Exegetical Notebook

Robert Marshall Murphy

Summer 2013 - Aramaic - Dr. Aucker

English versification is followed throughout, with Hebrew verses listed in the margins when they diverge from the
Englishi . Footnotes are numbered with Roman numerals and reset each page.

Contents
A Daniel 1
2 2:4-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3 Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4 Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5 Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
6 Chapter 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
7 Chapter 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

B Ezra 29
4 4:7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5 Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
6 6:1-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
7 7:12-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

C Single Verses 40
1 Genesis 31:47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2 Jeremiah 10:11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

D Bibliography 41

i
For an excellent defense of the English numbering of
chapter 4, see Nelson 140-141.
 A DANIEL

A Daniel
Daniel’s second through seventh chapters are written in Aramaic. As Dorsey and Nelson point out, these six chapters
are arranged chiasticly:
a. Dream of the 4-Part Image (2)
b. Nearly Martyred in the Furnace (3)
c. Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride and Its Cost (4)
c’ Belshazzar’s Pride and Its Cost (5)
b’ Nearly Martyred in the Lion’s Den (6)
a’ Vision of the 4 Beasts (7).

2 2:4-49

A
nd the Chaldeansi spoke to the king in Aramaic,ii
“O kingiii , liveiv foreverv ! Tellvi your servantsvii the dream, and we will show the interpretationviii .”
5
The king answeredix the Chaldeansx and said, “The thingxi is gonexii from me: if you do not make
known to mexiii the dream and its interpretation, you shall be cutxiv in piecesxv , and your houses shall
be madexvi a dunghillxvii . 6 Butxviii if you showxix the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from
vii
Dorsey proposes a chiasm for Daniel 2, which I amend The Qere vs. Ketiv readings for this word seem to indi-
ever so slightly: cate plural vs. singular 2nd person possessive suffixes. How-
A. Introduction (1) ever, they may both be plural and simply reflect later pronun-
B. Magician’s fail (2-12) ciations of Targumic Aramaic.
viii
C. Daniel goes to the king with a proposal (13-16) JPS’s “meaning” here seems to be an over translation.
D. God reveals the dream to Daniel (17-23) ‫ פְּשַׁר‬seems to be a leitwort of the chapter, occurring 13 times
C’. Daniel goes to the king (24-30)l (vv4,5,6twice ,7,9,16,24,25,26,30,36,45). In Hebrew, ‫ פשר‬only oc-
B’. Daniel succeeds (31-45) curs in the Joseph narrative (Nelson, 98).
ix
A’. Conclusion (46-49) Peal active participle ms
i x
This word signified both Gentilic occupants of a region The Qere reading reflects later changes in Aramaic
xi
and holders of an office (akin to magicians). The Aramaic Like the Hebrew word ‫דָּבָר‬, the Aramaic word ‫ מִלָּה‬can
word is used in Dan 2:5,10; 3:8; 4:7; 5:7, 11, and 30, where I mean ‘word’ or ‘thing’. The Hebrew cognate of this word
have chosen to consistently transliterate, to preserve the am- (‫ )מִלָּה‬is only used of speech-acts.
xii
biguity of ethnicity and occupation. There is some debate as to whether ‫ אַזְדָּא‬means ‘gone’ or
ii
This verse begins in Hebrew but switches languages as ‘sure’, here and in v.8. In the first case, the king has forgotten
the quotation begins. It is the only verse in the Bible with the dream and is demanding the tell him the dream and its
such a switch. Eskenazi’s argument regarding the purpose of interpretation. In the second, he is highlighting his steadfast-
language switching in Ezra applies equally well here. “In Ara- ness in the decree his about to make. Those in favor of ‘sure’
maic” is probably a later scribal insertion. 1QDana has a la- think it is a Persian loan word.
xiii
cuna after “to the king” and not this word (‫)אֲָרמִית‬. ‘make known to me’ is all one word in Aramaic, in the
iii
“The very first Aramaic word in the book of Daniel pro- Haphel imperfective 2mp.
xiv
vides a good example of the vocative use of the determined Hithpeel imperfective 2mp
xv
state.” BBA §5.6 or ‘limb from limb’, if this is a Persian loan word
iv xvi
The NIV rightly adds the optative sense to the impera- Hithpeel imperfective 3mp
xvii
tive here. This word occurs here, in 3:29, and Ezra 6:11 (with slightly
v
‫ לְעָלְמִין‬is the preposition ְ‫ ל‬plus the word ‫עָלַם‬, which cor- different spelling).
xviii
responds to the Hebrew ‫עוֹלָם‬. There is no way to use a plural This sentence begins with a simple waw, but it is clearly
in English, as the Armaic does. contrastive, so I have translated it as ‘but’ like all consulted
vi
Peal imperative 2ms, just like the last verb. The NIV, translations.
xix
NASB, and ESV have “tell” here. JPS’s “relate” seems closer Haphel imperfective 2mp
to the LXX’s ἀναγγέλλω

1
2 2:4-49 A DANIEL

before mei gifts and rewardsii and much honor: butiii show meiv the dream and its interpretation!” 7 They
answeredv a second timevi and saidvii , “Let the king tellviii his servants the dream, and we will showix its
interpretationx .” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certaintyxi that you are trying to gain timexii ,
becausexiii you see that the word from me is firm. 9 For if you do not make known to me the dream,
there is butxiv one law for you, andxv you have preparedxvi lying and corrupt wordsxvii to speakxviii before
me, until the timesxix are changedxx : butxxi tellxxii me the dream, and I shall knowxxiii that you canxxiv show
mexxv its interpretation.”
10
The Chaldeans answeredxxvi before the king and said, “There is notxxvii a man on the dry landxxviii
who canxxix meetxxx the demand of the king, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any
magicianxxxi or enchanterxxxii or Chaldean. 11 And the thing which the king asksxxxiii is difficultxxxiv , and
there is no one else who could declarexxxv it to the king except the godsxxxvi , whose dwelling isxxxvii not
i xviii
Note the many ways royal personage speak in elaborate Peal infinitive
xix
paraphrases in BA! Original singular
ii xx
An Akkadian or Persian loan word. Ithpael imperfect 3ms
iii xxi
This is the first of three places where ‫ לָהֵן‬is said to mean As in v.6, it is tempting to insinuate a desperate, maniacal
‘therefore’ not ‘but’, according to VanPelt. But here, v.9 and tone to the king’s request and insert the word ‘just’ into the
4:24 (Hebrew) are all contrastive, and it seems better not to text!
xxii
multiply meanings without cause. Peal imperative 2mp
iv xxiii
Haphel imperative 2ms with 1cs suffix The verb ‫ יְַדע‬in Aramaic is spelled with striking inconsis-
v
Peal perfect 3mp tency. Here, there is an epenthetic nun that does not occur
vi
This word (‫ )תִּנְיָנוּת‬is not the feminine construct of in some other Peal imperfect 1cs’s.
xxiv
‫תִּנְיָן‬/‘second’ but an adverb (Johns, 89). The word ‘can’ is not in the original, but all modern trans-
vii
Peal active participle mp lations supply it. It is not in the LXX or Vulgate. It seems to
viii
This is a simple Peal imperfect 3ms, but is clearly horta- be part and parcel of the model qualities of the imperfect here.
xxv
tory and translated as such by all translations Haphel imperfect 2mp with 1cs suffix.
ix xxvi
Haphel imperfect 1cp Peal perfect 3mp
x xxvii
All modern translations assume this word it mis-pointed, Here, the existential participle is negated, something not
making it ‘its interpretation’, not ‘the interpretation’. Such done in Hebrew.
xxviii
uses of final He instead of aleph are common in BA to indicate This word (‫ )יַבֶּשֶׁת‬is a hapax in the BA corpus. The exact
the determined state. same spelling — clearly an Aramaicism — can be found twice
xi
This is a unique construction involving a word (‫ )יַצִּיב‬that in the rest of the Tanakh: Exodus 4:9 and Psalm 95:5. The
normally just means ‘certain’ or ‘true’ (Dan. 2:45; 3:24; 6:12; Hebrew spelling (‫ )יַבָּשָׁה‬occurs 14 times in the Bible, starting
7:16). Here, it is combined with ‫ מִן‬to make what must be an in Genesis 1:9.
xxix
adverbial phrase. Peal imperfect 3ms. The spelling here must be a He-
xii
Nelson points out that the same expression as found here braism, not the conjectured Huphal.
xxx
in the LXX (καιρὸν ὑμεῖς ἐξαγοράζετε) is used in the NT Haphel infinitive construct
xxxi
(Col. 4:5; Eph. 5:16) as command by Paul to “redeem the This word occurs only in Daniel and (its cognate) in the
time”. Joseph story. HALOT says it is from Akkadian ḥar-ṭi-bi -
xiii
A long spelling of ‫כְּלָקֳבֵל‬. fortune-teller (1880).
xiv xxxii
There is no word in the Aramaic corresponding to ‘but’, This word only occurs in Daniel.
xxxiii
however it is impossible to elicit the same emphasis as the Peal active participle ms
xxxiv
original without it. All translations supply either ‘but’ or ‘only’ The word ‫ יַקִּיר‬is rich in polysemy. Its use in Ezra 4:10
here. appears idiomatic, but akin to the cognate in Jeremiah 31:20.
xv
Creager calls this a special case of waw, which should be Not so here.
xxxv
translated ‘and so’ (§109.a). Some translations have ‘for’ but Again, ‘could’ is not in the original, but seems implied or
some have nothing. In the service of transparency, I have left part of the modal qualities of the Pael imperfect 3ms.
xxxvi
waw as ‘and’. The Aramaic word is not determined, but English re-
xvi
‫ זְמַן‬in the Hithpaal perfect 2mp, HALOT ”to come quires the use of the definite article. We could also say ‘divine
to an understanding, agree ... corresponds to Heb ‫יעד‬.” beings’.
xxxvii
(vol.5,p.1865). The Qere spelling reflects Mishnaic Hebrew. It would seem to be over translation to be too literal here:
xvii
Original singular ‘whose dwelling — it is not with flesh!’

2
2 2:4-49 A DANIEL

with fleshi .” 12 Thereforeii the king was angry and very furious, andiii commanded themiv to destroy all
the wise men of Babylon.
13v
And the decree went forth, andvi the wise men were about to be slainvii ; and they sought to have
Daniel and his companions slainviii . 14 Then Daniel repliedix with prudence and discretion to Ariochx ,
the captain of the king’s guardxi (who had gone out to killxii the wise men of Babylon)xiii . 15 Hexiv answered
Arioch the king’s captain and said, “Whyxv is the decree so urgentxvi from the king?” Then Arioch made
the thing knownxvii to Daniel. 16 Andxviii Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a season,
andxix he might showxx the interpretation to the king.
17xxi
Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter knownxxii to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercyxxiii from before the God of the Heavens concerning this
mysteryxxiv , so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyedxxv with the rest of the wise men of
Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealedxxvi to Daniel in axxvii vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed
the God of the Heavens. 20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessedxxviii be the namexxix of God from age to agexxx ,
whose is the wisdom and the might.
21
And who changesxxxi the timesxxxii and seasons;
removingxxxiii kings and setting upxxxiv kings;
giving wisdom to the wise,
i xviii
“The flesh” here means ‘mankind’ (Shuele, 21) It is a simple waw here (‘and’), but only the ESV trans-
ii
This conduction is literally ‘because of this’ lates it as such. Creager (§109.A) says this is a special case and
iii
Here is the first case of waw+verb not resulting in the should be translated ‘and so.’
xix
‘flipped tenses’ of Hebrew. See also v.34. Imperfects can be Several translations have ‘in order that’ or some equiva-
found at 3:6, 7:18, 23, etc. lent here. It does appear to be epexegetical and would have
iv
As Johns notes (26), the next word is a Haphel infinitive, allowed the following infinitive to be translated literally.
xx
but a subject must be supplied in English. Haphel infinitive
v xxi
ESV/NASB/NIV/NET have a paragraph break at v.12. ESV/NASB/NIV break here. NET/JPS do not. Dorsey’s
The JPS avers until here. I agree with them, mainly because outline (again) guides me.
xxii
of Dorsey’s outline (see note beginning section). Haphel perfect 3ms
vi xxiii
This waw seems epexegetical, hence the NASB’s ‘that’ Because of Aramaic’s non-configurationality, this is able
vii
The Hithpeel participle mp cannot be reflexive or recip- to be the first word of the sentence and acheive emphasis not
rocal here. It must be passive. It should not be ruled out that possible in English. It is plural in the original.
xxiv
the executions had already begun! This word (‫ )ָרז‬occurs nine times, with only instance out-
viii
This Hithpaal infinitive is also passive side of this chapter (4:6 vs. vv.18,19,27,28,29,30,47X 2). Like
ix
Lit. ‘returned’. Haphel perfect 3ms of ‫תּוּב‬, whose cognate μυστήριον in the NT, the use is always of a revelation by God.
‫ שׁוּב‬is used this way in Hebrew with ubiquity. Nelson (100) notes the extensive use of the word at Qumran.
x xxv
He is mentioned five times in Daniel (Ch. 2, vv.14, 15 Haphel imperfect 3mp
xxvi
(twice), 24, and 25). The name may be the Hurrian name A-ri- Peil perfect 3ms
xxvii
wu-uk found at Mari (Nelson, 99). The definiteness of the original Aramaic is inappropriate
xi
The NET’s “king’s executioner” is etymologically correct here in English.
xxviii
(Nelson, 99), but descriptively wrong. ‫ טבח‬as a verb meant The masculine singular participles of Pa’al and Pa’el are
‘to butcher’ in Akkadian, but there was no noun-form in that identical. The previous verse, however, allows us to state con-
language (Tawil, 125), and the entire syntagmatic unit has an fidently that this verb is passive. The same situation occurs in
established meaning (cp. Gen 37:36; 39:1; 41:10, 12; 2K. 25:8; 3:24. It is also jussive.
xxix
Jer. 39:9; 52:12). The word for ‘name’ always occurs in the construct
xii
Pael infinitive of Hebrew student’s favorite: ‫קטל‬. state/with a pronominal suffix. The extensive use of pe-
xiii
I attempt to use parentheses to duplicate the way ‫דִּי‬ riphrastic constructions with it is reminiscent of inalienable
breaks up the construct chain in Aramaic. possession in other languages.
xiv xxx
Relative clauses aside, Daniel is still the last semantic ac- A more literal translation is possible when this word is in
tor. the singular, as here.
xv xxxi
Lit. ‘upon what’, which is different that ’for what’. Haphel participle ms
xvi xxxii
Haphel participle fs of ‫חֲצַף‬, a rich root. It may be ‘sharp’, Note the parallel with v.9 (Nelson, 99).
xxxiii
‘hasty’, or ‘insolent’. Likely here the first two are both meant. Haphel participle ms
xvii xxxiv
Haphel perfect 3ms Haphel participle ms of ‫קום‬, i.e. ‘causing to stand’.

