The Book of Balaam Overview

THE BOOK OF BALAAM

• Language: ~Aramaic/Canaanite

• Province: Ammon

• Date: 800 BC

• Purpose: 

• From the Deir ‘Alla inscription in a temple

https://www.livius.org/sources/content/deir-alla-inscription/ 

The text begins by introducing Balaam as a seer (prophet). The gods give Balaam a vision in the night, as it was given to him by the gods who serve under El. Balaam fasts and weeps for two straight days after receiving the vision. After the people inquire about his fasting and weeping, he tells them he will explain the vision that the Shaddai gods gave him. Balaam is a seer, just as he shows up in Numbers. Here, however, he interprets dreams rather than speaking on behalf of God. Interestingly, “Shaddai” is used to refer to a class of gods, whereas it describes the One God in the Hebrew Bible.

Balaam claims that the Shaddai gods had a council and told the goddess Shagar to shut up the skies and make the world entirely dark. Balaam then advises that people offer up sacrifices to Shagar to appease her. He tells prophets and diviners to call out to the gods… Here, the people must appease the gods through sacrifices to try to save themselves. However, in the Hebrew Bible, God desires justice and mercy more than sacrifice.

The grave is explained as being a place of sleep, with wormrot as a pillow. People who the gods are displeased with suffer there. Everyone goes to the grave—even infants and kings. Just as in Samuel’s speech, the grave is assumed to be a place of sleep. More akin to the New Testament than Old, the grave is assumed to be a place of affliction for the unrighteous.