0 Welcome
Welcome!
What do we think of when we think of the book of Daniel?
How comfortable do we feel living in the Diaspora/in America?
1a Plan for Our Course on Daniel
Class 1 Daniel 1
- Introduction:
- Part 1 of Daniel (Chapters 1-6): The court stories
- Chapter 1 Hebrew. Daniel and his three friends
Class 2
- Chapter 2 Aramaic. The dream of Nebuchadnezzar
- Summary of Chapter 3 Aramaic. The friends and the fiery furnace
Class 3
- Chapter 4 Aramaic. The madness of Nebuchadnezzar
Class 4
- Chapter 5 Aramaic. The writing on the wall
Class 5
- Chapter 6 Aramaic. Daniel in the lions’ den
Class 6
- Introduction: Part 2 of Daniel (Chapters 7-12): Apocalyptic visions
- Chapter 7 Aramaic. The four beasts
- Summary of Chapter 8 Hebrew. The ram and the he-goat
Class 7
- Chapter 9 Hebrew. Jeremiah’s prophecy of seventy years
Class 8
- Chapter 10 Hebrew. Vision of the last days, part 1
Class 9
- Chapter 11 Hebrew. Vision of the last days, part 2
Class 10
- Chapter 12 Hebrew. Vision of the last days, part 3
- Review of the Book of Daniel
- Prospect
Daniel in the Lions' Den, by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)- qgE_ZHxscNNGbA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22174501
1b Plan for this Class
2 Introduction to the Book of Daniel
3 Introduction to Chapters 1-6: The Court Stories
4 Questions for Chapter 1
5 Our Text: Chapter 1: Daniel and His Three Friends
6 Discussion and Commentaries
7 Summary and Next Class
2 Introduction to the Book of Daniel
- 2a What sort of book is Daniel?
- 2b Historical contexts of the book
- 2c When was it written?
- 2d The Hero Daniel
- 2e Court Stories and Apocalypses
2a What sort of book is Daniel?
- Placement in Tanach: Ketuvim (Writings), not Nevi'im (Prophets)
- Note: In Christian Bibles, following the Septuagint, Daniel follows Ezekiel and precedes Hosea
- Genres
- Court Stories 1-6
- Visions 7-12
- Languages
- Hebrew chapters 1, 8-12
- Aramaic 2-7
2b Historical contexts of the book
- Jehoiakim of Judah reigns 609 BCE
- Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
- becomes king ~606 BCE
- destroys the First Temple in 586 BCE
- Cyrus of Persia
- captures Babylon in 539 BCE
- allows Jews to rebuild the Temple in 538 BCE
- Alexander the Great of Macedon conquers the land of Israel in 334 BCE
- The Seleucid Empire (an outgrowth of Alexander's empire) controls Judea as of the beginning of the 2nd c. BCE.
- Antiochus Epiphanes IV (reigned 175-164): persecutions; revolt of the Maccabees 160s BCE
"...a monumental religious crisis faced the Jews living during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE). This monarch engaged in a determined and well-planned campaign to establish in his real the Greek way of life, including religion. No one was to be exempted from participation in the cultic practices of the state, and there would be no freedom of religion, not even in private." [Alexander DiLella, Anchor Daniel p 64]
“We are informed by Jerome that: ‘Porphyry wrote his twelfth book against the prophecy of Daniel, denying that it was composed by the person to whom it is ascribed in its title, but rather by some individual living in Judaea at the time of that Antiochus who was surnamed Epiphanes; he further alleged that ‘Daniel’ did not foretell the future so much as he related the past, and lastly that whatever he spoke of up till the time of Antiochus contained authentic history…” [John J. Collins, “Daniel,” Anchor Bible Dictionary II:30:a]. Porphyry was a 3rd c. CE Neoplatonist philosopher, author of Against the Christians in 15 books of which book 12 treats the book of Daniel.
“The Jewish community, like many other peoples during the Persian and Hellenistic periods, was dominated by powers distant and beyond its control. Self-determination was limited and always precarious. … Between Alexander’s death and Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Jerusalem was captured by foreign armies on at least ten occasions.” [J.H. Hayes, p 386]
“Endurance in the present and ultimate hope in God must have frequently seemed the only sensible postures when confronted with evil so broad and diffuse, so embodied in powers before whom men of faith were powerless." [J.H.Hayes, p 387]
The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nabonidus (r. 556–539 BC) Neo-Babylonian Empire at its greatest territorial extent. By IchthyovenatorSémhur (base map) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105149705
2c. When was the book of Daniel written?
