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Daniel, Book

Biblical Pseudepigraphy: Are Falsely Attributed Biblical Texts Deceptive?

Is editing and writing in the guise of Moses, Solomon, or Daniel a legitimate literary convention, justified because of the author’s inspired state? Or is this practice a form of deceit, even forgery?

Prof.

Jonathan Klawans

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Persia’s Achaemenid Dynasty—If You Read the Bible Without History

Ezra-Nehemiah mentions only four of the twelve kings who ruled the Persian empire: Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes. The book of Daniel also speaks of four Persian kings, and adds a fictional Darius the Mede as their precursor. Historically, the Achaemenid period lasted 220 years, but using only the kings mentioned in the Bible, rabbinic texts reconstruct a 52-year Persian period.

Dr. Rabbi

Zev Farber

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Chaim Shvilly’s Confession for Bible Critics

Dismayed by claims of modern scholars that the Book of Daniel’s historical survey of the Seleucid era was written post-facto by a Hellenistic author, Chaim Shvilly (1907–1974) composed a ritual confession that Bible critics would be required to say at Daniel’s grave.

Staff Editors

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Josephus Rejected the Rebellion Against Rome, Why Did He Celebrate Chanukah?

The Great Revolt against Rome was rooted in the Hasmonean ideology of Judean independence, yet Josephus, who warned against fighting Rome, still celebrated the Hasmonean military triumph against the Greeks.

Prof.

Steve Mason

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Pharaoh and Joseph Speak of a Common God to Save Egypt

Before speaking with Pharaoh, Joseph adapts to Egyptian norms by shaving and changing his clothes. When he interprets Pharaoh’s dream, he only uses the generic word for God, Elohim, making no mention of YHWH. Pharaoh, in turn, declares Joseph to be wise and a man with the spirit of God, and puts aside Joseph’s ethnic and socio-economic background, appointing him viceroy to save Egypt from the pending famine.

Prof.

Safwat Marzouk

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The Statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream and the Golden Calf

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue made of four metals in Daniel 2 was composed using Persian and Greek historiographic imagery. The crushing of the statue by a stone mountain alludes to the story of the golden calf, and is a message of hope to the Judeans that God will eventually crush their Greek oppressors.

Dr.

Naama Golan

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream: The Revision of Daniel’s Role During Antiochus’ Persecution

The first section of Daniel (chs. 2-6) is a collection of quasi-independent court tales. Once they were combined into the book of Daniel in its current form, the story of Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which parallels Pharaoh’s dream in the Joseph story, was revised. It was further supplemented with Daniel’s prayer which creates a contrast between the power of God and that of Antiochus IV.

Prof.

Michael Segal

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The Lead up to Chanukah in the Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel describes in apocalyptic visions, the history of the conflict between Judea and Antiochus Epiphanes, but fails to dream that the Maccabees, a political group of guerrilla fighters, will win.

Prof.

Lawrence M. Wills

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Chanukah, Daniel 11 and the Rabbis’ Limited Knowledge of History

Rabbi

Evan Hoffman

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Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts: The Prehistory of Chanukah

The four beasts of Daniel 7 represent four kingdoms. The terrifying fourth beast with ten horns and iron teeth is the Greek kingdom of Syria. This beast grows a talking horn, which represents Antiochus IV, whose persecutions (167–164 B.C.E.), the biblical author believes, can only be stopped by divine intercession.

Prof.

Michael Segal

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