Balaam old testament. A mysterious story about Valaam and his donkey. Valaam: an example not to be followed

Balaam, God and Balaam's Talking Donkey Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. And the wrath of God flared up because he went, and the Angel of the Lord stood on the road to prevent him. So understand this capricious old man: either go or not

VIII. Balaam Balaam is one of the most remarkable personalities in biblical history for the duality of the spirit and the mixture of truth and error that he reveals in his actions. He came from the city of Pephora, which lay on the banks of the Euphrates, in the northern

Valaam Travel Essay

Arrival to Valaam The steamboat with tourists and pilgrims did not stay at the Serdobol pier for long. He whistled and left, moving along his daily route among the small bays of Ladoga. The shores are hilly and beautiful, wild. Forests and rocks, a layer of granite and luds protruding at an oblique angle, overgrown

Bible. Old and New Testaments. Synodal translation. Biblical encyclopedia arch. Nikifor.

soothsayer- soothsayer (Deut. 18:10; Joshua 13:22; 1 Sam. 6:2; Hos. 9:7; Zech. 13:3,4; Acts 16:16) a false prophet placed in the law next to a fortuneteller and a soothsayer, whom the people of God must avoid and remove from their midst. Balaam the prophet in 2 Peter 2:16... ... Complete and detailed Bible Dictionary to the Russian Canonical Bible

Balaam and the donkey. Rembrandt, 1626 Balaam (Hebrew: בִּלְעָם‎, Bil‘am), in the Pentateuch, a soothsayer from the city of Ptor (on the Upper Euphrates), called, according to the biblical narrative, by the king of Moab, Balak (Balak), to curse the Israelites who were located ... ... Wikipedia

A Mesopotamian sorcerer or soothsayer whose name appears in biblical history. When the Jewish people, after forty years of wandering in the desert, finally moved around the Dead Sea to invade Palestine, they needed... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

Balaam- (Bileam) (Hebrew Vileam in the Old Testament and Balaam in the New Testament) 1) Son of Beor (2 Pet. 2:15), a prophet, lived in Mesopotamia, in the city of Pephora, on the Euphrates River. The Moabite king Balak sent an invitation to him so that he could curse Israel (Num. 22... Dictionary of Biblical Names

BALAAM- [Heb. , ; Greek Βαλαάμ], a pagan seer and soothsayer who blessed the people of Israel and predicted the coming of the Messiah. In Numbers 24.3, 15 he is described as “a man with open eyes... who hears the words of God, who sees the visions of the Almighty; falls, but... Orthodox Encyclopedia

Valaam: Valaam is an island in the northern part of Lake Ladoga, part of the Valaam archipelago. Balaam is a biblical soothsayer from the city of Ptor. Valaam male choir from St. Petersburg. Valaam camp for invalids of the Second World War... ... Wikipedia

SERAPHIM- (Jacob Meshcheryakov), Metropolitan. (1861–1937), Russian. Orthodox church activist and writer. Genus. in Penza province. in a peasant family. He graduated from St. Petersburg DA (1885) and was ordained a hieromonk. He was an inspector of the Kholm DS and rector of the Tiflis DS. In 1889... ... Bibliological dictionary

Wikipedia has articles about other people named Seraphim. Metropolitan Seraphim (in the world Yakov Mikhailovich Meshcheryakov; March 18, 1860, the village of Khlystovka, Krasnoslobodsky district, Penza province May 7, 1933, Rostov-on-Don) Bishop of Russian ... ... Wikipedia

Seraphim (in the world Yakov Meshcheryakov, born in 1861) Bishop of Ostrog, second vicar of the Volyn diocese, a graduate of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Written by: Soothsayer Balaam. Book of Numbers XXII-XXV chapters (St. Petersburg, 1899,... ... Biographical Dictionary

We find mention of Balaam in chapters 22-24 of the book of Numbers. Israel, on the way to the Promised Land, stopped “in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, opposite Jericho” (Numbers 22:1). This greatly frightened Balak, the king of Moab, and he sent envoys to Pephor, a city in Mesopotamia, located several hundred kilometers away, to bring Balaam. The favor that Balak asked him for is described in Numbers 22:5-6:

Numbers 22:5-6
“And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor to Pephor, which is on the river [Euphrates], in the land of the sons of his people, to call him [and] say: behold, a people came out of Egypt and covered the face of the earth, and he dwells near me; So come, curse this people for me, for they are stronger than me: perhaps I will then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

