Prophets in the Ancient Near East

I.    Translations of the main texts

II.    Monographs and other studies

1.    General studies on prophecy in the ancient Near East (in itself and as context for prophecy in Israel)
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Barstad, H. M., "Comparare necesse est? Ancient Israelite and Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy in a Comparative Perspective", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 3-11.

Blum, E., "Israels Prophetie im altorientalischen Kontext. Anmerkungen zu neueren religionsgeschichtlichen Thesen", in I. Cornelius – L. Jonker (eds.), »From Ebla to Stellenbosch«. Syro-Palestinian Religions and the Hebrew Bible (Abhandlungen des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins, 37; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2008) 81-115.

Gordon, R. P., "Where Have All the Prophets Gone? The 'Disappearing' Israelite Prophet Against the Background of Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy", Bulletin for Biblical Research 5 (1995) 67-86; = [same title], in R. P. Gordon, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Versions: Selected Essays (SOTSMS; Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006) 132-148.

Grabbe, L. L., "Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy from an Anthropological Perspective", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 13-32.

Heintz, J.-G. (ed.), Oracles et prophéties dans l'antiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 15-17 Juin 1995 (Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg. Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le Proche-Orient et la Grèce Antiques, 15; Paris: De Boccard, 1997).

Heintz, J.-G., "La 'fin' des prophètes bibliques? Nouvelles théories et documents sémitiques anciens", in J.-G. Heintz (ed.), Oracles et prophéties dans l'antiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 15-17 Juin 1995 (Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg. Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le Proche-Orient et la Grèce Antiques, 15; Paris: De Boccard, 1997) 195-214.

Huffmon, H. B., "Prophecy: Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy", ABD V (1992) 477-482.

Huffmon, H. B., "The One and the Many. Prophets and Deities in the Ancient Near East", in M. Köckert – M. Nissinen (eds.), Propheten in Mari, Assyrien und Israel (FRLANT 201; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003) 116-131.

Köckert, M. – M. Nissinen (eds.), Propheten in Mari, Assyrien und Israel (FRLANT 201; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003).

Merlo, P., "Il profetismo nel Vicino Oriente antico: panoramica di un fenomeno e difficoltà comparative", in G. L. Prato (ed.), Religione biblica e religione storica dell'antico Israele: un monopolio interpretativo nella continuità culturale. Atti del XV Convegno di Studi Veterotestamentari (Fara Sabina, 10–12 Settembre 2007) (Ricerche storico-bibliche, 21/1; Bologna: Edizioni Dehoniane, 2009) 55-83.

Nissinen, M. (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000).

Nissinen, M. (ed.), Prophets and Prophecy in the Ancient Near East. In collaboration with C. L. Seow, R. K. Ritner, and P. Machinist. (Writings from the Ancient World, 12; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003).

Nissinen, M., "What is Prophecy? An Ancient Near Eastern Perspective", in J. Kaltner – L. Stulman (eds.), Inspired Speech: Prophecy in the Ancient Near East. Essays in Honor of Herbert B. Huffmon (JSOTSup 372; London: T & T Clark International, 2004) 17-37.

Nissinen, M. – C. E. Carter (eds.), Images and Prophecy in the Ancient Eastern Mediterranean (FRLANT 233; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2009).

Nissinen, M., "Biblical Prophecy from a Near Eastern Perspective: The Cases of Kingship and Divine Possession", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Congress Volume Ljubljana 2007 (VTSup 133; Leiden: Brill, 2010) 441-468.

Nissinen, M., "Comparing Prophetic Sources: Principles and a Test Case", in J. Day (ed.), Prophecy and the Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHB/OTS 531; London & New York: T & T Clark, 2010) 3-24.

Petersen, D. L., "Defining Prophecy and Prophetic Literature", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 33-44.

Ramlot, L., "Prophétisme, I: Prophétisme et politique en Orient", DBSup 8 (1972) 812-908.

Ringgren, H., "Prophecy in the Ancient Near East", in R. Coggins – A. Phillips – M. Knibb (eds.), Israel's Prophetic Tradition: Essays in Honour of Peter R. Ackroyd (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982) 1-11.

Sparks, K. L., "Intermediary Texts: Omens and Prophecies", in K. L. Sparks, Ancient Texts for the Study of the Hebrew Bible: A Guide to the Background Literature (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005) 216-239.

