Balaam (/ˈbeɪlæm/; Hebrew: בִּלְעָם‎, Standard Bīlʻam Tiberian Bīlʻām) is a diviner in the Torah (Pentateuch) whose story begins in Chapter 22 of the Book of Numbers (Numbers 22). Every ancient reference to Balaam considers him a non-Israelite, a prophet, and the son of Beor. King Balak of Moab offered him money to curse Israel (Numbers 22–24), but Balaam refused to speak what God did not speak and blessed the Israelites instead. Nevertheless, he is reviled as a "wicked man" in both the Torah and the New Testament (2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11, Revelation 2:14). According to the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:14), Balaam told King Balak how to get the Israelites to commit sin by enticing them with sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols. The Israelites fell into transgression due to th