Did Balaam know God? .... 22:18 Balaam outside the Bible Name destroyer—Deir Alla, Jordan find 1967/1976 trans. dates 800 BC misfortunes of the Book of Balaam, son of Beor. A divine seer was he. “The The gods came to him at night. And he beheld a vision in accordance with El’s utterance. They said to Balaam, son of Beor…” Balaam’s major struggle: money or God’s word Faithful to God’s word: Num 22:8, 18 Donkey narrative: 22:21ff Why did God tell Balaam to go and then try to kill him? Irony: donkey sees more than the seer, who speaks, sword Balaam’s 4 oracles First oracle: Who can curse but Yahweh? (Num 23:7f) Second oracle: God’s character and promises don’t change: Num 23:19 On God and change How do you fit that with God changing his mind before Promise keeper Character: doesn’t lie Interactive creative possibilities—different ways of speaking: Balaam’s 4 oracles Second oracle: God is their king (Num 23:21f) Third oracle: Human king On ecstatic prophets (24:4) King imagery (24:7) Dilemma of Divine / Human king Fourth oracle: Messianic king (Num 24:17) Balaam Why was he portrayed so faithful in narrative? Contrast to Israel’s unfaithfulness
Did Balaam know God? .... 22:18 Balaam outside the Bible Name destroyer—Deir Alla, Jordan find 1967/1976 trans. dates 800 BC “The misfortunes of the Book of Balaam, son of Beor. A divine seer was he. The gods came to him at night. And he beheld a vision in accordance with El’s utterance. They said to Balaam, son of Beor…” Balaam’s major struggle: money or God’s word Faithful to God’s word: Num 22:8, 18 Donkey narrative: 22:21ff Why did God tell Balaam to go and then try to kill him? Irony: donkey sees more than the seer, who speaks, sword Balaam’s 4 oracles First oracle: Who can curse but Yahweh? (Num 23:7f) Second oracle: God’s character and promises don’t change: Num 23:19 On God and change How do you fit that with God changing his mind before Promise keeper Character: doesn’t lie Interactive creative possibilities—different ways of speaking: Balaam’s 4 oracles Second oracle: God is their king (Num 23:21f) Third oracle: Human king On ecstatic prophets (24:4) King imagery (24:7) Dilemma of Divine / Human king Fourth oracle: Messianic king (Num 24:17) Balaam Why was he portrayed so faithful in narrative? Contrast to Israel’s unfaithfulness
OTLit_Lecture11_Numbers_StudentNotes.docx