Balaam was famous for the fact that whomever he blessed was blessed, and whomever he cursed was cursed. (Numbers 22:6). And if we read the entire 22-24 chapters of the book of Numbers, we will learn that initially Balaam had pious intentions. When Balak's servants came to him, he promised that he would consult God first. When the Lord told Balaam not to go with them, he obediently sent them back. This is what a person who follows the straight path does, and Balaam did the same. Clearly he was moving in the right direction. But Valak insisted. A few days later, even more princes, even more famous, again came to Balaam and promised him great honors and riches if he would go with them and curse Israel. A man whose heart was entirely devoted to God would not have waited: he would have sent all the princes back again, since God had already made him understand that he should not go with them. But Balaam did not do this. He said he would go and ask God again. And although it would have been much worse if he had gone with them without consulting God at all, this nevertheless indicates a flaw, a lack of firmness, and the intention of Balaam not to send the messengers away with anything. We call on God again when we want something badly and we are not satisfied, or we have not come to terms with what He told us the first time. This is exactly what happened here. Balaam wanted to go with them; There were so many gifts and honors that he simply could not refuse. But he did not want to disobey God either! He would be glad to go, curse Israel, receive a reward and at the same time be at peace with God - just as we sometimes do: “I want my will to be done, Lord, please change Yours. Let me do what I want, and then everyone will be fine!” God, seeing Balaam in this state, allowed him to go, but only if these people came to call him again. But in the morning he appears before us sitting on a donkey, ready for a long journey! He didn't want to waste a second waiting for someone to call him! As a result, God became angry with him and sent His Angel to prevent Balaam. Balaam's donkey saved his life, because when she saw the angel, she tried to turn off the road. The angel told Balaam to go, but ONLY to say what God would say to him (Numbers 22:35). This was a warning to Balaam not to deviate from God's Word. As we can see, he did not pay enough attention to this. So Balaam went and met with Balak. Despite the fact that Balak brought him to various places from where it would be more convenient for him to curse Israel, Balaam adhered to what God told him and spoke only the words of God, blessing Israel. Valak was outraged! This is what he said to Balaam after he blessed Israel for the third time:

“And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he clasped his hands, and Balak said to Balaam: I called you to curse my enemies, and you are blessing them for the third time; so run to your place; I wanted to honor you, but behold, the Lord deprives you of honor” (Numbers 24:10-11).

Valaam: an example not to be followed

Balaam seems to have taken the position of God. He spoke only God's word, and although he followed the princes of Balak, he spoke only what God wanted. He followed the word of God relentlessly. Some may ask, then why is he held up to us as an example not to be followed in 2 Peter 2:15, as well as in other Scriptures that we will look at next? No doubt he wanted to go after Balak, and perhaps all he was thinking about was the gifts. However, it seems that he did not deviate from God's command and left Balak with nothing. He obeyed God, even though it meant losing the gifts and rewards that were promised to him. Or was it different?

In 2 Peter, in the Epistle of Jude and in the book of Revelation, Balaam is mentioned as an example of what not to do. From what we have already read in the book of Numbers, there may be a feeling of a biased assessment of events, however, as we read further, we understand that this is not so:

Numbers 25:1-5, 9
“And Israel dwelt in Shittim, and the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab, and they invited [the Daughters of Moab - approx. author] the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate [their sacrifices] and bowed down to their gods. And Israel cleave to Baalpeor. And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord before the sun, and the fury of the wrath of the Lord will be turned away from Israel. And Moses said to the judges of Israel: kill every one of his people who cling to Baal-peor […]... And those who died from the defeat were twenty-four thousand.”

How is it that the women of Moab knew how to seduce the Israelites? How did it happen that they came, forced those who prostituted with them, invited them to make sacrifices and worship false gods? God did not like this, He became angry, and twenty-four thousand Israelites died after this during the defeat. Who planned this evil that brought destruction to Israel? In Numbers 31:15-16 and Revelation 2:14 we find the answer:

Numbers 31:15-16
“And Moses said to them: [why] have you left all the women alive? behold, according to the advice of Balaam, they were a reason for the children of Israel to depart from the Lord to please Peor, [for which] the defeat was in the company of the Lord.”

and Revelation 2:14 (Lord Jesus speaking to the Angel of the Pergamum Church)
“But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to lead the children of Israel into temptation, so that they would eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication».

The adviser who taught Moab to deceive Israel was Balaam. We already know how partial he was to receiving gifts and honors. 2 Peter 2:15-16 says he LOVED them:

2 Peter 2:15
“Leaving the straight path, they got lost, following in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosor, WHO LOVED THE WAGE OF UNJUSTICE, but was convicted of his iniquity: the dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, stopped the madness of the prophet.”

Up until Numbers 24, Balaam was God's prophet, God's mouthpiece. He walked the straight path, BUT did not follow it to the end. In the end, he left him and fell into error because he “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” He started well, but his end was disastrous. It is important not only to take the right path, but also to stick to it until the end. His start was good, but he did not continue to move further in this direction. He was ultimately killed by the Israelites when they captured Midian. In the passage of Scripture where his death is narrated (Joshua 13:22), Balaam is no longer referred to as a “prophet”, but as a “soothsayer.” He began as a “prophet,” God’s mouthpiece, and ended as a “prophet,” God’s enemy.

Balaam in 2 Peter and Jude

Balaam went from being God's mouthpiece to becoming a false teacher who led God's people astray (Revelation 2:14). He was on the right path, but he left it and fell into error. This is probably why he is mentioned three times by the New Testament writers as an example of what not to do. We have already seen a similar entry in the book of Revelation, and in 2 Peter and Jude we are given two more:

2 Peter 2:15-16
“Leaving the straight path, THEY got lost, following in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the unrighteous reward, but was convicted of his iniquity: a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, stopped the madness of the prophet.”

and Jude 11
“Woe to THEM, for they follow the path of Cain, indulge in the deceitfulness of reward, like Balaam, and perish in stubbornness, like Korah.”

Both 2 Peter and Jude speak of those who follow the way of Balaam. Who are these people? What did they do? Do they have similarities with Balaam, and if so, what are they? How can an Old Testament character relate to the modern age of grace? We will find this answer in the Scriptures. Let's start with 2 Peter, where the word "they" refers to the first verse, which says:

2 Peter 2:1-3
“There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their depravity, and through them the path of truth will be reproached. And out of covetousness they will entice you with flattering words; judgment has long been ready for them, and their destruction does not sleep.”

2 Peter 2:1
“There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and, denying the Lord who bought them, will bring upon themselves quick destruction.”

2 Peter 2:15
«…»

And 2 Peter 2:20-21:
"For if, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled in them and overcome by them, then the latter is worse for them than the first. It would be better for them not to know the path of righteousness than, having learned it, to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them».

As is clear from the above:

These people were redeemed by the Lord.

They escaped the filth of this world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ .

They learned the ways of righteousness, and the holy commandment was handed down to them.

They left the straight path, which in turn means that they once walked this way.

The false teachers spoken of in God's Word are not unbelievers; these are believers or, more precisely, people who started out as believers. Otherwise, who else could there be people who have been redeemed by the Lord, who have received knowledge (full knowledge) of Jesus Christ and to whom the holy commandment has been handed down? Like Balaam, they began to follow the straight path, but then they abandoned it and turned into false teachers, bringing destructive heresies and ensnaring God's people with flattering words! If we think that we should not attach so much importance to false teachers, because, by and large, we have not seen so many openly rejecting “the Lord who redeemed them,” then we are mistaken. God devoted much of 2 Peter and almost all of Jude to warnings about these deceivers. This is truly a problem that God's Word says, "BE ALERT"!!! 2 Timothy 2:15 says:

2 Timothy 2:15
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Our job is to faithfully teach the word of truth, and without a solid foundation it will be impossible to defend ourselves against the false teachers running around. Going back to 2 Peter, verses 10-22, we continue talking about these apostates:

2 Peter 2:10-22
“And especially those who follow the evil lusts of the flesh, despise the authorities, are impudent, self-willed and are not afraid to slander the higher ones, while the Angels, surpassing them in strength and power, do not pronounce a reproachful judgment on them before the Lord. They, like dumb animals, led by nature, born to be caught and destroyed, slandering what they do not understand, will be destroyed in their corruption. They will receive retribution for their iniquity, for they delight in daily luxury; disgraces and defilers, they enjoy their deceptions, feasting with you. Their eyes are filled with lust and incessant sin; they seduce unsteady souls; their hearts are accustomed to covetousness: they are the sons of the curse. Leaving the straight path, they got lost, following in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the unrighteous reward, but was convicted of his iniquity: the dumb donkey, speaking in a human voice, stopped the madness of the prophet. These are waterless springs, clouds and mist, driven by a storm: the darkness of eternal darkness is prepared for them. For, uttering inflated idle talk, they ensnare those who are barely behind those in error into carnal lusts and debauchery. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whoever is conquered by someone is his slave. For if, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome by them, then the latter is worse for them than the first. It would be better for them not to know the path of righteousness than, having learned it, to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them. But what happens to them is according to the true proverb: the dog returns to his vomit, and the washed pig [goes] to wallow in the mud.”

God spends most of 2 Peter describing these false teachers. Many of our contemporaries, and many lived at different times: people who used and used the Name of God and Christ for their own purposes, for the sake of power, money, fame. They follow the example not of Christ, but of Balaam. The Second Epistle of Peter leaves no doubt as to what their end will be. As we just read:

They bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1).

Their judgment has long been prepared, and their destruction does not sleep (2 Peter 2:3).

“For if, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome by them, then the latter is worse for them than the former. It would be better for them not to know the path of righteousness than, having learned it, to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them. But what happens to them is according to the true proverb: a dog returns to his vomit, and a pig that has been washed [goes] to wallow in the mud” (2 Peter 2:20-22).

For them the darkness of everlasting darkness is prepared (2 Peter 2:17).

It is not salvation that is prepared for these people, but “the darkness of eternal darkness.” “But isn’t salvation a gift given to us by grace?” - someone will ask. Of course yes. It is a gift given by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). But it is obvious that some will renounce the Lord and, therefore, the faith, and will become His enemies, leading the people astray and bringing destructive heresies. They will truly be like Balaam. He also walked the straight path, but then he got lost and from a true prophet turned into a false teacher who taught the enemies of God to lead His people astray. For such people “the darkness of everlasting darkness is prepared.” According to 2 Peter, “It would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21).

Judas

Balaam is also mentioned in the Epistle of Jude, in almost the same way and in approximately the same context as in 2 Peter. Jude begins his apostolic epistle with the following words:

Judas 3
“Beloved! Having all the zeal to write to you about common salvation, I considered it necessary to write to you an admonition... to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints».

