Birth and Ancestors

• Timeframe:
• Place:
• Father: Beor (Numbers 22:5; 24:3, 15; 31:8; Deuteronomy 23:4; Joshua 13:22; 24:9; Micah 6:5; 2 Peter 2:15)
• Mother:
• Hebrew meaning of Name: בִּלְעָם (Bil‘am) – uncertain; possibly “not of the people” or “devourer of people” (from בַּל + עַם)

• Other Relatives of Note:

Marriage and Descendants

• Spouse #1:
  • Story:
  • Children:
• Other Descendants of Note:

Land and Dwelling

Dwelling Places

• Pethor (פְּתוֹרָה), near the [Euphrates] River, in his native land (Numbers 22:5; Deuteronomy 23:4)
• “In the land of the children of his people” (Numbers 22:5) – likely Aram-Naharaim/Mesopotamia

Journeys

• Summoned by Balak’s messengers from Pethor to Moab (Numbers 22:5–7, 15–21)
• Traveled on donkey toward Moab; met by Angel of YHWH on the way (Numbers 22:22–35)
• Accompanied Balak to:
  • Kiriath-huzoth (Numbers 22:39)
  • High places of Baal (bamoth-baal) (Numbers 22:41)
  • Field of Zophim on top of Pisgah (Numbers 23:14)
  • Top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland/Jeshimon (Numbers 23:28)

Military

• Hired by Balak to curse Israel (Numbers 22:6, 11, 17; 23:7–8; Joshua 24:9–10)
• Slain with the sword by Israel during the war against Midian (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22)

Medical and Death

• Died by the sword at the hands of Israel (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22)

Righteousness and Unrighteousness

Righteousness

• Initially restrained by YHWH’s command (Numbers 22:12, 18–20)
• Pronounced true oracles blessing Israel (Numbers 23:7–10, 18–24; 24:3–9, 15–24)
• Spirit of God came upon him (Numbers 24:2)

Unrighteousness

• Loved the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15)
• Coveted Balak’s rewards (Numbers 22:17–18; Jude 11)
• Taught Balak to put a stumbling block before Israel: entice them to eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality at Peor (Numbers 25:1–3; 31:16; Revelation 2:14)
• Called a “soothsayer” (מְקוֹסֵם) – practitioner of divination (Joshua 13:22)
• Way of Balaam = greed + false prophecy (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11)

Other

• Donkey spoke with human voice by YHWH’s power (Numbers 22:28–30)
• Saw the Angel of YHWH with drawn sword (Numbers 22:23, 31)
• Uttered four oracles (Numbers 23–24), all blessing Israel against his will
• Final oracle foretold Israel’s future victories, including over Moab (Numbers 24:17)
• Identified in NT as archetype of false prophet for hire (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14)

Extra Biblical Information

Landmarks:

• Pethor – identified with Pitru (Assyrian records), near Carchemish on the Euphrates

Archeology:

• Deir Alla Inscription (ca. 800–700 BC, Jordan): mentions “Balaam son of Beor, a seer of the gods” who received a night vision from the gods warning of disaster. Confirms historical memory of Balaam as a known prophetic figure in Transjordan.

Connections