Traditional view: Written by Daniel, a Jewish exile and courtier in the courts of Babylon and Persia, in the 6th century BCE.
"The Book of Daniel, probably written in its final version in 164 BCE, is thought to be the latest composition of the Hebrew Bible. Its narrative, however, is set much earlier, during the reigns of the powerful kings of Babylonia, Media, and Persia in the 6th century BCE." p 1635 [Lawrence M. Wills, Introduction to Daniel, Jewish Study Bible]
(26) What was said in the vision about evenings and mornings is true. Now you keep the vision a secret, for it pertains to far-off days.”
(א) אהללה נא אנשי חסד, אבותינו בדורותם.
(ב) רב כבוד חלק עליון, וגדלו מימות עולם.
(ג) דורי ארץ במלכותם, ואנשי שם בגבורתם.
(ג) היועצים בתבונתם, וחוזי כל בנבואתם.
(ד) שרי גוים במזמתם, ורוזנים במחקרותם.
(ד) חכמי שיח בספרתם, ומושלים במשמרותם.
Ben-Sira, not part of the biblical canon, was written in ca. 180 BCE
In Chapters 44-50, Ben Sira praises many biblical heroes, but does not mention Daniel.
(1) I wish to praise the pious men, our ancestors in their generations.
(2) Much honored portion of the Highest, and and His greatness from the days of old
(3) The earth's generations in their kingdoms, and the people of renown in their might; counselors in their understanding, and seers in their prophecy.
(4) Noblemen of nations in their designs, rulers in their plans; wise thinkers in their books, and proverb-tellers in their preserved works.
(סא) חנניה מישאל ועזריה בטחו בה׳, וינצלו מתוך כבשן האש.
(סב) וגם דניאל בתומת לבבו ניצל מגוב האריות.
(61) Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame [see Daniel 3].
(62) Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions [see Daniel 6].
2c The Hero Daniel
- Daniel in the book of Daniel
- Daniel in Rabbinic Literature
- Daniel elsewhere in Tanach
- Daniel in the Ancient Near East
(3) Then the king [=Nebuchadnezzar] ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring some Israelites of royal descent and of the nobility—
(6) Among them were the Judahites Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
״וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָנִיֵּאל לְבַדִּי אֶת הַמַּרְאָה וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עִמִּי לֹא רָאוּ אֶת הַמַּרְאָה אֲבָל חֲרָדָה גְדוֹלָה נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּבְרְחוּ בְּהֵחָבֵא״. מַאן נִינְהוּ אֲנָשִׁים? אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: זֶה חַגַּי זְכַרְיָה וּמַלְאָכִי. אִינְהוּ עֲדִיפִי מִינֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ עֲדִיף מִינַּיְיהוּ. אִינְהוּ עֲדִיפִי מִינֵּיהּ — דְּאִינְהוּ נְבִיאֵי וְאִיהוּ לָאו נָבִיא. אִיהוּ עֲדִיף מִינַּיְיהוּ — דְּאִיהוּ חֲזָא וְאִינְהוּ לָא חֲזוֹ.
(יג) בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם אֶ֚רֶץ כִּ֤י תֶֽחֱטָא־לִי֙ לִמְעׇל־מַ֔עַל וְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְשָׁבַ֥רְתִּי לָ֖הּ מַטֵּה־לָ֑חֶם וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי־בָ֣הּ רָעָ֔ב וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ (יד) וְ֠הָי֠וּ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ נֹ֖חַ (דנאל) [דָּנִיֵּ֣אל] וְאִיּ֑וֹב הֵ֤מָּה בְצִדְקָתָם֙ יְנַצְּל֣וּ נַפְשָׁ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אדושם ה׳׃
(ב) בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם אֱמֹר֩ לִנְגִ֨יד צֹ֜ר כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אדושם ה׳ יַ֣עַן גָּבַ֤הּ לִבְּךָ֙ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ל אָ֔נִי מוֹשַׁ֧ב אֱלֹקִ֛ים יָשַׁ֖בְתִּי בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּ֑ים וְאַתָּ֤ה אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וַתִּתֵּ֥ן לִבְּךָ֖ כְּלֵ֥ב אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ג) הִנֵּ֥ה חָכָ֛ם אַתָּ֖ה (מדנאל) [מִדָּֽנִיֵּ֑אל] כׇּל־סָת֖וּם לֹ֥א עֲמָמֽוּךָ׃
(2) O mortal, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus said the Sovereign GOD:
Because you have been so haughty and have said, “I am a god; I sit enthroned like a god in the heart of the seas,” whereas you are not a god but a human, though you deemed your mind equal to a god’s— (3) Yes, you are wiser than Daniel; In no hidden matter can anyone Compare to you.
