The Strange Tale of Balaam and His Talking Donkey
Vložit
- čas přidán 31. 07. 2023
- Episode 8: The Strange Tale of Balaam and His Talking Donkey
The seer Balaam from the book of Numbers was famous even outside the Bible. Over time, however, he became seen as an extremely negative figure in Judaism and Christianity. This legacy is complicated by the contents of his oracles, which were believed to predict the Jewish messiah. Oh yeah, and he had donkey that could talk.
Contents:
0:03 - Prologue
0:37 - Balaam outside the Bible
2:34 - The main Balaam story
7:21 - The vilification of Balaam
9:18 - Harmonizing the Balaam stories
11:22 - The talking donkey
13:50 - From villain to messianic prophet
15:51 - Jesus Christ, super star
18:13 - The Balaam blame game
20:21 - Easter egg
Special thanks to John Kesler for consultation and advice.
Related blog post:
⦾ isthatinthebible.wordpress.co...
Buy me a coffee to support the channel:
⦾ ko-fi.com/pauldavidson
Academic sources:
⦾ Jonathan Miles Robker, Balaam in Text and Tradition, 2019
⦾ Baruch A. Levine, Numbers 21-36 (Anchor Yale Bible Commentary), 2000
⦾ Baruch A. Levine, “The Deir ‘Alla Plaster Inscriptions (The Book of Balaam, son of Beor)”, The Context of Scripture, Volume 2, 2000
⦾ John Van Seters, “From Faithful Prophet to Villain: Observations on the Tradition History of the Balaam Story”, in A Biblical Itinerary: In Search of Method, Form and Content, 2009
⦾ Philippe Wajdenbaum, Argonauts of the Desert: Structural Analysis of the Hebrew Bible, 2011
⦾ Tzemah L. Yoreh, The First Book of God, 2010
Music by Fesliyan Studios (fesliyanstudios.com), Scott Buckley (www.scottbuckley.com.au), Tim Moor, and Patrick Patrikios.
With zero exaggerations, your videos on the bible are some of the best ones out there.
Thanks for the nice comment.
Hey, can you give me recommendations for other channels? You said “some of the best” so what are the others?
Honestly!!
I pick & choose what Mythvision Videos are useful. This channel is raw data without liberal propaganda
@@tsemayekekema2918 liberal propaganda like what?
@@mugikuyu9403 like 30% of Mythvision episodes
This channel is severely underrated. I feel like I stumbled upon a gem.
I think I have read your article about Balaam at least 10 times and I'm beyond happy to see it here 🙂
This video is amazing. Should have 100x more views.
Thanks for the nice comment!
Came here after seeing Mythvision HIGHLY RECOMMEND you. And he is right to do so. Great narration, research and humor. Def a fan now.
Thank you. I can tell you put a lot of work into this.
Balaam is also viewed very negatively in the Talmud. In fact he is seen as one of the top enemies of Judaism. In the Babylonian Talmud he is listed alongside people like Titus (the destroyer of the Second Temple).
More videos!!! My day is made
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
When are you making more videos? They’re literally the best videos on biblical criticism for general audiences I’ve ever seen
Thanks for the nice comment. I am always working on the next video, but they take an incredible amount of work. Hopefully the next one will be finished by around the end of December.
Another solid interview!
I love it ~♡
Keep up the good work, I appreciate your videos so much
Thanks for the nice comment!
Great stuff as always. There's an interesting article by Mary Douglas about Balaam perhaps being/becoming a satire or parody of Persian period leaders like Nehemiah and Ezra.
P.S. nice maps
Interesting, I didn't know about that paper. I'll have to look it up.
The map didn't really turn out how I envisioned it in my head, but I can never find anything pre-made.
