903. Balaam

Lexicon

Balaam: Balaam

Original Word: Βαλαάμ
Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Balaam
Pronunciation: bah-lah-AHM
Phonetic Spelling: (bal-ah-am')
Definition: Balaam
Meaning: Balaam, son of Beor of Pethor on the Euphrates, a soothsayer in the Old Testament.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Balaam.

Of Hebrew origin (Bil'am); Balaam, a Mesopotamian (symbolic of a false teacher) -- Balaam.

see HEBREW Bil'am

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of Hebrew origin Bilam
Definition
Balaam, an unrighteous prophet
NASB Translation
Balaam (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 903: Βαλαάμ

Βαλαάμ, ὁ, indeclinable (in the Sept. for בִּלְעָם, according to Gesenius (perhaps) from בַּל and עָם non-populus, i. e. foreign; according to Jo. Simonis equivalent to עָם בֶּלַע a swallowing up of the people; in Josephus, ὁ Βαλαμος), Balaam (or Bileam), a native of Pethor a city of Mesopotamia, endued by Jehovah with prophetic power. He was hired by Balak (see Βαλάκ) to curse the Israelites; and influenced by the love of reward, he wished to gratify Balak; but he was compelled by Jehovah's power to bless them (Numbers 22-24; Deuteronomy 23:5; Joshua 13:22; Joshua 24:9; Micah 6:5). Hence, the later Jews saw in him a most abandoned deceiver: Revelation 2:14; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11. Cf. Winers RWB (and BB. DD.) under the word.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew name בִּלְעָם (Bil'am)

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H1109 בִּלְעָם (Bil'am): The Hebrew equivalent of the Greek Βαλαάμ, referring to the same historical figure, Balaam, in the Old Testament.

Usage: The name Βαλαάμ appears in the New Testament, specifically in the context of warnings against false teachings and the corrupting influence of greed. It is used to reference the Old Testament figure Balaam, who is known for his attempt to curse the Israelites.

Context: Balaam is a significant figure in biblical narratives, primarily found in the Old Testament book of Numbers (chapters 22-24). He was a prophet from Pethor, near the Euphrates River, who was summoned by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites as they encamped in the plains of Moab. Despite his initial willingness to comply with Balak's request due to the promise of reward, Balaam was ultimately unable to curse the Israelites because God intervened, instructing him to bless them instead.

Balaam's story is notable for the miraculous incident involving his donkey, which, seeing an angel of the Lord blocking the path, refused to proceed and spoke to Balaam after being struck by him. This event underscores the theme of divine intervention and the futility of opposing God's will.

In the New Testament, Balaam is mentioned in 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11, and Revelation 2:14. These references highlight his legacy as a cautionary example of someone who, despite possessing prophetic gifts, succumbed to greed and led others into sin. In 2 Peter 2:15, it is written, "They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness." Similarly, Revelation 2:14 warns against the teachings of Balaam, who enticed the Israelites to sin.

Balaam's narrative serves as a reminder of the dangers of compromising one's integrity for material gain and the importance of adhering to God's commands.

Forms and Transliterations

Βαλααμ Βαλαάμ Βαλαὰμ Balaam Balaám Balaàm

Englishman's Concordance

2 Peter 2:15 N
GRK: ὁδῷ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ τοῦ Βοσόρ
NAS: the way of Balaam, the [son] of Beor,
KJV: the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor,
INT: way of Balaam [son] of Beor

Jude 1:11 N
GRK: πλάνῃ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ μισθοῦ ἐξεχύθησαν
NAS: into the error of Balaam, and perished
KJV: the error of Balaam for reward,
INT: error of Balaam for reward rushed

Revelation 2:14 N
GRK: τὴν διδαχὴν Βαλαάμ ὃς ἐδίδασκεν
NAS: the teaching of Balaam, who
KJV: the doctrine of Balaam, who
INT: the teaching of Balaam who taught

Strong's Greek 903
3 Occurrences

Βαλαὰμ — 3 Occ.