Balaam

Balaam, son of Beor, was a prophet from PethorNumbers 22:5. Rather than honoring God as a prophet, Balaam worked with Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balaam is remembered throughout the rest of the Bible as having a false teaching. Balaam is primarily recorded and is introduced in the Pentateuch's Book of Numbers.
== Biography ==
=== Early Life ===
Little is known about Balaam's early life. Balaam was born to a man named Beor in the town of Pethor, near the Euphrates River. At one point he became a prophet of God, and was known well enough where he would soon be summoned by the king of Moab. It was also known that those that Balaam blessed and cursed, received the blessing or curse givenNumbers 22:6, 11.
=== Summoning by Moab ===
Balaam is first mentioned when messengers of King Balak of Moab are sent to request him to put a curse on the rapidly approaching Israelite army, because Balaam was known for his successful blessings and curses. The elders of Moab then evacuated the area where the Israelites were edging closer, and set out to discuss with Balaam, bringing with them a payment for Balaam's divinationNumbers 22:7. 
Once they arrived Balaam told the elders to spend the night and that he would report back with an answer from GodNumbers 22:8. God then came down to Balaam and asked who the men staying with him wereNumbers 22:9. Balaam responded by telling God that they had asked for a divinationNumbers 22:10. God replied to Balaam by telling him not to go with the Moab elders and to not put a curse on Israel because they were blessedNumbers 22:12.Balaam got up the following morning and informed Balak's officials that God had refused for him to go with them and curse IsraelNumbers 22:13. The officials returned to their king and reported this to himNum 22:14. 
Afterwards Balak sent another group of officials, being of large number and of higher authorityNum 22:15. This time they asked the Balaam would not let anything prevent him from meeting with the kingNum 22:16 as he would be given a great rewardNum 22:17.Balaam replied that even if he were given all the gold and silver in the palace of Balak he could not disobey GodNum 22:18, and so he had the officials spend the night so that he may consult GodNum 22:19.So God told Balaam to go with the men since he had been summoned, but to only obey GodNum 22:20.
=== Riding to Moab ===
Therefore Balaam saddled his donkey and started off with the messengers and his two servantsNum 22:21. But God, who had already told Balaam not to curse the Israelites, was angry with Balaam's eager attitude, so he sent an Angel to stand in the road to stop himNum 22:22. Balaam's donkey saw the Angel while Balaam did not, so the donkey shied away and went off road into a field. Balaam unknowing of his mount's reasons for fear,beat the donkey to get it back on the path of the roadNum 22:23. Soon Balaam arrived at a narrow path cutting through vineyards with walls on both sidesNum 22:24. When the donkey saw the Angel again, it leaned up against the wall, crushing his master's foot against it. Thus, Balaam beat the donkey againNum 22:25. As they continued to travel, they encountered a narrow area where there was no room to turnNum 22:26. When the donkey saw the Angel this time, he stopped and sat with Balaam riding on him, angering Balaam to beat the donkey with his staffNum 22:27. After this God caused the donkey to speak who asked Balaam what he had done to receive three beatingsNum 22:28. Balaam then explained to his animal that he had been made a fool of by it, and then told it he would kill it if he had a swordNum 22:30. The donkey then reminded Balaam that he had been his mount for a long period of time, and that it was not his regular behaviorNum 22:30.
After this God revealed to Balaam that an Angel with a sword drawn had been standing in the road, and so he bowed facedown to the AngelNum 22:31. The traveling prophet was then questioned by the Angel of why he had beaten his donkey, since the path he was on was recklessNum 22:32. The Angel then told Balaam that if it weren't for his donkey, he would've been killed by him with his donkey sparedNum 22:33. Balaam responded to the Angel's statements that he had sinned and did not realize he was in the road to blockade himNum 22:34. However, Balaam was told to continue with Balak's officials, but to only speak what God would tell himNum 22:35.
=== Prophesying for Balak ===
==== The First Prophecy ====
Soon king Balak heard that the summoned prophet was coming, and arranged to meet him in the border town of ArnonNum 22:36. Balak then reminded Balaam of the urgency of his requestNum 22:37, and Balaam assured him that he was there, but could only speak what God gave himNum 22:38. So Balaam went up to Kiriath HuzothNum 22:38. The next morning Balaam went up to Bamoth Baal where the outskirts of the Israelite camp could be seenNum 22:41. Balaam then told Balak to have seven altars and one bull and one ram for each prepared for himNum 23:1-2. Balaam then instructed Balak to stay with the offerings while he went aside to see if God would meet with discus with himNum 23:3. Going off to a barren height, God met with him and was told by Balaam that sacrifices had been preparedNum 23:4. Words were then given to Balaam to speak to BalakNum 23:5. Balaam then told the Moabite King and all his officials the message that God had given himNum 23:6: that despite being asked to curse the Israelite descendants of JacobNum 23:7, he could not curse those not cursed by GodNum 23:8as they were were distinguishedNum 23:9, and that he (Balaam) would want to die a righteous deathNum 23:10. 
Hearing this, Balak was furious that all Balaam had done was bless the IsraelitesNum 23:11, but Balaam told Balak he could only say what God told him to sayNum 23:12.
==== The Second Prophecy ====
So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim on top of Pisgah and with Balaam built seven altars with a bull on eachNum 23:13-14, to see if Balaam would curse the Israelites. Then Balaam went off on his own to meet with God to receive another prophecyNum 23:15. The LORD came and met with him and gave him a prophecyNum 23:16. After returning to the Moabite officials, they asked him what the prophecy wasNum 23:17. He told them the prophecyNum 23:18:God was not human and would not change his mindNum 23:19 and therefore he could not curse Israel, but only blessNum 23:20-24. By his prophecy, Balaam once again enraged BalakNum 23:25, but Balaam reminded him that he could only prophesy what God told him toNum 23:26. 
==== The Third Prophecy ====
Balaam was then brought to the top of Peor overlooking a desolate wasteland, in hopes that he would be able to curse IsraelNum 23:27-28. Balaam had Balak build seven altars and a bull and ram for each oneNum 23:29-30. When Balaam realized that it was pleasing to God to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination (going to meet with God) but looked over at the wildernessNum 24:1. While Balaam was overlooking the nation of Israel encamped by the tribes, the Holy Spirit came to himNum 24:2 and so he spoke a messageNum 24:3-4 blessing Israel againNum 24:5-9. Then Balak's anger burned against the prophet Balaam and Balaam was told to go home and would not receive his paymentNum 24:10-11. 
==== Prophecies against Nations ====
Balaam then reminded Balak that he had told his officials that he could only speak what God would tell him, despite any amount of riches he was givenNum 24:12-13. Before he returned to his peopleNum 24:14, Balaam gave the King of Moab a prophecyNum 24:15-16 against his nation of MoabNum 24:17-19. He then "saw" (revealed by God) the nation of Amalek and gave a prophecy concerning itNum 24:20. 
Balaam then gave a prophecy on the KenitesNum 24:21-24 and a prophecy about an attack from Cyprus on the cities of Asshur and EberNum 24:23-24. Then Balaam returned homeNum 24:25.
===Death===
Later when Moses and the Israelites fought Sihon and the other Kings of Midian Balaam was executed along with Kings of Midian.
== Verses ==
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