Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Lloyd Barre <barre AT c-zone.net>]

Dear List People,

I would be very interest in anyone's opinion with regard to these texts from 
the Oracles of Balaam (the last is from the Blessing of Moses.  the oracles 
makes several  refences to a king.  Who is this king and do the texts tell us 
about him?

Lloyd Barre 


Extracts from the Oracles of Balaam (Jerusalem Bible):

He has not observed misfortune in Jacob;
Nor has he seen trouble in Israel:
Yahweh his god is with him, 
and the shout of a king is among them.
El brings them out of Egypt,
He is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
For there is no omen against Jacob,
There is no omen that will work against Jacob,
no divination will work against Israel.
Though men scoff saying to Jacob,
"What is this wonder has El(ohim) shown?"
Here is a people like a lioness stirring,
poised like a lion preparing to pounce;
not lying down till he has devoured his prey
and has become sated with the blood of his victims.


And his king shall be higher than the Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.
El brings him out of Egypt.
He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.
He shall devour the carcass of his adversaries,
And shall crush their bones in pieces, 
And shatter them with his arrows.
He couches, he lies down as a lion,
And as a lion, who dares rouse him?


I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
And a scepter shall rise from Israel,
And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,
And tear down all the sons of Sheth.
And Edom shall be a possession,
Seir, its enemies, also shall be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
One from Jacob shall have dominion,
And shall destroy the fugitives of Ar.


There is none like the god of Jeshurun,
Who rides the heavens to your help,
And through the skies in his majesty.
The eternal god is a dwelling place,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
And he drove out the enemy from before you,
And said, "Destroy!"
So Israel dwells in security,
The fountain of Jacob secluded, 
In a land of grain and new wine;
His heavens also drop down dew.
Blessed are you, O Israel;
Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh?
Who is the shield of your help,
And the sword of your majesty?
So your enemies shall cringe before you,
And you shall treat upon their high places. 



Lloyd M. Barre, Ph.D.

barre AT c-zone.net
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/AncientIsrael

"Do I dare
  Disturb the universe?"

  T.S. Eliot from, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." (1917)