Stökl, J., "Female Prophets in the Ancient Near East", in J. Day (ed.), Prophecy and the Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHB/OTS 531; London & New York: T & T Clark, 2010) 47-61.

Weeks, S., "Predictive and Prophetic Literature: Can Neferti Help Us Read the Bible?", in J. Day (ed.), Prophecy and the Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHB/OTS 531; London & New York: T & T Clark, 2010) 25-46.

Weippert, M., "Prophetie im Alten Orient", in M. Görg – B. Lang (eds.), Neues Bibel-Lexikon III (Zürich: Benziger, 2001) 196-200.

2.    Divination and related phenomena      [top of page]

Bottéro, J., "Symptômes, signes, écritures en Mésopotamie ancienne", in J. Vernant et al., Divination et rationalité (Paris: Seuil, 1974) 70-197.

Cryer, F. H., Divination in Ancient Israel and its Near Eastern Environment: A Socio-Historical Investigation (JSOTSup 142; Sheffield; JSOT Press, 1994).

Glassner, J.-J., "L'herméneutique des devins mésopotamiens", in C. Batsch – M. Vartejanu-Joubert (eds.), Manières de penser dans l'Antiquité méditerranéenne et orientale. Mélanges offerts à Francis Schmidt par ses élèves, ses collègues et ses amis (JSJSup 134; Leiden: Brill, 2009) 39-50.

Jeffars, A., Magic and Divination in Ancient Palestine and Syria (Studies in the History and Culture of the Ancient Near East, 8; Leiden: Brill, 1996)

Nigosian, S. A., Magic and Divination in the Old Testament (Brighton: Sussex Academic Press, 2008).

Nissinen, M., "Comparing Prophetic Sources: Principles and a Test Case", in J. Day (ed.), Prophecy and the Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHB/OTS 531; London & New York: T & T Clark, 2010) 3-24. [on "prophecy as divination" pp. 15-20]

Starr, I., Queries to the Sungod. Divination and Politics in Sargonid Assyria (State Archives of Assyria, 4; Helsinki: Helsinki University Press, 1990).

Zuesse, E. M., "Divination", in M. Eliade et al. (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Religion, vol. 4 (New York: Macmillan, 1987) 376-378.

3.    Prophecy in Ancient Egypt:  a debated question      [top of page]

Edelman, D. V., "Of Priests and Prophets and Interpreting the Past: The Egyptian hm-ntr and hry-hbt and the Judahite nabî’", in P. R. Davies – D. V. Edelman (eds.), The Historian and the Bible: Essays in Honour of Lester L. Grabbe (LHB/OTS 530; London: T & T Clark, 2010) 103-112.

Liwak, R., "Herrschaft zur Überwindung der Krise. Politische Prophetie in Ägypten und Israel", in R. Lux – E.-J. Waschke (eds.), Die unwiderstehliche Wahrheit. Studien zur alttestamentlichen Prophetie. Festschrift für Arndt Meinhold (Arbeiten zur Bibel und ihrer Geschichte, 23; Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2006) 57-83.

Ramlot, L., "Prophétisme", DBSup 8 (1972) 812-868.

Shupak, N., "Egyptian 'Prophecy' and Biblical Prophecy: Did the Phenomenon of Prophecy, in the Biblical Sense, Exist in Ancient Egypt?", Jaarbericht Ex Oriente Lux 31 (1989-90) 5-40.

Weeks, S., "Predictive and Prophetic Literature: Can Neferti Help Us Read the Bible?", in J. Day (ed.), Prophecy and the Prophets in Ancient Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (LHB/OTS 531; London & New York: T & T Clark, 2010) 25-46.

4.    Prophecy at Mari      [top of page]

Barstad, H., "Mari and the Hebrew Bible: Some Parallels", SEÅ 70 (2005) 21-32.

Barstad, H. M., "Sic dicit dominus: Mari Prophetic Texts and the Hebrew Bible", in Y. Amit – E. Ben Zvi – I. Finkelstein – O. Lipschits (eds.), Essays on Ancient Israel in its Near Eastern Context. A Tribute to Nadav Na'aman (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2006) 21-52.

