Nexus Chronicle

In the spring of 1967, during excavations at Tell Deir Alla in the Jordan Valley, archaeologists uncovered a highly fragmented plaster inscription that would forever alter our understanding of ancient Near Eastern prophecy and biblical history. Written in a unique local dialect of Aramaic or South Canaanite, the text explicitly names Balaam, son of Beor —the very same non-Israelite prophet featured in the biblical Book of Numbers. This discovery, known as the Deir Alla Inscription , represents one of the most significant extra-biblical correlations ever found, providing a rare window into the religious and literary landscape of the 8th century BCE. The Discovery and Archaeological Context Tell Deir Alla, located just east of the Jordan River near the confluence with the Jabbok River, is widely identified with the biblical city of Succoth. During the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, this site served as an important religious and industrial hub. In 1967, a Dutch expedition led by Henk Franken ...