56 dagmar kühn
belonged to the local élite who had not been eliminated by the assyrians
and that he enjoyed an appropriate worship after his death.128
2.4 Prieststhe only two inscriptions that refer to aramaean priests in Syria are
inscribed on commemorative stelae of two priests of the moon-god Śahr
from neirab (Kai 225; 226).129 the priests were referred to by the title
kmr as in later aramaic, where this title is often found. the inscription
and iconography of the stelae exemplify the high social position of the
priests. one of the priests, Šiʾgabbar, has already been mentioned in the
letter of the governor of harran to King Sargon ii. in this letter, he is called
lúSanGa and “servant of the king.” as Lipiński notes, “the sangû was a
priest of high rank or the chief religious administrator of a temple, by no
means an ecstatic and his qualification as ‘servant of the king’ suggests
that he was considered as a high dignitary.”130
2.5 Seers (ḥzyn) and Messengers (ʿddn)these two titles are documented in the inscription of King Zakkur (Kai
202). it is through seers (ḥzyn) and messengers (ʿddn), that Zakkur receives
the advice of the god Baʿalšamayin. the difference between these two offi-
cials is unclear. e. Lipiński thinks that the seer is the man who receives
the message and that the messenger conveys it to the king and probably
interprets its meaning.131 it is also not clear if the king had ordered the
questioning of Baʿalšamayin. also unclear is the exact relationship of the
two functionaries to the king and to the temple of Baʿalšamayin.
the title mlʾk is the general title for a messenger. in the treaties of Sefire
(Kai 224: 8), officials of this title convey messages from the king to his
loyal followers.
128 röllig 2003: 428.
129 niehr 2010a: 255–258 and id. 2010b.
130 Lipiński 2000a: 507. he furthermore hints at the prophet Balaʿam, who combines
both qualities: “he is described in the text (sc. in the inscription of tell deir ʿalla, com-
bination i:1) as ‘the man seeing the gods,’ ʾš ḥzh ʾlhn, while num 22: 5 calls him petōrāh,
‘interpreter’ of visions and dreams.”
131 Lipiński 2000a: 509.