The figure of Daniel in the Ancient Near East
"The name Dnil is also attached to a legendary figure at Ugarit, in the Aqhat legend [DR: 14th c BCE], where he is among other things, a judge. (The name means, most probably 'my judge is God' or possibly 'judge of God.') In Jubilees 4:20 Daniel is the uncle of Enoch. The fact that the name Daniel was widely associated with a legendary hero may raise some doubts about the historicity of the biblical figure." [John J. Collins, "Daniel, Book of," Anchor Bible Dictionary, II:30a]
The character Daniel
"There are narrative segments in the first seven chapters [of Daniel] but no real characters of the sort we encounter in the earlier biblical books. Daniel and his three friends are little more than exemplary figures of piety, without nuance or psychology..." [Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, Introduction to Daniel.]
2d Court Stories and Apocalypses
"The first part (Daniel 1-6) contains tales about Daniel and his companions which speak of Daniel in the third person. …. In the second half of the book (Daniel 7-12), Daniel has dreams and experiences visions…and the material is narrated in the first person." [J.H.Hayes, p. 367]
Court Stories (chapters 1-6)
"The specific type of midrash or edifying stories in the anonymous Part One of the book, chapters 1-6, is a Jewish adaptation of a literary genre found elsewhere in the Old Testament and in other ancient Near Eastern literature, namely the religious romance or popular tale of the successful or wise courtier." [Alexander DiLella, Introduction to Daniel (Anchor Bible 1978), p 55]
Parallels in Tanach:
- Joseph stories in Genesis
- Esther
Apocalyptic (chapters 7-12)
Greek apokalypsis "uncovering or disclosure, manifestation or revelation" [A. DiLella, p 63]
"'Apocalypse' is a genre of revelatory literature with a narrative framework, in which a revelation is mediated by an otherworldly being to a human recipient, disclosing a transcendent reality which is both temporal, insofar as it envisages eschatological salvation, and spatial, insofar as it involves another, supernatural world" (Collins 1979: 9)
[Paul D. Hanson, “Apocalypses and Apocalypticism,” Anchor Bible Dictionary I:279b]
"Jewish Apocalyptic is distinct from the priestly tradition and the prophetic tradition . ‘it is wisdom and knowledge to be taught and learned’" [John H. Hayes, An Introduction to Old Testament Study, “Daniel and Jewish Apocalyptic,” p. 383]
We will look more closely at the genre of Apocalyptic literature in class 6, as we turn our attention to the second half of the book of Daniel.
Shared Concerns throughout the book
"The themes of the sovereign power of God of God's relationship to foreign kings unite the various materials found in Daniel. The Babylonian exile and the foreign rule of Judea raised questions about God's power to shape historical events. [Amy C. Merrill Willis, Introduction to Daniel, New Oxford Annotated Bible, p. 1250.]
