25 Bible Trivia Questions About Balaam

Hired to curse Israel, Balaam could only bless, and even his donkey saw the angel before he did. Test what you know about this strange story.

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Easy questions

  1. Question 1Easy

    Balaam succeeded in cursing Israel as Balak requested.

    Answer: FalseNumbers 23:20
    Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
  2. Question 2Easy

    Balaam struck his donkey exactly three times before it spoke to him.

    Answer: TrueNumbers 22:28
    And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
  3. Question 3Easy

    Who did Balak summon to curse Israel?

    Answer: D. Balaam son of BeorNumbers 22:5
    He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
  4. Question 4Easy

    Balak, who hired the prophet Balaam to curse Israel, was the king of Midian.

    Answer: FalseNumbers 22:4
    And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
  5. Question 5Easy

    What stood in the road to block Balaam's path?

    Answer: A. The angel of the Lord with a drawn swordNumbers 22:23
    And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Medium questions

  1. Question 6Medium

    What did Balak do when Balaam blessed Israel?

    Answer: D. He struck his hands together in angerNumbers 24:10
    And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
  2. Question 7Medium

    In Balaam's prophecy, ships will come from the shores of which land to subdue Asshur and Eber?

    Answer: D. Kittim (Cyprus)Numbers 24:24
    And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
  3. Question 8Medium

    Balaam said Israel crouches like a...

    Answer: A. LionNumbers 24:9
    He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
  4. Question 9Medium

    In Balaam's oracle, he asks: 'Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of' which nation?

    Answer: C. IsraelNumbers 23:10
    Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
  5. Question 10Medium

    Balaam the soothsayer was killed by the Israelites.

    Answer: TrueJoshua 13:22
    Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
  6. Question 11Medium

    What did God initially tell Balaam about Balak's invitation?

    Answer: A. Do not go with them; you must not curse the peopleNumbers 22:12
    And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
  7. Question 12Medium

    In Balaam's blessing, what does he describe as beautiful, saying: 'How beautiful are your _____, O Jacob!'?

    Answer: D. TentsNumbers 24:5
    How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
  8. Question 13Medium

    The church in Pergamum was rebuked for holding to the teaching of Balaam.

    Answer: TrueRevelation 2:14
    ‹But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.›
  9. Question 14Medium

    When Balaam set out to meet King Balak, why was God angry with him?

    Answer: D. Because he went with the Moabite officialsNumbers 22:22
    And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

Hard questions

  1. Question 15Hard

    What did Balaam prophesy would come out of Jacob?

    Answer: C. A starNumbers 24:17
    I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
  2. Question 16Hard

    Balaam prophesied that Israel's king would be greater than...

    Answer: B. AgagNumbers 24:7
    He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
  3. Question 17Hard

    Who did Balaam call 'the first among the nations' but prophesied would come to ruin?

    Answer: B. AmalekNumbers 24:20
    And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
  4. Question 18Hard

    In the book of Numbers, Balaam declares: "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should..."

    Answer: B. Change his mind (repent)Numbers 23:19
    God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
  5. Question 19Hard

    How many altars did Balaam ask Balak to build?

    Answer: A. SevenNumbers 23:1
    And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
  6. Question 20Hard

    Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor to curse the Israelites.

    Answer: TrueNumbers 23:28
    And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
  7. Question 21Hard

    Balaam said God has the strength of a...

    Answer: D. Wild ox (Unicorn in KJV)Numbers 23:22
    God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
  8. Question 22Hard

    Who advised the Midianite women to tempt the Israelites at Peor?

    Answer: B. BalaamNumbers 31:16
    Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
  9. Question 23Hard

    Peter says the false teachers have wandered off to follow the way of what Old Testament figure, who loved the wages of wickedness?

    Answer: D. Balaam2 Peter 2:15
    Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
  10. Question 24Hard

    Which prophet was killed by the sword along with the kings of Midian?

    Answer: B. BalaamNumbers 31:8
    And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
  11. Question 25Hard

    In his epistle, Jude says false teachers have taken the way of Cain and rushed for profit into whose error?

    Answer: C. BalaamJude 1:11
    Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Answer key

  1. False (Numbers 23:20)
  2. True (Numbers 22:28)
  3. D. Balaam son of Beor (Numbers 22:5)
  4. False (Numbers 22:4)
  5. A. The angel of the Lord with a drawn sword (Numbers 22:23)
  6. D. He struck his hands together in anger (Numbers 24:10)
  7. D. Kittim (Cyprus) (Numbers 24:24)
  8. A. Lion (Numbers 24:9)
  9. C. Israel (Numbers 23:10)
  10. True (Joshua 13:22)
  11. A. Do not go with them; you must not curse the people (Numbers 22:12)
  12. D. Tents (Numbers 24:5)
  13. True (Revelation 2:14)
  14. D. Because he went with the Moabite officials (Numbers 22:22)
  15. C. A star (Numbers 24:17)
  16. B. Agag (Numbers 24:7)
  17. B. Amalek (Numbers 24:20)
  18. B. Change his mind (repent) (Numbers 23:19)
  19. A. Seven (Numbers 23:1)
  20. True (Numbers 23:28)
  21. D. Wild ox (Unicorn in KJV) (Numbers 23:22)
  22. B. Balaam (Numbers 31:16)
  23. D. Balaam (2 Peter 2:15)
  24. B. Balaam (Numbers 31:8)
  25. C. Balaam (Jude 1:11)
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Who was Balaam?

Balaam the son of Beor was a prophet from Pethor whom Balak, king of Moab, sent for with rewards so that he would curse Israel (Numbers 22:5–7). God told him, "Thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed" (Numbers 22:12). When he later set out with the princes of Moab, the angel of the Lord stood in the way with a drawn sword. Balaam's donkey saw the angel and turned aside three times, and the Lord opened the donkey's mouth to speak (Numbers 22:28).

From the high places, Balaam had seven altars built again and again, but each time he blessed Israel instead of cursing them, which made Balak angry (Numbers 24:10). He even foretold that "there shall come a Star out of Jacob" (Numbers 24:17). Later his counsel led Israel into sin at Peor (Numbers 31:16), and he was killed with the sword (Numbers 31:8).

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