With his message, Judas wanted to convince believers to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Obviously this belief was under attack. Yes, faith IS under attack, and as long as the enemy is around, he will never stop attacking it. We must sincerely strive for the faith; and Jude goes on to substantiate this in his one-chapter epistle:

Jude 4-19
“For certain people have crept in, destined of old for this condemnation, the wicked, turning the grace of our God into [a reason for] debauchery and those who deny the only Master God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to remind you, who already know this, that the Lord, having delivered the people from the land of Egypt, then destroyed those who did not believe, and the angels who did not preserve their dignity, but left their home, are kept in eternal bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, like them, committed fornication and went after other flesh, being subjected to the punishment of eternal fire, were set as an example - so it will certainly be with these dreamers who defile the flesh, reject the principalities and slander the high authorities. Michael the Archangel, when he spoke with the devil, arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce a reproachful judgment, but said: “The Lord rebuke you.” But these slander what they do not know; Whatever they know by nature, like dumb animals, they corrupt themselves. Woe to them because they follow the path of Cain, indulge in the deceitfulness of bribes, like Balaam, and perish in stubbornness, like Korah. Such are temptations at your love suppers; feasting with you, they fatten themselves without fear. These are waterless clouds carried by the wind; autumn trees, barren, twice dead, uprooted; fierce sea waves, foaming with their shame; wandering stars, who are reserved for the darkness of darkness forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them, saying: “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand times His holy angels to execute judgment on all and to convict all the wicked among them of all the deeds that their wickedness has produced, and of all the cruel words that wicked sinners spoke against Him." These are murmurers, not satisfied with anything, walking according to their own lusts (ungodly and lawless); their lips utter inflated words; they show partiality for self-interest. But you, beloved, remember what was predicted by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They told you that in the last time there would appear scoffers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. These are people who separate themselves (from the unity of faith), who are spiritual, who have no spirit.”

It turns out that this is the same category of people as the one we saw in 2 Peter, at least if we look at the fruits. These are deceivers who even have the audacity to call themselves Christians. Because of these false teachers—and many of them active today—Jude felt a grave need to write to believers to fight for the faith once delivered to the saints. We need to fight for our faith! It is Scripture - and not doctrines, rites and traditions established by people, no matter what position they occupy - that is the basis of our faith. Colossians 2:8 warns us:

Colossians 2:8
« Take heed, brethren, lest anyone lead you away with philosophy and empty deception, according to human tradition, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ;».

Also in 2 John 7-8:
“For many deceivers have entered into the world, not confessing Jesus Christ who has come in the flesh: such a [man] is a deceiver and Antichrist. Watch yourself so that we do not lose what we have worked for, but that we receive the full reward».

Jude and Peter also tell us:

Jude 20-21
"And you, beloved, building yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourself in the love of God, expecting mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ, for eternal life».

2 Peter 3:17-18
« Therefore, beloved, being forewarned of this, beware lest you be carried away by the error of the wicked and fall from your own affirmation, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen».

“...having been warned about this, beware lest you be carried away by the delusion of the wicked and fall away from your affirmation.” We all have the potential to be “carried away in the error of the wicked”; this warning makes no exception for anyone. Balaam began to follow the right path, but later abandoned it. “...But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Peter continues. “Beware...” is one part of the action to which we are called; “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” is another part of it.

There are many deceivers in the world and even in the body of Christ, so Peter and Jude are speaking to believers, and the only way to be protected from their deceptive teachings is to love the pure milk of God's Word. The only way to build a house so that it will withstand various influences is to build it on stone, i.e. hear God's word and do it, as Jesus Christ explained (Matthew 7:24-25). Balaam knew God's Word; he even followed it to a certain point, until it came into conflict with his passion for honor and wealth. When this happened, he retreated. Unlike him, we must follow the straight path: the path of knowledge and fulfilling the word of God at any cost. To begin, go through and finish the race, having reaped, having received in full all the reward from the Lord that He has prepared for us.

Hebrews 12:1b-2
« Let us lay aside every burden and the sin that besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.“Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Notes

By this time he had moved from that place to Mesopotamia and lived in the land of Midian along with the enemies of Israel.

Here: a person who practices witchcraft, fortune telling - approx. lane

The word "knowledge" used here is the Greek word "επίγνωσις" (epignosis), meaning "infallible or complete knowledge", "accurate and deep knowledge, close, thorough, exhaustive acquaintance with it; true knowledge" (as compared to the word "gnosis", meaning simply "knowledge"). See Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, MacDonald Publishing Company, p.641 and The Companion Bible, Kregel Publications, Appendix 132.

Here again the verb "to know" is used, which is the Greek verb "επιγινώσκω" (epiginosko), which means "to know thoroughly", "to know accurately and clearly" (see note to footnote 2)

[Heb. , ; Greek Βαλαάμ], pagan seer and soothsayer who blessed the people of Israel and predicted the coming of the Messiah. In Numbers 24.3, 15 he is described as “a man with open eyes... who hears the words of God, who sees the visions of the Almighty; falls, but his eyes are open.” The biblical narrative relates the time of V.'s life to the period when the people of Israel, after the exodus from Egypt (XIV century BC) and receiving Divine revelations at Sinai, again began their journey to Canaan (Numbers 10). However, the Edomites do not allow the Jews to pass through their territory (Num. 20. 14-21). In an effort to bypass the lands of Edom, the Israelites go to war with the Amorite king Sihon and the Bashanite king Og and seize their lands (Numbers 21).

Another enemy of the people of God, the Moabite king Balak, having concluded an alliance with the Midianites, sends his servants to V. in order, having secured his magical curse, to deprive Israel of support from above and defeat him by military force (Numbers 22. 6, 11). However, at night V. receives a revelation from God that he should not go with Balak’s messengers, for the people of Israel are blessed (Numbers 22.12). The messengers return without V. Balak again sends them to the soothsayer with promises of a great reward, but V. repeats that he cannot do anything without the command of Yahweh (Numbers 22.18). This time the Lord, who appeared to V. in a dream, allows him to go along with the messengers, but he must do only what God says. Following this, it is said that the Lord is angry with V. and sends his angel to prevent him. Only the donkey on which V. rides sees the angel, but the seer himself does not notice anything until the Lord opens his eyes; The angel of the Lord tells V. that he should not prophesy anything except what God tells him (Numbers 22.22-35). V. repeats these words to Balak himself: he will prophesy only what “God puts in his mouth” (Numbers 22.38). After the solemn sacrifice, V. must finally curse Israel, but instead, miraculously inspired by God, he pronounces 4 blessings. In the 1st blessing, Israel is called a people who live separately from other nations (Numbers 23.9); in the second, Israel is praised as a people like a lion (Numbers 23.24: “Behold, the people rise up like a lioness and rise up like a lion; they will not lie down until they have eaten the prey and drunk the blood of the slain”; cf. Gen. 49.9). This comparison is also found in the 3rd blessing, which begins with words of praise to the land of Israel: “How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! ...He who blesses you is blessed, and he who curses you is cursed!” (Numbers 24.5, 9). In the 4th, which is pronounced contrary to the direct prohibition of Balak, V. prophetically predicts the coming of the powerful ruler of Israel, who will defeat Moab (“I see Him, but now not yet; I see Him, but not close. A star rises from Jacob, and a rod arises from Israel, and smites the princes (Heb., lit. “whiskey”; the Synodal translation follows the Septuagint) of Moab, and crushes all the sons of Seth” (Num. 24.17)). The next chapter (Numbers 25) begins with the message that the Israelites, who had just been predicted that they would defeat the Moabites, “commit fornication” with the Moabite women and even pray to their gods (Numbers 25. 1, 2). This remark was of great importance for the development of further traditions about V. Although in Numbers 24.25 it is stated that B. returned to his city, in Numbers 31.8 it is reported that the Israelites killed B., the son of Beor, together with the Midianites, because, according to Numbers 31.16, it was on his advice the Midianites “were a reason for the children of Israel to depart from the Lord.”

In other places in the OT, V.’s personality is assessed predominantly negatively. The only biblical text that speaks of V. in a positive sense is Micah 6.5, where there is a reminder of V.’s correct response to Balak’s evil plan (cf. Num. 22.38). V. is mentioned here on a par with Moses, Aaron and Miriam (Micah 6.4), named in the Holy Scriptures. Scriptures by the prophets before V. The story of V., therefore, serves as proof that God can use a pagan seer to save Israel.

In other places in the Bible, V. is mentioned clearly negatively: in Deut. 23. 4-6 it is said that V., hired by the Moabites and Ammonites, really cursed Israel, but God “did not want to listen to Balaam and turned ... his curse into a blessing” (v. 5); Almost verbatim words from Deut. 23.5 are given in Joshua 24.9-10. The Book of Joshua (13.22) reports that V. was killed along with King Sihon and the Midian leaders. V.’s guilt, obviously, was that he was a “soothsayer” (,), for, according to Deut. 18.12, “everyone who does this is an abomination to the Lord, and for these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you "(cf. Numbers 23:23). Only the fact that V. was engaged in prediction puts him on a par with his enemies, who are destroyed. The last mention in the OT of V., hired by foreigners, is found in Neh 13.2 (quote from Deut. 23.5-6). Reading this text before the people becomes sufficient grounds for separating “everything that is foreign from Israel” (Nehemiah 13:3) and later purifying itself “from everything that is foreign” (Nehemiah 13:30). V. here becomes the prototype of a dangerous stranger.

A negative assessment of V. is also present in the NT, where he is understood as the Old Testament prototype of false teachers whose words are dangerous for Christ. communities: just as V. seduced the Israelites with his advice to fall away from the Lord, so the Nicolaitan heretics seduce Christians into idolatry (eating the meat of sacrificed animals) and licentiousness (Rev 2:14); false teachers spread their destructive teaching, obsessed, like V., with a thirst for profit (Jude 11; 2 Peter 2. 15-16).

Despite the prevailing negative assessment of V.’s personality, quite early in Judaism his prophecy about the star is perceived first of all, while the personality of the seer himself remains in the shadows. Thus, at Qumran, V. is mentioned among the false prophets (4 Q339), but his prophecy about the rising of a star from Jacob is quoted almost verbatim in the “testimonies” - a small collection of Old Testament places that were considered messianic in the community (4Q Test 11-13). The prediction, obviously, was of great importance at Qumran, since it is quoted back in CD 7, 18-19 and 1QM 11. 6-7, however, without mentioning the name V. The messianic interpretation of Numbers 24. 17 has been spreading since translation of 70 interpreters (LXX), where, unlike Heb. The text does not speak of a “rod from Israel,” but of a man who will crush the “princes” (ἀρχηγοῦς) of Moab. The apocryphal “Testaments of the Patriarchs” also quotes Numbers 24.17 without mentioning V.’s name (Test. Jud. 24.1; cf. Test. Lev. 18.3).

