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Balaam

American  
[bey-luhm] / ˈbeɪ ləm /

noun

  1. (in the Bible) a Mesopotamian diviner who, when commanded by Balak to curse the Israelites, blessed them and uttered favorable prophecies after having been rebuked by the ass he rode.


Balaam British  
/ ˈbeɪlæm /

noun

  1. Old Testament a Mesopotamian diviner who, when summoned to curse the Israelites, prophesied future glories for them instead, after being reproached by his ass (Numbers 22–23)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of Balaam

From Late Latin Balaam, from Greek Balaám, from Hebrew Bilʿām, of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“Please be ready to go. We can’t stress this enough,” said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 23, 2026

He successfully towed the car free, but when he got out, the plough began to move while unattended, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said at the time.

From BBC Jan. 1, 2024

"He was being a great neighbor and he was plowing those roads for his neighbor," Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam told CNN.

From Salon Jan. 18, 2023

Investigators will inspect the snowplow for possible mechanical failure to determine why it started to roll, Balaam said.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 5, 2023

We will here notice two remarkable appearances of the Lord: one of them to Balaam, the other to Moses, A few remarks on each will suffice.

From A Legacy to the Friends of Free Discussion by Benjamin Offen

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