Daniel: Introduction

Dani T. (CE3)

Book of Daniel
• Enigma?  questions about unity, authorship, dating & historicity
o Made up of two different types of material
o Written in two languages
o Divided into narrative and visions
o In Christian Bible numbered with OT prophets, in HB in the
writings
• Overarching message clear though  in spite of present
circumstances, God is in control

Place in Canon
• In the Prophets
o LXX & English  places Daniel in the prophets
o Jesus, DDS & Josephus  “Daniel the prophet’ in Mt 24:15
o Like some OT prophets Daniel had visions and predicted future

• In the Writings
o Hebrew canon
 Most scholars  Daniel written after Prophets was
regarded as completed (c.200BC)
 Daniel’s ministry was no prophetic in OT sense
• Did not deliver God’s message of judgement and/or
comfort his own generation
• Possessed a prophetic gift but not occupy office of
prophet
o However, distinction between office and gift
is a later one

Language
• One of only two biblical books written in 2 languages: Hebrew &
Aramaic
• But linguistic interchange does not coincide with the books literary or
unitary divisions
o 1.1-2.4a & 8-12  Hebrew
o 2.4b – 7:28  Aramaic : beginning of a speech and end of a
section

• Presumes that the final compiler (if not actual author) and intended
readership were bilingual
o Strongly suggests a post-exilic setting in which Aramaic became
perhaps the predominant language of the Judaeans (whose
primary historical language was Hebrew)

• Explanations for why the book is in two languages. All high speculative
and not particularly compelling

1. Daniel originally written in Hebrew but some parts lost and

subsequently replaced by Aramaic translation.
 Doesn’t explain why the breaks come at convenient
points, which suggest breaks were deliberate

2. Daniel was written in Aramaic but parts were then translated

into Hebrew for inclusion into canon
 Argument that Hebrew is poor quality and best seen as
translation
 However, why not translate the whole book?
• Silly suggestion that the inspectors would content
themselves with just a cursory examination of the
merchandise

3. Daniel is a composite work of two or three different authors

• Strongest evidence for multiple authorship in any document
consists in differences of genre, and theology between
stories (1-6) and visions (7-12).
o This distinction cuts right across the language division

4. Different languages reflect the social status of two different

audiences
 • Author wrote 2-7 in aramaic for a general audience
• Added 8-12 in Hebrew for learned readership
• Finally replaced original Aramaic introduction with one in
Hebrew
o Bit complicated and leaves unexplained the transition
in 2.4

5. The author consciously imitated Ezra

• Ezra Had material in Aramaic and reverted to Hebrew at end.
Daniel copied Ezra
o However, the Aramaic in Ezra is in two sections
o Very different to the one long block of Aramaic in
Daniel
o Silly explanation that the author forgot to revert back
to Hebrew

6. Developmental/Supplementary approach  probably best

explanation to date
o Hebrew-Aramaic evolved through a number of stages
i. Individual tales of 2-6 circulated independently
ii. Initially collection of 3:32-6:29
iii. Aramaic tales collected with introductory Chp 1 in
Hellenistic period
iv. Daniel 7 composed in early years of Antiochene
persuection
v. 8-12 in Hebrew added between 167-164 BC and
Chapter 1 translated to provide a Hebrew frame for
book

Ultimately the lingual structure does not match up well with the
theological/narrative structure.