THE ANCHOR BIBLE NUMBERS 21-36 • A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary BARUCH A. LEVINE @ THE ANCHOR BIBLE Doubleday New York London Toronto Sydney Auckland THE ANCHOR BIBLE is a fresh approach to the world's greatest classic. Its object is to make the Bible accessible to the modern reader; its method is to arrive at the meaning of biblical literature through exact translation and extended exposition, and to reconstruct the ancient setting of the biblical story, as well as the circumstances of its transcription and the characteristics of its tran scribers. THE ANCHOR BIBLE is a project of international and interfaith scope: Protes tant, Catholic, and Jewish scholars from many countries contribute individual volumes. The project is not sponsored by any ecclesiastical organization and is not intended to reflect any particular theological doctrine. Prepared under our joint supervision, THE ANCHOR BIBLE is an effort to make available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpreta tion of the biblical record. THE ANCHOR BIBLE is aimed at the general reader with no special formal train ing in biblical studies; yet it is written with the most exacting standards of scholarship, reflecting the highest technical accomplishment. This project marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation among scholars in biblical research, thus forming a common body of knowledge to be shared by all. William Foxwell Albright David Noel Freedman GENERAL EDITORS rHE ANCHOR BIBLE PUBLISHED BY DOUBLEDAY a division of Random House, Inc. 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036 rHE ANCHOR BIBLE, DoUBLEDAY, and the portrayal of an anchor with the letters A and B are trademarks of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bible. O.T. Numbers XXI-XXXVI. English. Levine. 2000. Numbers 21-36: a new translation with introduction and commentary / Baruch A. Levine. - 1st ed. p. em. - (The Anchor Bible; 4A) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Bible. O.T. Numbers, XXI-XXXVI Commentaries. I. Levine, Baruch, A. II. Title. m. Title: Numbers twenty one-thirty six. Iv. Series: Bible. English. Anchor Bible. 1964. v. 4A. BSI92.2.Al 1964.G3 vol. 4A [BS1263] '220.7'7 ~c21 [222' .14077] 99-28025 CIP ISBN 0-385-41256-8 Copyright © 2000 by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America August 2000 First Edition 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To my wife, Corinne Enjoy happiness with a woman you love all the fleeting days of your life- -Koheleth 9:9 CONTENTS • Preface xv Abbreviations XVll Maps Map 1: Israel on both sides of the Jordan and in the Bashan XIX Map 2: Evidence from the Moabite Stele on Numbers 21 xx Map 3: Two alternate routes from Kadesh to the plains of Moab (Numbers 13-21 versus Numbers 33:37-49) XXI Map 4: Greater Canaan (Numbers 34:1-12) XXll 'TRANSLATION OF NUMBERS 21-36 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS (CONTINUED) 35 D. NUMBERS 21-36 IN CONTEXT (CONTINUED) 37 1. JE and Other Nonpriestly Sources in Context 37 a. Heshbon and "North Moab" 38 b. The Balaam Pericope: Transjordan and the Religion of Israel 41 c. The Baal Peor Episode 44 d. Legitimate Israelite Settlement in Transjordan: Reuben, Gad and the Manassite Clans 45 2. Priestly Materials in Context 46 a. The Public Cult of Israel and the Religious Calendar 47 b. The Votive System 51 vii CONTENTS c. Laws Relating to Homicide 53 d. The Map of Greater Canaan 54 e. How the Israelites Got to the Plains of Moab and Their Encounters on the Way 56 f. A Postscript to the Book of Numbers 59 REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY 61 PART I. NUMBERS 21: FROM KAoESH TO THE PLAINS OF MOAB: ISRAEL IN TRANSJORDAN 77 Introduction 79 Translation 80 Notes to Numbers 21:1-3: Turning a Negeb Retreat into Victory 83 Notes to Numbers 21:4-11: Adventures en route: The Bronze Serpent 85 Notes to Numbers 21:12-20: The Scenic Route from Zered Gorge to the Arnon 90 Notes to