And now, behold, I go to my people; come, and I will announce to you (“i’atzeha”) what this people shall do to your people at the end of days (Bamidbar 24: 14)

Commentators differ greatly regarding the interpretation of this verse. Rashi, citing Chazal, says that Bilaam advised Balak regarding harming the Jewish people. Since Hashem hates sexual immorality, use the Moabite daughters to entice them to sin. Although Bamidbar 31:16 makes it clear that this council did indeed come from Bilaam, Chazal’s interpretation creates difficulties regarding the last part of the verse. The verse apparently refers to something the Jewish people will do to Moab, not something that Moab or Midyan will do to Am Yisrael? Rashi divides the verse into two distinct components– unstated advice against the Jews and a prophecy regarding what the Jews will do to Moab later in history.

Interestingly, Rashi’s solution differs from that of Chazal themsleves in Sanhedrin (106a). They say that Bilaam was akin to someone who curses himself but expresses it as a curse of others. The story truly reveals lowliness on Balak’s part in his pursuing a way to bring about Israel’s downfall. Bilaam protects Balak by inverting the reality and talking about what the Jews will do to Moab.

Ibn Ezra raises a different problem with Rashi’s approach. The phrase “at the end of days” seems to refer to a messianic prophecy and not to council for the here and now. Rashi already solved this difficulty. Once we divide the verse into two separate ideas, the phrase “at the end of days” no longer conveys the time of Bilaam’s council.

Ramban agrees with Ibn Ezra that the phrase “end of days” implies that the council addresses a messianic prediction. Not everyone agrees that “acharit hayamim” has clear messianic resonance. Netziv explains that this phrase refers to the end of a historical period or process. Obviously this would impact on our reading of the verse.

In any case, according to Ramban, we do not hear about Bilaam’s advice at the time of the actual episode but learn about it from a later chapter in Bamidbar. A later comment of Ramban (Bamidbar 25:1) explains the gravity of this sin. The liaison with Moabite women was not a story of lust, an instinctive desire, but rather a manipulative attempt to lead others astray. Ramban argues that this type of transgression deserves far more serious punishment. While we reject all immorality, giving in to desire does not involve the same moral decrepitude as trying to corrupt another. Therefore, God called for vengeance against all involved in this plot.