What is the significance of the fact that Bil'am decided not to go to 'seek sorcery'?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: He simply changed tactics. He turned towards the desert - to bring-up the sin of the Golden Calf which Yisrael had made there 1 (irrespective of whether Hashem was willing to curse Yisrael or not ? Rashi).
Ramban: Refer to 24:1:2:2.
Rashbam, Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim #1: He decided not to seek permission to curse Yisrael, but to bless them with a full heart (which explains why the Shechinah now rested on him ? ?with love and affection ? Rashbam).
Seforno: When he saw that it was good in the Eyes of Hashem to bless Yisrael, he decided that there was no point in continuing to seek permission to curse them, so he changed his tactics - to confer upon them limited B'rachos which incorporated hidden K'lalos. 2
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim #2: He actually intended to curse them, only the Shechinah came upon him and forced him to bless them.
If Bil'am finally realized that Hashem would not curse Yisrael, why did he turn his face towards the desert?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: He thought that he would evoke Hashem's anger by mentioning Yisrael's sins, thereby causing the curse to take effect automatically. So he ?turned his face? to mention the sin of the Golden Calf that Yisrael had made in the desert. 1
Ramban: The first two times he went to prepare his divination with which to curse Yisrael, and Hashem came to him by chance to instruct him what to say in His Name. This time however, 2 he turned to the desert and prepared himself for a direct revelation from Hashem. 3
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: Refer to 24:1:1:6.
