In Scripture Balaam is charged with the following: giving advice to encourage Moabite women to entice the Jewish men (Numbers 31:16); trying to curse Israel (Deuteronomy 23:3–6; Joshua 24:9–10; Nehemiah 13:2); and practicing divination (Joshua 13:22). Because of Balaam many Israelites perished (Numbers 25:9). Jude seems to charge the heretics as doing what they do for gain, profit being their driving motive (as in 2 Peter 2:2–3, 2 Peter 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Timothy 6:5; Titus 1:11).1 They too, like Balaam, entice others into sexual sin and apostasy.
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.