בראשית, פרק ל״ו, פסוק ל״ב

The historical record of the early rulers in the land of Edom reveals a unique model of government that did not rely on family inheritance. Rather than a continuous royal dynasty passed down from father to son, different leaders took power over time. Because each ruler established a new capital in his own location, it is clear that the crown did not simply transfer through a single royal bloodline [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Among these early rulers was a king named Bela son of Beor, a figure who sparked significant debate among scholars due to the striking similarity of his name to the famous Balaam son of Beor. Midrashic and Kabbalistic traditions suggest a direct connection, identifying this king as the very same person as Balaam [רקנאטי, מחוקקי יהודה]. In this spiritual framework, the nation of Edom represents the harsh attribute of strict justice. The name Bela implies a force of destruction and loss, while the name of his city, Dinhabah, is interpreted as a demand to deliver harsh justice. Together, these elements represent a destructive, deeply flawed force that nearly brought ruin to the world [רקנאטי]. Expanding on these traditions, some sources even link this figure back to Laban the Aramean, while another perspective suggests he was not an Edomite at all, but rather a military leader who arrived from Africa [מחוקקי יהודה].

Despite these spiritual connections, the overwhelming majority of literal commentators firmly reject the idea that these two men were the same person [אבן עזרא, שדל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מחוקקי יהודה]. They argue that the two lived in entirely different eras and held completely different roles; one was an Edomite king, while the other was an Aramean sorcerer. They explain that the sages connected the two names to highlight a shared character trait rather than a historical fact, as both men were deeply involved in magic and divination [אבן עזרא, מחוקקי יהודה]. Historical and geographical details further support this separation. The mention of the king's hometown serves to identify his specific roots [שדל]. Historically, Dinhabah was a village located about eight miles from the Moabite city of Ar, near the Arnon stream [שדל]. Because Balaam famously hailed from a completely different city named Pethor, noting Dinhabah as the king's home firmly establishes that he and Balaam were two distinct individuals who merely happened to share a similar name [שדל, מחוקקי יהודה].