Balaam

How Nave’s arranged it

• (Son of Beor)
• From MesopotamiaDeuteronomy 23:4
• A soothsayerJoshua 13:22
• A prophetNumbers 24:2–92 Peter 2:152 Peter 2:16
• Balak sends for, to curse IsraelNumbers 22:5–7Joshua 24:9Nehemiah 13:2Micah 6:5
• Anger of, rebuked by his assNumbers 22:22–352 Peter 2:16
• Counsel of, an occasion of Israel's corruption with the MidianitesNumbers 31:16Revelation 2:14Revelation 2:15
• Covetousness of Jude 1:112 Peter 2:15
• Death ofNumbers 31:8Joshua 13:22

The passages, in Bible order (14)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 14 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Numbers 22:5–7

   he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 22:5–72 voices

   “He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam--that is, "lord" or "devourer" of people, a famous soothsayer (Jos 13:22). son of Beor--or, in the Chaldee form, Bosor--that is, "destruction." Pethor--a city of Mesopotamia, situated on the Euphrates.

   “Balaam the son of Beor was from the first a worshipper in some sort of the true God; and had learned some elements of pure and true religion in his home in the far East, the cradle of the ancestors of Israel. But though prophesying, doubtless even before the ambassadors of Balak came to him, in the name of the true God, yet prophecy was still to him as before a mere business, not a religion. The summons of Balak proved to be a crisis in his career: and he failed under the trial.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 22:5–7→

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2. Numbers 22:22–35

   Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 22:22–352 voices

   “Because he went - Because he went of his own accord, with the princes of Moab, and did not wait till they came to call him, which was the sign and condition of God's permission, but rather himself rose and called them. The apostle describes Balaam's sin here to be, that he ran greedily into an error for reward, Jude i, 11.

   “The angel - i. e., the Angel that led the Israelites through the wilderness (compare Num 20:16 and references), and subsequently appeared as the Captain of the Lord’s host to Joshua Jos 6:13. In desiring to curse Israel, Balaam was fighting against Israel’s Leader. The presence of the Angel in his path was designed to open his eyes, blinded by sin, to the real character of his course of conduct.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 22:22–35→

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3. Numbers 24:2–9

   When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,

   ›Commentary on Numbers 24:2–91 voice

   “It is said, then, that the Spirit of God was upon him, not as if it had begun to inspire him at that particular moment when he cast his eyes upon the camp of Israel; but because it prompted him to look in that direction, in order that the impulse of prophecy might be stronger in him, as respecting a thing actually before his eyes.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 24:2–9→

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4. Numbers 31:8

   Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 31:82 voices

   “The soothsayer Balaam set up a scandal for the people of Israel when he went to meet their warriors, not with men in armor but with women arrayed in all their finery. He hoped to make the men drop their arms for debauchery, change their …

   “Balaam - they slew with the sword - This man had probably committed what St. John calls the sin unto death - a sin which God punishes with temporal death, while at the same time he extends mercy to the soul. See the remarks at Num 24:25 (note).

   Everything gathered on Numbers 31:8→

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5. Numbers 31:16

   “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 31:161 voice

   Caused ... to commit trespass - More literally, “became to the children of Israel for a cause (or, incitement) of treachery to the Lord.”

   Everything gathered on Numbers 31:16→

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6. Deuteronomy 23:4

   For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.

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7. Joshua 13:22

   The Israelites also killed the diviner Balaam son of Beor along with the others they put to the sword.

   ›Commentary on Joshua 13:221 voice

   “Were slain by them - This was recorded before, Num. xxxi, 8, and is here repeated, because the defeating of Balaam's purpose to curse Israel, and the turning that curse into a blessing, was such an instance of the power and goodness of God, as was fit to be had in everlasting remembrance.

