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In Numbers 22, Balak takes Balaam to Bamoth Baal, a hill named for the god Baal. Philo leaves the name out, unlike the Greek Septuagint translation he used, similar to the Aramaic translation in Targum Onkelos, which calls it the high places of an idol.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Numbers 22:41
Hebrew Bible
39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.
Philo On the Life of Moses 1.276
Classical
276 The next day at the rising of the sun, Balak took the prophet and led him up to a high hill, where it also happened that a pillar had been erected to some deity which the natives of the country had been accustomed to worship; and from thence there was seen a portion of the camp of the Hebrews, which was shown to the magician from this point, as if from a watch tower.
Date: 40 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Onkelos Numbers 22:41
Targum
39 And Bileam went with Balak, and they came to a city of his territory. 40 And Balak slaughtered oxen and sheep, and sent to Bileam and to the princes who were with him. 41 And when it was morning, Balak took Bileam, and brought him up to the high places of his idol; and he saw from thence the extreme of the people.
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Notes and References
“... 41. Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal. A short survey of the interpretations of Bamoth-Baal reveals various doctrinal attitudes. Only the Vulgate translates it literally, excelsa Baal. The Septuagint reads "pillar of Baal". Targum Onkelos and PHILO substitute "terror" and "some deity" for the name of Baal. Ps.-JONATHAN describes it as "the high place of the divinity(terror) of Peor", an allusion to the idolatrous debauchery practised in honour of Baal Peor. ...”
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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