Numbers 21:21-22:1: Israelite Conquests from Heshbon to Dibon and in the Bashan to the North 99 Comments 110 Comment 1: The Geographical Background of Numbers 21 112 Comment 2: Historical and Archaeological Considerations 113 Comment 3: The Primary and Secondary Literary Functions of the Heshbon Ballad 123 Comment 4: The Battle at Hormah (Num 21:1-3) 125 Comment 5: The Sitz-im-Leben of Numbers 21 126 PART II. NUMBERS 22-24: THE BALAAM PERICOPE 135 Introduction 137 Translation-Numbers 22:2-41 141 Notes to Numbers 22:2-21: Balak's Invitation to Balaam and God's Intervention 143 Notes to Numbers 22:22-35: The Tale of the Jenny 154 Notes to Numbers 22:36-41: Balaam as Balak's Hired Diviner 160 Introduction to Numbers 23 161 Translation 163 Notes to Numbers 23:1-6: Balaam in Balak's Employ (Continued) 165 Notes to Numbers 23:7-10: Balaam's First Poetic Oration 167 Notes to Numbers 23:11-17: Balak's Anger and a Second Attempt 179 viii Contents Notes to Numbers 23:18-24: Balaam's Second Poetic Oration 180 Notes to Numbers 23:25-30: Another Change of Venue and a Third Attempt 187 Introduction to Numbers 24 187 Translation 188 Notes to Numbers 24:1-2: Balaam Dispenses with Omens 190 Notes to Numbers 24:3-9: Balaam's Third Poetic Oration 191 Notes to Numbers 24:10-14: Balaam Is Dismissed, but Leaves Behind a Dire Prediction 198 Notes to Numbers 24:15-19: Balaam's Fourth Poetic Oration 199 Notes to Numbers 24:20-25: Balaam as an International Prophet 204 Comments 207 Comment 1: The Biblical Balaam Poems: Literary Analysis and Where It Leads 209 The Dynamic of the Balaam Poems 210 The Phenomenology of Execrations and Visions in the Balaam Poems 212 Balaam the Diviner's Subservience to Divine Power 215 To Which Divine Power or Powers was Balaam Subservient? 217 By Whom Was Israel Blessed? 224 A Brief Note on the History of Israelite Monotheism 225 The Sifz-im-Leben of the Biblical Balaam Poems 230 Comment 2: The Balaam Narratives 234 Comment 3: The Three Appended Prophecies: Clues to Their Historical Setting 237 Comment 4: The Figure of Balaam and the Place of the Balaam Pericope in Biblical Literature 238 Comment 5: The Balaam Inscriptions from Deir 'Alia 241 Introduction 241 Combination I: An Outline 243 Transcription 244 Translation 245 Notes 246 Combination II: An Outline 254 Transcription 255 Translation (Excerpts) 257 Notes 258 Comment 6: The Balaam Inscriptions from Deir 'Alia: Sifz-im-Leben and Thematic Interpretation 263 The Archaeological Context 263 The Demographic and Historical Context 264 The Linguistic Character of the Texts 265 The Literary Character of the Texts 267 Would an Israelite Have Written the Deir 'Alia Inscriptions? 271 An Afterword 274 ix CONTENTS PART III. NUMBERS 25: THE SIN OF BAAL PEOR 277 Introduction 279 Translation 281 Notes to Numbers 25:1-5: The Primary Version of the Baal Peor Incident (JE) 282 Notes to Numbers 25:6-18: The Priestly Version and Its Implications 285 Comment 1: The Message of the Baal Peor Incident 292 Comment 2: The Real Sin of Baal Peor 294 Comment 3: Selectivity in the Descent of the Aaronide Priesthood 297 Comment 4: Retribution and Expiation Through the Death of the Offenders 300 PART IV. NUMBERS 26: THE SECOND WILDERNESS CENSUS 305 Introduction 307 Translation 309 Notes to Numbers 26: 1b -4: The Second Census 312 Notes to Numbers 26:5-51: The General Census 315 Notes to Numbers 26:52-56: Apportionment of the Land 324 Notes to Numbers 26:57-62: The Separate Levitical Census 326 Notes to Numbers 26:63-65: A Summary Statement 327 Comment 1: Census Taking as Review and as Preparation 328 Comment 2: Tribal Eponyms, Patriarchal "Houses," and Clans: The Priestly Traditions 329 Comment 3: The Literary-Historical Ramifications of the Tribal Traditions in Numbers 26 332 PART V. NUMBERS 27: THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD AND THE TERRITORIES OF MANASSEH 339 Introduction 341 Translation 342 Notes to Numbers 27:1-11: The Case of Zelophehad's Daughters 344 Notes to