   Everything gathered on Joshua 13:22→

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8. Joshua 24:9

   Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,

   ›Commentary on Joshua 24:91 voice

   “Then Balak - arose and warred against Israel - This circumstance is not related in Numbers 22:1-41, nor does it appear in that history that the Moabites attacked the Israelites; and probably the warring here mentioned means no more than his attempts to destroy them by the curses of Balaam, and the wiles of the Midianitish women.

   Everything gathered on Joshua 24:9→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Nehemiah 13:2

   because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

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10. Micah 6:5

    My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

    ›Commentary on Micah 6:52 voices

    “GROTIUS explains it, "how Balaam answered, that the only way to injure thee was by tempting thee to idolatry and whoredom" (Nu 31:16). The mention of "Shittim" agrees with this: as it was the scene of Israel's sin (Nu 25:1-5; Re 2:14). from Shittim unto Gilgal--not that Balaam accompanied Israel from Shittim to Gilgal: for he was slain in Midian (Nu 31:8).

    “Remember now - The word translated now is a very tender one, like our “do now remember” or “do remember,” beseeching instead of commanding.

    Everything gathered on Micah 6:5→

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11. 2 Peter 2:15

    They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

    ›Commentary on 2 Peter 2:152 voices

    “The way of Balaam the son of Bosor - So the Chaldeans pronounced what the Jews termed Beor; namely, the way of covetousness. Who loved - Earnestly desired, though he did not dare to take, the reward of unrighteousness - The money which Balak would have given him for cursing Israel.

    “Which have forsaken the right way - The straight path of honesty and integrity. Religion is often represented as a straight path, and to do wrong is to go out of that path in a crooked way. Following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor - See Num 22:5, following. In the Book of Numbers, Balaam is called the son of “Beor.” Perhaps the name Beor was corrupted into Bosor; or, as Rosenmuller suggests, the father of Balaam may have had two names. Schleusner (Lexicon) supposes that it was changed by the Greeks because it was more easily pronounced.

    Everything gathered on 2 Peter 2:15→

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12. 2 Peter 2:16

    But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

    ›Commentary on 2 Peter 2:162 voices

    “Nor is it difficult for God to open the mouth of a man devoted to Himself, and to inspire constancy and confidence in speech to His confessor; since in the book of Numbers He made even a she-ass to speak against the prophet Balaam.

    “The dumb ass, speaking with man’s voice - See the note on Num 22:28. The madness of the prophet - Is not this a reference to the speech of the ass, as represented in the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem? “Wo to thee, Balaam, thou sinner, thou madman: there is no wisdom found in thee.” These words contain nearly the same expressions as those in St. Peter.

    Everything gathered on 2 Peter 2:16→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Revelation 2:14

    But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

    ›Commentary on Revelation 2:142 voices

    “I have a few things against thee - Their good deeds are first carefully sought out and commended; what was wrong in them is touched with a gentle but effectual hand. The followers of Balaam, the Nicolaitanes, and the Gnostics, were probably all the same kind of persons; but see on Rev 2:6 (note). What the doctrine of Balaam was, see the notes on Num 24:1 (note) through Num 25:18; and Numbers 31:1-54 (note).

    "And Balsam the son of Beor they slew with the sword." For, speaking no longer by the Spirit of God, but setting up another law of fornication contrary to the law of God, this man shall no longer be reckoned as a prophet, but as a soothsayer. For, as he did not continue in the commandment of God, he received the just reward of his evil devices.

    Everything gathered on Revelation 2:14→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Revelation 2:15

    In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

    ›Commentary on Revelation 2:152 voices

    “So hast thou also them ... - That is, there are those among you who hold those doctrines. The meaning here may be, either that, in addition to those who held the doctrine of Balaam, they had also another class who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes; or that the Nicolaitanes held the same doctrine, and taught the same thing as Balaam.

    “Nicolaitanes, with this important difference, Ephesus, as a Church, hates them and casts them out, but thou "hast them," namely, in the Church. doctrine--teaching (see on Re 2:6): namely, to tempt God's people to idolatry. which thing I hate--It is sin not to hate what God hates.

    Everything gathered on Revelation 2:15→

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