Cagni, L. (a cura di), Le profezie di Mari (Testi del Vicino Oriente Antico II/2; Brescia: Paideia, 1995).

Charpin, D., "Prophètes et rois dans le Proche-orient amorrite", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Prophètes et rois: Bible et Proche-Orient (Lectio Divina hors série; Paris: Cerf, 2001) 21-53.

Durand, J.-M., Archives épistolaires de Mari, I/1 (Archives royales de Mari, XXVI; Paris: Éditions Recherches sur les Civilisations, 1988).

Durand, J.-M., "Prophéties et rêves", in J.-Cl. Margueron – J.-M. Durand – D. Charpin – L. Marti – H. Reculeau – A. Jacquet – G. Chambon, "Tel Hariri / Mari", DBSup 14 [fasc. 77-78, 2008] col. 369-371 [col. 17-456].

Fleming, D. E., "Prophets and Temple Personnel in the Mari Archives", in L. L. Grabbe – A. O. Bellis (eds.), The Priests in the Prophets. The Portrayal of Priests, Prophets and Other Religious Specialists in the Latter Prophets (JSOTSup 408; London: T & T Clark, 2004) 44-64.

Huffmon, H. B., "The Expansion of Prophecy in the Mari Archives: New Texts, New Readings, New Information", in Y. Gitay (ed.), Prophecy and Prophets: The Diversity of Contemporary Issues in Scholarship (Semeia Studies; Atlanta, GA: Scholars, 1997) 7-22.

Huffmon, H. B., "A Company of Prophets: Mari, Assyria, Israel", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 47-70.

Jacquet, A., "La divination", in J.-Cl. Margueron – J.-M. Durand – D. Charpin – L. Marti – H. Reculeau – A. Jacquet – G. Chambon, "Tel Hariri / Mari", DBSup 14 [fasc. 77-78, 2008] col. 371-379 [col. 17-456].

Lemaire, A., "Les textes prophétiques de Mari dans leurs relations avec l'Ouest", in J.-M. Durand (ed.), Amurru 1: Mari, Ébla et les Hourrites. Dix ans de travaux. Premiére partie. Actes du Colloque International (Paris, mai 1993) (Paris: Éditions Recherches sur les Civilisations, 1996) 427-438.

Malamat, A., Mari and the Bible (Studies in the History and Culture of the Ancient Near East, 12; Leiden: Brill, 1998).

Malamat, A., "Addendum to Luigi Cagni's Collection of Mari Prophecies", in S. Graziani (ed.), Studi sul Vicino Oriente Antico dedicati alla memoria di Luigi Cagni. Vol. 2 (Napoli: Istituto Universitario Orientale, 2000) 631-634.

Roberts, J. J. M., "The Mari Prophetic Texts in Transliteration and English Translation", in J. J. M. Roberts, The Bible and the Ancient Near East: Collected Essays (Sources for Biblical and Theological Study, 11; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2002) 157-253.

Stökl, J., "The Role of Women in the Prophetical Process in Mari: A Critique of Mary Keller's Theory of Agency", in M. Augustin – H. M. Niemann (eds.), Thinking Towards New Horizons: Collected Communications to the XIXth Congress of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament, Ljubljana 2007 (BEATAJ 55; Frankfurt am Main: Lang, 2008) 173-188. [see here for Mary Keller's work]

5.    Neo-Assyrian prophecy      [top of page]

Bonnet, C. – P. Merlo, "Royal Prophecy in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East: Methodological Problems and Examples", Studi Epigrafici e Linguistici 19 (2002) 77-86.

Hilber, J. W., , Cultic Prophecy in the Psalms (BZAW 352; Berlin: de Gruyter, 2005), espec. 40-75 [= Chap. 2: "Assyrian Cultic Prophecy"].

Jong, M. J. de, Isaiah among the Ancient Near Eastern Prophets. A Comparative Study of the Earliest Stages of the Isaiah Tradition and the Neo-Assyrian Prophecies (VTSup 117; Leiden: Brill, 2007).

Merlo, P., "Profezia neoassira e oracoli di salvezza biblici. Motivazioni, forme e contenuti di un possibile confronto", RivB 50 (2002) 129-152.

Nissinen, M., References to Prophecy in Neo-Assyrian Sources (State Archives of Assyria Studies, 7; Helsinki: Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, 1998).

