NOTE:
This post has been withdrawn. The post has been published in my book, Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. The approach taken in the book is to compare how different translations have approached difficult texts in the Old Testament. The goal of the book is to invite readers to reread the biblical text in light of the new understanding of the intent of the original writer of the text. You can order the book from Amazon.
Rereading the Biblical Text
Visit my Amazon author’s page to purchase the book (click here).
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
A Note About This Post:
Before “The Balm of Gilead” was withdrawn for publication, “The Balm of Gilead” was read 1252 times by readers. “The Balm of Gilead” was also shared 4 times by readers who enjoyed reading the post. You can read “The Balm of Gilead” and other articles on problems in Bible translation by reading my book Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. Below is the content of the book:
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments – Page xi
Abbreviations – Page xii
Introduction – Page xv
SECTION 1 — THE PENTATEUCH
Chapter 1. The Creation of Animals in Genesis 2:19 – Page 3
Chapter 2. The Serpent Was Right (Genesis 3) – Page 7
Chapter 3. The Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15) – Page 11
Chapter 4. Were They Really Giants? (Genesis 6:4) – Page 17
Chapter 5. “As Far as Dan” (Gen 14:14) – Page 20
Chapter 6. Abraham and the Promises of God – Page (Genesis 12:7) – Page 23
Chapter 7. The Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:8) – Page 26
Chapter 8. The Rape of Bilhah (Genesis 35:22) – Page 29
Chapter 9. Miriam, a Leader in Israel (Exodus 15:20) – Page 32
Chapter 10. Azazel (Leviticus 16:8-10) – Page 35
Chapter 11. Understanding Numbers 24:24 – Page 38
SECTION 2 — THE HISTORICAL BOOKS
Chapter 12. The Levite and His Concubine (Judges 19:1–30) – Page 43
Chapter 13. The Sacrifice of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 47
Chapter 14. The Fate of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 4750
Chapter 15. The Virginity of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 54
Chapter 16. Who Went Back to the City? (Ruth 3:15) – Page 59
Chapter 17. Was Ruth Barren? (Ruth 4:13) – Page 59
Chapter 18. King Saul: Little in His Own Eyes (1 Samuel 15:17) – Page 63
Chapter 19. How Old Was Saul? (1 Samuel 13:1) – Page 64
Chapter 20. David and Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) – Page 67
Chapter 21. David’s Sons Were Priests ((2 Samuel 8:18) – Page 70
Chapter 22. “Him that Pisseth against the Wall” (1 Samuel 25:22) – Page 72
Chapter 23. Whose Cloak Did Ahijah Tear? (1Kinga 11:4–7) – Page 78
Chapter 24. The Challenges of Parenthood (2 Kinga 21:25–26) – Page 82
SECTION 3 — THE WISDOM AND POETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 25. Psalm 8:5: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 87
Chapter 26. Understanding Psalm 17:14 – Page 90
Chapter 27. Jezebel’s Wedding Song (Psalm 45:1–17) – Page 93
Chapter 28. Psalm 100:3: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 99
Chapter 29. Sons or Children? (Psalm 127:3-5) – Page 103
Chapter 30. Proverbs 29:18 – Page 106
Chapter 31. “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? (Song of Songs 1:5) – Page 108
SECTION 4 — THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 32. The Use of Gender Inclusive Language (Isaiah 9:1) – Page 115
Chapter 33. “You Have Increased Their Joy” (Isaiah 9:3) – Page 118
Chapter 34. Who Will the Messiah Strike? (Isaiah 11:4) – Page 120
Chapter 35. The Way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3) – Page 122
Chapter 36. “All Their Goodliness” (Isa 40:6) – Page 126
Chapter 37. The Proclaimer of Good News (Isaiah 40:9) – Page 129
Chapter 38. The Problem of Divorce in the Old Testament (Isaiah 50:1) – Page 132
Chapter 39. Beulah Land (Isaiah 62:4) – Page 135
Chapter 40. The Balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) – Page 138
Chapter 41. The Mother of Seven (Jeremiah 15:9) – Page 142
Chapter 42. The Coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 144
Chapter 43. The Seventy Weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 148
Chapter 44. The Knowledge of God (Hosea 4:1) – Page 152
Chapter 45. The Word “Hesed” in the Book of Hosea (Hosea 4:1) – Page 154
Chapter 46. The Word “Justice” in Amos (Amos 5:24) – Page 157
Chapter 47. “What the Lord Requires” (Micah 6:8) – Page 160
Bibliography – Page 165
Index of Subjects – Page 169
Index of Authors – Page 171
Index of Scriptures and Other Ancient Documents – Page 173
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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If you are looking for other series of studies on the Old Testament, visit the Archive section and you will find many studies that deal with a variety of topics.
Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
>Great thoughts! I was searching google for "the balm of Gilead" and ran across your blog. God Bless you – Ernie
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>Ernie,Thank you for your comment. The book of Jeremiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible and I have written several posts on Jeremiah.Welcome to my blog. I hope you will return again.Claude Mariottini
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>Dr. Mariottini,I greatly appreciated your thoughtful scholarship in this post. I came across it doing general research for a message on Jehovah-Rapha.Michael
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>Michael, Thank you for your words. My posts are written to help pastors, seminary students, and lay people develop a better appreciation for the Old Testament.Welcome to my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>I like this! Since I was 16 the balm of gilead has intrigued me – what is the true meaning of it… I always wanted to study it, the only thing I had heard preached was that it is Jesus or the blood of Jesus. It never sat right with me, because it wasn't!Now 30 years later I have the revelation in my spirit as to the truth… Balm of Gilead is 'lord of oils'- it is the Holy Spirit!!!! Finally I have the answer! The Lord of oil, God's precious Holy Spirit, the One that comes to us after conversion and gives us continual infilling to overcome sin and regenerate God in us!! Jesus said, I have a baptism to be baptised with. !! He was speaking of the baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes after justification, after we become a christian, a separate thing! Heb. 6:1,2 – the teaching of baptismS!!! John's for justification – now we can be in right standing before God to continue in Christ and obedience to His laws and then His baptism, the baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire – oh what a balm He is – healing the sin and the temptation of self and flesh being burned out!!!He is my balm in Gilead!!! Glory to God!!!! So much to this!!!!
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>jennbo63,Thank you for your comment. I am happy to know that you liked what you read. However, I think you misunderstood what you read. Maybe you should read my post again.Claude Mariottini
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>I like your thoughts. I appreciate it. Thanks for sharing such nice post on Balm of Gilead. I like this site. It is nice to post here.
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>Dear Omega-3,Thank you for visiting my blog and thank you for your comment.My blog is designed to help people develop a deeper appreciation for the Old Testament. I hope you will find other posts as inspiring and as helpful as this one.I hope to hear from you again soon.Claude Mariottini
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>i also googled balm of gilead and came across your treatment of the subject. well put and insightful, i am in your debt.
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>JP,I am glad to know that my post was helpful to you. If you liked this post, you will probably enjoy many others I have written.Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you will come back again.Claude Mariottini
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>I came here looking up "balm in Gilead" from the article at this link http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/03/07/faith-in-cynicism/#more-8235As I type this I am I listening to Mahalia Jackson sing "There is a Balm in Gilead" available at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFMY4V7RdbUMaybe you can include it in the post.
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>Two more versions of "There is a Balm in Gilead" are hereone up tempoBalm In Gilead by Karen Clark Sheardhttp://popup.lala.com/popup/432627077923253188and one traditionalThere Is A Balm In Gilead-Tuskegee University Golden Voiceshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPA1Edusga8enjoy
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>Thanks for your post, and enlarging the context.
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>Misti,I am glad to know that you enjoyed the post on the balm of Gilead. Welcome to my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>Very insightful I was looking for the real meaning of the word on my google search when I saw your blog, but Is Christ the Balm of Gilead referred to in the passage
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