Moab (Num. 21:26): he was perhaps the predecessor of B. or B. himself. Having learned of the irreparable defeat of his powerful enemy of yesterday, he became afraid, and, unaware that God had forbidden the Israelites to attack the Moabites, the offspring of Lot (Deut. 2:9), he thought of resorting to a superhuman power. He sent Moabite and Midianite messengers (neighbors of Moab and themselves descendants of Terah) to the famous soothsayer Balaam (v.) so that by his curses he might drive back the invaders. Balaam came, but, forced by the true God, he blessed the Israelites, foretelling their future glory, and departed leaving B. disappointed.

Ermenegildo Florit

BALADITI:
V. ANTONIANI-MARONITI.

@incollection{ec2_balac, author = {Florit, Ermenegildo}, title = {Balac}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {II}, pages = {719--720}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1949}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/balac} }

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