Peor
Peor is a mountain mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Transjordan in modern-day Israel. Known today as Khirbet Ayun Musa. It appears across 8 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Peor is a mountain in Moab from which the pagan prophet Balaam was brought to curse Israel. When Balak king of Moab found that Balaam's first two attempts to curse Israel from other vantage points had produced blessings instead, he took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooked the wilderness where Israel was encamped (Numbers 23:28). Even from Peor, Balaam could only bless Israel, delivering his third and fourth oracles proclaiming God's favor upon His people. The mountain is also associated with the infamous apostasy at Baal-Peor, where Israelite men were enticed into sexual immorality and idolatrous worship of the local Moabite deity (Numbers 25:1-9). This sin brought a devastating plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. The incident at Baal-Peor became a lasting cautionary reference in Scripture, recalled in Deuteronomy 4:3, Joshua 22:17, Psalm 106:28, and Hosea 9:10 as a warning against idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness. Moses was buried in a valley near Beth-Peor (Deuteronomy 34:6).
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Mount Peor is tentatively identified with a peak in the Abarim mountain range east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, in modern-day Jordan. The identification with Khirbet Ayun Musa, near the Springs of Moses, places it in the vicinity of Mount Nebo. The area offers commanding views westward over the Jordan Valley and the wilderness of Judah, consistent with the biblical description of Balak bringing Balaam to a vantage point overlooking Israel's encampment. Archaeological exploration of the region has uncovered various Moabite-period remains, though no specific cultic site definitively linked to Baal-Peor worship has been identified. The general area remains significant for its association with Moses' final days.
Verse Appearances (8)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →