Dreams, Riddles, and Visions: Textual, Contextual, and Intertextual Approaches to the Book of Daniel (Beihefte Zur Zeitschrift Fur die ... Für die Alttestamentliche Wissensch)

The volume contains seven studies, each of which focuses on a different vision or chapter in Daniel and offers a new interpretation or reading of the passage in question. Many of the insights proposed in this volume are based upon the realization that the authors of Daniel were frequently interpreters of earlier biblical books, and that the identification of these intertextual clues can be the key to unlocking the meaning of these texts. Dreams, Riddles, and Visions: Textual, Contextual, and Intertextual Approaches to the Book of Daniel 4 Contents 6 Abbreviations 10 0 Introduction 14 0.1 Divinely Inspired Wisdom in Daniel 15 0.2 Textual Questions: Alternate Editions of Daniel 16 0.3 Intertextual Contexts: Daniel as Second Temple Literature 20 0.4 Exegetical Insights: Rereading the Book of Daniel 22 1 Introducing the Book of Daniel (Daniel 1) 26 1.1 The List of Instructions to Ashpenaz 28 1.2 How did God help Daniel vis-à-vis the שר הסריסים ? 32 1.3 A Story within a Story 35 Appendix: The Third Year of Jehoiakim’s Reign 39 2 Daniel as Interpreter of Dreams: The Literary Development of the Narrative in Daniel 2 45 2.1 Description of Daniel 2 45 2.2 Contradictions within Daniel 2 46 2.3 Divine Names as Supporting Evidence for Different Sources 50 2.4 A More Precise Source Division 54 2.5 Daniel as an “Improved” Joseph 61 2.6 Possible Origin of the Addition 64 3 Rereading the Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5) 68 3.1 They Could Not Read the Writing 68 3.2 The Riddle of the Writing 81 3.3 The Narrativization of Prophecy 92 3.4 Conclusions 106 4 The Textual and Literary Development of Daniel 4 107 4.1 The Structure of MT Daniel 4 109 4.2 Secondary Elements in MT Daniel 4 115 4.2.1 Daniel 4:3–7a,15 115 4.2.2 Daniel 4:13a 117 4.2.3 Daniel 4:14b 121 4.3 Secondary Elements in OG 122 4.3.1 Solving an Interpretive Crux – “in fetters of iron and bronze” 122 4.3.2 The Date of the Story 128 4.3.3 Additional Secondary Elements in OG 132 4.4 Summary Remarks on the Relationship between MT and OG 137 4.5 Does the Old Greek reflect a Semitic Vorlage? Evidence from a Parabiblical Composition 139 4.6 Conclusions 144 5 Reconsidering the Theological Background of Daniel 7 145 5.1 The Literary Unity of Daniel 7 145 5.2 Identifying the “One like a Man” 147 5.3 Translating and Identifying (עם) קדישי עליונין 152 5.4 Eschatological Biblical Interpretation: Establishing Yhwh’s Portion 157 5.5 Daniel 7 and the Other Apocalypses in Daniel: Daniel 7:25 163 5.6 Theological Worldview or Literary Appropriation? 166 6 The Chronological Conception of the Persian Period in Daniel 9 168 6.1 Introduction: Chronology in Daniel 9 – The Interpretive Consensus 168 6.2 A New Interpretation of Daniel 9 170 6.2.1 Darius the Mede – Historiography as Exegesis 172 6.2.2 Daniel’s Reading of Jeremiah 175 6.2.3 Gabriel’s Response to Daniel’s Prayer 178 6.2.4 A “Proto-Rabbinic” Chronological Conception in Daniel 9? Towards a “New” Identification of the משיח נגיד 184 6.3 Conclusions 191 7 Rethinking Jewish Life in the Diaspora: The Story of Susanna 193 7.1 Placement and Function of the Story of Susanna: Preliminary Considerations 194 7.2 The Interpretive Background of Susanna: Isaiah 2:3 Recontextualized 197 7.2.1 Isaiah 2:1–4 198 7.2.2 Isaiah 51:3–5 200 7.2.3 Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 1:2 (18d–19a) 202 7.3 Susanna 206 7.3.1 Shared Elements 209 7.3.2 Contrasting Elements 209 7.4 Conclusions 211 8 Conclusion 213 8.1 New Interpretive Insights into the Book of Daniel 213 8.2 Daniel as Early Jewish Interpretation 214 8.3 Interpretive Techniques in Daniel 215 8.3.1 Literary Modelling of Characters 215 8.3.2 Chronological Interpretation 216 8.3.3 Eschatological Interpretation 218 8.3.4 Ideological Interpretation 219 8.3.5 Narrativization 220 8.4 The Use of Textual Witnesses as Evidence for Literary Growth 221 8.5 The Literary Development of Daniel 223 8.6 Implications for the Literary Structure of Daniel 224 Bibliography 227 Index of Modern Authors 242 Index of Ancient Texts 246 The volume contains eight original studies, each of which focuses on a different chapter or central passage in Daniel and offers a new interpretation or reading of the passage in question. The studies span the Danielic tales and apocalypses, offering innovative analyses that often challenge the scholarly consensus regarding the exegesis of this book. The eight chapters relate to Daniel 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, Susanna, and the conception of angelology in Daniel. The studies are all based on careful textual analysis, including comparison between the Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek versions (especially regarding Daniel 4-6), and, in each case, the larger arguments are built upon solid philological foundations. Many of the insights proposed in this volume are based upon the realization that the authors of Daniel were frequently interpreters of earlier biblical books, and that the identification of these intertextual clues can be the key to unlocking the meaning of these texts. In this sense, Daniel is similar to other contemporaneous works, such as Jubilees and Qumran literature, but the extent of this phenomenon has not been fully appreciated by scholars of the book. This volume therefore contributes to the appreciation of Daniel as both the latest book in the Hebrew Bible, and a significant work in the landscape of Second Temple Judaism. Introduction -- Introducing The Book Of Daniel (daniel 1) -- Daniel As Interpreter Of Dreams : The Literary Development Of The Narrative In Daniel 2 -- Rereading The Writing On The Wall (daniel 5) -- The Textual And Literary Development Of Daniel 4 -- Reconsidering The Theological Background Of Daniel 7 -- The Chronological Conception Of The Persian Period In Daniel 9 -- Rethinking Jewish Life In The Diaspora : The Story Of Susanna -- Conclusion. Michael Segal. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. In der Reihe Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) erscheinen Arbeiten zu sämtlichen Gebieten der alttestamentlichen Wissenschaft. Im Zentrum steht die Hebräische Bibel, ihr Vor- und Nachleben im antiken Judentum sowie ihre vielfache Verzweigung in die benachbarten Kulturen der altorientalischen und hellenistisch-römischen Welt