Balaam's Warning Against Worldly Allurements in Scripture

Balaam, a prophet from Pethor in Mesopotamia, is a significant figure in the Old Testament known for his encounters with God and his interactions with Balak, the king of Moab ^{[2, 5]}. Though he lived among idolaters, Balaam possessed some knowledge of the true God and was reputed to have the power to bless or curse effectively ^[2]. Balak sought Balaam to curse the Israelites, who were encamped on the plains of Moab ^{[2, 5]}.

Initially, God explicitly forbade Balaam from accompanying Balak's messengers and from cursing Israel, stating, "You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed" ^{[1, 10, 12]}. Despite this clear prohibition, Balak sent more distinguished messengers, offering greater rewards ^[8]. Balaam, desiring to gratify these men, again inquired of God ^[8]. Josephus suggests that God's subsequent permission for Balaam to go was ironic, a form of punishment for Balaam's earlier crimes or impatience ^[6].

Although Balaam intended to curse Israel, God repeatedly intervened, causing Balaam to utter blessings instead ^{[4, 7]}. Balaam's prophecies included declarations of Israel's future strength and conquest of the land ^[11]. The Jewish scholar Ramban notes that Balaam was not a prophet in the traditional sense, as he required "opening of the eyes" to see the angel, a term used for those who had not reached the degree of prophecy ^[13]. He was considered a pagan religious specialist or diviner, whose practices, such as interpreting omens and performing sacrifices, were banned in Israel ^{[14, 15]}.

Despite being compelled to bless Israel, Balaam is later associated with a "stumbling block" that led the Israelites into idolatry and sexual immorality ^[3]. The book of Revelation condemns those who hold "the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" ^[3]. John Gill interprets this as referring to those who, like Balaam, caused others to engage in idolatry and superstition ^[9]. Thus, Balaam's warning against worldly allurements is understood not through his direct words, but through the negative example of his actions, where his desire for reward led him to devise a plan that corrupted Israel, even after he was unable to curse them directly ^{[3, 9]}.

Sources

Numbers “God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.” -- Numbers 22:12”
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”
Revelation “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. -- Revelation 2:14”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 5: but now, because it is my desire to oblige thee thyself, as well as the Midianites, whose entreaties it is not decent for me to reject, go to, let us again rear other altars, and offer the like sacrifices that we did before, that I may see whether I can persuade God to permit me to bind these men with curses." Which, when Balak had agreed to, God would not, even upon second sacrifices, consent to his cursing the Israelites. 9 Then fell Balaam upon his face, and foretold what calamities would befall the several kings of the nation”
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”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 29: to go, was ironical, and on design that he deceived [which sort of deception, by way of punishment for former crimes, Josephus never scruples to admit, as ever esteeming such wicked men justly and providentially deceived]. But perhaps we had better keep here close to the text which says Numbers 23:20, 21, that God only permitted Balaam to go along with the ambassadors, in case they came and called him, or positively insisted on his going along with them, on any terms; whereas Balaam seems out of impatience to have risen up in th”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 4: peace, with victory and dominion in times of war. May the children of your enemies have an inclination to fight against you; and may they be so hardy as to come to arms, and to assault you in battle, for they will not return with victory, nor will their return be agreeable to their children and wives. To so great a degree of valor will you be raised by the providence of God, who is able to diminish the affluence of some, and to supply the wants of others." 5. Thus did Balaam speak by inspiration, as not being in his own power, bu”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 2: that God who had raised him to great reputation on account of the truth of his predictions; for that this army, which they entreated him to come and curse, was in the favor of God; on which account he advised them to go home again, and not to persist in their enmity against the Israelites; and when he had given them that answer, he dismissed the ambassadors. 3. Now the Midianites, at the earnest request and fervent entreaties of Balak, sent other ambassadors to Balaam, who, desiring to gratify the men, inquired again of God; but ”
Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 2:14: But I have a few things against thee,.... The members of this church before their open separation from the apostasy; who still continued in the communion of the corrupt church of Rome, though they remonstrated against the errors and evil practices that crept in; and so were a stumbling block, and a snare to others to join in their idolatry and superstition: because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication: which”
Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 22:9: 22:9-18 God prohibited Balaam from going with Balak’s messengers.”
Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Numbers 23:24: Balaam prophesied also about them [Israel] that he will rise up ‘k’lavi,’ which is the lion’s whelp, and afterwards he will lift himself up like a [fully-grown] lion , and he will not rest in his Land until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the kings of Canaan, 167 Verse 24. as Onkelos explained it. Thus Balaam added now in this second prophecy [to the words of his first prophecy], telling Balak that they [the Israelites] would conquer the Land and kill mighty kings. Now Balak knew that the Israelites would not receive his land as an inheritance,”
Numbers (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Numbers 22:10: Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt,.... In this, and the following part of the verse, he faithfully and punctually relates the words of Balak to him by his messengers, as well knowing he could not deceive the omniscient God, or hide anything from him, though he could deceive men; and conceal the truth from them, to serve a purpose; See Gill on Num 22:5, Num 22:6. . Numbers 22:12 num 22:12 num 22:12 num 22:12And God said unto Balaam, thou shalt not go with them,.... Which is a denial of the first thing Balak requested, "come now, therefore", &c. Num 22:6.”
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 (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 23:1: 23:1-30 As a diviner, Balaam performed rituals to interpret omens and ascertain Israel’s future (cp. 23:23; 24:1). Balak had summoned him to pronounce imprecations, but God repeatedly prohibited him from doing so. • It is possible that these sacrifices were connected with the practice of extispicy—the examination of animal livers or other organs for an omen concerning the future. According to ancient Near Eastern texts, this form of fortune-telling was a widely practiced and highly developed art. Such practices were banned from Israel (see Deut 18:9-14; cp. Ezek ”
Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 22:5: 22:5-6 Balaam was a pagan religious specialist (a diviner) from northwest Mesopotamia (see “Balaam” Profile). Like other ancient peoples, Moab and Midian believed that the spoken word—in the form of a blessing or curse—was powerful when uttered by a skilled diviner. Members of this trained profession claimed to possess special powers to learn about and manipulate the future course of events (see Deut 18:14; 1 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 21:6; Isa 44:25; Dan 2:1-12, 27-28; Mic 5:12; Zech 10:2). Israel’s enemies appealed to Balaam to pronounce curses upon the Hebrews, for they ”

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