Balak 22:02 · EXTRA 1 — Balak saw what Israel had done
Parashas Balak · EXTRA side-ring · Passuk 22:2 · Midrash
The Complete Passuk
וַיַּ֥רְא בָּלָ֖ק בֶּן־צִפּ֑וֹר אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָאֱמֹרִֽי׃
And Balak the son of Tzippor saw all that Israel had done to the Emori.
Chabad.org — 22:2
Source Citation
Bamidbar Rabbah 20:2 (and parallel Tanchuma Balak) — what Balak saw that filled him with fear.
Sefaria — Bamidbar Rabbah 20:2
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וַיַּרְא בָּלָק. מָה רָאָה? רָאָה אֶת הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהִכּוּ אֶת סִיחוֹן וְאֶת עוֹג, וּפָחַד.
English: “And Balak saw.” What did he see? He saw the miracles that the Holy One performed for Israel, that they struck Sichon and Og, and he feared.
Type of Learning
Aggadic expansion of the object of Balak’s seeing.
What Is Learned
Balak’s opening fear is not political calculation alone — it is recognition of open miracles against the two Amorite kings.