3
2 2:4-49 A DANIEL

and knowledgei to those who haveii understanding.

22
He reveals the deep and secretiii things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the lightiv dwellsv with him.
23
I thankvi you, and praise you,
O Godvii of my fathers,
who have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to meviii what we desired of you;
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
24ix
Therefore Daniel went in tox Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroyxi the wise men of
Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroyxii the wise men of Babylon; bring me inxiii
before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.” 25 Then Arioch brought inxiv Daniel before
the king in trepidationxv , and said this to him, “xvi I have foundxvii a man of the sons of the captivityxviii
of Judah, who will make knownxix to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king answered Daniel, whose
name was Belteshazzar and said, “Are you xx ablexxi to make known to mexxii the dream which I have seen,
and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The mystery which the king has
asked neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, can showxxiii to the king; 28 but there is
a god in the heavens who reveals mysteries, and he made knownxxiv to king Nebuchadnezzar what is to
be in the last daysxxv . This was your dream and the visions in your head upon your bed. 29 To youxxvi , O
king, your thoughts came while in your bed, what would be hereafter; and he who reveals mysteries made
known to you what will be. 30 Andxxvii as for me — not because I have wisdomxxviii more than any living
i xvii
It is not well-documented, but perhaps the definiteness of Haphel perfect 1cs
xviii
this word could be handled as it is in Greek, and the English or ‘exile’
xix
translation might insert ‘their’ here. Haphel imperfect 3ms.
ii xx
Peal participle ms construct. Lit. ‘he gives knowledge to Johns (25) says the presence of ‫ אִיתַי‬is emphatic. Only
those knowing of understanding’ the JPS follows this course. Creager (§108.b) says ‫ אִיתַי‬is not
iii
A substantive pale passive participle fp with article. This emphatic when it has pronominal suffixes. Some form of later
entire phrase is very similar to Isaiah 29:15. elision accounts for the Qere variation.
iv xxi
The Qere reading brings the spelling up-to-date with Syr- Peal active participle ms
xxii
iac. Haphel infinitive plus 1ms suffix.
v xxiii
Li agrees with Collins that this word should be translated Haphel infinitive
xxiv
‘is loosed’. However, their argument seems overly based on Haphel perfect 3ms
xxv
polysemy. “days to come” refers to the future generally (see Gen.
vi
Haphel active participle ms. This verb only occurs in 49:1; Num. 24:14; Dt. 3:30; Nelson, 85 and 100). The
causative stems, both in Hebrew and Aramaic. NIV/NET render this phrase literally enough, but I am in-
vii
The definite may be used as a vocative. clined to translate as the NASB/ESV do, or like the JPS “end
viii
Haphel perfect 2ms with 1cs suffix. Note the great fre- of days”. There is clearly eschatological connotation here and
quency of this word in this stem in this chapter. in 10:14; Isa. 2:2; Ezek. 38:16; Hos. 3:5. This is like a Hebraism,
ix
All consulted translations break at v.24, though most then given that Aramaic would normally use ‫סוֹף‬.
xxvi
brakes at the next verse too. The ketiv spelling follows the orthography of Quman
x
A homonym occurs here, as the perfect verb ‘he entered’ Aramaic, the Qere Palestinian Aramaic.
xxvii
and the participle ‘to’ are next to each other and spelled the This waw is contrastive, but not overly so. It is sufficient
same: ‫עַל עַל‬. One of them is missing in Qumran 4QDana . for the sake a literal translation to leave it as ‘and’.
xi xxviii
Haphel infinitive The instrumental use of ְ‫( בּ‬Schuele, 31).
xii
Haphel imperative 2ms
xiii
Haphel imperative ms with 1ms suffix.
xiv
Haphel perfect 3ms. Note the Aramaic nasalization of
geminate verbs.
xv
‫ בְּהַל‬is not truly polysemic. In every case (Dan 2:25; 3:24;
4:5, 19; 5:6, 9, 10; 6:19; 7:15,28), it refers to agitation and upset.
The LXX has κατὰ σπουδὴν/‘in haste’, while the Syriac has
‘carefully’. It is a Hithpeal infinitive.
xvi
I see no way to translate the ‫ דִּי‬that begins this sentence.

4
2 2:4-49 A DANIEL

— has this mystery been revealedi me, but in order that the interpretation may be made knownii to the
king, and that you may knowiii the thoughts of your heart.
31iv
You were seeingv , O king, and behold, avi huge imagevii . This image, mighty and of exceeding
brightness, stoodviii before you, and its appearance was frighteningix . 32 The head of thex image was of
fine goldxi , its chest and its arms were of silver, and its belly and its thighs were of bronze, 33 its legs
were of iron, its feet were partxii of iron and partxiii of clay. 34 You were looking until a stone was cut
outxiv without handsxv , and it struck the imagexvi upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them
in piecesxvii . 35 Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the goldxviii , was broken in piecesxix
togetherxx , and became like summer threshing-floors’xxi chaffxxii ; and the wind carried them away, and no
place was found for them: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the
whole earth. 36 This is the dream; and wexxiii will tell its interpretation before the king.
37xxiv
You, O king, O king of kingsxxv , to whomxxvi the God of the heavens has given the kingdom, the
power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose handsxxvii he has given, wherever they dwellxxviii , the
children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens; he has mad you rulexxix over all of
them — youxxx are the head of gold. 39 And after you shall arise another kingdom like dirtxxxi to you; and
i xix
Peil perfect 3ms I have assumed that the MT’s ‫ דָּקוּ‬is a mistaken vocaliza-
ii
Haphel imperfect 3ms tion of a presumed original ‫דַּקּוּ‬. Otherwise, this is a hapax
iii
Peal imperfect 2ms. Result clauses in English must be in of an otherwise unattested tri-consonantal root (namely ‫)דוק‬,
the subjunctive. instead of ‫דקק‬, which is common in Daniel and elsewhere.
iv xx
All consulted translations break here. Lit. ‘as one’ ‫( כַחֲָדה‬Johns, 88).
v xxi
The frequentive past is made by ‘to be’ plus a participle, Gesenius wrongly lists this word as related to the Hebrew
as here. ‫אדר‬/glorious. Tawil (437) correctly shows it is of Akkadian ori-
vi
Here the numeral ‘one’ is use to mark indefiniteness. In gin: idru, threshing floor.
xxii
the later history of Aramaic, the definite form grew to be the I have used the Germanic ’s possessive structure to hide
default form of the noun, and this numeral was required to the fact that ‘chaff ’ is not definite.
xxiii
mark indeterminacy (Greenspahn, 90). Daniel’s use of the first person plural is odd here, espe-
vii
Nelson points out (91) that this word (‫ )צֶלֶם‬is from the cially given the singulars of vv.24 and 30 (Nelson, 88-9).
xxiv
same root as the word for ‘image’ in Genesis 1:26,27 (‫)צֶלֶם‬. I All translations except the NET have a paragraph break
have chosen to keep the same word ‘image’ like the ESV, and here.
xxv
unlike the NIV/NASB/NET/JPS’s ‘statue’. Nelson rightly points out that this superlative phrase is
viii
Peal participle active ms in apposition to ‘O king’. He commends the NRSV, which is
ix
This same form occurs in 7:7,19 and means ‘fearful’, not similar to the ESV/JPS. As he says, it is not part of a predica-
afraid, despite being a passive participle tion, contra. NIV/NASB/NET. I agree and take its definite-
x
Rosenthal lists this as the third of five places where the ness as a vocative.
xxvi
demonstrative pronoun precedes the noun it modifies (25). Ancient Greek is often cited as the premier example of
Johns calls it the use of the pronoun as a determiner (13), which radical non-configurationality, however this sentence (which
I have chosen to follow. Only the NIV agrees. There is also extends into the next verse) is an excellent example too. The
a clefting or emphatic structure in the Aramaic which is im- ‫דִּי‬/‘whom’ comes here, yet at the end of this verse is ‫לְָך‬/‘to you’
possible to translate: ‘this image — its head — is of fine gold’ and ‫יְהַב‬/‘has given’. Like the quip in Citizen Kane, the mind
xi
‘Gold’ is spelled the same in Aramaic and Hebrew, if one from sentences backwards reeled!
xxvii
takes into account the differing phonological processes which A subtle use of the dual.
xxviii
resulted in Hebrew Z’s becoming Aramaic D’s. This phrase could modify a number of nouns in the sen-
xii
The Qere is a spelling error, using the wrong gender. tence (Nelson, 101). The Qere spelling is an update to Syriac
xiii
These partitive phrases are achieved literally by ‘its feet orthography.
xxix
from them of iron and from them of clay’ Haphel perfect 3ms with 2ms suffix
xiv xxx
Hithpael perfect 3fs. The LXX inserts an extra ἐξ A resumptive pronoun, which is what Nelson seems to be
ὄρους/‘from a mountain’ here, which seems to be dittograph noting on page 89.
xxxi
from v.45. The use of ‫אֲַרע‬/“earth” as an adverb is unique to this verse.
xv
Lit. ‘of not by two-hands I have used the English colloquial expression ‘like dirt’ be-
xvi
Direct object marked by .ְ‫ל‬ cause it uses a cognate of ‘earth’. Creager’s suggestion — that
xvii
Haphel perfect 3fs. the final ℵ is really an -h locale — seems non-sensical, since he
xviii
It is interesting how Aramaic uses waw only at the end is claiming it means ‘from the earth’, while a -h would mean
of a list of noun (like the Oxford comma in English) with far ‘towards the earth’! The disputed letter is eliminated in the
greater regularity than BH. Qere.

