Truth Framework Reading Path TL;DR What does the Bible say? From the OT From the NT Implications for today Application share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email print donate Who was Balaam in the Bible? Redemption › The Bible › People in the Bible TL;DR: Balaam was a prophet hired to curse the Israelites and whose donkey spoke to him. Balaam’s compromised life led to his destruction. what does the bible say? Balaam was a renowned diviner hired by the Moabite king Balak to curse the Israelites. However, God instructed Balaam not to curse the Israelites, and even when Balaam tried, God only allowed him to bless them. During his journey to Moab, Balaam's donkey saw an angel blocking their path and spoke to Balaam, leading to Balaam's realization and obedience to God's command. Despite Balak's insistence, Balaam prophesied blessings for Israel and predicted the future defeat of Israel's enemies. Though Balaam did not curse Israel, he advised the Moabites to seduce the Israelites, causing them to sin and leading to a deadly plague, for which Balaam was ultimately killed in battle. from the old testament Balaam was a diviner. He was known as being very effective and described by saying, "he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed" (Numbers 22:6).When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and defeated the Amorites, the neighboring nation of Moab "was overcome with fear of the people of Israel" (Numbers 22:3). Their king Balak hired Balaam to curse the Israelites and bring victory to the Moabite army.Balaam inquired of God about whether or not he should curse the Israelites (Numbers 22:8). God forbade Balaam from cursing the Israelites, explaining, "You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed" (Numbers 22:12). The Moabite king persisted, however, so when Balaam asked God a second time, God replied, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you" (Numbers 22:20).On his way to Moab, Balaam's donkey turned off the road into a field because she saw the angel of the LORD blocking their path. Balaam struck his donkey to return her to the road. When the angel blocked the path where it was narrow with a vineyard wall on either side, the donkey pushed against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot, so he struck her again. Finally, the angel blocked the way where it was so narrow, the donkey simply lay down on the road, which angered Balaam even more. As Balaam struck his animal, "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?'" (Numbers 22:28).Balaam did not seem disturbed by the fact that his animal now spoke in human language. Instead, he responded angrily that she had made a fool of him and wished he could kill her. "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" (Numbers 22:31). The angel explained that the donkey had seen him and that had she not turned aside, the angel "would have killed you and let her live" (Numbers 22:33). Balaam immediately recognized his sin and offered to turn back (Numbers 22:34). However, the angel said, "Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you" (Numbers 22:35).When Balaam arrived in Moab, "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'" (Numbers 22:38). Twice Balaam used divination to try to curse the Israelites, but God put blessing in his mouth to speak over the people of God. He said, "How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?" (Numbers 23:8). In his second blessing he pronounced, "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? Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it" (Numbers 23:19–20). Finally, "When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens" (Numbers 24:1). In other words, he stopped his practice of divination and when he did, "the Spirit of God came upon him" (Numbers 24:2). With this anointing, Balaam spoke a blessing over Israel.The Moabite king was furious that Balaam would not curse Israel, saying, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times" (Numbers 24:10). Since Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he did offer to prophesy the future of those nations surrounding Israel. "Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days" (Numbers 24:14). He then enumerated how the Israelites would defeat the surrounding kingdoms. Included in this oracle was a messianic prophecy: "I see him, but not now; / I behold him, but not near: / a star shall come out of Jaco...