| Easton's Bible Dictionary Lord of the people; foreigner or glutton, as interpreted by others, the son of Beor, was a man of some rank among the Midianites (Numbers 31:8; Comp. 16). He resided at Pethor (Deuteronomy 23:4), in Mesopotamia (Numbers 23:7). It is evident that though dwelling among idolaters he had some knowledge of the true God; and was held in such reputation that it was supposed that he whom he blessed was blessed, and he whom he cursed was cursed. When the Israelites were encamped on the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan, by Jericho, Balak sent for Balaam "from Aram, out of the mountains of the east," to curse them; but by the remarkable interposition of God he was utterly unable to fulfil Balak's wish, however desirous he was to do Songs The apostle Peter refers (2 Peter 2:15, 16) to this as an historical event. In Micah 6:5 reference also is made to the relations between Balaam and Balak. Though Balaam could not curse Israel, yet he suggested a mode by which the divine displeasure might be caused to descend upon them (Numbers 25). In a battle between Israel and the Midianites (q.v.) Balaam was slain while fighting on the side of Balak (Numbers 31:8). The "doctrine of Balaam" is spoken of in Revelation 2:14, in allusion to the fact that it was through the teaching of Balaam that Balak learned the way by which the Israelites might be led into sin. (see NICOLAITANES.) Balaam was constrained to utter prophecies regarding the future of Israel of wonderful magnificence and beauty of expression (Numbers 24:5-9, 17). Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A paragraph describing something wonderful, used to fill out a newspaper column; -- an allusion to the miracle of Balaam's ass speaking. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BALAAM ba'-lam bil`am, ("devourer"): The son of Beor, from a city in Mesopotamia called Pethor, a man possessing the gift of prophecy, whose remarkable history may be found in Numbers 22:2-24:25; compare Num 31:8, 16; Deuteronomy 23:4 Joshua 13:22; Joshua 24:9 Nehemiah 13:2 Micah 6:5 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11 Revelation 2:14.
1. History:
When the children of Israel pitched their tents in the plains of Moab, the Moabites entered into some sort of an alliance with the Midianites. At the instigation of Balak, at that time king of the Moabites, the elders of the two nations were sent to Balaam to induce him, by means of a bribe, to pronounce a curse on the advancing hosts of the Israelites. But, in compliance with God's command Balaam, refused to go with the elders. Quite different was the result of a second request enhanced by the higher rank of the messengers and by the more alluring promises on the part of Balak. Not only did God permit Balaam to go with the men, but he actually commanded him to do so, cautioning him, however, to act according to further instructions. While on his way to Balak, this injunction was strongly impressed on the mind of Balaam by the strange behavior of his ass and by his encounter with the Angel of the Lord.
Accompanied by Balak who had gone out to meet the prophet, Balaam came to Kiriath-huzoth. On the next morning he was brought up "into the high places of Baal" commanding a partial view of the camp of the Israelites. But instead of a curse he pronounced a blessing. From there he was taken to the top of Peor, yet this change of places and external views did not alter the tendency of Balaam's parables; in fact, his spirit even soared to greater heights and from his lips fell glowing words of praise and admiration, of benediction and glorious prophecy. This, of course, fully convinced Balak that all further endeavors to persuade the seer to comply with his wishes would be in vain, and the two parted.
Nothing else is said of Balaam, until we reach Numbers 31. Here in 31:8 we are told of his violent death at the hands of the Israelites, and in 31:16 we learn of his shameful counsel which brought disgrace and disaster into the ranks of the chosen people.
2. Problems:
Now, there are a number of interesting problems connected with this remarkable story. We shall try to solve at least some of the more important ones.
(1) Was Balaam a prophet of Jeh? For an answer we must look to Numbers 22-24. Nowhere is he called a prophet. He is introduced as the son of Beor and as a man reputed to be of great personal power (compare Numbers 22:6). The cause of this is to be found in the fact that he had intercourse of some kind with God (compare Numbers 22:9, 20; Numbers 22:22-35; 23:04; 23:16). Furthermore, it is interesting to note how Balaam was enabled to deliver his parables. First it is said: "And Yahweh put a word in Balaam's mouth" (Numbers 23:5; compare Numbers 23:16), a procedure seemingly rather mechanical, while nothing of the kind is mentioned in Numbers 24. Instead we meet with the remarkable sentence: "And when Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments. "(Numbers 24:1), and then: "the Spirit of God came upon him" (24:2b). All this is very noteworthy and highly instructive, especially if we compare with it 24:3 the Revised Version, margin and Numbers 24:4: "The man whose eye is opened saith; he saith, who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty," etc. The inference is plain enough: Balaam knew the Lord, the Yahweh of the Israelites, but his knowledge was dimmed and corrupted by heathen conceptions. He knew enough of God to obey Him, yet for a long time he hoped to win Him over to his own selfish plan (compare 23:4). Through liberal sacrifices he expected to influence God's actions. Bearing this in mind, we see the import of Numbers 24:1. After fruitless efforts to cajole God into an attitude favorable to his hidden purpose, he for a time became a prophet of the Lord, yielding to the ennobling influences of His spirit. Here was a chance for his better nature to assert itself permanently and to triumph over the dark forces of paganism. Did he improve this opportunity? He did not (compare Numbers 31:8, 16).