"the book in its present form has an overall literary unity centering on the person of Daniel and a central theological purpose, viz. to inculcate courage and fidelity in the persecuted and disheartened Jews of Maccabean times…" [A. DiLella, Anchor Daniel, Introduction, p. 16]
3 Introduction to The Court Stories (chapters 1-6)
“chapters 1-6 are six midrashic or edifying stories, narrated in the third person, about an ancient worthy named Daniel and his three fellow believers who undergo various trials because of their piety and strict observance of Jewish customs and practices.” [A. DiLella, Anchor Bible, Daniel, Introduction, p. 3]
“The six midrashic folk tales in chapters 1-6, even in their written form, most likely antedate the vicious persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and in oral form these stories may go back to the Persian period…” [Ibid., p. 13]
“The tales may be most appropriately categorized as legends, narratives ‘primarily concerned with the wonderful and aimed at edification’ (Collins 1984a:41). Their genre can be further specified by their fictional setting: they recount adventures at a royal court.” [J. Collins, "Daniel," Anchor Bible Dictionary, II:31:b]
“It has been suggested that the tales propose ‘a lifestyle for the Diaspora,’ specifically for upper-class Jews in the Eastern Diaspora.” [Ibid., II:33b]
Links between chapters
Chapter 2 Aramaic. The dream of Nebuchadnezzar is linked with
- Chapter 7 Aramaic. The four beasts
Chapter 3 Aramaic. The friends and the fiery furnace is linked with
- Chapter 6 Aramaic. Daniel in the lions’ den
Chapter 4 Aramaic. The madness of Nebuchadnezzar is linked with
- Chapter 5 Aramaic. The writing on the wall
4 Questions for Daniel Chapter 1
- How does chapter 1 introduce Daniel and his three friends?
- What do we learn about the friends and about Daniel in this chapter?
- How does Daniel show his dedication to God in this chapter?
- Does Daniel remind you of other biblical figures?
5 Our Text: Daniel chapter 1
(1) In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. (2) The Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, together with some of the vessels of the House of God, and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the house of his god; he deposited the vessels in the treasury of his god. (3) Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring some Israelites of royal descent and of the nobility— (4) youths without blemish, handsome, proficient in all wisdom, knowledgeable and intelligent, and capable of serving in the royal palace—and teach them the writings and the language of the Chaldeans. (5) The king allotted daily rations to them from the king’s food and from the wine he drank. They were to be educated for three years, at the end of which they-a were to enter the king’s service.
(6) Among them were the Judahites Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. (7) The chief officer gave them new names; he named Daniel Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego. (8) Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or the wine he drank, so he sought permission of the chief officer not to defile himself, (9) and God disposed the chief officer to be kind and compassionate toward Daniel. (10) The chief officer said to Daniel, “I fear that my lord the king, who allotted food and drink to you, will notice that you look out of sorts, unlike the other youths of your age—and you will put my life in jeopardy with the king.”
(11) Daniel replied to the guard/meltzar whom the chief officer had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (12) “Please test your servants for ten days, giving us legumes to eat and water to drink. (13) Then compare our appearance with that of the youths who eat of the king’s food, and do with your servants as you see fit.” (14) He agreed to this plan of theirs, and tested them for ten days. (15) When the ten days were over, they looked better and healthier than all the youths who were eating of the king’s food. (16) So the guard kept on removing their food, and the wine they were supposed to drink, and gave them legumes.
Daniel refusing to eat at the King's table (early 20th-century American illustration), by Otto Adolph Stemler (1872–1953) - http://www.thebiblerevival.com/clipart48.htm , Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10267625
6 Discussion and Commentaries
(2) The Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, together with some of the vessels of the House of God, and he brought them to the land of Shinar to the house of his god [or gods]; he deposited the vessels in the treasury of his god.
His gods
'Marduk, the Babylonian creator god, and Marduk's son Nabu, whose name is used in Nebuchadnezzar's own name. [Amy C. Merrill Willis, New Oxford Annotated Bible, comment to Daniel 1.2
(4) youths without blemish, handsome, proficient in all wisdom, knowledgeable and intelligent, and capable of serving in the royal palace—and teach them the writings and the language of the Chaldeans. (5) The king allotted daily rations to them from the king’s food and from the wine he drank. They were to be educated for three years, at the end of which they-a were to enter the king’s service.
(45) Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—
"Daniel and his friends refuse the king's food, presumably because it violated the food laws in Leviticus ch. 11 and Deuteronomy ch. 14. This verse also offers the only biblical indication of the later rabbinic law that Jews should not drink pagan wine.
"A stronger emphasis on dietary laws as a way of living a pious life away from the Temple developed in the Diaspora, as reflected here and in many works in the Apocrypha (Tobit...Judith...1st Maccabees...2nd Maccabees..." [Lawrence M. Wills, Jewish Study Bible, commentary to Daniel]
7 Summary and Next Class
Class 2 - Monday, September 16
- Chapter 2 Aramaic. The dream of Nebuchadnezzar
- Summary of Chapter 3 Aramaic. The friends and the fiery furnace