The ass, a star so named, is in Cancer, where the summer solstice occurs. This ass, of course, the Sun always, as he passes Cancer, leaves behind. Our Savior (the Sun) rode into Jerusalem (summer solstice) on this very ass, and one other in the same constellation, called by the sacred writer "the foal of an ass." Balaam failed to get his ass beyond, and brought an everlasting stigma on his name because of his brutal treatment of his ass - "the ass rebuked him" (Num. 23.28).
Cancer is assigned to Issachar (Bacchus) and his standard is this Ass. Capricorn is assigned to Zebulun (dwelling of the sun) and his standard is the ship Argo Navis. This is the "ship" that Noah/Osiris takes a ride in every year.
Yes! New upload. I would love to see you partner up with other channels such as Religion for Breakfast or Esoterica.
"The story of Balaam's ass has often been an object of ridicule among sceptics and infidels" (Abraham Rees Encyclo., Art. Balaam). And no wonder. So long as theologians persist in claiming for these Bible fictions, which they have never been able to find head or tail to, literal and veritable history, they may expect to be looked upon as objects of ridicule, and even of scoffing. Of course, their living depending upon it, we shall anticipate that they will continue, as ever, to seek upon the surface for what is hidden in the depths below. Instead of searching for the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2.10), they will remain content with the filthy scum which floats upon the surface of the written word. So long as gross selfishness and downright laziness govern them, they will scorn to secure to themselves for the benefit of their slavish dupes, the rich kernel of science, but will remain content with the shells and husks which surround and hide the priceless gem. But let us look to our most interesting subject - Balaam and his ass (Num. 24).
In the progress of our researches, we have seen the year divided, at first, into two parts - once into three, which, having served its purpose, was quickly discarded. After, in the time of Jacob, it was cut up into twelve parts, or months. Later still, on the institution of the Sanhedrim, it was further distributed into seventy-three subdivisions of five days each, thus making the year to consist of 365 days. As these 365 days do not make a full year, but lack nearly the fourth of a day, calendographers, not being able to fill out the year with the fractional part of a day, have agreed to add a day to every fourth year, which is too much by 11 minutes and 10.3 seconds. This overplus was corrected in a manner to be explained in another place; the object of this myth being seemingly the 'disposal of this bissextile or leap-year day.
The first position of the children of Israel in this myth, as ascertained from Numbers 22.1, was in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho, i.e., it was near spring.
"And Balak (destroyer = winter), the son of Zippor (singer = summer), saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites " (from amar, to speak = the intercalary days = the dwellers in Midian, the land of strife- the time occupying the last days of winter and the first of spring). And Balak (destroyer), who was king of the Moabites (winter days), sent messengers (astrologers) unto Balaam (a foreigner = leap-year day), the son of Beor (Moon, the day left, after 13 lunations of 28 days each), to Pethor (table = plane of the equator), to inform him of a people just arrived from Egypt (winter), which cover the earth, requesting him (Balaam) to come and " curse me this people” (winter curses the people). Balaam detained the messengers overnight (Num. 22.8) that he might learn the Lord's will in the matter. God told Balaam he could not go with Balak, and that he should not curse the Israelites, for they are blessed, being summer and not winter months. Thus, the messengers (astrologers) having consulted the stars during that night, could not say whether the bissextile day ought to be added to that year or not. Balak, determined to carry his point, next sent princes "more and more honorable than they," i.e., better skilled in their profession. These Balaam also kept overnight, that he "might know what the Lord will say unto me more" (Num. 22.19). God (Aries) now told Balaam to go with them, i.e., the astrologers found the day (Balaam) should be added to that year, and added it accordingly. So, Balaam (the bissextile day) rose up in the morning and mounted his ass (the Sun is here mythologically styled an ass) and went with the princes of Moab (the winter months), i.e., the bissextile day was added to the winter side of the year, as it is still done. We may here take note that the word athor, here translated ass, comes from a root which means to move by short steps, as the sun apparently does. Time, a part of which is Balaam, is the Sun's burden.
But God's anger was kindled (literally the Ram's nose became red. for it was rising just then), because Balaam went. However, his ass faltered three times (the three watches of the night). The third time Balaam's anger was kindled, i.e., his nose became red (it was not only the dawn of the day, but the dawn of spring also), and he smote the ass with a staff = makkel= germination, from makel, to germinate. The third time, the ass spoke (vegetation began to appear), and the Lord opened Balaam's eyes (the sun rose just then), and he fell flat upon his face (num. 22.31), and the farce was near its end. (We remember that Peter denied his Lord three times, when his eyes were opened at cock-crowing, i.e., when the Sun rose). Balaam's two servants were the Fishes of February, and the wall he rode against was the spring equinox. He couldn't curse the children of Israel, the enemies of Balak, because they were blessed; the word that God (Aries) put in his mouth that only he could speak.
Balaam next went with Balak to Kirjath-huzoth (dividing- city = spring equinox). Here Balak (winter) offered oxen and sheep (Taurus and Aries), and he brought Balaam unto the high places of Baal (spring equinox). Here Balaam orders Balak to build * him seven altars (seven summer months), and prepare him seven oxen and seven rams (Aries and Taurus as they appear consecutively during these seven summer months): and Balak did so (num. 23.1). Soon after (v. 4) God (Aries) met Balaam and told him he had prepared the seven altars, etc. So "The Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth” and told him to go with Balak (the year ended). And Balaam took up his parable, and said Balak, the king of Moab, hath let me rest (yanuh, from nuh, to rest; not "brought" as in the English text) from Aram out of the mountains of the East, i.e., Balaam being the last' day of that year, rests at the spring equinox.
* At 1 Sam 6.7. we read that the Philistines built a "new cart " for the children of Israel. Balak erected the seven altars in lien of the new cart "= the New Year. This rest of Balaam was precisely like the rest that God took after his work of the creation. Though winter and summer alternate, time goes on nevertheless.
The winter constellations being now all above the horizon at sunrise, Balaam cannot curse Israel (summer); for, he asks, how shall I curse whom God (El- Aries in winter; not Elohim, the Sun-rams of summer) hath not cursed? (The God of winter cannot curse summer; and the God of Summer never curses).
I've never heard of Esoterica. I'll have to check them out.
@@InquisitiveBibleDr Justin Sledge is 💯 the greatest in terms of the occut studies. Looking forward to more of your videos!
Thanks for your hard work!
Derek at Mythvision sent me here. New Subscriber.
Wow🎉
Shrek - Episode 1 )))) great video !
Mythvision brought me here 😊
Welcome!
Same
I asked myself often too,why is Balaam depicted negatively..
I found,why he was not such positively..indeed he blessed Israel, because God changed his try to curse Israel to blessing..
He looked for Omen to curse others..
He didn't listen to the Angel..
Who said don't go with the Princes..
He looked for enrich himself..and his Glory..
God was in touch with him,but he didn't listen..
And finally and worst..he gave Balak the advice,he should mislead Israel to other Gods,and God himself will curse them...
But you forgot
Great video
Great referral from @mythvision !!
Most followers of the serpent are just tragic. Because they stayed close enough to God to make you think they'll make it but one can only have one master.
2:16 It's interesting that the immediately available translations from googling Job 19:29 don't mention Shadayim. A particular Bible that was recommended to me as accurate, the New Oxford Annotated Bible, doesn't mention that word either: "be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
Is there an edition of OT that you recommend? Thanks for the video, I always majorly enjoy these!
I think Job 19:29 is confusing no matter what it's supposed to say, so most translators assume the similar word shaddun (judgment) was intended. They have to make decisions like this all the time, because the Hebrew text of the Old Testament in its surviving form is often ambiguous or nonsensical as written, due to scribal error, revisions, and the innate ambiguity of a language that doesn't indicate vowels.
The NRSV is one of the best translations (especially if you get an edition with translators' notes, like the New Oxford Annotated), but a good line-by-line commentary is essential if you really want to dig into any particular book or passage.
Breast in Hebrew is shad, and breasts are shaDAyim, with the stress on the second syllable. El Shadai is the breasted ram and reflects the strength of the summer sun (productive). Note how the breasts are called paps in the N.T.
Let it be noticed, Job was a man of, or from, Uz (the depressed, or sunken land = winter). "Ewald supposes Uz to have been the district south of Bashan" (Beth-shan = Sun's house= summer). I think he is right. In fact, nearly every circumstance and name connected with his birth point to the southern hemisphere as his primeval home. Job was whole (torn) and level (jasher). He also saw the Gods (Eloh = Sun in Aries), and eschewed their companion (winter = evil). Thus, in coming to the spring equinox, he is both, whole and level, - whole, because at the end of the year, and level, because the day and night are equal in length.
There were born to Job seven sons (the seven summer months) and three daughters (the three seasons of the year). Besides these he had an abundance of live-stock and a very great household, - in short, he was the greatest of all the men of the east. Fearing that his sons, who were feasting in their respective houses, might also be sinning and cursing the Gods (Elohim) in their hearts, as doubtless they were, for they were in the southern hemisphere, Job rose up early in the morning (spring) and offered burnt offerings (the passing months) according to the number of them all, i.e., the seven summer months passed away each in its turn, and the Sun arrived at the end of summer.
@@harveywabbit9541 That's interesting but how would they know of hemispheres? inherited knowledge?
@@madProgenitorDeity
See Science of the Bible or Hebrew Mythology, by Milton Woolley.
@@harveywabbit9541 I don't mean for this to come across as snarky, but am I to anticipate that a book from 1877 has it down 100% correct with no modifications?
Mythvision brought me here!
If he was so smart why did he had to be saved by a donkey 3 times?
It would be kinda nice if someone would correct these change and as close to close to the orginal bible as many for as you can tell added later. for it would be off great servitude to the people of faith.
20:06 "Gods"
The Ass, in this story, is also associated with Bacchus (the sun) who "rides" a donkey. Issachar's standard is the Ass in the Cancer constellation.
Sun worship is found throughout the bible…..For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84.11.
"Then spake Joshua to THE LORD, and said, SUN, stand thou still upon Gibeon! So, THE SUN stood still in the midst of heaven. And there was no day like that, before it or after it, that THE LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man."-Joshua 10.12-14.
You might have seen it, but I mention sun worship in my Jasher video.
What are your educational details - you're far too knowledgeable for someone who doesn't explicitly claim to be a Semitics professor
Thanks for the nice comment! I went to university for International Studies and Japanese, plus a few courses in archaeology. Biblical studies is just a personal interest I've immersed myself in for about ten years.
Without much backing to my theory, I’ll present it. It make some sense, but honestly is not much more than an educated guess, yet an interesting one.
I believe Balaam spoke something he shouldn’t have, and ultimately it was untrue, and for the reason Balaam became a villain.
In Numbers 23:19 Balaam states, “God is not a Man,” and yet Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.
It is almost as if Balaam gives verse 19 freely of his own mind, and the message he was told to give actually started in verse 20.
God coming in the flesh as a man was not really how most OT readers understood scriptures, so it wouldn’t make sense why the spirit that was influencing the writers would be against Balaam.
Furthermore, the Heart of Balaam wasn’t right. He wanted to curse the Israelites, but out of fear rather than love he did not. This also can be seen as he fought against the will of the Angel of the Lord without realizing it.
Anyhow, just my thoughts, not strong enough for a doctrine, as I could be wrong.
The first group of Moabites were told by Balaam I have to seek their God's permission to go with you. I don't believe Balaam knew the God of Isreal at all. God awakens Balaam and asks him, "Who are those men staying with yo😢u tonight. Had Balaam been a real prophet of God, he would not have answered the question. He would have said Sovereign Lord, you know who those men are. Why do you ask me.