(2) Is the Balaam of Numbers 22-24 identical with the person of the same name mentioned in Numbers 31 ? Quite a number of scholars deny it, or, to be more accurate, there are according to their theory two accounts of Balaam: the one in Numbers 22-24 being favorable to his character, and the other in Numbers 31 being quite the reverse. It is claimed the two accounts could only be made to agree by modifying or eliminating Numbers 24:25. Now, we believe that Numbers 31:16 actually does modify the report of Balaam's return contained in Numbers 24:25. The children of Israel slew Balaam with the sword (Numbers 31:8). Why? Because of his counsel of Num 31:16. We maintain that the author of Numbers 24:25 had this fact in mind when he wrote Numbers 25:1: "And. the people began to play the harlot," etc. Thus, he closely connects the report of Balaam's return with the narrative contained in Numbers 9:5. Therefore, we regard Numbers 31:8, 16 as supplementary to Numbers 22-24. But here is another question:
(3) Is the narrative in Numbers 22-24 the result of combining different traditions? In a general way, we may answer this question in the affirmative, and only in a general way we can distinguish between two main sources of tradition. But we maintain that they are not contradictory to each other, but supplementary.
(4) What about the talking of the ass and the marvelous prophecies of Balaam? We would suggest the following explanation. By influencing the soul of Balaam, God caused him to interpret correctly the inarticulate sounds of the animal. God's acting on the soul and through it on the intellect and on the hearts of men-this truth must be also applied to Balaam's wonderful prophetic words. They are called meshaliym or sayings of a prophet, a diviner.
In the first of these "parables" (Numbers 23:7-10) he briefly states his reasons for pronouncing a blessing; in the second parable (Numbers 23:18-24) he again emphasizes the fact that he cannot do otherwise than bless the Israelites, and then he proceeds to pronounce the blessing at some greater length. In the 3rd (Numbers 24:3-9) he describes the glorious state of the people, its development and irresistible power. In the last four parables (Numbers 24:15-24) he partly reveals the future of Israel and other nations: they are all to be destroyed, Israel's fate being included in the allusion to Eber. Now, at last, Balaam is back again in his own sphere denouncing others and predicting awful disasters. (On the "star out of Jacob," Numbers 24:17, see ASTRONOMY, ii, 9; STAR OF THE MAGI.)
3. Balaam's Character:
This may furnish us a clue to his character. It, indeed, remains "instructively composite." A soothsayer who might have become a prophet of the Lord; a man who loved the wages of unrighteousness, and yet a man who in one supreme moment of his life surrendered himself to God's holy Spirit; a person cumbered with superstition, covetousness and even wickedness, and yet capable of performing the highest service in the kingdom of God: such is the character of Balaam, the remarkable Old Testament type and, in a sense, the prototype of Judas Iscariot.
4. Balaam as a Type:
In 2 Peter 2:15 Balaam's example is used as a means to illustrate the pernicious influence of insincere Christian teachers. The author might have alluded to Balaam in the passage immediately preceding 2 Peter 2:15 because of his abominable counsel. This is done in Revelation 2:14. Here, of course, Balaam is the type of a teacher of the church who attempts to advance the cause of God by advocating an unholy alliance with the ungodly and worldly, and so conforming the life of the church to the spirit of the flesh.
LITERATURE.
Butler's Sermons, "Balaam"; ICC, "Numbers."
William Baur |  | Multi-Version Concordance Balaam (62 Occurrences) 2 Peter 2:15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah's rebellion. (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, "Behold, there is a people who came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:8 He said to them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me." The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:9 God came to Balaam, and said, "Who are these men with you?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:10 Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:12 God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor,'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me: (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:18 Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:20 God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:22 God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. (See NIV) Numbers 22:23 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:27 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:29 Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?" He said, "No." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:37 Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn't you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 22:41 It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:1 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:2 Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:3 Balaam said to Balak, "Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you." He went to a bare height. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:4 God met Balaam: and he said to him, "I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:5 Yahweh put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:7 And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: 'Come, curse me Jacob, and come, execrate Israel.' (See RSV NIV) Numbers 23:11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:15 And Balaam said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, and I will go to meet yonder. (DBY RSV NIV) Numbers 23:16 Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and say this." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor: (See RSV) Numbers 23:25 Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:26 But Balaam answered Balak, "Didn't I tell you, saying,'All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do?'" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:27 Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse me them from there." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 23:30 Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:3 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:10 Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:12 Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:15 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 24:25 Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Deuteronomy 23:4 because they didn't meet you 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 from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Deuteronomy 23:5 Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn't listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Joshua 13:22 The children of Israel alse killed Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Joshua 24:9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Joshua 24:10 but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Nehemiah 13:2 because they didn't meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV) Micah 6:5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) |