5
2 2:4-49 A DANIEL

a thirdi kingdom — another of brass — which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there will be a fourth
kingdom, strong as iron (because iron breaksii and smashes everythingiii ) and as iron crushes things to
pieces, so it will break and crush all the othersiv . 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partv of potters’
clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; butvi some of the strengthvii of the iron shall be in
it, just as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, 42 and the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of
clay, soviii the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly breakable.ix 43 And asx at you saw the iron mixed
with miry clay, soxi they will bexii mixedxiii with the seed of the manxiv ; but they will not adhere with one
anotherxv , evenxvi as iron does not combine with clay. 44 And in the days of those kingsxvii the God of
the Heavens will set upxviii a kingdom that shall neverxix be destroyedxx , andxxi its kingdomxxii shall not be
leftxxiii to another people. It shall break in piecesxxiv all these kingdoms and bring them to an endxxv , and
it shall stand foreverxxvi , 45 just as you saw that a stone was cutxxvii from axxviii mountain by no hands, and
that it broke in piecesxxix the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great god has made
known to the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthyxxx .”
46xxxi
Then the king, Nebuchadnezzar, fell on his facexxxii , and worshipedxxxiii Daniel, and commanded
that they should offer an offering and incensexxxiv to him. 47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a
truthxxxv yourxxxvi God is the god of gods, and the lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have
i xvii
The Qere and Ketiv differ over an inconsequential final As Nelson notes (94), ‘kings’ is unexpected here, since we
mater lectionis only. have been and will resume talking about ‘kingdoms’. The syn-
ii
Haphel active participle ms onymity or metonymy of the terms is thereby reenforced.
iii xviii
Creager (§117) argues that this word (‫ )כֹּ֔לָּא‬should be ‘al- This same form with a medial ‫ ה‬appears in 5:21; 6:16.
xix
together’, not ‘everything’, because the accent is milel (pre- Lit. ‘not for ages’. Like 2:4, the plural of ‫ עָלַם‬is impossible
sumedly not milra). No translation follows suit. to render successfully in English.
iv xx
Nelson argues (93) that ‘all the others” must be taken with Hithpael imperfect 3fs
xxi
what comes before. No translation follows his suggestion. NIV/NASB/ESV translate this waw as ‘nor’, since it links
v
Here again, and in the following verse, ‫ מִן‬is used parti- negative clauses.
xxii
tively (Creager §106.A). This reading requires repointing the text from ‫ וּמַלְכוּתָה‬to
vi
This simple waw is clearly contrastive and must be ren- ‫וּמַלְכוּתַהּ‬, as tactic obviously followed by all consulted transla-
dered so in English. tions. Only the RSV does otherwise.
vii xxiii
Another partitive construction. Lit. ‘and from the Hithpael imperfect 3fs
xxiv
strength of ’. Haphel imperfect 3fs
viii xxv
There is no conjunction here in Aramaic, but the end of Haphel imperfect 3fs
xxvi
a comparison in English requires it. Perhaps a more literal translation might word here: ‘for
ix
Li maintains that many Peal Passive Participles can be the ages’.
xxvii
taken like the English suffix -able. Most translation have ‘brit- Hithpael perfect 3fs
xxviii
tle’. While this word is a hapax, I take it as a cognate of the Definiteness is difficult cross-linguistically. Here the Ara-
Hebrew ‫ שָׁבַר‬and verb. See Li, Tarsee. ”Non-Active Participles maic is definite but must be indefinite in English, even though
in the Aramaic of Daniel.” Aramaic Studies 6, no. 1 (January we know we are referring to the same specific mountain.
xxix
2008): 111-136. Haphel perfect 3fs
x xxx
Here ‫ דִּי‬is used for ‘as’. The ketiv reading is missing the Here again, in support of Li’s argument, is a (Haphel) pas-
initial ‘and’. sive participle use which corresponds to English -able.
xi xxxi
Again, ‘so’ is necessary in English to be clear. All consulted translations break here.
xii xxxii
Peal imperfect 3mp of ‘to be’ - ‫לֶהֱוֹן‬. Here the Aramaic ‫( אף‬with nunation) is used like Hebrew
xiii
Hithpael participle mp. Future imperfective is achieved ‫פנים‬, cp. 3:19
xxxiii
through the use of a participle plus ‘to be’. This is the first appearance of this verb, which will be used
xiv
Nelson (94) advocates this literal translation, so Ihave fol- 11 times in the next chapter. It is troubling that Daniel does
lowed the NASB. ESV interprets as ‘in marriage’, NET/NIV not beg off this unseemly adoration (cp. Rev. 19:10).
xxxiv
leave it untranslated, JPS calls its meaning uncertain. cp. Gen 8:20 “a sweet smelling aroma”
xv xxxv
Lit. ‘this with this’, an Aramaic idiom for ‘with one an- This archaic English expression perfectly captures the
other’ (Johns 17). Aramaic.
xvi xxxvi
‫ הָא‬normally means ‘behold’ (cp. 3:25), but apparently can The return to plurals is intriguing. Perhaps Daniel has
also mark similarity (Creager §110.D). The Hebrew cognate explicated some theology between the last verse and this one,
‫ הֵא‬is used as ‘behold’ in Gen. 47:23 and Ezek. 16:43. which we are not privy to?

6
3 Chapter 3 A DANIEL

been ablei to revealii this mystery. 48 Then the king made Danieliii great, and gave him many huge gifts,
and made him to ruleiv over all the province of Babylon, and be chief governor over all the wise men of
Babylon. 49 And Daniel requested from the king, and he appointed Shadrachv , Meshach, and Abednego,
over the affairs of the province of Babylon, and Daniel was in the courtvi of the king.

3 Chapter 3

K
ing Nebuchadnezzar made an imagevii of goldviii , sixty cubits high and six cubits wideix . He set it
upx on the plain of Duraxi in the province of Babylon. 2 And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to
gatherxii the satrapsxiii , the prefectsxiv , and the governorsxv , the counselorsxvi the treasurers, the justices,
the magistrates, and all the officialsxvii of the provinces to comexviii to the dedicationxix of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set upxx . 3 Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gatheredxxi together
to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set upxxii ; and they stoodxxiii before
the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the heraldxxiv criedxxv aloud, “You are commandedxxvi
i xiii
Peal perfect 2ms Nelson is troubled by the use of this Persian term (kša-
ii
Peal infinitive trapawan) being used in Nebuchadnezzar’s period. It seems
iii
Direct object indicated by lamed most reasonable to assume that a later editor updated the ter-
iv
All one word in Aramaic (‫‘ — )וְהַשְׁלְטֵהּ‬and made him to minology, though we do not know when it entered Semitic
rule’, Haphel perfect 3ms with 3ms suffix. usage.
v xiv
These men’s names come later in the sentence but are Now we use an Akkadian term, which refers to satraps’
marked as the direct object by the lamed in front of Shadrach’s assistants.
xv
name. Another Akkadian term, for rulers over sub-satrapies.
vi
Trad. gate, per the Vulgate’s foribus. The LXX has αὐλῇ. Nehemiah held this office (Neh. 5:14).
xvi
The Hebrew cognate ‫ שַׁעַר‬means ‘gate’, but there court had The preceding three terms (which conclude with a waw)
only one entrance, hence this a synechdote. were major, notable offices of the time. The latter four terms
Again, Dorset has a fine outline, with only small emenda- and catch-all concluding phrase all refer to minor officials, and
tions needed: the specific terms are all Persian loan words. This lends weight
A. worship of false gods (1-7) to the idea that ,‘satrap’ was a Persian word which entered
B. They do not serve your gods (8-12) Akkadian lexicography early, or else is a later emendation to
C. Furious rage against the three (13-15) the text.
xvii
D. God can deliver us! (16-18) This word (‫ )שִׁלְטֹנֵי‬is the origin of our Arabic loanword
C’ Furious rage against the three (19-23) ‘sultan’.
xviii
B’ the fourth man (God) in the furnace (24-25) Peal Infinitive of ‫אֲתָה‬. A second object of the verb.
xix
A’ worship of the true God (26-30) This is a cognate of the renowned Hebrew holiday
vii
We are not told of whom or what the image likens. Only ‘Hanukkah’, the festival celebrating the rededication of the
in Egypt were kings worshipped as gods, so most likely it was (Second) Temple after its desecration.
xx
of a false god (cp. Nelson, 105-6). Haphel perfect 3ms
xxi
viii
This is a material genitive (cp. Williams §40a). An Ithpael (passive) Participle. The finite verb is ‘set up’,
ix
The original Aramaic has nouns — not adjectives — lit. performed by the king, who is more central to the narrative.
xxii
‘its height (was) ... its width (was)’. Haphel perfect 3ms
xxiii
x
Aphel perfect 3ms with 3ms suffix The Qere reading is an update to Syriac pronunciation.
xxiv
xi
We do not know where this location is, since dur means Nelson says (118) this word (‫ )כָּרוֹז‬has a variety of etymolo-
‘wall’ or ‘fortress’ in Akkadian and is exceedingly common gies attributed to it, but is from κῆρυξ. However, Gesenius
in place names (Nelson, 106). All modern translations take points out that most Indo-European language have this root,
this to be a place name, but the LXX has ἐν πεδίῳ τοῦ raising the possibility of a Persian borrowing.
xxv
περιβόλου/‘in the plain of the wall, as though the icon was Peal participle ms
xxvi
placed in the space behind a wall in Babylon. However, the Peal participle mp. It seems likely that is is another cir-
LXX of this verse also contains a great deal of embellishment. cumlocution, as we see through BA, for royal edicts. Why an
xii
Peal Infinitive as object of the verb. This is awkward En- active participle in the plural but the preposition ְ‫ ל‬on the pas-
glish, since we do not have such a command verb that can take sive subject? It is the common Aramaic plural for an indefinite
an infinitive object without a subject. subject, i.e. passive.

7
3 Chapter 3 A DANIEL

O peoplesi , nations, and languages, 5 that whenever you hear the sound of the hornii , panpipesiii , lyre,
trigon, psalteryiv , bagpipev , and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up; 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall the same hourvi
be cast into the middle of the furnace of burning fire. 7 Therefore at that timevii , when all the peoples
heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples,
nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up.
8viii
Thereforeix at that timex certainxi Chaldeans came near, and maliciously accusedxii the Jews. 9 They
responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree
that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of
music, shall fall downxiii and worship the image of gold. 11 And whoever does notxiv fall down and worship
shall be castxv into the middle of the furnace of burning fire. 12 There are certain Jews whomxvi you have
appointedxvii over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; thosexviii
men, O king, have not respected you.xix They do not servexx your Godxxi , and they do not worship the
image of gold which you have set upxxii .”
13xxiii
Then Nebuchadnezzar — in rage and anger — gave ordersxxiv to bringxxv Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego; then those men were broughtxxvi before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answeredxxvii and said
to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, xxviii you do not serve my god, and do not worship
the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn,
panpipes, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you will fall down and worship the statue
that I had made. And if you do not worship, you will immediatelyxxix be thrownxxx into the middle of
i xv
Here is a chain of definite nouns which must be vocatives. Hithpael imperfect 3ms
ii xvi
I agree with Grelot’s argument — that this is a metal in- This is the only occurance of ‫ יַת‬to make the object of a
strument with tubes, not an animal horn — but the word verb in the Biblical Aramaic corpus. Its Hebrew cognate ‫אֵת‬
references the item of animal anatomy throughout chapter is ubiquitous. Greenspahn, Frederick, Aramaic in Beyond Ba-
seven. All consulted, modern English translations have ‘horn’, bel: A Handbook for Biblical Hebrew and Related Languages, ed.
but the LXX has σάλπιγξ and the Vulgate tuba. The AV has John Kaltner and Steven McKenzie (Atlanta: Society of Bib-
‘cornet’. For the defense of this, and all the musical instru- lical Literature, 2002), 97. Also Johns, 11; Creager §110.C.
xvii
ment words, see Pierre Grelot, 1979. “Orchestre de Daniel Another emphatic structure is untranslated here, lit.
3:5,7,10,15.” Vetus Testamentum 29, no. 1: 23-38. ‘Jews whom you appointed them over’.
xviii
iii
Grelot’s defense centers around the LXX’s σῦριγξ Though they are at hand and just mentioned, the speaker
and the Vulgate’s fistula. ‘Pipe’ is in JPS/ESV, ‘flute’ in (not the narrator) wishes to maintain emotional distance from
NIV/NASB/NET. our protagonists, what is called empathetic deixis (see also Ezra
iv
Grelot’s shows the inexactness of our ability to distin- 4:12,16).
xix
guish these three kinds of stringed instruments. The NASB’s Lit. ‘they have not set judgment upon you.’
xx
list seems closest to what he describes. It is tempting to trace Peal active participle mp, and next
xxi
the first term to what is has become in English today: guitar! The image is singular — not of a pantheon – and so while
v
Grelot is agreeable to ‘bagpipe’ (JPS/ESV/NASB) but the word ‘god’ is not singular here, it may be the Plural of
seems to favor ‘double flute’. The NIV/NET’s ‘pipes’ seems Majesty (cp. Nelson, 118-9).
xxii
to vague after I have already used ‘panpipes’. Haphel perfect 2ms
xxiii
vi
Lit. “in it, that is, the hour” All consulted translation break here.
xxiv
vii
Lit. “In it, that is, the time” (Johns 14) Peal perfect 3ms. BA, even more than BH, simply uses
viii
All consulted translation break here. ‫ אמר‬where English has a plethora of speech-related verbs.
xxv
ix
The ‘therefore’ is not in the LXX or Syriac. It makes no Hapel Infinitive.
xxvi
sense and is perhaps borrowed from v.7. Haphel. Here is another use of the 3rd-person plural ac-
x
See v.7 note tive as an indefinite or passive construction.
xxvii
xi
The use of ‫ גְּבַר‬here and in vv.12,13,20,21,22,23,24,25, and Peal active participle ms
xxviii
27 as an assertive existential/indefinite pronoun parallels the While it is somewhat colloquial, English is capable of
Hebrew usage of ‫אִישׁ‬. omitting ‘that’ here, which best reflect the lack of ‫ די‬in the
xii
Lit. ‘ate the pieces’, cp. 6:24. This is a well-documented original.
xxix
Aramaic idiom, e.g. the devil is ‫אכלקלצא‬/‘the piece eater’. Lit. ‘in it, the same moment
xxx
xiii
Peal imperfect 3ms, and the next. Ithpeel Imperfect 2mp of ‫ְרמָה‬.
xiv
Lit. ‘and from who not’

