Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet, is a complex figure in the biblical narrative, primarily known for his interactions with the Israelites during their wilderness journey. His account is predominantly found in the Book of Numbers, chapters 22 to 24, with additional references in other parts of Scripture. Balaam hailed from Pethor, a city in Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates River (Deuteronomy 23:4). This geographical origin places him outside the covenant community of Israel, yet he is depicted as having a significant prophetic gift.

The Call of Balaam

Balaam's narrative begins when Balak, the king of Moab, becomes alarmed by the encroaching Israelites. Fearing their numbers and strength, Balak seeks to employ Balaam to curse the Israelites, hoping to weaken them. Balak sends messengers to Balaam with rewards, asking him to come and curse Israel (Numbers 22:5-6). Balaam, however, seeks the counsel of God, who instructs him not to go with the Moabite officials and not to curse the Israelites, for they are blessed (Numbers 22:12).

Balaam's Journey

Despite God's initial prohibition, Balaam is eventually permitted to go with Balak's men, but only under the condition that he speaks only what God commands (Numbers 22:20). On his journey, Balaam encounters the Angel of the LORD, who stands in his path with a drawn sword. This divine encounter is marked by the miraculous speech of Balaam's donkey, who sees the angel and turns aside, saving Balaam's life (Numbers 22:22-33). The incident underscores God's control over the situation and Balaam's limited understanding.

Prophecies and Blessings

Upon reaching Moab, Balaam is taken to various high places to view the Israelites and pronounce curses. However, each time Balaam attempts to curse them, God intervenes, and Balaam instead pronounces blessings over Israel. These oracles affirm Israel's unique status as a blessed nation, destined for greatness and victory over its enemies (Numbers 23:7-10, 23:18-24, 24:3-9). Balaam's final oracle includes a messianic prophecy, foretelling a star and scepter rising out of Israel, symbolizing a future king (Numbers 24:17).

Balaam's Downfall

Despite his prophetic insights, Balaam's legacy is marred by his subsequent actions. Later biblical texts reveal that Balaam advised the Moabites to entice the Israelites into idolatry and immorality, leading to a divine plague among the Israelites (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14). This counsel resulted in Balaam's death during Israel's campaign against Midian (Numbers 31:8).

New Testament References

Balaam is mentioned in the New Testament as a cautionary example of greed and false teaching. The Apostle Peter warns against those who follow "the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness" (2 Peter 2:15). Similarly, Jude refers to those who "rush for profit into Balaam’s error" (Jude 1:11), and the Book of Revelation criticizes those who hold to Balaam's teaching (Revelation 2:14).

Balaam's account serves as a reminder of the dangers of compromising divine truth for personal gain and the sovereignty of God in fulfilling His purposes, regardless of human intentions.Deuteronomy 23:4
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when you came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
Nave's Topical Index

6604. Pthowr -- home of Balaam
... of Balaam. Transliteration: Pthowr Phonetic Spelling: (peth-ore') Short Definition:
Pethor. Pethor Of foreign origin; Pethor, a place in Mesopotamia -- Pethor. ...
/hebrew/6604.htm - 5k

The Wilderness.
... these, as descended from Abraham's nephew Lot, were to be left unharmed; and their
king, Balak, sent, as it appears, even to Mesopotamia for Balaam, a true ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

The Debt of Iren??us to Justin Martyr
... with Isaiah which we find in Justin; nor does he attribute Balaam's words to ... And
Jacob, when he went into Mesopotamia, saw Him in a dream, standing upon the ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/ii the debt of irenaeus.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Concerning Jacob's Flight Into Mesopotamia, By Reason Of The Fear He Was In Of His
Brother. ... CHAPTER 6. Concerning Balaam The Prophet And What Kind Of Man He Was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Canaan
... and it seems probable that the ruling class in northern Mesopotamia did the ... Balaam
had looked down upon their rocky strongholds from the heights of Moab; and ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
... In the words of Balaam, in Numbers 24:17 (which refer to the passage under
consideration), "There cometh a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre riseth out of Israel ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessing of jacob upon.htm

The Journey of the Three Holy Kings to Bethlehem
... The prophet Balaam came from that region, [125] and one of his disciples spread
abroad and expounded in that land his master's prophecy, A star shall rise out ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xiii the journey of the.htm

Here Followeth the Life of Abraham
... Of Us came Job, of Bus came Balaam, and of Batuel Rebekah and Laban. ... flock of his
lord, and of all his goods bare with him, and went in to Mesopotamia unto the ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here followeth the life of.htm

Chapter xxii
... ie, those who specially wait upon their master, even as Balaam has two ... The distance
from Mesopotamia to southern Palestine was so great that practically all ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxii.htm

And ii.
... eye of faith only, as formerly when Abraham's servant journeyed to Mesopotamia,
Genesis 24 ... in future." But we have already proved, in our work on Balaam, p.465 ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i and ii.htm

[Endnotes]
... See Euseb. book iii.[chap.39. [47:3] Thus, Simon Zelotes is said to have travelled
into Egypt and thence passed into Mesopotamia and Persia, where he suffered ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/endnotes.htm

What was Jesus' message to the church in Pergamum in Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Shittim in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Midian in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Balaam: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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