Was Balaam a Hittite chieftain?
Scripture does not identify Balaam as a Hittite chieftain. The context notes that some sources maintain he was a Hittite chieftain, but he is described as a non-Israelite false prophet who used enchantments and divination, not a valid prophet. He was a false prophet from day one.
Les explains that one source he read maintains Balaam was even a chieftain of the Hittites, but the biblical text does not establish this. Les emphasizes that Balaam is a non-Israelite false prophet from day one, who used enchantments and divination and depended on the power of Satan. The Hittites were among the peoples God had already marked for destruction, so Balaam is nowhere near a valid prophet. God speaking with Balaam face-to-face did not make him a true prophet.