Abstract
The Deir Alla inscription, describing the interactions between a group of supplicants and the prophet Balaam son of Be'or, has been known for nearly forty years, and has been subjected to extensive linguistic study. Although the text is fragmentary, enough is understood of it to justify a literary study, and to examine how this particular text diverges from other literary descriptions of prophet-supplicant interactions which we find in the ancient Near East, and how the chaotic night-vision of Balaam differs from other visions. After noting several unique features of the description in this inscription in comparison to other extra-Biblical texts, I compare the inscription to the Balaam narrative in Num. 22-23. Here too, I focus on the description of the interactions between supplicants and prophet, comparing the description in the Biblical text to that in the inscription, and compare the night-vision of Balaam with several of the Biblical oracles, in particular the fourth oracle. This comparison suggests that the Biblical text may deliberately subvert motifs found in the inscription. The way in which the Deir Alla inscription was written suggests that it was a canonical text, to which other literature, including the Bible, might have deliberately reacted.
| Original language | American English |
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| State | Published - 2015 |
| Event | Association for Jewish Studies Annual Meeting - Boston, United States Duration: 13 Dec 2015 → 15 Dec 2015 |
Conference
| Conference | Association for Jewish Studies Annual Meeting |
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| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Boston |
| Period | 13/12/15 → 15/12/15 |