Βαλαάμ (Balaam)
Balaam
Balaam
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Balaam refers to the famous prophet from Pethor who was hired by King Balak to curse Israel but instead delivered blessings (Numbers 22–24). In the New Testament, this proper noun appears only three times, serving as a shorthand reference for his later actions. The sources highlight that he is mentioned in Jude 1:11, 2 Peter 2:15, and Revelation 2:14.
These passages do not recount his early miracles but focus on his moral failure. He is portrayed as someone who loved the wages of unrighteousness, leading God’s people into sin through idolatry and sexual immorality. The author of Revelation specifically blames him for teaching the church in Pergamum to eat food sacrificed to idols.
The New Testament writers use his name as a warning against greed and compromise. By linking Balaam’s ancient story to contemporary heresies, these texts present him as a symbol of false teaching that appears holy but leads believers away from faithfulness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Balaam appears in the New Testament not as a hero, but as a cautionary example of how spiritual insight can be corrupted by greed. While he once spoke true blessings for Israel, his later actions reveal a heart turned toward profit rather than faithfulness. This shift reminds us that knowing truth is different from living it out. The warning here is clear: when we allow love for money or personal gain to influence our decisions, we risk leading others away from God.
In Revelation, this figure is linked to compromising with culture and participating in idolatry. It is a sobering reminder that compromise often starts small, like accepting a little bit of the world’s values, but grows into serious spiritual danger. We are invited to examine our own motives. Are we serving God for His sake alone, or do we seek rewards that fade? Let this story encourage you to stay rooted in Christ, who offers true and lasting life without compromise.
May we learn from Balaam’s mistake and choose integrity over convenience. When faced with difficult choices, let your heart remain fixed on honoring God above all else. His way is always the right way, even when it seems harder or less profitable in the short term.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of Balaam2×
- of Balaam,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Βαλαὰμ2×
- Βαλαάμ,1×
Key Verses
-
II Peter 2:15
Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;
This verse highlights Balaam’s specific sin of loving 'wages of wrongdoing,' showing how greed can distort a prophet’s path and lead others astray.
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Jude 1:11
Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jude groups Balaam with Cain and Korah to illustrate three types of rebellion, emphasizing that seeking profit for God leads to destruction.
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Revelation of John 2:14
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.
Here, Jesus directly connects Balaam’s name to the church in Pergamum, warning against teaching that encourages eating idol food and sexual immorality.