Balaam in the Bible is a prophet who, although called to curse the Israelites, ultimately blesses them instead due to God’s intervention (Numbers 22-24). His narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and disobedience, as he later leads the Israelites into sin (Revelation 2:14).
Scripture
1 Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.
2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 So Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me.
6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.
8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.
12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 And Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’”
18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.
19 Now please stay here tonight also, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”
21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary.
23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.
25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.
27 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the Lord 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?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.
32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”
35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”
38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”
39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.
41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.
Meaning of Balaam in the Bible
Balaam’s story, predominantly found in Numbers 22-24, represents a complex intersection of prophecy, divine intervention, and moral failure. Initially summoned by Balak, the Moabite king, to curse the Israelites, Balaam encounters a divine blockage when God commands him to bless them instead. His blessings, spoken against his intention, highlight a profound theological truth: God’s purposes cannot be thwarted even by those who seek to oppose Him. Balaam’s blessings instead of curses can be seen as a reflection of the sovereignty of God and a reminder that His power over human intentions prevails. This is supported by Numbers 23:19, which states, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.” Balaam’s reluctant obedience emphasizes that divine will ultimately governs all affairs and serves as a promise to the Israelites that they are favored and protected by God.
However, Balaam’s story is also a warning that highlights the peril of compromising faith for personal gain. In Revelation 2:14, references to Balaam’s later actions illustrate how he led the Israelites into sin by encouraging them to participate in idolatry and sexual immorality. This duality in Balaam’s narrative serves as a powerful admonition for believers: it is possible to have knowledge of God’s truth and yet fall into temptation through greed and disobedience. His tale warns against the temptation to exploit spiritual gifts for selfish motives, urging followers of God to remain steadfast in faith and integrity. Therefore, Balaam embodies both the potential for divine blessing and the dangers of straying from God’s path, capturing the struggle between faithfulness and moral compromise inherent in the human experience.
The character of Balaam serves as a multifaceted illustration of the potential for both divine insight and moral failure in the biblical narrative. Beyond his prophetic utterances, Balaam is depicted as a figure who had knowledge of God’s sovereignty yet chose to operate within an ambivalent moral framework. His interactions with God and the angel of the Lord, who confronts him during his journey, lead to a profound realization of the consequences of misusing one’s spiritual gifts. This highlights the biblical theme that spiritual wisdom carries with it a responsibility to act righteously. The moment of encounter with the angel, as narrated in Numbers 22, underscores God’s insistence that true obedience corresponds with alignment to His will rather than personal ambition.
Furthermore, Balaam is often viewed as a cautionary symbol in later biblical writings, representing those who possess an understanding of God’s intentions yet deliberately choose paths that lead to destruction for themselves and others. His actions come to symbolize the seduction of power and wealth over faithfulness. Through his story, the scriptures convey the critical message that knowing God’s ways does not guarantee alignment with them—and that succumbing to temptation can result in leading others astray. The complexity of Balaam’s character emphasizes the overarching biblical principle that the rejection of God’s guidance results not only in personal ruin but can ripple outwards, affecting entire communities. Thus, Balaam stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring battle between integrity and temptation faced by many, rendering his tale timeless and relevant in the context of spiritual vigilance.
The Danger of Compromise
Balaam represents the peril of compromising one’s values for personal gain. His story illustrates how the desire for wealth and status can lead individuals to stray from their moral and spiritual convictions. This theme serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of prioritizing materialism over faithfulness to God.
The Conflict Between Divine Will and Human Desire
Balaam embodies the struggle between divine instruction and human ambition. His attempts to navigate between God’s commands and his own desires highlight the tension that exists when individuals seek to fulfill their own agendas rather than adhering to divine guidance. This conflict serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning one’s actions with God’s will.
The Influence of False Prophets
Balaam’s role as a prophet who ultimately misleads others underscores the dangers posed by false prophets. His ability to speak on behalf of God while simultaneously leading people astray illustrates the complexities of discernment in spiritual matters. This aspect of his story warns believers to be vigilant against those who may distort truth for their own purposes.
How to Embrace Divine Guidance in Daily Life
Embracing divine guidance in our daily lives is a beautiful journey that invites us to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. Start by setting aside quiet moments each day for prayer and reflection, allowing yourself to listen for that still, small voice that often speaks in the silence. As you read Scripture, seek not just knowledge but understanding, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the passages that resonate with your current struggles or decisions. Surround yourself with a community of believers who can offer wisdom and encouragement, reminding you that you are not alone in this quest. Finally, practice discernment in your choices, weighing them against the teachings of Christ and the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. By intentionally seeking God’s guidance in both the big and small moments, you’ll find that His presence becomes a comforting and guiding force in your life, leading you toward a path of purpose and fulfillment.
Bible References to Balaam’s Significance:
Numbers 23:1-30: 1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height.
4 And God met Balaam.
5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all his officials were standing beside his burnt offering.
7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”
11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.”
12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.”
14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there.”
16 And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
17 And he took up his discourse and said: “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, son of Zippor:
18 And he took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, son of Zippor:
19 God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought?’
24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all.”
26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?”
27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.
29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 24:1-25: 24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered,
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
10 And 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 blessed them these three times.
11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said I would certainly honor you, but the Lord has held you back from honor.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me,
13 If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak.’
14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
24 And he took up his discourse and said:
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.
19 “A ruler shall come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.”
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.
22 God brings them out of Egypt
and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
23 And he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction.”
25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.
Numbers 31:1-16: 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.
3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian.
4 And you shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.”
5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male.
8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.
10 And they burned all their cities where they lived, and all their encampments with fire.
11 They captured all the spoil and plunder, both of man and of beast.
12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.
14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live?
16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 23:3-6: 3 No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,
4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
5 But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.
6 You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.
Joshua 13:22: 22 Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.
Joshua 24:9-10: 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel.
10 And I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.
Nehemiah 13:1-3: On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
2 because they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.
Micah 6:5: 5 “O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
2 Peter 2:15-16: 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,
16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Jude 1:11: 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Revelation 2:14: But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.