Balaam is a figure mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, primarily in the Book of Numbers. He is often described as a pagan prophet or diviner who was summoned by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites as they were encamped near Moab.
1. **Balaam’s Summoning**: In Numbers 22:1-6, Balak sends messengers to Balaam, asking him to come and curse the Israelites, whom he fears are too powerful and will consume the land.
2. **God’s Response**: Initially, God tells Balaam not to go with Balak’s messengers (Numbers 22:12). However, after Balak sends more honorable men to urge him, God permits Balaam to go, but only to speak what He commands (Numbers 22:20-22).
3. **The Talking Donkey**: One of the most notable stories involving Balaam is when his donkey sees an angel of the Lord and stops, leading to Balaam’s irrational anger and the eventual miracle of the donkey speaking to him (Numbers 22:21-30).
4. **Balaam’s Oracles**: When Balaam finally meets Balak, instead of cursing the Israelites, he blesses them three times under God’s direction (Numbers 23:7-10, 19-20, 24:5-9). Balak is frustrated by these blessings instead of curses.
5. **Balaam’s Downfall**: Despite initially obeying God, Balaam later counsels Balak on how to lead the Israelites into sin, which results in God’s anger and judgment against Israel (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14).
6. **Balaam’s Legacy**: Balaam is mentioned later in the New Testament as a significant negative example. In 2 Peter 2:15, he is depicted as one who loved the wages of wrongdoing, and Jude 1:11 also references the “way of Balaam” as a warning against greed and misconduct.
Balaam’s story serves as a complex narrative about obedience, the allure of greed, and the consequences of leading others astray.