Nissinen, M., "The Socioreligious Role of the Neo-Assyrian Prophets", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 89-114.

Parpola, S., Assyrian Prophecies. Illustrations edited by J. Reade and S. Parpola. (State Archives of Assyria, 9. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press, 1997).

Stökl, J., "Ištar's Women, YHWH's Men? A Curious Gender-Bias in Neo-Assyrian and Biblical Prophecy", ZAW 121 (2009) 87-100.

Toorn, K. van der, "Mesopotamian Prophecy between Immanence and Transcendence: A Comparison of Old Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian Prophecy", in M. Nissinen (ed.), Prophecy in Its Ancient Near Eastern Context: Mesopotamian, Biblical, and Arabian Perspectives (Society of Biblical Literature. Symposium Series, 13; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000) 71-87.

Villard, P., "Les prophéties à l'époque néo-assyrienne", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Prophètes et rois: Bible et Proche-Orient (Lectio Divina hors série; Paris: Cerf, 2001) 55-84.

Weippert, M., "Assyrische Prophetien der Zeit Asarhaddons und Assurbanipals", in F. M. Fales (ed.), Assyrian Royal Inscriptions. New Horizons in Literary, Ideological and Historical Analysis. Papers of a Symposium held at Cetona (Siena), June 26-28, 1980 (Orientis Antiqui Collectio, 17; Roma: Istituto per l'Oriente, 1981) 71-115.

Weippert, M., "'König, fürchte dich nicht!' Assyrische Prophetie im 7. Jahrhundert v. Chr", Or N.S. 71 (2002) 1-54.

6.    Prophecy in the Syro-Palestinian area in general      [top of page]

Lemaire, A., "Oracles, propagande et littérature dans les royaumes araméens et transjordaniens. (IX^e - VIII^e s. av. n.è)", in J.-G. Heintz (ed.), Oracles et Prophéties dans l'Antiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 15-17 Juin 1995 (Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg. Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le Proche-Orient et la Grèce Antiques, 15; Paris: De Boccard, 1997) 171-193.

Lemaire, A., "Prophètes et rois dans les inscriptions ouest-sémitiques (ix^e-vi^e siècle av. J.C.)", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Prophètes et rois: Bible et Proche-Orient (Lectio Divina hors série; Paris: Cerf, 2001) 85-115.

7.    Prophecy at Emar?      [top of page]

Arnaud, D., Recherches au pays d'Aštata: Emar VI/4. Textes de la bibliothèque: transcriptions et traductions (Mission Archéologique de Meskéné-Emar; Paris: Éditions Recherche sur les Civilisations, 1987).

Fleming, D. E., "The Etymological Origins of the Hebrew nābî’: The One Who Invokes God", CBQ 55 (1993) 217-224.

Fleming, D., "Nābû and Munabbiātu: Two New Syrian Religious Personnel", Journal of the American Oriental Society 113 (1993) 175-183.

Huehnergard, J., "On the Etymology and Meaning of Hebrew Nâbi’ ", in B. A. Levine et al. (eds.), Frank Moore Cross Volume (Eretz-Israel 26; Jerusalem: The Israel Exploration Society, 1999) 88*-93*.

Margueron, J.-C., "Emar", ABD II (1992) 488-490.

Tsukimoto, A., "Emar and the Old Testament – Preliminary Remarks", AJBI 15 (1989) 3-24.

8.    Prophecy at Ugarit?      [top of page]

Wyatt, N., "Word of Tree and Whisper of Stone: El's Oracle to King Keret (Kirta), and the Problem of the Mechanics of its Utterance", VT 57 (2007) 483-510. Reprinted in N. Wyatt, Word of Tree and Whisper of Stone: And Other Papers on Ugaritian Thought (Gorgias Ugaritic Studies, 1; Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, 2007) 167-192.

9.    Byblos      [top of page]

Betrò, M. C. (a cura di), Racconti di viaggio e di avventura dell'antico Egitto (Testi del Vicino Oriente Antico I/1; Brescia: Paideia, 1990) 59-73.

Cody, A., "The Phoenician Ecstatic in Wenamūn: A Professional Oracular Medium", The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 65 (1979) 99-106.

