I like
New King James Version's introduction to Daniel:
“Daniel's
life and ministry bridge the entire seventy-year period of Babylonian
captivity. Deported to Babylon at the age of sixteen [JV: how do we know this?] and handpicked for government service, Daniel becomes God's prophetic
mouthpiece to the gentile and Jewish world declaring God's present and eternal
purpose. Nine of the twelve chapters in his book revolve around dreams,
including God-given visions involving trees, animals, beasts, and images. In
both his personal adventures and prophetic visions, Daniel shows God's
guidance....The name
Naniye'l or Dani'el means “God Is My Judge.”"
The book
is written in two languages: Hebrew in Chapters 1 and 8-12; Aramaic Chapters
2-7. It is also of interest that the book is found in different locations in
different canons, i.e. In the Greek canon it is amongst the prophetic books (as it is in the King James Version); the Hebrew canon places it in the Writings, between Esther and
Ezra. This is significant as the interpretations are either prophetic or
apocalyptic.
The
literary setting is 6th
Century BCE, while the book was written in the time of Artiochus' persecution
of the Jews (167 BCE), to encourage Jews facing persecution. I will quote from
New Revised Standard Version: “As a whole the book of Daniel encourages and
consoles Jews facing persecution in the reign of Antiochus. In Chs. 1-6, it
provides them with heroic role models of Jews who thrive because they remain
faithful to Jewish law while serving a foreign king. In Chs. 7-12, it holds out
promise of deliverance in the new kingdom of God for those who remain faithful
in the face of persecution. Together these messages enunciate the book's major
theme of God's sovereign control of history.”
Oh Boy!
There is so much scholarly stuff written!
Joyce Voysey
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