Place Old Testament
Amaw
Also known as Amaw =ESV; people =NIV, KJV
Amaw, a place near the Euphrates, where Balaam son of Beor lived. Mentioned once in Scripture, at Numbers 22:5.
Why it matters. A place near the Euphrates River, associated with Balaam.
- Primary passages
- Location
- 36.655, 38.069 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Amaw
Amaw is mentioned in Numbers 22:5 as the place where Balaam son of Beor lived. Balaam was a prophet or diviner who was summoned by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites as they approached the Promised Land. The verse describes Amaw as being near the river, likely referring to the Euphrates River, in the land of the Amawites.
The exact location of Amaw is uncertain, but it was probably situated in the region of Aram-naharaim (Aram of the two rivers), which is associated with the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia. This places Amaw in a region known for its ancient civilizations and cultural influences.
Apart from its association with Balaam, no other information about Amaw is provided in the Bible. Its mention in the context of Balaam's story highlights the international scope of his reputation as a diviner and the far-reaching concern surrounding the Israelites' advance toward Canaan.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Numbers (1 verse)