Balaam Facts for 9-13 Year Olds

Categories: Obedience

• Stories about Balaam occur in Numbers 22-24.
• He is the son of Beor and a prophet.
• Scholars aren’t certain of the meaning of his name.
• Some think it might mean either “glutton” or “foreigner” or “lord.”
• The king of Moab, Balak, sends messengers to Balaam asking him to curse the Israelites as they are moving toward settling in the Promised Land.
• The messengers take money to pay Balaam for the curse.
• Balaam invites them to spend the night; he intends to consult with the Lord and will give them his answer in the morning.
• God comes to Balaam and tells him not to go back with them. He tells Balaam not to curse the Israelites “because they are blessed.”
• The next morning, Balaam sends the messengers home.
• Balak sends more important messengers in an attempt to change Balaam’s mind.
• Balaam invites them to spend the night while he again talks to the Lord.
• That night God tells him he can go, but he must only do what God instructs.
• The next morning Balaam saddles his donkey and goes with the officials.
• On the way, Balaam’s donkey sees an angel of the Lord at three different points.
• Each time the donkey stops, and Balaam beats it.
• Then the Lord opens the donkey’s mouth, and the donkey asks Balaam why it’s getting beaten.
• Suddenly, Balaam sees the angel standing before them. God has opened Balaam’s eyes.
• The angel tells Balaam that the donkey has saved his life.
• Balaam offers to return home, but the angel repeats the words of the Lord.
• “Go with these men, but speak only what you are told.”
• When he arrives, Balaam asks Balak to build seven altars. Then Balaam goes off to await a message from the Lord.
• The Lord meets with him and gives him a message for Balak: “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?”
• Balak is very angry.
• They go to another spot where they can see the Israelites camped.
• Balak again asks him to curse them, and they build more altars.
• Balaam goes aside to await word from the Lord.
• The Lord tells him, “There can be no divination against Jacob, no evil omens.”
• Everything is repeated a third time.
• Balaam receives the spirit of the Lord and pronounces a blessing upon Jacob.
• Then Balak is really angry at Balaam; he tells him to go home and refuses to pay him.
• Balaam prophesies that the Canaanite nations will be defeated by the Israelites.
• Over time, Balaam becomes a symbol for those who try to get others to sin, trying to persuade the Lord to give him an answer that Balak would like.