Lexical Definition

‎פְּתוֹר‎ Pᵉthôwr (peth-ore') Pethor ^N:N--L
of foreign origin

Pethor.

• § Pethor = "soothsayer"
• Pethor, a place in Mesopotamia

1) a town of Mesopotamia and the home of Balaam; located on a river; site unknown

Extended Information

• a town of Mesopotamia and the home of Balaam; located on a river

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎פְּתוֺר‎ proper name, of a location home of Balsam; — with ‎ה‎ locative ‎פְּת֫וֺרָה‎ Num 22:5, φαθουρα, A Βαθουρα; ‎אֲרַם‎ ‎׳‎‎פ‎ ‎נַהֲרַיִם‎ Deut 23:5*, but omitted ‎׳‎‎פ‎ ᵐ5; — compare Assyrian Pitru (on western bank of upper Euphrase) Schr^{KGF 220}; COT Num 22:5 Dl Pa 269 Dr Hastings DB; Egyptian Pe-d-ru WMM^As.u.Eur:291. [‎פָּתוֺת‎] see ‎פתת‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Pethor • The hometown of Balaam in Mesopotamia

Pethor was the hometown of Balaam, the prophet hired by Balak to curse Israel, located near the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia.

• A location first mentioned at Num.22.5;
• only referred to as Pethor פְּתוֹר.
  

Pethor was a city in Mesopotamia, located near the Euphrates River, and is mentioned in the Bible as the hometown of Balaam, the prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites (Num. 22:5; Deut. 23:4). When the Israelites were camped in the plains of Moab, Balak sent messengers to Pethor to summon Balaam, offering him payment to curse Israel (Num. 22:5-7). Despite God's initial warning not to go with the men, Balaam eventually set out on his donkey to meet with Balak (Num. 22:21). Along the way, the Angel of the Lord opposed Balaam, and his donkey spoke to him, revealing the presence of the Angel (Num. 22:22-35). Balaam ultimately blessed Israel instead of cursing them, following God's command (Num. 23-24). The location of Pethor is not precisely known, but its association with the Euphrates River suggests that it was situated in the upper Mesopotamian region, possibly in the area of modern-day Syria or Iraq.

All entries for Pethor: פְּתוֹר