Book of Decision (Commentary on Deuteronomy)

Judah Ibn Bal‘am

Commentary on Deuteronomy 4:24, 13:2-4

Mid-11th Century

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire. (Deuteronomy 4:24)

Know that we do not explain a verse contrary to its plain meaning except in three cases. The first is if the verse contains something that reason rejects; then we must interpret the verse such that it conforms to [the dictates of] reason. The second is if a verse cannot be read…

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These passages, from the Judeo-Arabic Book of Decision (Kitāb al-tarjīḥ), highlight different themes from Ibn Bal‘am’s exegetical thought. The first, from the commentary to Deuteronomy 4:24, discusses the theological impossibility of God truly being “a consuming fire.” Rather, the author insists that certain verses must not be taken literally. The second passage, from the commentary to Deuteronomy 13:3, addresses the theory of prophecy, a popular issue in medieval Muslim theology. In particular, Ibn Bal‘am argues against the idea that Israel’s revelation has been abrogated.

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