In the NT, with its belief in the fulfillment of the Old Testament messianic prophecies in Jesus Christ, allusions to the fulfillment of the prophecy about the star rising from Jacob can be seen in the story of the Evangelist Matthew about the Magi, whom the star brought to Bethlehem to worship the Baby Jesus (Matt 2.1-12 ). Greek the word “sunrise” (ἀνατολή) can mean both the rising of a celestial body and the germination of plants. In the prophets Zechariah (3.8; 6.12) and Jeremiah (23.5), the word “sprout” (Heb.) means “Branch of David,” i.e. the Messiah. In Greek in the text it is rendered as “ἀνατολή”, so that this word could be perceived as pointing to the Messiah (cf. Lk 1:78). Allusions to the prophecy about the star of the Messiah, obviously, are also in 2 Peter 1.19 and Rev. 22.16.

The messianic nature of V.'s prophecy is recognized by the early Christians. writers. The star mentioned in V.'s prophecy was identified with the Star of Bethlehem. According to St. Justin Martyr and Origen, the wise men who came to Bethlehem, knew the prophecy of V., which was fulfilled on the Nativity of Jesus Christ (Iust. Dial. 106. 4; 1 Apol. 32. 12; Orig. Contra Cels. 1. 60; Euseb . Demonstr. IX 1. 1, 16; Iren. Adv. haer. III 9. 2), and were even descendants of V. himself (Ioan. Chrys. In natale domini nostri Jesu Christi // PG. 61. Col. 766) . In church hymns, Jesus Christ is sung as the star of Jacob: “” (3rd troparion of the 5th hymn of the canon of the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ); " "(3rd troparion of the 3rd canto, ibid.); " "(2nd Troparion of the 4th Song of the 1st Canon for the Nativity of Christ).

Although in the Jewish tradition, V.'s prophecy about the star from Jacob continues to be considered messianic (Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan (Num. 24.17); Targum of Onkelos (Num. 24.17); cf.: Billerbeck. Bd. 1. S. 76-77) , the prevailing assessment of V.’s personality remained negative here. Philo of Alexandria admits that V. composed “the most excellent of the hymns” (ὑπερβάλλοντας ᾄδων), but considers V. himself godless and damned (ἀσεβὴς και ... ἐπάρατος), because he was on the side of the enemies (Philo. De A br. 113), and the blessing of Israel was pronounced by the prophetic spirit who descended on the East against his will (Philo. De vita Mois. I 277). Josephus is more restrained in his judgment about V. This may be explained by the fact that the author sought to offer the Romans a positive image of Judaism and its relationship to the pagans (Ios. Flav. Antiq. IV 100-158). The rabbis found many examples of condemnation of V. His name was understood as “ ” (without the people), “ ” (devourer or destroyer of the people) (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 105a; Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan (Numbers 22.5). In the haggadah V. together with his sons is presented as the founder of magic.Together with his sons, he was among the Egyptian priests who tried to interpret the dream of Pharaoh (Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan (Exodus 1.15; 7.11; Num. 22.22)), he gave advice throw male Hebrew babies into the Nile (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 106a; Sotah 11a) He really wanted to curse the Israelites (Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 20a; Sotah 5.8, 20d) and wanted to convince God to prefer worship from Israel to 70 pagan peoples (Midrash Bemidbar Rabbah 20.18).

However, in some early texts V. appears as a prophet of pagan peoples, no less important than Moses (Midrash Sifre Dvarim 357). The tendency of these texts is apologetic; their addressee, apparently, was the pagan (Greco-Roman) environment of Judaism.

The subject of scientific discussions was the question of the homeland of V. Mentioned in Numbers 22. 5, Pephor (Heb.) “on the river” was identified with Pitru near the city of Carchemish on the East Euphrates, known from Assyrian. epigraphic sources. In ancient translations there is no unity as to whether this word is understood as a geographical indication or as a description of the status of V. (Latin ariolus - prophet (Vulgate); cf. Heb. - to interpret). The localization of V.'s homeland on the E. Euphrates is consistent with the indication of Numbers 23.7 and Deut. 23.4 that he came from Aram (Mesopotamia); this also does not allow us to identify V. with the Edomite king “White, the son of Beor” (Genesis 36.32; Gressmann et al.). The additional indication of Numbers 22.5 that Balak sends to V., to the land (of the sons of his people), was transmitted in the Vulgate, Peshitta and Samaritan tradition as “to the land of Ammon,” i.e., to the Ammonites (this localization has supporters - see Gray. Numbers. P. 325). In any case, all proposed localizations of V.’s homeland relate to the area north of the river. Arnon, i.e. V. comes to Balak from the north. This is confirmed in Aram. inscriptions from Deir-Alla (c. 700 BC), where the prophet V. is mentioned. Perhaps here we are talking about fragments of several. stories about V. (Aramaic Texts. P. 268 ff.), which, however, are not directly related to the Old Testament tradition and indicate that approx. 700 BC in the north. Transjordan there was a tradition of narration about V., independent from the biblical one.

The theme of the incarnation of God, which had special significance in early Christ. art, determined the spread of V.’s images already in the earliest period. In the paintings of the catacombs and on the reliefs of sarcophagi there are 2 types of images: V. pointing to the star (catacombs of Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, 2nd half of the 3rd-1st half of the 4th century), and the appearance of the angel V. (catacombs on Via Latina, Rome, IV century). Next to V. is depicted a donkey, in front of him is an angel in the form of a young man in white robes with a staff, and a star in the heavens. In the late Byzantine period. period, V.’s image is included in the composition “Praise of the Mother of God.” Thus, he is represented among the prophets surrounding the Mother of God in the icon “Praise of the Mother of God with an Akathist” (XV century, Russian Museum).

Lit.: Gressmann H. Mose u. seine Zeit. Gott., 1913; Karpp H. Bileam // RAC. 1954. Bd. 2. S. 362-373; Vermes G. The Story of Balaam // idem. Scripture and Tradition in Judaism. Leiden, 1961. P. 127-177; Aramaic Texts from Deir Allah / Ed. J. Hoftijzer et al. Leiden, 1976. (DMOA; 19); Braverman J. Balaam in Rabbinic and Christian Traditions: Festschr. f. J. Finkel. N.Y., 1974. P. 41-50; Schmidt L. Bileam // TRE. Bd. 6. S. 635-639; Baskin J. R. Origen on Balaam: The dilemma of the unworthy prophet // VChr. 1983. Vol. 37. P. 22-35; The Balaam text from Deir - Alla re-evaluated: Proc. of the intern. symp. held at Leiden, 21-24 Aug. 1989. Leiden, 1991; Feldman L. H. Josephus" portrait of Balaam // Studia Philonica Annual. 1993. Vol. 5. P. 48-83; Greene J. T. The Balaam Figure and Type before, during, and after the Period of the Pseudepigrapha // JSP. 1991. Vol. 8. P. 67-110; Moore M. S. The Balaam traditions: their character and development. Atlanta, 1990; Rö sel M. Wie einer vom Propheten zum Verführer wurde: Tradition und Rezeption der Bileamgestalt // Biblica. 1999. Vol. 80. No. 4. P. 506-524.

“The name of the island of Valaam comes from the Finno-Ugric “valamo” - high, mountainous land. The monks thought this name was consonant with the name of the biblical prophet and they named him Balaam.”
Guide. "Republic of Karelia", M., 2000.

So much has been written about Valaam that it would seem that there is little point in returning to this topic again. However, today our conversation is not so much about the Valaam archipelago, but about a man named Valaam. After all, our historical illiteracy is truly limitless, which is “remarkably” illustrated by the short excerpt above from the official guide to our Republic, published in one of the central Moscow publishing houses, related, in particular, to the explanation of the name of the island of Valaam.

The first of the prophecies about the coming of the Son of God Jesus Christ mentioned in the Bible was made by Balaam, the sorcerer of the Vedic (“pagan”) Tradition, which was kept by the Initiates of the Midianite tribe. As the biblical “Book of Numbers” of the Old Testament reports, this “pagan” “...said: Balaam, the son of Beor, speaks, a man with open eyes speaks, he who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees the visions of the Almighty, speaks, he falls, but his eyes are open him: I see Him, but now not yet; I see Him, but not close..."

This Old Testament text, one of the most ancient, was commented on by many prominent theologians of the Middle Ages. John of Hildesheim, doctor of theology, prior (abbot) of the Carmelite monastery (14th century, Lower Saxony), wrote: “This Balaam began to practice magic - and among many other things he said: a Man is born... who will reign over all the pagans... Because of this Balaam There was a quarrel between Jews and Christians. For the Jews say in their books that Balaam was not a prophet, but an empty saint... Christian books deny this and say that he was a pagan and the first... who miraculously announced the incarnation of Christ and the coming to Him of three holy kings (magi)... And So throughout all the lands... the rumor about this promise began to spread and grow.”

Those were the times of the “shadow of death,” John of Hildesheim writes further: “The sons of Israel fled from Egypt and conquered all the surrounding lands, and fear and trembling before them gripped all the peoples of the East, and in all the eastern kingdoms no one dared to raise their heads.” And here the “pagans” are predicted to have their coming strong Ruler. The One Who will unite their scattered tribes... The vision of such a King, the sorcerer’s sermon about His coming power, even if “not yet close,” were able to instill hope in hearts. The elders and peoples hoped for His coming, the prior points out, and this inspired resistance to the cruel conquerors.

Of course, these latter could not like such a prediction. As the Old Testament narrates, “The children of Israel slew Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword.” Moses' people executed the one who was their first predictor of Christ. They considered this act apparently important, since another book of the Mosaic Pentateuch repeats the murder: “They killed...Ebiah, Rekem, Chur, Horus and Reba, the five princes of Midian, and Balaam, the son of Beor, they killed with the sword...the sons Israelites."

Together with Balaam, his entire family was destroyed. But the prediction of the sorcerer-martyr remained to live. It was passed on from mouth to mouth for centuries, and, over time, not only the “pagans” began to trust in the coming coming of the Son of God. And the boldest of the prophets, who were now rising also among the Jews themselves, successively turned to the great Soothsayer.

