Joshua 13 · a question people ask

Balaam blessed Israel (Numbers 24:10). Why does 13:22 say Israel killed him?

In the text

Joshua 13 only records it: "The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain" (13:22) (tap soothsayer). Numbers tells the same death in almost the same words: "They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword" (Numbers 31:8). Numbers 31:8 gives no reason in the same verse. A few verses later Moses says of the women of Midian: "these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD" (Numbers 31:16). That is the story of Numbers 25, where "Israel joined himself to Baal Peor, and the LORD’s anger burned against Israel" (Numbers 25:3). Later Joshua passes on the LORD's own words about him: "I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still" (24:10). And in Revelation, Jesus speaks of "the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel" (Revelation 2:14). Numbers 22 to 25 and 31 tell the whole story.

The verses

“The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain.”
Joshua 13:22 · World English Bible
“Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.”
Numbers 24:10 · World English Bible
“They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.”
Numbers 31:8 · World English Bible
“Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.”
Numbers 31:16 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Joshua 13

Joshua 13: Very much land remains

Joshua 13 opens with the LORD telling an old Joshua to share out land not yet taken: "I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Just allocate it to Israel for an inheritance" (13:6). And its account of the east side, Moses' gift, twice turns to the one tribe with no land, Levi: "The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance" (13:33).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions