Números 22

Números 22

Constable notes that "Several types of divination were common in the ancient Near East." Extispicy (Haruspex) was the examination of the entrails of a sacrificed sheep by a trained specialist to determine messages from the gods. The intricate arrangements of the internal organs are what believers in this form of divination regarded as indicative of divine revelation. Astrology studied the arrangements of the moon, sun, meteors, planets, and fixed stars to discover the future. Eclipses were particularly significant. Augury was the study of the appearance, movements, and behavior of birds. The seers supposed the direction and manner of flight of birds was revelatory. Kleromancy (Cleromancy) was divination by means of lots. The various configurations of symbolic objects, actors, and areas yielded a binary (“yes” or “no”) answer to a given question. Oneiromancy was revelation by dreams that sometimes contained verbal communication from a god or non-verbal communication. In the latter type certain colors, animals, or activities corresponded to types of misfortune, happiness, or success. In all the types of divination, fortunetellers used tricks to deceive and impress their clients. They often clothed their predictions in mysterious ambiguous language to cover possible error. Devout Israelites were to reject divination as a way of discovering the likely outcome of events and to rely on God to make known what He wanted them to know. Related Resource: Harry A. Hoffner Jr., “Ancient Views of Prophecy and Fulfillment: Mesopotamia and Asia Minor,” JETS 30:3 (September 1987):257-65. G Michael Hagan - DIVINATION - Communication with a deity for the purpose of determining the deity's knowledge, resulting in clarification of a decision or discernment of the future. Two forms of divination developed in the ancient Near East, one using inductive manipulation of natural or human phenomena and the other taking intuitive forms of inner revelation. The History of Divination . In Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt, and Canaan, people communicated with their deities by means of divination, both on a personal and public level. From the Old Babylonian period (ca. 2000 b.c.) on in Mesopotamia, the reading of livers helped determine the actions of commoners and kings. A sheep was slaughtered, its liver removed, and the markings of the organ "read" for an answer. Other inductive types of divination included the analysis of stars, moon, entrails, lungs, weather, birds, and fetuses. Human-produced phenomena studied included casting lots, shooting arrows, dropping oil in water, drinking wine, calling the dead, and sprinkling water on an ox. Intuitive types of divination in the ancient Near East involved oracles, prophecies, and dreams. In Israel, an official position on divination limited its uses to forms that did not reflect the practices of surrounding cultures. Most inductive forms were forbidden (Leviticus 19:26 ; Deuteronomy 18:11 ), although the use of Urim and Thummim and lots supposes some inductive approaches. Most ancient practices, however, were used by both the populace and the officials. The Bible alludes to the use of omens (Isaiah 44:25 ), arrows (Hosea 4:12 ), animal actions (1 Samuel 6:7-12 ), the reading of livers (Ezekiel 21:21-22 ), budding plants (Numbers 17:1-11 ), necromancy (1 Samuel 28 ), and prophetic utterances, called false (Micah 3:7,11 ) or "lying divinations" (Isaiah 44:25 ; Jeremiah 14:14 ; 27:9-10 ; Ezekiel 12:24 ; Zechariah 10:2 ). References to the "soothsayers' tree" (Judges 9:37 ), the "sons of a sorcerer" (Isaiah 57:3 ), and the girl with a spirit of divination (Acts 16:16-19 ) are evidence of widespread practice. Theology of Divination . Divination presupposes that the divine communicates with the human. This communication takes both human and divine initiative. Inductive techniques depend on human initiation. The Bible supposes that a priority rests on revelatory forms (dream, vision, oracle) rather than on inductive ones (Urim/ Thummim, ephod). Although natural phenomena may communicate God's will, their interpretation must be scrutinized and may be helped by the verbal. It seems clear that God is not limited to the use of any one means of revelation. Why would the Bible record such strong negative injunctions against inductive divination? Deuteronomic law especially attacks everything connected with pagan religions. Foreign deities may have attached themselves to these methods. Even then, most of Israel's approved methods display parallels with the surrounding cultures. The question of veracity may be involved because they prove difficult to interpret. For this reason, verbal forms take precedence over inductive methods. Yet even prophecies need to stand the test of whether they come true (Deuteronomy 18:21-22 ). Human need requires discernment of divine desires. God chooses to communicate in a variety of ways, including divination techniques, but always in the clearest, most unambiguous way possible. (Baker Evangelical Dictionary Divination) Related Resources: What does the Bible say about divination? | GotQuestions.org Torrey Topical Textbook Divination Easton's Bible Dictionary Divination Fausset Bible Dictionary Divination Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Divination Magic, Divination, and Sorcery Holman Bible Dictionary Divination and Magic International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Divine; Diviner McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Divination. Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Divination Arrows divination by The Jewish Encyclopedia Divination Numbers 22:8 He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD may speak to me." And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. BGT Numbers 22:8 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς καταλύσατε αὐτοῦ τὴν νύκτα καὶ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν πράγματα ἃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ κύριος πρός με καὶ κατέμειναν οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ παρὰ Βαλααμ NET Numbers 22:8 He replied to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the LORD may speak to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. NLT Numbers 22:8 "Stay here overnight," Balaam said. "In the morning I will tell you whatever the LORD directs me to say." So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam. ESV Numbers 22:8 And he said to them, "Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. NIV Numbers 22:8 "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him. KJV Numbers 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. YLT Numbers 22:8 and he saith unto them, 'Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam. LXE Numbers 22:8 And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. ASV Numbers 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Jehovah shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. CSB Numbers 22:8 He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the LORD tells me." So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. NKJ Numbers 22:8 And he said to them, "Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. NRS Numbers 22:8 He said to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just as the LORD speaks to me"; so the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. NAB Numbers 22:8 he said to them in reply, "Stay here overnight, and I will give you whatever answer the LORD gives me." So the princes of Moab lodged with Balaam. NJB Numbers 22:8 He said to them, 'Stay the night here, and I will answer as Yahweh directs me.' So the chiefs of Moab stayed with Balaam. GWN Numbers 22:8 "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I'll report to you what the LORD tells me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. Nu 22:19,20 12:6 23:12 Jer 12:2 Eze 33:31 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAAM SEEKS A WORD FROM YAHWEH He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as the LORD may speak to me." - It is interesting that at this great distance from Jerusalem this man knew the Name Jehovah Whom he states he will consult. At first glance this sounds like an honest response, but it is not because they brought fees for divination. Balaam's immediate response should have been a clear negative, but it was not. Why is Balaam going to consult Yahweh? Apparently he hoped to coerce God to curse His covenant people (see Merrill's note below). Milgrom suggests that "So that Balaam might receive a divine message in a dream (see Nu 22:20), as dreams are a legitimate means in Israel for divine communication (Nu 12:6). The prophets, however, regarded them as an inferior medium, as noted in Numbers 12:6 and Jeremiah 23:28. Dreams should not be confused with incubation, the ancient custom of sleeping in the temple of a god or goddess in order to obtain a message from him or her. (Numbers - JPS) Merrill - When Balaam received the delegation sent to him he said they must spend the night there while he sought to determine the will of the LORD. Such an inquiry coming from a pagan prophet might seem surprising. But in keeping with the pagans’ general spirit of broad-mindedness and their recognition that a people’s own gods had the greatest power over them for bad or good, Balaam attempted to establish contact with Israel’s God. (BKC) NIVSB note - The language here and in Nu 22:18 (“the Lord my God”) has led some to believe that Balaam was a believer in Yahweh (“the Lord”), the God of Israel. Based on the subsequent narrative, however, it seems best to take Balaam’s words as claiming to be the spokesman for any god. Balaam is universally condemned in Scripture for moral, ethical and religious faults (31:7–8, 15–16; Dt 23:3–6; Jos 13:22; 24:9–10; Ne 13:1–3; Mic 6:5; 2 Pe 2:15–16; Jude 11; Rev 2:14). NET NOTE - The verb לִין (lin) means “to lodge, spend the night.” The related noun is “a lodge”—a hotel of sorts. Balaam needed to consider the offer. And after darkness was considered the best time for diviners to consult with their deities. Balaam apparently knows of the LORD; he testifies to this effect in 22:18.