Balaam's Prophecy Gift in Biblical Context
Balaam, son of Beor, was a prophet from Pethor on the Euphrates in Mesopotamia, renowned for his prophetic abilities [1, 2]. His reputation was such that it was believed those he blessed were blessed, and those he cursed were cursed [2]. This led Balak, the king of Moab, to send for Balaam to curse the Israelites, who were encamped in the plains of Moab [1, 2]. The elders of Moab and Midian approached Balaam with "rewards of divination" in hand, indicating his perceived power [3].
Initially, God prohibited Balaam from going with Balak's messengers [1]. When Balak sent more distinguished princes with greater promises, Balaam stated he could not go beyond the word of Yahweh, even if offered a house full of silver and gold [4]. Despite this, he eventually sought divine permission again and was allowed to go, with the instruction to speak only what God commanded [1].
Balaam's prophetic gift is evident in the oracles he delivered. Although Balak intended for Balaam to curse Israel, God intervened, causing Balaam to bless them instead [5]. The Spirit of God "came upon him" not as a spirit of sanctification, but as a spirit of prophecy, enabling him to foretell future events [7, 14]. This is distinct from the "enchantments" or "magic arts" he had previously relied upon, which he later abandoned when he saw that God intended to bless Israel [5, 8, 9].
Jewish tradition offers varying interpretations of Balaam's prophetic status. Ramban (Nachmanides) suggests that Balaam was not a habitual prophet, as indicated by the need for his eyes to be "opened" to see the angel, a phrase typically used for those who have not reached the degree of prophecy [6]. Ramban also notes that Balaam initially acted as an enchanter, and God's communication with him was not due to Balaam's inherent worthiness for prophecy [8]. The Babylonian Talmud, while acknowledging Balaam's blessings, interprets some of them, such as comparing Israel to a cedar, as having an underlying negative intent or a hidden curse [10, 11, 13].
Christian theology, as seen in Aquinas, acknowledges that even those who serve "demons" can sometimes foretell the truth, as "no teaching is so false that it never mingles truth with falsehood" [12]. This perspective allows for the possibility of Balaam, despite his moral failings, to genuinely prophesy under divine influence. Balaam's story highlights that prophetic gifts can be bestowed even upon individuals whose character or intentions are questionable, serving God's purposes despite themselves [7, 14].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Balaam — (B.C. 1451), the son of beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy. (Numbers 22:5) He is mentioned in conjunction with the five kings of Midian, apparently as a person of the same rank. (Numbers 31:8) cf. Numb 31:16 He seems to have lived at Pethor, (23:4; Numbers 22:5) on the river Euphrates, in Mesopotamia. Such was his reputation that when the Israelites were encamped in the plains of Moab, Balak, the king of Moab, sent for Balaam to curse them. Balaam at first was prohibited by God from going. He was again sent for by the king and again refused, but wa”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Balaam — Lord of the people; foreigner or glutton, as interpreted by others, the son of Beor, was a man of some rank among the Midianites (Num. 31:8; comp. 16). He resided at Pethor (Deut. 23:4), in Mesopotamia (Num. 23:7). It is evident that though dwelling among idolaters he had some knowledge of the true God; and was held in such reputation that it was supposed that he whom he blessed was blessed, and he whom he cursed was cursed. When the Israelites were encamped on the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan, by Jericho, Balak sent for Balaam "from Aram, out of th”
- Numbers “The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. -- Numbers 22:7”
- Numbers “Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. -- Numbers 22:18”
- Numbers “When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. -- Numbers 24:1”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Numbers 22:31: AND THE ETERNAL OPENED THE EYES OF BALAAM. From this verse we learn that Balaam was not a prophet [who habitually received Divine messages], because had he been a prophet, how could it be that he required “opening of the eyes” to see the angel, which is the term used by Scripture about someone who has not reached the degree of prophecy, such as Elisha’s young man, 76 II Kings 6:17: And the Eternal opened the eyes of the young man . or Hagar the Egyptian, 77 Genesis 21:19: And G-d opened her eyes . and Scripture does not speak in this manner about the prop”
- Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 24:2: And Balaam lifted up his eyes,.... Being on Mount Peor: and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; in that exact order in which they were directed to encamp under four standards, and so many tribes under each standard, Num 2:1. and the Spirit of God came upon him; not in his grace but in his gifts; not as a spirit of sanctification, but as a spirit of prophecy, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it; and so sometimes the Spirit of God in this sense has come upon wicked men, as on Caiaphas and others, Joh 11:51.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Numbers 24:1: AND HE WENT NOT, AS AT OTHER TIMES, TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS. [This means] that on the previous [two] occasions Balaam acted as an enchanter, and wanted to curse them by means of enchantment, and G-d came to him as if by chance, and not because he [Balaam] had concentrated on [attaining] prophecy, nor because of any superior status that he had achieved [because he was in fact not worthy of prophecy]. But now when he was told, For there is no enchantment in Jacob, neither is there any divination in Israel , 158 Verse 23. whether to do them evil or good, Bal”
- Numbers (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Numbers 24:1: The blessing itself which Balaam here pronounces upon Israel is much the same with the two we had in the foregoing chapter; but the introduction to it is different. I. The method of proceeding here varies much in several instances. 1. Balaam laid aside the enchantments which he had hitherto depended on, used no spells, or charms, or magic arts, finding they did him no service; it was to no purpose to deal with the devil for a curse, when it was plain that God was determined immovably to bless, Num 24:1. Sooner or later God will convince men of their folly in seek”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 62a.39:15: However, Balaam the wicked blessed the Jews by comparing them to a cedar, as it is stated: “As cedars beside the waters” (Numbers 24:6). Just as this cedar does not stand in a place of water, and its shoots do not replenish themselves, and its roots are not numerous, Balaam wished that the same should apply to the Jewish people. Furthermore, while it is true that even if all the winds in the world blow against it they will not move it from its place, once the southern wind blows against it, it uproots the cedar and turns it on its face. And not only that, b”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 20a.15: However, Balaam the wicked blessed the Jews by comparing them to a cedar, as it is stated: “As cedars beside the waters” (Numbers 24:6). Just as this cedar does not stand in a place of water, and its shoots do not replenish themselves, and its roots are not numerous, Balaam wished that the same should apply to the Jewish people. Furthermore, while it is true that even if all the winds in the world blow against it they will not move it from its place, once the southern wind blows against it, it uproots the cedar and turns it on its face. And not only that, but ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Cause of Prophecy, Art. 6: Article: Whether the prophets of the demons ever foretell the truth? I answer that, As the good is in relation to things, so is the true in relation to knowledge. Now in things it is impossible to find one that is wholly devoid of good. Wherefore it is also impossible for any knowledge to be wholly false, without some mixture of truth. Hence Bede says [*Comment. in Luc. xvii, 12; Cf. Augustine, Questions. Evang. ii, 40] that "no teaching is so false that it never mingles truth with f”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 106a.2: But Balaam the wicked blessed them with a cedar. There is an aspect of curse in that blessing, as he was saying they will be just like a cedar that does not stand in a place near water, and its roots are few relative to its height, and its trunk does not replenish itself, as if it is cut it does not grow back. And even if all the winds that are in the world come and gust against it, they do not move it from its place and uproot it; but once a southern wind gusts it immediately uproots the cedar and overturns it on its face. Moreover, it is the reed that was”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 13:2: And though I have the gift of prophecy,.... Either of foretelling future events, as Balaam, who foretold many things concerning the Messiah and the people of Israel, and yet had no true love for either; and Caiaphas, who was high priest the year Christ suffered, and prophesied of his death, and was himself concerned in it, being a bitter enemy to him; or of explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament, by virtue of an extraordinary gift which some persons had; or of the ordinary preaching of the word, which is sometimes expressed by prophesying, which gift so”