DEIR 'ALLA - Station of the Messengers

DEIR 'ALLA - Station of the Messengers

A settlement located in ancient Succoth east of Jordan Valley at 32°11'20" N 35°36'11" E, one mile north of Jabbok. It was anciently called "Tilmun" ('Dilmun') for a copper forging there, and one of the possible three "Tilmuns" in Bronze Age (cf. 1Kings 7:46).

 This was a possible station if a traveler would come from Harran, and here Jacob built booths for his cattle, and since then the Hebrews called it Succoth ("Booths"). One of its areas was called "Peniel" by Jacob from his expression "I saw the  face to God" (cf. Gen. 33:10) after forcing a man in a wrestling. The man could be a messenger of chariot hero "Israel" of Ugarit, Syria who that time was crossing the path of Jacob. Desperate for his duty because Jacob tarried him, and as a spy must not be exposed to daytime, the messenger blessed Jacob and had given the alias "Israel," most likely derived from the name of his boss Israel of Ugarit (cf. Genesis 33:17 & 32:17,24-30).

This incident suggests to us that as early as the time of Jacob (1578-1432 BCE) Deir 'Alla was a place where messenger had been trodden by. 

During the Late Bronze Age collapse, there were three copper mining sites valuable for the mass production of copper swords and armaments - namely, Capthor (Enkomi, Cyprus), Athika (Timna Valley, Edom) and Succoth Jordan (Deir 'Alla), and all of these were occupied by the troops of Moses and apparently became the suppliers of the arms of the Sea Peoples.

There were three places visited by Queen Tausert and likely permitted to be destroyed and used by the troops of "Yarsu" (Moses): namely,

 Athika (Timna Valley),

 Deir 'Alla, and

 Akko.

 The pharaoh (Tausert) conspired with Yarsu (Osarsuph) as her ' Chieftain in the forein land.'

There was a public receiving house in Deir 'Alla where seers, like Bala'am ben Beor, were stationed before further travelling south. And in fact (archaeologically), Bala'am bar Beor (d. 1190 BCE) was popular diviner (seer) in that receiving sanctuary-house before it was destroyed and before he was killed by the troop of Joshua, general of Moses. 

Around March, 1190 BCE Moses divided the troops. The troops led by his sister Miriam reached Zin Kadesh, and the other troop (the captain people) was led to Athika (Timna Valley, Edom), and the 3rd troop, mostly elders led by Aaron to Moserath and the Livites were separated to minister for the ark of the covenant (Deut. 10:6-8), and the fourth part was the spy troop, led by Zimri ben Salu, a captain of Simeonite clan,  who managed to enter Sittim, near the tel Sodom (cf. Numbers 23:10). 

Seeing this troop was increasing in number, tent by tent by twelve, Balak ben Zippor king of Moabites convened a council with the Midianite elders for the matter. His solution, called for Bala'am bar Beor of Patorah (Pethor, Pitru) in Aram, Mari. And let him curse Israel (probably mimicking what Bentisina had done to Babylon several decades ago). Their messengers brought money for Bala'am to curse Israel, and as an astute diviner Bala'am said that even "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yah (Ea) my God, to do less or more." 

Knowing the circumstances of the Sea Peoples that were now sporadically destroying many countries, and the evil that Asshur (Isru/Isser) had done against Kenites (which this time were in Judah and east of Phoenicia), and the troops of Kharu leader (Moses) from Kition (Cyprus), Bala'am became cautious of his acts and wordings, particularly two messengers of different gods went him and advised him "not to go"  and on the other one "to go." This may mean that Bala'am was aware that there was a spy (messenger) from Yahweh following him (cf. Num. 24:21-24). 

In a dark place of forest that messenger was waiting for his passage to kill him, but Bala'am managed to make a drama that he got mad at his donkey and he talked to his donkey. Historically, Bala'am was known in his habit of talking to animals even though men around him could not hear the talks of his animals. His security guards and the Moabite ambassadors might have given him a time to talk to his donkey privately, and in doing so they might have walked away for a while, a chance for Bala'am to directly talk to the malakh (messenger) of YHWH. The messenger warned him not to curse Israel. 

How Bala'am might have learned that a spy or messenger was following him? He might have discovered it at the sanctuary of Deir 'Alla. 

Because in that receiving house a troop of Salma left a message that they would set fire on Sharon, likely to Akko. With that situation, he said to Balak :" Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh has put in my mouth?" (Num. 23:12)

During his 4th oracle he alluded the then rising star "Sirius"  on 17 July 1190 BCE (Numbers 24:17), which was sign of one week feast of gods for the Egyptians. And yes, the astute Bala'am may have asked Midianites to have a feast for elohim (gods) and used Moabite women to entice the troop of Zimri ben Salu for the evil plan (Num. 31:16). No less than Cozbi, the princess of king Zur (president of the Midianite confederation), who led the enticement, and since the spy of Israelite Zimri  heard good things from the mouth of Bala'am, the troops of Zimri joined the feast of gods at Baal-Peor, not knowing that a pandemic disease would be transmitted by those women (Num. 25:1-18). 

They attended the feast on July 27, the same day that Moses and many elders were officiating the election of Eleazar as successor of Aaron at Mt. Hor in Moseroth, where, likely because of shortening of oxygen in the height, Aaron died. It was around September 6, 1190 BCE when the mourning had finished. 

It was too late, more than 20,000 were already infected by the disease and dying when Moses arrived and discovered the incident of Baal-Peor. He asked the help of "judges" headed by Phinehes ben Eleazar ben Aaron to impose capital punishment for those leaders who were involved in the spread of the pandemic disease. Some of the "judges" this time were likely Jair, Tola ben Pua, and Bedan (cf. Num.26:23, Judges 10:1; Num.32:41, Judg.10:4; 1Chronicles 7:16-17).

They readied for a revenge because of the 24 thousand people died of the pandemic disease. 

They killed the five Midianite kings (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba), which were the dukes of Amorite king Sihon, and they also killed Bala'am ben Beor, likely in Deir 'Alla (Joshua 13:21-27, Num. 31:1-8). 

"And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire." - Numbers 31:10 (KJV)

The Egyptian faience jar of Queen Tausert turned black as the sanctuary in Deir 'Alla was obliterated in a fierce fire. Fortunately, archaeologists found that Egyptian faience vase, and they discovered who was the owner of it when they read from a cartouche the name of Queen Tausert. 

Who was with the troop of Phinehas and Joshua (fl. 1228- c. 1150 BCE) when they destroyed the houses in the land? Archeological findings can show to us that there are Mycenaean and Cypriot pots (of Late Bronze: LH IIIB - Iron Age IA) in the vicinity together with the faince bottle of Queen Tausert. This simply means, there were Mycenaean and Cypriot fighters helping the troops of Joshua. 

Although Deir 'Alla was devastatingly burned to ash, archaeological finding shows that there was habitation after the conflagration. 

And the reason? 

Joshua 13:24-27 says Moses gave it as an inheritance to the families of Gad, and hence it was inhabited even up to the time of king Solomon and the Babylonian Captivity (1Chronicles 4:16-19).

Note: literature :

B.A. Levine, "The Deir 'Alla Plaster Inscriptions", in: W.W. Hallo (ed.), Context of Scripture, vol.2 (2003), 140-145.