<P> In (Sanhedrin 106b) and (Giṭtin 57a) Balaam may be likened to Jesus . Some have theorized that Balaam became used as a pseudonym for Jesus in Jewish literature . </P> <P> In the New Testament, Balaam is cited as a type of avarice; for example in Book of Revelation 2: 14 we read of false teachers at Pergamum who held the "teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling - block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication ." Balaam has attracted much interest, alike from Jews, Christians, and Muslims . Josephus paraphrases the story more so, and speaks of Balaam as the best prophet of his time, but with a disposition ill - adapted to resist temptation . Philo describes him as a great magician in the Life of Moses; elsewhere he speaks of "the sophist Balaam, being," i.e. symbolizing "a vain crowd of contrary and warring opinions" and again as "a vain people"--both phrases being based on a mistaken etymology of the name Balaam . </P> <P> A man also named Balaam also figures as an example of a false prophet motivated by greed or avarice in both 2 Peter 2: 15 and in Jude 1: 11 . This Balaam is listed as the son of Bezer, which is usually identified as Beor . Some authors claim that Bezer was the Aramaic pronunciation of Beor, while others hold that Peter was attempting to play off the Hebrew word basar or "flesh" to insult Balaam . Later Jewish tradition similarly played with Balaam's name to call him corrupt and imply bestiality . Still other authors hold that Bezer and Beor are distinct, while still identifying the Balaams of the Old and New Testaments, claiming that Beor is Balaam's father and Bezer is Balaam's home town . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> <Ul> <Li> Musa </Li> <Li> Mūsa ٰمُوسَى </Li> <Li> Moses </Li> </Ul> </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Ten Commandments </Li> <Li> Tawrat </Li> <Li> Ṣuḥuf Mūsā </Li> <Li> Biblical and Quranic narratives </Li> <Li> Prophets and messengers in Islam </Li> <Li> Golden calf </Li> <Li> Asiya </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Balaam </Li> <Li> Samiri </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Ulu'l azm prophets </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> Islam portal </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

What is the meaning of the name balaam