8
3 Chapter 3 A DANIEL

the furnace of burning fire. And who is thati godii who can rescueiii you from my handsiv ?”
16v
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answeredvi and saidvii to king Nebuchadnezzarviii , “We have no
needix to answerx you in this matterxi . 17 If this be soxii , our Godxiii whom we serve is able to deliver usxiv .
From the furnace of burning fire, and from your handxv may he deliverxvi usxvii , O king. 18 Butxviii if notxix ,
let it be knownxx to youxxi , O king, that we will be not servingxxii your gods, and will not worship the
image of gold which you have set up.”
19xxiii
Then Nebuchadnezzar was fullxxiv of fury, and the image of his facexxv was changedxxvi againstxxvii
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He answered and gave orders to heatxxviii the furnace seven timesxxix
more than it was usualxxx to heat itxxxi . 20 And he commandedxxxii certain mighty men of his army to
bindxxxiii Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to cast themxxxiv into the furnace of burning fire. 21 Then
those men were boundxxxv in their cloaks, their tunics, their hatsxxxvi , and their other garments, and they
were thrown into the furnace of burning fire. 22 For this reason, becausexxxvii the command of the king
i xviii
Rosenthal (23) calls this a unique instance of third This simple waw is so clearly contrastive, I have deigned
personal personal pronoun (a.k.a. proximate demonstra- to translate it with a ‘but’.
xix
tive pronoun) being used with an indeterminate predicate. The reference is back to ‘if God delivers us’, not whether
NIV/ESV/JPS/NASB all have ‘who/what’, while the NET has He is able (Nelson, 113).
xx
‘that’. Peal passive participle with ‘to be’ in the Peal imperfect
ii
The Biblical author telegraphs the true locus of the con- 3ms.
xxi
tention with this single word (cp. 2K. 18:33-35). This entire construction (is very unusual (‫יְִדיע ַ לֶהֱוֵא־לְָך‬
iii
Shaphel imperfect 3ms with 2mp suffix. The Shaphel and striking. The participle plus the infinitive, with the in-
stem is borrowed from Akkadian (or Ugaritic?). finitive coming afterwards, is indicative of early Aramaic,
iv
Dual. Hands are synonymous with power in many ANE and may be indebted to Old Persian (Coxon). Also in Ezra
languages. 4:12; 5:8. This strongly suggests the antiquity of the lan-
v
ESV/NIV/NASB have a paragraph break here. JPS/NET guage.
xxii
do not. Since it is almost all one speech, I have divided. Lit. “to us, there is not serving”. Greenspahn notes (98)
vi
Peal perfect 3mp the use of ‫( אִיתַי‬cp. Heb. ‫ )יֵשׁ‬with pronominal suffix plus a
vii
Peal active participle mp participle to ‘create’ a tense. The Bible often uses an future-
viii
Nelson is persuasive that the LXX word order here (not oriented, intentional present tense (co. 1 John 3).
xxiii
‘to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar”’) is preferable. It seems All consulted translations have a break here.
xxiv
likely that the three would have known that to address the Hitpheal perfect 3ms. However, as a III-‫ א‬verb, there is
king by his name (and not his title) was unbelievably rude. no final vowel.
ix xxv
Peal active participle mp The Aramaic word here is related to the Hebrew word
x
Haphal Infinitive of ‫ תּוּב‬with 2ms suffix. Haphel infini- ‘nose’ or ‘anger’. The Hebrew idiom ‘hot nosed’ is here
tives with suffixes are spelled with sureq’s or qibbutz. ‘changed face’, meaning become very angry (Tawil 438).
xi xxvi
Their answer is not so defiant in Aramaic as it appears The Qere and the Ketiv agree with ‘face’ and ‘image’ re-
in English “They were merely pleading ‘no contest.’” (Nelson, spectively.
xxvii
112) The relational use of ‫( עַל‬cp. LXX ἐπὶ).
xii xxviii
Lit. ‘if there is’. This entire verse is difficult, and the an- Peal infinitive
xxix
cient translations are no help at all. As Creager notes (§35c), ‫חַד‬/one with ‫שִׁבְעָה‬/seven means
xiii
These first words of the verse could also be translated, ‘If ‘seven-fold’ (see also Greenspahn, 90).
xxx
our God exists’, but this is unlikely (Nelson, 119-20). Creager Lit. ‘seen’. Note the use of participle to indicate cus-
thinks it could simply be translated ‘If God is able’ (§108.D). tom(ary appearence).
xiv xxxi
‫ ל‬plus Shaphel infinitive with 1cp suffix Here is the unique instance of a pronominal suffix being
xv
There seems to be no significance to Nebuchadnezzar us- used to mark the subject of an Infinitive Construct in Biblical
ing the dual and the Three using the singular for ‘hand’. Aramaic
xvi xxxii
Shaphel imperfect 3ms. As the next verse indicates, the Peal perfect 3ms of ‫אמר‬.
xxxiii
three are not certain of what God will do, merely hopeful. Peal infinitive, and next
xxxiv
Therefore, it seems wisest to translate this imperfect as modal There is no object in the Aramaic, but it is clear by ellip-
(contra JPS/ESV/NIV/NET/NASB, etc. See Nelson, 112-3). sis. English does not permit such a gap.
xxxv
Creager points out the atnah of this verbs, so I have begun a Peil perfect 3mp (defective spelling), and next
xxxvi
new sentence and moved ‘from the furnace’ into the second. So the Qere. The Ketiv explains the LXX’s
xvii
The object of the verb — not present in Aramaic — is τιάραις/turban.
xxxvii
carried over from the first clause. Two elaborate, multi-word, causal constructions begin
this sentence.

9
3 Chapter 3 A DANIEL

was urgenti and the furnace had been very hotii , the flame of the fire killediii those meniv who carried
upv Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 And those men (the three of them:vi Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego) fell into the middle of the furnace of burning fire boundvii .
24viii
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonishedix , and rose up in haste: he answeredx and said to
his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?” They answered the king
and said, “Certainlyxi , O king.” 25 And he answered and said, “Look, I see fourxii men loosexiii , walking
in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurtxiv ; and the appearance of the fourth is likexv a son of the
godsxvi .” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the gatexvii of the furnace of burning fire. He answered
and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, slaves of the Most Highxviii Godxix , come forthxx , and come
here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forthxxi from the middle of the fire. 27 And the
satraps, the prefects, and the governorsxxii , and the king’s counselors, being gathered togetherxxiii , sawxxiv
those men, that the fire had no power on their bodyxxv , and the hair of their head was not singedxxvi , and
their pants were not changed, and a smell of fire had not come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered
and said, “Blessedxxvii be Godxxviii of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sentxxix his angel, and
deliveredxxx his slaves who trustedxxxi in him, and have changedxxxii the word of the king, and yielded their
bodies, that they might not servexxxiii and not worship any god, except their own God. 29 And I have
madexxxiv a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the god of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego shall be tornxxxv in pieces, and it houses laid in ruins, for there is not another god
who is able to rescuexxxvi thusxxxvii .” 30 Then the king promotedxxxviii Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
i xix
See note from 2:15. Another title of God, but not one that is uniquely Jewish
ii
Peal passive participle ms (Gen 14:18, 19,20,22; Num. 24:16; Isa. 14:14, etc.). There is
iii
Pael perfect 3ms another clefting structure here, lit. ‘his servants, that is, of
iv
I know of no way to indicate in English the force of the the God Most High.’
xx
resumptive pronoun in Aramaic. Lit. ‘those men — the flame Peal imperative 2mp, and next.
xxi
of fire killed them.’ (Greenspahn, 124). Peal active participle mp
v xxii
Haphel perfect 3mp of ‫סלק‬, which is as irregular as ‫לקח‬. This list of three forms an inclusio with vv.2,3.
vi xxiii
Here is the rather singular use of a pronominal suffix on Hithpael participle mp
xxiv
a numeral. Peal active participle mp
vii xxv
Peal passive participle mp, emphatic last word of the sen- Like BH, there is no difference between a collective pos-
tence sessing a singular (e.g. ‘our heart’) or a plural (see next verse).
viii xxvi
Here the LXX — and hence, Catholic and Orthodox Hithpael perfect 3ms
xxvii
Bibles — insert the Prayer of Azariah, a story inside the fur- Peal passive participle ms
xxviii
nace, and the Song of the Three Young Men. All translations It is fascinating that ‘blessed’ is singular, while ‘God’ is
break here. plural. Also, an emphatic structure is here, lit. ‘blessed be
ix
Peal perfect 3ms their God, that of ...’
x xxix
Peal active participle ms, and next Peal perfect 3ms
xi xxx
I have followed the NIV/NASB in translating the adjec- Shapel (an Akkadian stem) Perfect, 3ms.
xxxi
tive ‫ יַצִּיב‬as an adverb, the grammatical answer to a polar ques- Hithpael perfect 3mp
xxxii
tion in English. JPS and NET also use adverbs. Pael perfect 3mp. LXX and Syriac have ‘rejected’.
xii xxxiii
As in Hebrew, the gender of numerals is ‘opposite’ of the Peal imperfect 3mp
xxxiv
noun they modify, a.k.a. chiastic concord (cp. Williams §95b). Lit. “and from me there is made”. Kutscher calls these
xiii
Peal passive participle mp ‘passives of majesty’.
xiv xxxv
Lit. ‘and hurt not there is on them’ Hithpael imperfect 3ms, and next
xv xxxvi
Peal active participle Haphel infinitive
xvi xxxvii
A common Biblical idiom for angels or divine beings The particle ‫ — כְִּדנָה‬which consists of a preposition on
(Gen. 6:2, 4; Dt. 32:8; 1K. 22:19; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Ps. 29:1; the demonstrative pronoun (BBA §9.6.3) — is used here as an
82:6). A son of God is not mutually exclusive with the Son of adverb. The only other place it occurs without a waw is Jer.
God (contra Nelson, 115). God elsewhere promises to be with 10:11.
xxxviii
his people in the fire: Isaiah 43:2,5. Creager as much as calls Haphel perfect 3ms. It seems reasonable to assume that
this a Plural of Majesty in §115 this word behave the same as its Hebrew cognate, though it is
xvii
There is no synecdoche here, unlike 2:49. only found in the causative stem in BA. The simple root seems
xviii
This word in missing in the LXX, which might have to be ‘to prosper’, hence the causative ‘make to prosper’.
helped to explain the Qere/Ketiv difference.

10
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

in the province of Babylon.

4 Chapter 4

N
ebuchadnezzari , the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwellii in all the earth: 3:31
Peace be multipliediii to youiv ! 2 It seemed good to mev to showvi the signs and wondersvii that the 32
Most High God has worked toward me.viii
3
Howix greatx are his signs, 33
and how mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdomxi ,
and his dominion is from generation to generationxii .
4xiii
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at easexiv in my house andxv prosperingxvi in my palacexvii . 5 I saw a dream 4:1,2
and I was afraid.xviii And upon my bed, the fancies and the visions of my head were alarmingxix me. 6
And I made a decreexx that all the wise menxxi of Babylon should be broughtxxii before me, that they 3
might make me knowxxiii the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the 4
Chaldeans, and the astrologers came inxxiv , and I toldxxv themxxvi the dream, and they could not make
knownxxvii to me its interpretation. 8 And at lastxxviii , Daniel came in before me and I told himxxix the 5
xiv
Dorsey’s chiasm is only given credence as an inclusio by An adjective. We must supply the copulative in English.
xv
Nelson. Both see the English versification as superior to the The obvious parallelism of this and subsequent verses
Hebrew, so the outline is presented in that way: makes it seem poetic. I have followed all modern translations,
A. Nebuchadnezzar Praises God (1-3) which deem this to be (at most) prose-poetry (cp. Gen. 1:1-
B. Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream (4-7) 2:3).
xvi
C. Daniel Interprets the Second Dream (8-27) This word’s Hebrew cognate (‫ )ַרעֲנָן‬is most often trans-
D. Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation (28-33) lated ‘green’ and refers to plants!
xvii
C’ Nebuchadnezzar Repents (34-35) Or ‘temple’
xviii
B’ Nebuchadnezzar Restored (36) As Creager points out (§122.C.n14), this is not a waw-
A’ Nebuchadnezzar Praises again (37) consecutive as in Hebrew, but a normal use of the imperfect,
i
It is highly likely that this story was about Nabonidus for a continuing state. See the other verb in this verse. For
(Nelson, 122). the discussion whether there ever was a waw-consecutive in
ii
Peal active participle mp Old Aramaic and what it may have meant, see Victor Sasson
iii
Peal imperfect 3ms. Clearly jussive! “Some Observations on the Use and Original Purpose of the
iv
Here the 2mp pronominal suffix is dative, not genitive, in Waw Consecutive in Old Aramaic and Biblical Hebrew”, Ve-
meaning. tus Testamentum Vol. 47, Fasc. 1 (Jan., 1997), pp. 111-127 and T.
v
Lit. ‘before me’. It seemly like that this is another in- Muraoka and M. Rogland “The waw Consecutive in Old Ara-
stance of royal paraphrases. maic? A Rejoinder to Victor Sasson”, Vetus Testamentum Vol.
vi
Haphel infinitive 48, Fasc. 1 (Jan., 1998), pp. 99-104
vii xix
This phrase usually refers to the exodus: Ex. 7:3; Dt. 4:34; Pael imperfect 3mp with 1cs suffix. The NASB and NET
6:22; Neh. 9:10; Ps. 135:9; Jer. 32:20; Dan 6:27; Mk. 13:22; Jn. translate this verb as continuing action. JPS/ESV/NIV opt
4:48; Acts 4:30; 5:12, Rom. 15:19; 2Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4. for simple past.
viii xx
Only the JPS does not break into poetry here. Lit. ‘and from me a decree was made.’ Royal paraphrases.
ix xxi
The inseparable preposition ְּ‫ כ‬and the impersonal inter- In this complicated sentence, the object of the infinitive
rogative pronoun ‫ מָה‬combine to mean ‘how’ (BBA §9.6.1), is mark with ְ‫ל‬, just as the infinitive itself is.
xxii
just as in Hebrew. Haphel infinitive
x xxiii
All languages use reduplication, and most of them use it Haphel imperfect 3mp of ‫ ידע‬with 1cs suffix. I have ma-
more than English. Here is an excellent example of a geminate nipulated the English to keep the Aramaic suffix in the ac-
root (‫)רבב‬, instead of contracting as usual, reduplicating. cusative. As in Biblical Hebrew, there are two object of
xi
That God’s kingdom is the everlasting one will come up causative stem-verbs, but only the personal pronoun may be
again in chapter 7. Here it is literally, ‘his kingdom (is) a king- mark on the verb in poly-personal agreement.
xxiv
dom of eternity’. The Qere is an update to later, Syriac spelling.
xii xxv
Hebrew also uses this same idiom to say ‘forever’. Peal active participle ms
xiii xxvi
All version have either a paragraph break or a chapter Lit. ‘before them.’
xxvii
break here. The shift from third-person to first-person is This is a very complicated modal use of the (Haphel) im-
striking. perfect. There is no ‫ יכל‬in the Aramaic!

