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Balaam (/ˈbeɪlæm/;[1] Hebrew: בִּלְעָם, romanized: Bīlʿām), son of Beor,[2] was a biblical figure, a non-Israelite prophet and diviner who lived in Pethor, a place identified with the ancient city of Pitru, thought to have been located between the region of Iraq and northern Syria in what is now southeastern Turkey.[3]: 166 According to chapters 22–24[4] of the Book of Numbers, he was hired by King Balak of Moab to curse Israel, but instead he blessed the Israelites, as dictated by God. Subsequently, the plan to entice the Israelites into idol worship and sexual immorality[5] is attributed to him.[6] Balaam is also mentioned in the Book of Micah.
In rabbinic literature, Balaam is portrayed as a non-Jewish prophet with powers comparable to Moses but is often depicted negatively for his attempts to curse Israel, his role in leading them to sin, and his eventual execution. The Talmud comments on his significance by stating, “Moses wrote his book and the portion of Balaam” (Bava Batra 14b).
In Josephus, Philo, and Christian sources, Balaam is recognized for his exceptional divinatory abilities but is criticized for his moral failings, including greed and corruption. The New Testament condemns him as a symbol of avarice, notably in Revelation 2:14, which states, “Balaam ... taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.” Islamic tradition does not mention Balaam by name in the Quran but identifies him with the figure in Surah Al-A’raf 7:175–176, who received divine knowledge but succumbed to worldly desires, leading to his downfall and depiction as a panting dog.
The Deir Alla inscription, dating to around 840–760 BCE, describes visions of Balaam, son of Beor, as a seer of multiple gods warning of impending destruction, contrasting with the biblical depiction of Balaam as a prophet of Yahweh.[7]
- ^ Mangold, Max; Cho, See-Young. "A Pronouncing and Phonetic Dictionary of Biblical Names". University of Tübingen. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ^ Numbers 22:5
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
burnettwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Numbers 22–24
- ^ Numbers 25:1–3
- ^ Numbers 31:16
- ^ Alan Millard (2006). "Authors, Books and Readers in the Ancient World". In J. W. Rogerson, Judith M. Lieu (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 554. ISBN 978-0199254255.