A Touch of Support: Ps 3,6 and the Psalmist’s Experience 201 (3) 1 Sam 3: Spending the night in the temple of Shiloh near “the Ark of God” (v. 3) Samuel seems to set the stage for an incubation dream. But as the story unfolds it reveals that this is far removed from his intentions (vv. 5-10). The divine call that repeatedly wakes him he mistakes for Eli’s call. Three times he goes to Eli until finally, directed by Eli how to respond, he follows the directions meticulously, apparently quite awake by now. As the “boy” (v. 1) becomes a “prophet” (v. 20) also the traditional, archetypal prophetic dream (Num 12,6) turns into a direct encounter, to suit the author’s idea of a prophet: one chosen by God to hear his word directly and deliver it truthfully (1 Sam 3,19-20; cp. Num 12,7-8). (4) Job 4,12-21: Eliphaz reports an uncanny nocturnal revelation that brought a sapiential “word” with an a fortiori argumentation on the physical and moral frailty of humanity (vv. 17-21). The reference to hmdrt (RSV: “when deep sleep falls on men”, v. 13) may be intended to indicate the time rather than the condition of the recipient (34). In distinction from the oblique description in Elihu’s speech (where the same phrase is used; 33,15) dream terminology is absent here. The phraseology and structure of Eliphaz’ report can be traced to prophetic or quasi-prophetic accounts of theophany as Gen 15,12, Exod 33,19; 34,6 and 1 Kgs 19,11-12. Yet unlike Abraham, Moses, and Elijah in these stories, he remains vague about the divine entity, and the “word” comes to him “stealthily” (v. 12). Apart from showing the author’s art in ‘double entendre’ (35), such qualities suggest that Job 4,12-21 is an adaptation of the prophetic liminal report to a sapiential milieu. (5) Ps 17: A “prayer” (according to the superscription) for god’s response and protection from cruel enemies (vv. 6-14) is encased between two motifs that are typical of liminal reports: “night” (v. 3), when God is invited to examine the psalmist’s innermost being, and awakening (v. 15), here associated with his hope of seeing God’s “face” and “form” (hnwmt, the term that in Num 12,8 characterizes God’s direct appearance to Moses which is (34) Byron in Hebrew Melodies rendered this phrase: “Deep sleep came down on ev’ry eye save mine”. See D. CLINES, “Job 413: A Byronic Suggestion”, ZAW 92 (1980) 289-291. (35) The technique was first described by K. FULLERTON, “Double Entendre in the First Speech of Eliphaz”, JBL 49 (1930) 320-374, but not related to this particular verse. See also R.J.Z. WERBLOWSKY, “Stealing the Word”, VT 6 (1956) 105-106.