Balaam

Also known as Bil'am, Bilaam, Bilam

thumb|upright=1.4|Balaam and the angel, painting from Gustav Jäger (painter)|Gustav Jaeger, 1836 Balaam (; ; ), son of Beor, was, according to the Bible, a gentile prophet and diviner who lived in Pethor, a place identified with the ancient city of Pitru, thought to have been located between the region of Iraq and northern Syria in what is now southeastern Turkey. According to chapters 22–24 of the Book of Numbers, he was hired by King Balak of Moab to curse Israel, but instead he blessed the Israelites, as dictated by God. Subsequently, the plan to entice the Israelites into idol worshi

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Image: P1150002 Cognacq-Jay Rembrandt anesse de Balaam rwk.jpg

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date of death: 1300-00-00
Commons category: Bileam
date of birth: 1300-00-00

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Article

10 sections

Contents

Hebrew Tanakh
Biblical criticism
Deir Alla inscription
In rabbinic literature
In Josephus, Philo, and Christian sources
In the Quran
See also
Notes
References
External links

In rabbinic literature, Balaam is portrayed as a non-Israelite prophet with powers comparable to Moses but is often depicted negatively for his attempts to curse Israel, his role in leading them to sin, and his eventual execution. The Talmud emphasizes his importance by stating that Moses authored not only the Torah but also the section relating to Balaam (Bava Batra 14b).