363. 7381. [Num. 23:] verses 25-30, inclusive. Here [verses 18-24] [Balaam] is describing that people, as it is now told [verse 24]. Therefore [Balak] says that he had neither blessed them, nor cursed them, but had extolled them with praises. Yet beneath these words also there lurks deceit. But he insists yet a third time, hoping that the Spirit of God the Messiah would part from Balaam, which it would if he could bring him to cursing [Jacob], even though his curse would have had no power whatever, since it would not be the angel of God the Messiah speaking through him. mThus even those of good character are deceived by self-profit, etc.n But lest the devil have any reason for saying that the man who was given the power to curse and to bless had nevertheless done his bidding, therefore it was made to happen, that he tempted him so many times. In the next Chap., 24 verse 2, it is therefore said that "the spirit of God came upon him" - obviously so that he would not speak from any other source. The devil draws all things to himself and to his own side. If there is even the least little word which he thinks to contain something contrary to the truth, he at once seizes upon it and condemns the person. This, too, I have experienced several times, by the Divine mercy of God the Messiah. Indeed, he pours passions into people, then thoughts, and persuasions, etc., when he is permitted to, and immediately attributes them to the person as being his or her own; in short, the things he attempts to do are very wicked. [Accuse; Condemn, Damnation; Falsity; Evil; Spirit] 7382. Now, however, he wished to lead him to "another place," where he would not see that people in the wilderness, that is, in the state of mind that it now portrayed, so that he would not see them dwelling or camping, arranged according to what they portray, as explained earlier [WE 6712 ff.], as appears from the next Chap., verses 1 and 2 - but so that he would see them without clarity, consequently apart from what they portrayed, "from the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon,"* thus from their idolatry. For Peor was where the idol of Baal stood, Chap. 25:3, so that [from there] he would see their idolatry. Therefore he says, verse 27, "Perhaps it will be right in the eyes of God that you may curse them for me from there." As for what is foretold about them on account of their idolatry, see Chap. 24 at the end [WE 7403-04]. Thus he wanted to trick him. In his extreme wickedness he becomes so insane that no one could ever be more insane. For even though he has learned a thousand times * KJV has "Jeshimon," but NKJV "wasteland."