11
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

dream. (His name is Belteshazzari , according to the name of my godii , and the spirit of the holy godsiii is
in himiv .) 9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I myself knowv that the spirit of the holy 6
gods is in you, and every mystery is not difficultvi for you. The visions of my dream that I saw: tellvii its
interpretation!viii 10 And the visions of my head upon my bed were theseix : I saw, and behold, 7
x
a treexi in the midst of the earth,
andxii its height was vastxiii .
11
The tree was great and was mightyxiv , 8
and its top touching the heavens,
and it was visiblexv to the end of all the earth;
12
Its foliagexvi was beautiful and its fruit abundantxvii , 9
and in it was food for all.
Under it, the beastsxviii of the field found shadexix ,
and in its branches the birds of the heavensxx dweltxxi ,
and from it all fleshxxii was fedxxiii .

13
I was seeingxxiv in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a Watcherxxv andxxvi a Holy Onei 10
xxviii x
Here, two adverbs should be taken together as one syn- NET/NASB/JPS begin poetry here, and the parallelism
tagmatic unit, forming a conjunction with temporal reference. makes this very convincing.
xi
So the Ketiv, but the Qere reads ‘until another’. Most cultures use metaphorical imagery of trees in this
xxix
Lit. ‘before him’ way (cp. the recent film Tree of Life). In the ANE, kings were
i
I have taken this excercus between the ‫’דִּי‬s as a paren- often depicted as such in art, but not commonly in writing
thetic statement in English, because it relates circumstantial (but cp. Ezekiel 17, 31). (Nelson, 127)
xii
information. Here and in v.12 are several simple waw’s in the Aramaic.
ii
Nelson sees this as a folk etymology, which proves the Creager (§109.A) calls them epexegetical. I have left them
lateness of the text. Bel is indeed another name of Mar- unadorned because we are in poetry.
xiii
duk, but Daniel’s name is the Akkadian phrase Balat’-?arri- Since I have been translating the root ‫ רבב‬with the En-
utsur/Protect-the-Life-of-the-King. glish word-group “great”, I have elected to translate ‫ שגיא‬dif-
iii
All translation take ‘gods’ to be a plural, but it is possible ferently, but I am unable to be consistent with it (cp. Dan
that it could be the Plural of Majesty (cp. Joshua 24:19). Crea- 2:6,12,31,48; 4:10,12,21; 5:9; 6:14,23; 7:5,28).
xiv
ger insists it is not plural because ‫ אֱלָהִין‬is not determined. Note the parallel roots with 3:33 (English 4:3), here and in
iv
This is another of the many, many ways Daniel is like v.17 (English v.20)
xv
Joseph (see Gen. 41:38). Lit. ‘its sight’. English ‘sight’ or ‘appearance’ demands
v
Peal Perfect 1cs with the independent personal pronoun certain phraseology, and the -able suffix may only attach to
for emphasis. This is a present perfect (Johns 21 and all trans- absolute case elements. v.17 is identical
xvi
lations). A rather obtuse translation, necessary to preserve the sin-
vi
Peal active participle gularity of the noun and verb.
vii xvii
Peal imperative 2ms. I find no way to include an ‘and’ Another inconsistent translation of ‫!שגיא‬
xviii
from the original text here. The Aramaic is a singular collective (cp. English
viii
These last two clauses are taken in the way the NIV trans- ‘wildlife’).
xix
lates them, and against all the others. It seems best to take Haphel imperfect 3fs
xx
‫אֱמַֽר‬/‘tell’ as an imperative with the last clause only because in Clearly this corresponds better to English ‘sky’, but I am
chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar is asking for the dream (which he being consistent in my translations, where possible.
xxi
does not recall) versus here he is just asking for the interpre- The Qere is a correction to match the gender of ‘birds’.
xxii
tation. Θ and the Sytriac treat this verse thus. Definite in Aramaic
ix xxiii
There is nothing corresponding to ‘were these’ in Ara- Hithpael imperfect 3ms
maic, but asyndeton is not as common in English as it is in
BA.

12
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

came downii from the heavens.

14
He cried aloud, and said thus, iii 11
“Cutiv down the tree, and cut off its branches,
shake offv its leaves, and scatter its fruit:
let the beasts fleevi from under it,
and the birds from its branches.
15
However, leave the stumpvii of its roots in the earth, 12
and with a band of iron and brass,viii
in the tender grass of the fieldix ;
and let him be wetx with the dew of the heavens:
and let his portion bexi with the beast in the grass of the earth:
16
Let his heart be changedxii from that of a manxiii , 13
and let the mind of a beast be givenxiv to himxv ;
and letxvi seven periods of timexvii pass over him.
17
The sentence is by the decree of the Watchersxviii , 14
and the demandxix by the word of the Holy Onesxx ;
to the end that the livingxxi may know
xxiv ix
A Peal perfect and a Peal participle combine to make a The verblessness of this clause troubles Nelson. The
periphrastic, compound verb. LXX supplies κοιτασθήσεται but there is no reason to emend
xxv
A common term in 1 Enoch and Qumran literature, but the MT.
x
not anywhere else in the Bible. Garrison notes the simi- Hithpael imperfect 3ms. Note the metathesis.
xi
larity to the Akkadian word naṣāru — ‘night watchman’ — “let ... be” I am assuming the imperatival nature of the
who figure prominently in the Gilgamesh Epic. For this and elliptical verb in this clause.
xii
many other parallels, see Garrison, Jason A. ”Nebuchadnez- Peal imperfect 3mp. Periphrastic passive
xiii
zar’s dream: an inversion of Gilgamesh imagery.” Bibliotheca Lit. ‘from a man’. The Ketiv is both Hebraic and South-
Sacra 169, no. 674 (April 1, 2012): 172-187. These are fallen or ern Arabia.
xiv
faithful angels (Nelson, 127-8). Hithpael imperfect 3ms
xxvi xv
Given that the finite verbs and participles in this verse As Nelson so artfully observes, “His mind is rearranged
and the subsequent ones are singular (not dual or plural), it rather than deranged.” Diagnoses such as lycanthropy or
seems highly like that this waw is epexegetical, and ought be zoanthropy are misguided.
xvi
translated ‘even’. However, I am attempted to be consistent The NIV alone translates only this third jussive as “till”.
xvii
in word choice. Typically understood to be years, though the LXX sim-
i
It is very, very unlikely that this substantive adjective is ply has χρόνος. As we learn from Qumran, Nabonidus went
being used as ‘saints’ is in the NT. Rather, it also refers to mad for seven years. Nelson repeatedly presses that this is
angelic beings too. also a reference to the later Antiochus IV, who styled him-
ii
Peal active participle ms self ἐπιφανής/‘remarkable’ but was called ἐπιμανής/‘mad’.
iii
The beginning of paral lelism here validates the He mental illness and deathbed confession are recorded in 2
JPS/NET/NASB’s decision to mark the text as poetry. Macc. 9 (Nelson, 131-2).
iv xviii
The following commands are all in the plural, as is the first There is no discrepancy between the Watcher’s/Angel’s
verb of the next verse. Nelson suggests the angel is speaking decrees and God’s decrees (e.g. v.24): the heavenly host are
to all the other heavenly hosts. under the auspices of the Most High. This is common im-
v
Haphel imperative 2mp agery in the ANE (Nelson, 134).
vi xix
It is consistence to take this first non-imperative verb as According to HALOT (which may be too indebted to
a jussive. Arabic parallelism) this word normally means ‘question’, and
vii
Lit. ‘root’, but that would render the phrase incoherent in so might be translated here (as a Biblical hapax) as ‘the matter
English. Collins and other critical scholars thing this is proof in question’.
xx
of error. Again, parallelism supports synonymity between Watch-
viii
As Nelson notes, we have no idea what practice this ers and Holy Ones.
xxi
phrase is referring to. The imagery seems to be that of sub- Substantive, definite, plural adjective
mission. Note also quite likely that we have already made the
shift in the metaphor from the tree (feminine) to Nebuchad-
nezzar (masculine).

13
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

that the Most High rulesi in the kingdom of mankind,

and gives it to whomever he wills,
and sets upii over it the lowest of meniii .

18
Thisiv dream I, the king, Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tellv its interpretationvi ! 15
Because all the wise men of my kingdom are not ablevii to make known to meviii the interpretation, butix
you are able, for the spirit of the holy godsx is in you.”
19 xi
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayedxii for a momentxiii , and his thoughts 16
alarmed him. The king answered and said, “O Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation
alarm youxiv .” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate youxv
and its interpretation be for your enemies! 20 The tree that you saw, which grew great and mighty, and 17
its top touching the heavens, and it was visible to all the earth; 21 and its foliage was beautiful and its 18
fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose
branches the birds of the heavens livedxvi : 22 It is you, O king, that has become greatxvii and mightyxviii ; 19
for your greatness is great, and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23
xix
And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 20
“Chopxx down the tree and destroy it,xxi
but leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
bound with a band of iron and bronze,
in the grass of the field,
and let him be wetxxii with the dew of heaven,
and let his portion be with the beasts of the field,
till seven times pass over him.’
24
This is the interpretation, O king: It is a sentencexxiii of the Most High, which has come upon my lord 21
the king, 25 andxxiv you shall be drivenxxv from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the 22
i xiv
Lit. ‘has mastery’ This is one of only four places where the apocopated (jus-
ii
Hphael imperfect 3ms sive) form of the verb is morphologically identifiable in the
iii
Rosenthal notes (§42) that the plural ending on this word Bible (Creager §53.a.1).
xv
is Hebrew, not Aramaic. It is worth periodically marveling at the economy of
iv
Rosenthal lists this as the fourth of five places where the means in Semitic languages: “for those who hate you” is six
demonstrative pronoun precedes the noun it modifies (25). letters in Aramaic (‫)לשנאיך‬. It consists of preposition, a Peal
v
Peal imperative 2ms participle mp, and a 2ms suffix.
vi xvi
Ketiv/Θ is ‘the interpretation’, Qere/LXX is ‘its interpre- Attempts to divide Daniel into non-apocalyptic and apoc-
tation’ alyptic sections are misguided: the mythical elements are per-
vii
Peal participle mp. I can discern no pattern when ‫ יכל‬is vasive throughout. The verse has Nebuchadnezzar dominat-
used and when a simple imperfect will suffice. ing over heaven and earth, even the animals.
viii xvii
ְ‫ ל‬plus Haphel infinitive plus 1cs suffix The Qere reading here is incomprehensible.
ix xviii
This simple waw is clearly contrastive. I continue to translate ‫ רבב‬and ‫ תקף‬roots as ‘great’ and
x
The plurality of the adjective ‘holy’ makes a small ‘g’ and ‘mighty’ in order to highlight their repetition throughout the
the plural ‘s’ indicated here. chapter.
xi xix
All versions have a major paragraph break here. Now the The JPS alone marks out this verse as poetry. Again, the
shift is from first to third person. The shifting of perspective presence of parallelism argues for such a decision.
xx
cause the audience to notice the narrator as an element in the It is impossible to indicate in English, but the following
story. This creates an expectation for a summation to come at commands are in the plural.
xxi
the end which — while given by a non-Jew — does come (cp The rest of the verse is missing from the LXX, but this
Nelson, 133). need not cast doubt on the MT (Nelson, 144).
xii xxii
Ethpoal perfect 3ms. Cp. Hebrew Hithpolal Hithpael imperfect 3ms
xiii xxiii
‘for a moment’ is one word in Aramaic: ‫כְּשָׁעָה‬.ְ Creager This rare word occurs only here and in v.17 (English num-
notes this distinctive use of ָ‫ כּ‬on a noun, which is akin to the bering).
way it is used on Infinitive Constructs in BH.

14
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

field, and you shall be made to eati grass as oxen, and shall be wetii with the dew of the sky, and seven
times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of meniii , and gives
it to whomever he wishes. 26 And as it was commandediv to leavev the stump of the roots (that isvi , of 23
the tree), your kingdom shall be enduringvii for you from the timviii that you know that Heavenix rules.
27
But, O king, let my counsel seem goodx to you, and break offxi your sins by righteousnessxii , and your 24
iniquities by showing mercyxiii to the poorxiv , should you wish your prosperity to be prolonged!xv ”
28 xvi
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelvexvii monthsxviii he was walkingxix 25
upon the roofxx of the palace of the kingxxi of Babylon, 30 The king answered and said, “Is not this great 26
Babylonxxii , which I myselfxxiii have builtxxiv for the royal dwelling place, by my mightyxxv power and for 27
the glory of my majesty? 31 While the words were stillxxvi in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heavenxxvii , 28
“O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spokenxxviii : The kingdom has departedxxix from you, 32 and you 29
xxiv xvii
This conjugation appears to be epexegetical. BBA §10.4.1 mentions the cross-gender way numbers
xxv
Per Rosenthal §181, an active participle used without agree with the nouns they modify in Aramaic and Hebrew.
anaphoric referent plus ְ‫ ל‬is impersonal, and hence passive. Williams’ Hebrew grammar calls this chiastic conchord, a splen-
Also v.29 did term. It is interesting that the word ‘two’ is in the con-
i
Pael imperfect 3ms struct state, so that literally it is ‘two of ten’, which sounds
ii
Pael active participle mp. Again, the unclear plural an- like ‘twenty’ to an English speaker.
xviii
tecedent but with the undergoes shown by a preposition Lest we forget and think ‘31’, the Hebrew and Aramaic
makes a passive construction. words for month also mean ‘moon’ (i.e. ‘28’).
iii xix
This phrase is singular and so takes a collective meaning. Pael active participle ms
iv xx
Yet another periphrastic passive. The word ‘roof ’ is not present in the Aramaic, though all
v
Peal infinitive major translations supply it. It is conceivable that the prepo-
vi
Parenthetical statements in English can (paradoxically) sition ‫ עַל‬could mean something else here, but ‘upon’ is the
add emphasis. It seems a proper way to translate “to leave most likely sense.
xxi
the stump of its roots — which are of the tree”. All modern translations make ‘king’ an adjectival genitive
vii
This dis legomenon only occurs here and 6:26. It is uni- and supply the word ‘royal’ instead. I have tried to be more
formly translated ‘enduring’ in the latter, so I have attempted literal.
xxii
to maintain continuity here. Humanly speaking, we might think he had reason to
viii
The word ‘time’, while not present in the Aramaic, is a boast. Supposedly, it was this Nebuchadnezzar (II) who build
good and necessary implication. Lit. ‘from that you know the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven Wonders
that rules...’. It would also be possible to translate this clause of the World.
xxiii
with the word ‘when’. I have included the word ‘myself ’ because it is present in
ix
As is so common in the Gospel of Matthew, ‘heaven’ is a the Aramaic both as an independent pronoun and as part of
euphemism here for God. This is the only such use in the OT. the verb conjugation.
x xxiv
Peal imperfect 3ms Peal perfect 1cs with 3ms suffix. Lit. ‘I built it.’ The
xi
Peal imperative 2ms. Apparently an idiom for ‘renounce’. English perfect tense is indicated for an action completed in
The Hebrew cognate (‫ )פַָּרק‬may also mean ‘to deliver’ (Ps. the past with continuing ramifications into the present. The
136:24) or ‘to redeem’ (Lam. 5:8). This latter sense is followed vowel points of the MT differ from the expected form in that
here by the LXX’s λύτρωσαι/‘redeem’. Tawil suggests ‘sepa- they do not have a simple schwa under the first consonant,
rate from’, which also makes good sense here (306). but a hateph seghol. Writing, as they did, a millennium after
xii
That is, righteous deed (as in Hebrew). the composition of this document, it is possible that the Mas-
xiii
Nelson defends the idea that all ANE kings would have sorites simply for the vowel wrong, but perhaps the quality of
been familiar with this responsibility, not just Israelite ones. reduced vowels could be specified better by people who spoke
The Code of Hammurabi explicitly states so (Nelson, 146). the language and were closer to the source.
xxv
The morphology indicates this is an Infinitive Construct, with This is the fifth and final verse of the chapter to have
a ְ‫ בּ‬preposition. It could, therefore, also be translated ‘in the ‘great’ and ‘mighty’ together in it.
xxvi
showing of mercy’. The word ‘still’ is not in the Aramaic text, but is supplied
xiv
BDB lists this as an adjective from ‫עֲנָה‬, but Creager by most English translation.
xxvii
(§28aN15) thinks it is a passive participle, based on morphol- All other references in Scripture to a ‘voice from heaven’
ogy. are in the NT: Mt. 3:17; 17:5; Lk 3:22; Jn. 12:28; Acts 11:9; Rev.
xv
Lit. ‘if an extension will be for your prosperity.’ Clearly, 10:4, 8; 11:12; 14:13.
xxviii
a modal expression is meant (as all translations indicate) but Pael active participle mp. Passive in force
xxix
the exact nuance is difficult to achieve in English. Peal perfect 3fs. English perfect is a conflation of tense
xvi
All versions begin a new paragraph here. and aspect, but works well here.

15
4 Chapter 4 A DANIEL

shall be driveni from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to
eatii the grass like theiii oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High
rules in the kingdom of mankind, and gives it to whomever he wills.” 33 Immediatelyiv the word was 30
fulfilledv on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was drivenvi from mankind and he ate grass like the oxen, and his
body was wetvii with the dew of the heavens until his hair grew as long as eagles’viii , and his nails were like
birds’.ix
34 x
And at the end of the daysxi I myselfxii — Nebuchadnezzar — lifted my eyes to the heavensxiii , and 31
my knowledgexiv returnedxv to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoredxvi him who
lives foreverxvii ,
xviii
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation;
35
and all the inhabitants of the earth are accountedxix as nothingxx , 32
and he does as he wishesxxi among the host of the heavens,
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none staysxxii his hand
orxxiii say to him, “What have you done?”
36
At the same time, my knowledge returned to me. And for the glory of my kingdom,xxiv my majesty 33
and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was establishedxxv in my
kingdom, and surpassing greatness was addedxxvi to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol 34
and honorxxvii the King of the heavens, for all his works are true and his ways are justxxviii ; and those who
i xvi
Peal active participle mp without plural antecedent This example of polysyndeton is striking, both for its con-
ii
Peal imperfect 3mp with the subject ‘you’ supplied via junctions and its eschewing of participles in favor of multiple,
preposition. This is the periphrastic passive seen throughout finite verbs.
xvii
this book. Lit. ‘and to the living of the eternity’
iii xviii
The Aramaic is plural and indefinite, an unavailable op- All versions agree that poetry starts in the middle of this
tion in English. I have chosen to add a ‘the’. verse and continues until the end of the next.
iv xix
Lit. ‘in it, the hour’ Peal participle mp
v xx
HALOT (1938) ‘to be fulfilled’, a strangely passive mean- Amazingly, this is ְ‫ כּ‬plus ‫לא‬, the negative adverb used as a
ing for an active stem. The homonym ‘to end’ does not work noun.
xxi
here. Waw plus Lamed plus Peal infinitive plus 3ms pronominal
vi
Peil perfect 3ms suffix. This is one of two places where a pronominal suffix is
vii
Hithpael imperfect 3ms used to mark the subject of an Infinitive Construct. cp. 6:21
viii xxii
Θ and the LXX have “lions’”. Pael imperfect 3ms. This would appear to be another
ix
These last two details are new, not having been part of place where the modal use of the imperfect extends even into
the dream or its interpretation beforehand. Nelson finds a the domain of ability. The normal meaning of this word is ‘to
parallel to the story of Ahiqar, even lexically (138). strike’, so here it is literally ‘smack his hand’. This is some
x
All version have a paragraph break here. The return to form of symbolic, legal action.
xxiii
first-person narrative is marked. As Nelson notes (140), there All translation have ‘or’, even though this is just a waw.
xxiv
is marked parallelism between vv.34 and vv.36-37. This seems There are no commas in Aramaic, so it may be helpful
best described as an ABA’ or ABCB’A’ chiasm, since the end- to note that ‘kingdom’ has a preposition on it, while ‘majesty’
ing amplifies the beginning. and ‘splendor’ do not. I am siding with the ESV and NASB,
xi
Only the ESV keeps the literal ‘days’ here. It seems best against the LXX, Vulgate, and Rashi!
xxv
to do so since ‫ עִדָּן‬has been rendered ‘time’ in vv.16, 23,25, and Hophal perfect 1cs
xxvi
32. Hophal perfect ifs
xii xxvii
The independent pronoun is emphatic, since person is Polysyndeton and the first person independent person
encoded in the finite verb in Aramaic. pronoun for an inclusio in this paragraph (cp v.34). Here, how-
xiii
This is likely a symbolic action of submission, cp. Ps. 121:1 ever, the verbs are not finite.
xiv xxviii
This could also mean ‘reason’ or ‘rationality’, but I have In this sentence, both ‘true’ and ‘just’ are morphologically
tried to be consistent with 2:21 and 5:12. nouns (‘truth’ and ‘justice’). Aramaic has a paucity of adjec-
xv
Peal imperfect 3ms. Perhaps this is an imperfect indicat- tives and presses nouns into service as descriptive predicates
ing a gradual action. (Schuele, 28).

16
5 Chapter 5 A DANIEL

walkxxix in pride he is able to humblei .

5 Chapter 5

B
elshazzar the kingii made a great feastiii for a thousand of his lords, and drankiv winev in front ofvi
the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, when he tastedvii the wineviii , commanded that the vessels of gold and of
silverix that Nebuchadnezzar his fatherx had takenxi from the temple which is in Jerusalem be broughtxii ,
thatxiii the king and his lords, his wivesxiv and his concubines might drinkxv from them. 3 Then the vessels
of gold were brought inxvi , which had been taken from the temple which is the housexvii of God which in
Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines drankxviii from them.xix 4 They drank
the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.xx
5xxi
Immediatelyxxii the fingers of a man’s handxxiii appearedxxiv and wrotexxv on the plaster of the wall
of the king’s palacexxvi , before the lampstandxxvii . And the king saw the palm of the hand as it wrotexxviii .
6
Then the king’s color changedxxix , and his thoughts alarmed him, and the joints of limbsxxx gave wayxxxi ,
xxix xiv
Haphel active participle mp Though no translation does so, it may be that this word
i
Haphel infinitive (‫ )שגל‬should be translated consort. Like BH, BA normally
Another Dorsey outline: used the word ‘woman’ for ‘wife’. The Hebrew cognate of this
A. Belshazzar’s prosperity (1-4) word is used in Neh. 2:6 and Ps. 45:9.
xv
B. handwriting on the wall (5-6) Peal imperfect 3mp. What in English is a past subjunctive
C. magicians fail (7-9) is a simple imperfect in BA.
xvi
D. Daniel remembered (10-12) Haphel perfect 3mp. Clearly, the vessels are not doing the
C’ magician’s failure recounted (13-16) bringing, so this plural verb must be passive in intent (and the
B’ Daniel Interprets the Handwriting (17-28) same for the next). The LXX agrees.
xvii
A’ Daniel’s prosperity, Belshazzar’s downfall (29-31) As in BH, note the synonymity of ‘house’ and ’temple’.
xviii
23 years and several kings have passed by since chapter Another verb with a waw-prefix whose meaning is unaf-
4, yet the author begins without a hint of all that time. This fected. Aramaic seems to have not trace left of the ancient
suggests that the chapters in Daniel are not chronologically Semitic verb forms preserved in the waw-consecutive.
xix
ordered. Nebuchadnezzar received no special condemnation in
ii
Nelson is concerned that Belshazzar was never crowned chapter 1 for taking this vessels, but drinking from them here
by his own people, but this seems inconsequential as to is made all the more heinous by including wives and concu-
whether Scripture should use the title. bines in the act. The inseparable preposition ‫ מִן‬may be par-
iii
Nelson states that extra-Biblical sources do confirm the titive or indicate source.
xx
existence of a large feast the night before Babylon was con- Blatant idolatry compounds their sin even more.
xxi
quered (146). Every version except the JPS has a paragraph break here.
iv xxii
Peal active participle Lit. ‘in it, the time.’
v xxiii
Rosenthal calls this oddly determined noun “general des- Clearly, the hand is supernatural. The phrase ‘finger of
ignation of species” (§46). God’ occurs in Ex. 8:19; 31:18; Dt. 9:10; and Lk. 11:20. ‘Hand
vi
Lit. ‘to before’ of God’ appears a plethora of times.
vii xxiv
This word (‫ )טְעֵם‬means ‘decree’ elsewhere. The polysemy The Qere matches the gender of ‘fingers’, while the Ketiv
is very akin to the English ‘judge’, which is used of eating and matched ‘hand’.
xxv
kings alike also. Peal active participle fp
viii xxvi
ְ‫ בּ‬plus construct noun, lit. ‘in the tasting of the wine’. Despite the bewildering array of prepositions, construct
This is commonly understood to mean that he was drunk, or states, and the particle ‫דִּי‬, this long phrase remains clear in
at least “under the influence”. Aramaic because it is a right-branching language, like English.
ix xxvii
Aramaic requires that definiteness be marked on the Not a cognate of menorah, this word (‫ )נֶבְַרשְׁתָּא‬may be of
noun not in the construct case, so this is lit. ‘vessels of the Persian origin. It is a hapax.
xxviii
gold and the silver’. Peal active participle fs, modifying ‘hand’, not ‘palm’.
x xxix
Archeology indicates that Nabonidus was Belshazzar’s fa- This construction is wildly non-configurational — ‫זִיוֹהִי‬
ther. Perhaps our text is operating in a way similar to how ‫שְׁנוֹהִי‬/“(the king) his colors they changed him”. It is especially
Jehu is called “Jehu son of Omri” on the Black Obelisk of Shal- noteworthy given the more conventional phraseology in v.9
maneser III, an Assyrian document. and 7:28. Coxon cites this verse as further prove of the antiq-
xi
Haphel perfect 3ms uity of Daniel’s Aramaic.
xii xxx
Haphel infinitive, originally fifth word of the sentence A known expression for the hip joint
xiii xxxi
A simple waw is used here of a result, ‘in order that’. Hithphael participle mp. Al Wolters, in JBL 110 (1991),
117-122 wonders if this is a euphemism for ‘wet himself ’.