The prophets, who did not fall away from the Vedic faith of their ancestors, remembered, at least vaguely, the spiritual heritage of the ancient centuries - the Hyperborean prediction about the coming into the world of the Son of God. And the predecessors of John the Baptist, such as Balaam, the son of Beor, were reverently revered everywhere.

Testalia - predictions of the Old Testament righteous about the birth of Christ - prompted Christians to include the books of the Old Testament in the Bible. The original source of the testalia was the revelation of a "pagan" sorcerer. Where did Balaam, the son of Beor, know with certainty about the Coming coming through the centuries?

Scripture says about him only that he was a hereditary Initiate of the Midianites, a people who became famous in history for the wisdom of their Magi. Along the entire coast of the Red Sea they had no equal in power. Legends about their hidden Knowledge were passed on in the deserts of Arabia and in the lands of Libya. Even the Egyptian priests, skilled in magic, did not consider it shameful to adopt the wisdom of the Midianites.

Church tradition has preserved the name of the ancestress of the Midianite tribe: Keturah. It represents a clear indication of a Hittite genealogical root. The origins of Palestinian history are connected with this family.

The great Hittite Empire existed in Asia Minor from the 18th century BC until the birth of Christ. Its capitals were the cities of Hettusa (present-day Bogazkoy) and Arinna. The empire was a union of three kingdoms called Hatta (northern and central Asia Minor), Luvia (southwest) and Pala (northeast).

Historians know about the Hittites that they were descendants of settlers. Before their appearance, the local tribes did not know anything like such a powerful state formation as theirs. It is believed that it was the Hittite state that served as the prototype for the organization of the Roman and, then, the Byzantine empires.

The ancestral home of the ancestors of the Hittites, as the secret tradition of their priests tells, was the circumpolar North, the climatic conditions of which in those days were sharply different from today. The resettlement to near-equatorial lands occurred much later. It was they who sacredly kept the prediction that “the Most High will bring into the world a Son from the earthly Virgin. And the Son will open the eyes of people and accept death, conquering.” The Hittite priests passed on this ancient Prophecy to the Midianites, the heirs of the culture of their empire. Therefore, Balaam, Initiated into Knowledge, knew about the coming Son of the Most High and predicted about Him.

Is it possible to name specific northern lands from which the family of Balaam, the son of Beor, came?

Balaam is not only the name of the Midian sorcerer, the first of the biblical soothsayers about Christ. The entire Orthodox world knows Valaam Island, located on Lake Nevo, which is evidenced, in particular, by the map “Inhabitants of the Russian Land in the 9th Century”, published in the “Textbook of Russian History”, published in St. Petersburg in 1912 by Professor M. Ostrogorsky . This later Lake Nevo was renamed Lake Ladoga. The importance of the Valaam archipelago in the history of Christianity is no less than that of Athos, the Thessalian Holy Mountain, on which 20 monasteries are located. The island of Valaam is sometimes called Northern Athos.

The Chronicles of the Holy Mountain go back to apostolic times. Likewise, the Valaam Monastery, according to legend, was founded by the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the evangelist of the Russian lands. The place on the Nevo coast where Andrei stayed is still called Odryusovo.

But as a spiritual center, Valaam has a history much more ancient than Athos. The holy apostle strove for the Valaam archipelago because in the first century it was, as thousands of years ago, a renowned center of the life of the spirit.

The name Valaam is very ancient. He is considered to be of Finnish origin. It has the same root as the words Avalon, Valhalla, Valkyrie. Valaam is usually translated as Veles Land. Essentially this is true. The Slavic god Veles is the patron saint of the Magi of the highest Initiation, the spiritual heirs of ancient Hyperborea.

But the name Valaam has a more precise meaning: Land of Vala. According to Old Norse mythology, Vala is the Son of the god Odin (the One). Vala's mythology is extensive and is a detailed prediction of the coming Son of God into the world.

The Valaam archipelago was originally the land of the Order of the Initiates of Vala. The direct spiritual heirs of the Hyperboreans kept their prediction about the coming coming of Light into the world - about the great Incarnation: “Just as the sun comes from the south, so in the lands of the south the Son of the Most High Sun will be born.” During the era of migration to the south, many Vala magicians set out on this long journey, hoping that, if not them, then their descendants would be destined to witness the Event. They reached the lands of present-day Palestine, preserving their original Knowledge (Knowledge).

The most striking thing is the ancient Midian name for the sacred Mount Pisgah. At the time when Balaam, standing on its top, pronounced the Prophecy, this mountain was called NEBO. That is, its name exactly coincided with the original name of Lake Ladoga, located from Palestine at a distance of about a quarter of the diameter of our planet.

The name Nebo comes from the ancient word ne-vem. It means the Unknown, the Hidden, the Forbidden. So, according to custom, in the distant past they called the magical place of Power - a sacred space where the path to mere mortals was prohibited.

Here it is, the connection of times! The island of Valaam on Lake Nebo, the abode of those who hoped for the coming of the Son of God into the world millennia before His birth, and Balaam the prophet, standing on Mount Nebo and proclaiming this hope!