Numbers 27:12-23: The Transfer of Leadership from Moses to Joshua 348 Comments 352 Comment 1: Leadership Roles and Their Sanctions: Joshua Succeeds Moses 352 Comment 2: Inheritance in Biblical Israel and the Manassite Claim to Territory West of the Jordan 355 x Contents PART VI. NUMBERS 28-29: THE FESTIVAL CALENDAR OF THE PUBLIC CULT 363 Introduction 365 Numbers 28: Translation 367 Notes to Numbers 28:1-15: The Daily Tilmfd and Public Rites for Sabbaths and New Moons 369 The Two-Phased Tilmfd (Num 28:3-8) 370 The Public Rites for the Sabbath Day (Num 28:9-10) 376 The Public Rites for the New Moon (Num 28:11-15) 376 Notes to Numbers 28:16-31: Public Rites for Annual Occasions 379 Public Rites for the First Month (Num 28:16-25) 379 Public Rites for the Day of First Fruits (Num 28:26-31) 383 Numbers 29:1-30:1: Translation 385 Notes to Numbers 29:1-30:1: The Autumn of the Year 387 Public Rites for the New Moon of the Seventh Month (Num 29:1-6) 387 Public Rites for the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month (Num 29:7-11) 388 Public Rites for the Autumn Pilgrimage Festival and the Recessional of the Eighth Day (Num 29:12-30:1) 389 Comments 393 Comment 1: CuI tic Calendars: Numbers 28-29, Leviticus 23 and Related Sources 394 Comment 2: The Two-Phased Tilmfd in Text-Historical Perspective 395 Comment 3: The Sabbath 403 Comment 4: The New Moon 405 Comment 5: The Development of the Annual Festivals and Sacred Days of the Year 407 Comment 6: Priestly Legislation Governing the Annual Celebrations 418 PART VII. NUMBERS 30: INNOVATIONS IN THE VOTIVE SYSTEM 423 Introduction 425 Translation 426 Notes to Numbers 30:2-17: The Vows and Oaths of Women 427 Comments 434 Comment 1: Gender Differentiation and Its Effects 435 Comment 2: Orality, Literacy and the Function of Written Documents 437 PART VIII. NUMBERS 31: THE MIDIANITE WAR 443 Introduction 445 Translation 447 xi PREFACE • It is once again a pleasure to acknowledge my indebtedness to several per sons and agencies whose assistance made it possible for me to accomplish the present work, thereby completing the translation and commentary to the Book of Numbers. Numbers 1-20 appeared in 1993, and it has taken the years since then to prepare Numbers 21-36. I begin by expressing gratitude for the infor mative critique of Numbers 21 provided by Randall Younker of Andrews Uni versity. Early on, I was fortunate to be able to tap the expertise of James Sauer for insight into the archaeological history of Transjordan. Numerous other scholars in North America, Europe and Israel have been helpful, and lowe much to the archaeologists, historians and epigraphists, Jordanians and others, who have contributed so much to our understanding of Numbers 21-36. As always, I thank my students at New York University, and audiences at scholarly meetings, for their stimulating questions and responses. The exceptional com mentary to Numbers by George Buchanan Gray, written at the beginning of the century, has been my anchor and compass. My long association with New York University, and membership in its Skir ball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, have advanced my research interests. The Department's chairman during the last number of years, Robert Chazan, and my colleagues in the department and in the university adminis tration, have consistently appreciated the need for substantial periods of leave for purposes of research. I am grateful to my gifted student, Lauren Shedlet zky, who prepared the Reference Bibliography. The staff of the great library of The Ecole Biblique, Jerusalem, and the good colleagues of the Ecole, once again deserve recognition for their friendship and assistance. My editor, colleague and mentor, David Noel Freedman, always deeply committed to his authors, provided valuable scholarly critique, preserving me from countless errors and raising important questions. Dr. Mark Fretz and Andrew Corbin and their staffs at Doubleday have been exceedingly helpful xv