17
5 Chapter 5 A DANIEL

and his knees knocked togetheri .

7ii
The king called loudly to bringiii in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king
answered and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever readsiv this writing, and shows mev its inter-
pretation, shall be clothed with purplevi and have a chain of goldvii around his neck and shall be the third
rulerviii in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came inix , and they were not able x to readxi
the writing or to make knownxii to the king the interpretation. 9 Then the king, Belshazzar, was greatly
alarmedxiii , and his color changedxiv , and his lords were perplexedxv .
10
The queenxvi , becausexvii of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hallxviii ,
and the queen answered and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you and do not let
your color be change.xix 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy godsxx , and
in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the godsxxi was found
in himxxii , and the king, Nebuchadnezzar, your father — your father the kingxxiii — made himxxiv chief of
the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, andxxv astrologers, 12 Because an excellent spirit, and knowledge,
and understanding, the interpretingxxvi of dreams, and showingxxvii of hard sentences, and dissolving of
doubts, were foundxxviii in the same Danielxxix , whom the king namedxxx Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be
calledxxxi , xxxii and he will showxxxiii the interpretation.
13xxxiv
Then Daniel was broughtxxxv in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You
are that Daniel, from amongxxxvi the exilesxxxvii of Judah, whom the king my father broughtxxxviii from
i xx
Lit. ‘this to this’ Pl. noun, pl. adjective
ii xxi
Only the NIV has a break here. I have followed my out- This last phrase is not present in Θ.
xxii
line. Hithpael perfect 3fs. Perhaps it is substandard English to
iii
Haphel Infinitive. have a singular verb correspond to two subjects, but it matches
iv
Aramaic indefinite relative phrases are interesting, lit. the Aramaic precisely.
xxiii
‘that all of man that may read’. While this repeat phrase comes at the end of the sentence
v
Pael imperfect 3ms with 1cs suffix. in Aramaic, English word order constrains force it to come
vi
There is no preposition and the noun is definite in Ara- here. Hopefully, the full emphatic force is retained by this
maic. layout. It is not present in the versions.
vii xxiv
Like ‘the purple’, this is another instance where BA uses Haphel perfect 3ms with 3ms suffix
xxv
the definite state to mark a specific but indefinite noun. The This is a rare list in BA that does not have the Oxford
Qere is an update to Syriac orthography. comma!
viii xxvi
Because Belshazzar was already merely second in com- Pael active participle, possibly in construct relationship
mand. The obsolete, Latin-derived term ‘triumvir’ would have to the subsequent noun
xxvii
preserved the one-to-one goal of this translation best. An infinitive construct in construct relationship to the
ix
The wise men have already entered, so this phrase is re- next word!!!
xxviii
ferring to their coming before the king and attempting an ex- Hithpael perfect 3fs
xxix
planation. Lit. “in him, in Daniel” (Johns 14)
x xxx
Peal active participle of ‫יכל‬ Lit. ‘set his name’, ‫שם–שםה‬. Syriac maintains no distinc-
xi
Peal infinitive tion between sîn and šîn, so perhaps this phrase was more
xii
Waw plus Haphel infinitive alliterative for Daniel than for the Massorites.
xiii xxxi
Hithpael passive participle Hithpael imperfect 3ms with jussive force
xiv xxxii
The AV adds the English phrase ‘in him here’, but no 4QDan has ‫ וכתבא יקרא‬here (“and let him read the writ-
modern translation follows suit. The Aramaic phrase ‫עֲלוֹהִי‬ ing”), which probably is original and fell out by homoioteleu-
brooks no English equivalent here, though it is remarkable in ton.
xxxiii
its use of ‫ עַל‬where we would have expected ְ‫( ל‬Creager §106.e). Haphel imperfect 3ms. Modal translations are also possi-
xv
Hithpael participle mp ble.
xvi xxxiv
That is, the queen-mother All translations break here.
xvii xxxv
cp. Ezra 4:16 Hophal perfect 3ms
xviii xxxvi
Lit. ‘the house of the banquet’ Here ‫ מִן‬is used partitively (Creager §105.A).
xix xxxvii
Ithpael 3mp. Here are two of the four verbs which are Lit. ‘sons of exile’. ‘Sons’ is used in BA and BH to indicate
morphologically identifiable as jussive (i.e. apocopated) in members of a class.
xxxviii
Biblical Aramaic (Creager §53.a.1). Haphel perfect 3ms

18
5 Chapter 5 A DANIEL

Judah.i 14 And I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and thatii light and understanding
and excellent wisdom are foundiii in you. 15 And now, the wise men, the enchantersiv have been brought
inv before me to readvi this writing and make knownvii to me its interpretation, but they were not able
to showviii the interpretation of the matter. 16 Butix I have heard about you that you are able to give
interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and make known to me its
interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of goldx around your neck and you shall
be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17xi
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts bexii for yourself, and givexiii your
rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the inter-
pretation. 18 O kingxiv , the Most High God gave to Nebuchadnezzarxv your father kingship and greatness
and glory and majesty. 19 And because ofxvi the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and
languages were tremblingxvii and fearing before him: whomxviii he wouldxix he killed, and whom he would
he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down. 20 And when his heart
was lifted upxx and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudlyxxi , he was brought downxxii from his
kingly thronexxiii , and his gloryxxiv was takenxxv from him. 21 And he was drivenxxvi from amongxxvii the
children of mankind, and his heart was madexxviii like that of a beastxxix , and his dwelling was with the
wild donkeys. He was fedxxx grassxxxi like the oxen, and his body was wetxxxii with the dew of the heavens,
i xvi
Perhaps this sentence was a question originally, but there The preposition ‫ מִן‬indicates source or cause here, hence
are no morphological indications. An interesting alternative the translation ‘because of ’. Nevertheless, this specific usage
might be “So you are that Daniel!” is unusual, though it became ordinary in Syriac.
ii xvii
‘That’ must be repeated in English to indicate we are still Participle plus finite ‘to be’, just as in English, form a con-
delineating things which Belshazzar heard. tinuing action. The Qere spelling is what one would expect of
iii
Hithpael perfect 3fs a hollow verb.
iv xviii
These two terms are seemingly here in apposition, as Only the NASB seems to follow Rosenthal’s sugges-
there is no waw between them. This is strange given their tion that the four simple ‫’דִּי‬s here should be translated
positions in lists already. ‘whomever/whatever’. (26)
v xix
Hophal perfect 3mp All four repetitions of this phrase are the periphrastic:
vi
Peal imperfect 3mp. It lends weight to the interpretation ‫ הֲוֶה‬perfect plus a participle (one Peal, three Haphel), used to
given below that the sages could not even read (i.e. sound out) make a complicated past-tense construction, perhaps modal.
xx
this text, nor give its (subsequent) interpretation. Perhaps it is out of respect that Daniel uses these oth-
vii
Haphel infinitive with 1cs suffix erwise unnecessary passives in reference to a king’s negative
viii
Haphel infinitive actions. The same spelling could also just be a perfect.
ix xxi
The simple waw that begins this verse is clear contrastive Haphel Infinitive. This would appear to be a complemen-
with what came before. tary use of the infinitive (BBA §16.5.2).
x xxii
In this iteration of the promised reward, ‘purple’ is still Hophal perfect 3ms
xxiii
definite, but ‘gold’ is not. The Aramaic word order is ‘throne of king his’, which il-
xi
All consulted versions break here. lustrates how little word order matters in Aramaic!
xii xxiv
Here is a jussive with a final-nun. Context alone deter- This reading comes from a re-pointing of the MT, but
mines this case. agrees with all the versions.
xiii xxv
Peal imperative 2ms Haphel perfect 3mp without plural antecedent, i.e. pas-
xiv
Untranslated, the first word of this sentence is the second sive
xxvi
person personal pronoun. In English, vocative uses of pro- Peil perfect 3ms
xxvii
nouns is both rude and forces them to become the subject of Partitive use of ‫מִן‬
xxviii
subsequent utterances, none of which is desirable here. The Pael perfect 3mp. The Qere is ‘was made like’, the Ketiv
atnach occurs on the word ‘king’, and coincidentally marks ‘was like’.
xxix
the beginning of a large lacuna in the LXX, which extents to Lit. ‘with the beast’
xxx
v.22. It seems possible that this is a better preservation of the Pael imperfect 3mp with 3ms suffix. Lit. ‘They fed him’
original, since this material is all review. but it is a periphrastic passive
xv xxxi
To get around the inherent difficulty of the ditransitive Definite in Aramaic
xxxii
verb ‘to give’, the objects are unadorned, while the indirect Hithpael imperfect 3ms
object receives the preposition ְ‫ל‬.

19
5 Chapter 5 A DANIEL

until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and setsi over it whom he will.
22
And you yourselfii , his son, Belshazzar, have not humblediii your heart, althoughiv you knewv all of this,
23
and you have exaltedvi yourself against the Lord of the heavens. And the vessels of his house have been
brought invii before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have drunkviii wineix
from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, whox do not
see or hear or knowxi , butxii the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have
not honored. 24 Then the palm of the hand was sent from before him and this writing was inscribedxiii .
25
And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene,xiv Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.xv 26 This is the interpre-
tation of the matter: Mene; Godxvi has countedxvii your kingdom and paid it outxviii ; 27 Tekel; you have
been weighedxix in the balance and foundxx wantingxxi ; 28 Peres; your kingdom is assessedxxii and given to
i xv
Haphel imperfect 3ms Far more convincing, however, is Wolters’ tri-level anal-
ii
The presence of the independent pronoun, even though ysis. He agrees that the first MENE is part of Daniel’s in-
person is encoded on the verb in BA, is emphatic. terpretation, but goes further and says it is not part of the
iii
Haphel perfect 2ms message. He believes the text was mysterious to the Babylo-
iv
A compound conjunction, lit. ‘all before that’ nian wise men simply because it was an unpointed, consonan-
v
Johns (21) cites this as an example of a perfect tense (‘have tal text. The writing, by this theory, would have been sim-
known’) but all translations have the simple past. This seems ply ‫מנאתקלפרס‬. The initial layer present here means ‘mina,
to be a matter of lexical aspect/teleology for the English word shekel, and half-mina’. See Wolters, Albert M. “The riddle of
‘know’. the scales in Daniel 5.” Hebrew Union College Annual 62, (Jan-
vi
This is the only occurrence of the Hitpolel in Biblical Ara- uary 1, 1991): 155-177. Collins think the original order must
maic. have been ‘mina, shekel, half-mina’, because this is decreasing
vii
Haphel perfect 3mp, periphrastic passive order of worth, and what we find in the LXX.
viii xvi
Peal active participle mp Singular and definite
ix xvii
Still definite This is the key word of this sentence. Daniel has ‘con-
x
Aramaic does not have separate animate and inanimate jugated’ the message on the wall, the first word of which has
relative pronouns (‘who’ vs. ‘which’) like English, and while become the verb ‘to count’. The Hebrew cognate ‫ מָנָה‬has al-
these ‘gods’ are not real, the activities they are unable to do ready been used in Dan. 1:5,10,11, meaning ‘count, appoint,
here are highly animate, and so ‘who’ is preferable over ‘which’. assign’.
xi xviii
All Peal active participles mp Haphel perfect 3ms with 3fs suffix. Wolters persuasively
xii
This simple waw is clearly contrastive argues for this translation, despite its uniformly rendition in
xiii
Peil perfect 3ms the translations as ‘brought to an end’. The Hebrew cognate
xiv
Kirchmayr advances the interesting theory that the writ- ‫ שָׁלַם‬is most often translated ‘pay’. The entire set of three
ing was in the form of numbers, not letters, and so could not words, each of three letters, has three levels of interpretation
be read by the Babylonians whose system of counting was sex- to Wolters, and here the kingdom is going to be paid out like
agesimal. Daniel — familiar with decimal numbers — could silver.
xix
decipher it with less difficulty. The first Mene by this ac- Peil perfect 2ms. The Hebrew cognate is ‫שַָׁקל‬, a verb
count, was a clue to “count”, a key to the entire message. It meaning ‘to weigh’. The shift from ‫ שׁ‬to ‫ ת‬is a well understood
is therefore not part of the decryption in the following verse. difference between Aramaic and Hebrew (BBA §1.5).
xx
See Kirchmayr, Karl P. “Mene–tekel–uparsin.” Vetus Testamen- Hithpael perfect 2ms
xxi
tum 60, no. 3 (January 1, 2010): 483-486. The balances or scales have not found in favor of Babylon.
xxii
Peil perfect 3fs (and next). The Hebrew cognate (‫)פַָּרס‬
means ‘to divide’ or ‘to break’, but this Aramaic word (‫)פְַּרס‬
is a Biblical hapax. Wolters provides evidence from targumim
and Akkadian parāsu that it means ‘to assess’ contra all trans-
lations.