Sass, B., "Wenamun and His Levant – 1075 BC or 925 BC?", Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 12 (2002) 247-255.

Schipper, B. U., Die Erzählung des Wenamun: Ein Literaturwerk im Spannungsfeld von Politik, Geschichte und Religion (OBO 209; Fribourg: Academic Press; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2005).

10.     Ḥamath      [top of page]

Buhl, M.-L., "Hamath", ABD III (1992) 33-36.

Hafthorsson [Hafþorsson], S., A Passing Power: An Examination of the Sources for the History of Aram-Damascus in the Second Half of the Ninth Century B.C. (CBOT 54; Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 2006) 65-66.

Lemaire, A., "Oracles, propagande et littérature dans les royaumes araméens et transjordaniens. (IXe - VIIIe s. av. n.è)", in J.-G. Heintz (ed.), Oracles et Prophéties dans l'Antiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 15-17 Juin 1995 (Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg. Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le Proche-Orient et la Grèce Antiques, 15; Paris: De Boccard, 1997) 172-175 [171-193].

Lemaire, A., "Prophètes et rois dans les inscriptions ouest-sémitiques (ix^e-vi^e siècle av. J.C.)", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Prophètes et rois: Bible et Proche-Orient (Lectio Divina hors série; Paris: Cerf, 2001) 93-96 [85-115].

Ross, J. F., "Prophecy in Hamath, Israel, and Mari", HTR 63 (1970) 1-28.

11.    Deir ‘Allā      [top of page]

Blum, E., "Die Kombination I der Wandinschrift vom Tell Deir ‘Allā: Vorschläge zur Rekonstruktion mit historisch-kritischen Anmerkungen”, in I. Kottsieper – R. Schmitt – J. Wöhrle (eds.), Berührungspunkte: Studien zur Sozial- und Religionsgeschichte Israels und seiner Umwelt. Festschrift für Rainer Albertz zu seinem 65. Geburtstag (AOAT 350; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2008) 573-601.

Dijkstra, M., "Is Balaam Also among the Prophets?", JBL 114 (1995) 43-64.

Hackett, J. A., "Deir ‘Alla, Tell: Texts", ABD II (1992) 129-130.

Hoftijzer, J. – G. van der Kooij (eds.), Aramaic Texts from Deir ‘Alla. With contributions by H. J. Franken, V. R. Mehra, J. Voskuil, J. A. Mosk. Preface by P. A. H. De Boer (Documenta et Monumenta Orientis Antiqui, 19; Leiden: Brill, 1976).

Hoftijzer, J. – G. van der Kooij (eds.), The Balaam Text from Deir ‘Alla Re-Evaluated. Proceedings of the International Symposium held at Leiden 21-24 August 1989 (Leiden: Brill, 1991).

Lemaire, A., "Oracles, propagande et littérature dans les royaumes araméens et transjordaniens. (IXe - VIIIe s. av. n.è)", in J.-G. Heintz (ed.), Oracles et Prophéties dans l'Antiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 15-17 Juin 1995 (Université des sciences humaines de Strasbourg. Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le Proche-Orient et la Grèce Antiques, 15; Paris: De Boccard, 1997) 188-193 [171-193].

Lemaire, A., "Prophètes et rois dans les inscriptions ouest-sémitiques (ix^e-vi^e siècle av. J.C.)", in A. Lemaire (ed.), Prophètes et rois: Bible et Proche-Orient (Lectio Divina hors série; Paris: Cerf, 2001) 96-101 [85-115].

Müller, H.-P., "Die aramäische Inschrift von Deir ‘Allā und die älteren Bileamsprüche", ZAW 94 (1982) 214-244.

Puech, E., "L'inscription de Deir Alla", Le Monde de la Bible 46 (nov.-déc. 1986) 36-37.

Puech, E., "Balaam and Deir Alla", in G. H. van Kooten (ed.), The Prestige of the Pagan Prophet Balaam in Judaism, Early Christianity and Islam (Themes in Biblical Narrative, 11; Leiden: Brill, 2008) 25-47.

Seebass, H., "Exkurs: Zum Bileam-Text von tell dēr ‘allā ", in H. Seebass, Numeri. Bd. 3 (BKAT IV/3, Lief. 1; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 2004) 55-59.