20
6 Chapter 6 A DANIEL

the Medesi and Persiansii .”

29iii
Then Belshazzar commandediv , and Daniel was clothedv with purplevi , a chain of goldvii putviii
around his neck, and it was proclamedix about him, that he should bex the third ruler in the kingdom.
30
That very nightxi Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killedxii . 31 Andxiii Darius the Mede receivedxiv the 6:1
kingdom, being about sixty-two years oldxv .

6 Chapter 6

I
t pleasedxvi Darius to setxvii over the kingdom 120 satraps, to bexviii in all the kingdom; 2 and overxix 2
them three high officials, of whom Daniel was onexx , to whom these satraps would givexxi accountxxii , 3
so thatxxiii the king might not sufferxxiv loss. 3 Then thisxxv Daniel wasxxvi distinguishing himselfxxvii above 4
the otherxxviii high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king plannedxxix
to set himxxx over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officialsxxxi and the satraps were seekingxxxii to 5
findxxxiii a complaint againstxxxiv Daniel with regard to xxxv the kingdom, butxxxvi they were not able to
findxxxvii a complaint or faultxxxviii , becausexxxix he was faithfulxl , and no error or fault was foundxli in him.
5 xlii
Then these men said, “xliii We shall not findxliv a complaint against this Daniel unless we find itxlv 6
i xix
“[A r]egion in western Iraq from which a powerful king- Creager says this is ‘upward’, that is, ‘up’ followed by the
dom emerged in the seventh century [B.C.], but was con- directional -h. §117. It might instead be the definite article,
quered by Cyrus of Persia in the sixth century.” (Greenspahn, which would make this phrase literally, ‘and the over from
132) them’.
ii xx
This word also has the same consonantal spelling as Peres This could also be translated ‘first’. Lit. ‘that Daniel one
and assess/divide. from them’.
iii xxi
All versions except the JPS break here. There are no uni- Peal active participle mp. Is this a modal use of the par-
versally agreed upon breaks in the latter third of chapter five, ticiple? It seems more likely that it should be taken together
so I have followed my outline. with the copula to form a syntagmatic unit signifying contin-
iv
Peal perfect 3ms of ‫אמר‬ uing action.
v xxii
Haphel perfect 3mp. The waw being on the verb makes The original is definite.
xxiii
no difference in the meaning. A strongly consequential use of a simple waw
vi xxiv
Still definite Peal imperfect 3ms of ‘to be’
vii xxv
Now back to being definite again Demonstrative pronouns do not normally go with proper
viii
English requires a (different) verb for this clause. names in English. I have left it as the original because I find
ix
Haphel perfect 3mp, periphrastic passive no commentary on this usage.
x xxvi
Peal imperfect 3ms of ‘to be’ Peal perfect 3ms. Apparently, the copula could combine
xi
Lit. ‘in it, in the night’ with finite verbs as well!
xii xxvii
Peil perfect 3ms of the paradigmatic ‫קטל‬ The hithpael is middle here, not passive.
xiii xxviii
The LXX has a large insertion here: ‘And The word ‘other’ is not in the original, but implied.
xxix
Xerxes/Artexerxes, the king of the Medes, received the Peal passive participle ms. The Hithpael of the cognate
kingdom. And Darius was full of days and renowned in his occurs in Jonah 1:6, also with active meaning ‘to think’.
xxx
old age and appointed 127 satraps over all his kingdom.’ cp. Haphel infinitive with 3ms suffix
xxxi
Esther 1:1 This could have been translated with the epenthetic ad-
xiv
Pael perfect 3ms jective ‘other’, as in the previous verse.
xv xxxii
It is reckoned that Cyrus was this age when he conquered Peal perfect 3mp copula plus Peal active participle mp
xxxiii
Babylon. Haphel infinitive
xxxiv
A. Daniel’s exaltation in the government (1-5) Creager notes the unusual use of ְ‫ ל‬to mean ‘against’ here
B. plot for Daniel’s death (6-9) and in the next verse.
xxxv
C. thrown into lion’s den (10-18) Lit. ‘from the side of ’
xxxvi
D. Daniel unharmed! (19-22) The simple waw here is clearly contrastive.
xxxvii
C’ brought out of the lion’s den (23) ‫ יכל‬as a participle plus ‫ שכח‬in the Haphel infinitive
xxxviii
B’ enemies put to death (24) Substantive Peal passive participle fs of ‘to corrupt’
xxxix
A’ Daniel further exaltation (25-28) cp. 6:4
xvi xl
Lit. ‘it was pleasing before’ Haphel passive participle ms of ‫אמן‬.
xvii xli
Haphel perfect 3ms Hithpael perfect 3fs
xviii
Relative particle and Peal imperfect 3mp

21
6 Chapter 6 A DANIEL

ini the law of his God.” 6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreementii to the king and said 7
thus to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the 8
satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreediii that the king establishiv an ordinance and enforce
an injunction, that whoever makes petitionv tovi any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O kingvii ,
shall be castviii into theix den of lions. 8 Now, O king, may you establishx the injunction and sign the 9
document, so that it cannot be changedxi , according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which
cannot be revokedxii .”
9 xiii
Therefore King Darius signed the document and the injunctionxiv . 10 And when Daniel knew 10
that the document had been signed, he wentxv to his house. And the windows were openedxvi in his 11
upper chamberxvii towards Jerusalem. And he got down on his knees three times per day and prayed and
gave thanksxviii before his God, as he had donexix previously.xx 11 Then these men came by agreement 12
and foundxxi Danielxxii making petition and pleading for himselfxxiii before his God. 12 Then they came 13
near and said before the king, concerning the injunctionxxiv , “O king!xxv Did you not sign an injunction,
that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be
castxxvi into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing is sure, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which cannot be revokedxxvii .” 13 Then they answered and said before the kingxxviii , 14
“Daniel, who is amongxxix the exilesxxx of Judah, does not pay heed to you, O king, or the injunction you
have signed, but makes his petition three times perxxxi day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard the wordi , 15
xlii xi
All consulted versions except the JPS have a paragraph Haphel infinitive. This is a noteworthy modal use of the
division here. infinitive.
xliii xii
All consulted English translations and the Vulgate leave Peal imperfect 3fs, lit. ‘pass away’. Also modal.
xiii
the ‫ דִּי‬which begins this sentence untranslated. The LXX has JPS, ESV, NASB, NET, and NIV all break here.
xiv
δεῦτε. English does not rely on discourse particles like Ger- The text seems to be saying that the law and its penalty
man or Greek, so it seems best to not render it at all. were two separate things, given that apposition is always han-
xliv
Haphel imperfect 1cp dled through asyndeton in BA/BH.
xlv xv
Here is the first of two uses of the perfect as a future tense This is not the preposition, but the Peal perfect 3ms of
in BA. See also 7:27. The dummy object pronoun is an artifact ‘to go’.
xvi
of English grammar’s aversion to ellipsis. Pael passive participle fp
i xvii
All English translations insert ‘connection with’ here. Lit. ‘to him his upper chamber’. This probably refers to
This is a reasonable inference — that these Babylonians are the second story of a two story house.
xviii
not pouring over Leviticus looking for ‘gotchyas’ — but not Hphael active participle ms
xix
very literal. Peal perfect 3ms of ‘to be’ plus Peal active participle of ‘to
ii
Haphel perfect 3mp of ‫רגשׁ‬. The Hebrew cognate is a ha- do’.
xx
pax, occurring in the famous Ps. 2:1. HALOT describes it as Surely this is the strongest commendation possible to
an act of collusion. pray: when a law is passed to forbid prayer, the man of God’s
iii
Ithpael perfect 3mp. ‫ יְעַט‬is used as a substantive noun first response is to pray about it!
xxi
in Ezra 7:14,15 (“counselors”) and the Hebrew cognate consis- Haphel perfect 3mp
xxii
tently means ‘to counsel’ the 80 times it is used in the Bible. Marked as the object of the verb by the preposition ְ‫ל‬.
xxiii
‘To make a decision after consultation.’ A Hithpaal participle with middle-voice force.
iv xxiv
Pael infinitive. English translations uniformly insert the The Aramaic is not determined here.
xxv
word ‘should’ here, but that over-translation can be avoided The versions lend weight to the notion that this is a voca-
in this more wooden English. tive, but the genitive opposite ‘the injunction’ being in the
v
Pael imperfect 3ms construct. Hence, the NIV and NASB have ‘royal edict’. I
vi
The English verb ‘petition’ requires the preposition ‘to’, have side with the MT pointing, and the ESV.
xxvi
but the Aramaic here and in the exception clause is ‘from’. Hithpeal imperfect 3ms
vii xxvii
This determined noun must be vocative. Peal imperfect 3fs implying mode of ability
viii xxviii
Hithpeal imperfect 3ms Reminiscent of English indirect discourse, this quote be-
ix
The fame of this story allows for definiteness here. Oth- gins with ‫דִּי‬, which is best left untranslated.
xxix
erwise, English would use the indefinite pronoun. A partitive use of the preposition ‫מִן‬.
x xxx
Haphel imperfect 2ms. English translations treat this Lit. ‘son of the exile’
xxxi
verb as an imperative, which is the intent, but not the form. Lit. ‘three times in the day’
i
Lit. ‘the king according to which the word he heard’

22
6 Chapter 6 A DANIEL

it was very evil to himii and set his heartiii to deliveriv himv . And he was laboringvi till the sun went down
to rescuevii him. 15 Then these men came by agreementviii to the king and said to the king, “Knowix , O 16
king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishesx
can be changedxi .” 16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was broughtxii and cast into the den of 17
lions. The king answered and saidxiii to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continuallyxiv , will deliver
youxv !” 17 And axvi stone was broughtxvii and laidxviii over the mouth of the den, and the king seal itxix with 18
hisxx signet, and the signet of his lords, that nothing concerning Daniel might be changedxxi . 18 Then the 19
king went to his palace and spent the nightxxii fastingxxiii ; diversionsxxiv were not broughtxxv before him,
and his sleep fled from himxxvi .
19 xxvii
Then the king, at the dawn, having arisenxxviii at the daylight, and wentxxix in hastexxx to the den 20
of lions. 20 And when he came nearxxxi to the den where Daniel wasxxxii , he cried out in a tone of anguish. 21
The king answered and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living Godxxxiii , hasxxxiv your God, whom
you serve continually, been ablexxxv to deliverxxxvi you from the lions?” 21 Then Danielxxxvii saidxxxviii toxxxix 22
the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angelxl , and shut the mouth of the lions, and they 23
ii xxii
This is likely an idiom for ‘he was grieved’. ‘Spent the night’ is one word in Aramaic, the hapax ‫בת‬,
iii
Rather than considering this a hapax, it seems best to which HALOT and Gesenius take to be related to the noun
think that a bizarre case of metathesis has occurred on the ‫בית‬/house. This seems a reasonable inference (e.g. from
common word ‫לב‬/heart. ‘house’ to ’live’ to ’spend the night’.
iv xxiii
Shaphel infinitive with 3ms suffix This unadorned noun seems to be taken by all modern
v
That is, Daniel. Third person pronominal suffixes may translations and version to be an accusative of manner (cp.
not be used reflexively. Latin ablative case) a.k.a. an adverbial accusative (Williams
vi
It is impossible to render into English, but the Hithpaal §60), indication how the king passed the night. Rosenthal
participle conveys a middle-voice force here, like the English (§88) thinks it is an adverb because of the final taw (cp. certain
phrase ‘to exert oneself ’. Hebrew infinitive constructs).
vii xxiv
Haphel infinitive with 3ms suffix. The emphatic nature This word is a total mystery. It is a hapax and not in
of these two sentences is only enhanced by their Hebraic par- the LXX. Hebrew commentators all base their definitions on
allelism. later usage. I have followed the majority of English transla-
viii
Haphel perfect 3mp tions.
ix xxv
Peal imperative 2ms Haphel perfect 3ms
x xxvi
Haphel imperfect 3ms These two English words a literally in Aramaic ‘upon him’.
xi
Haphel infinitive. Beyond simply being modal, this in- This is an unusual use of ‫ עֲֹלֽוהִי‬in place of ‫ מִנֵּֽהּ‬and also a place
finitive is gnomic. where an English idiom is required (Creager §106.E).
xii xxvii
Haphel perfect 3mp without plural antecedent is passive All consulted versions break here.
xiii xxviii
The verbs ‫ ענה‬and ‫ אמר‬go together so formulaically — Peal imperfect 3ms. While it is unexpected not to find a
whether as participles, finite verbs, or an admixture of forms perfect here, there are so many shades of meaning to the two
— that they are used (as here) when the precise denotation of BA/BH tenses that no meaningful conclusions can be drawn
each term taken separately would make no sense. They are a from the form. 4QDan omits the word entirely.
xxix
syntagmatic unit. Peal perfect 3ms
xiv xxx
The word ‫( תְִּדיָרא‬here with ְ‫ )בּ‬comes from the root ‫דור‬, so Hithpael infinitive with waw and bêt prefix.
xxxi
this word is most similar etymologically to the English word The Infinitive Construct with ְ‫ בּ‬and pronominal suffix to
‘enduring’ or ‘persistence’. mark the subject. See also 4:32. Presumedly, this is akin to the
xv
Shaphel imperfect 3ms with 2ms. This cannot be jussive, BH use (Williams §504).
xxxii
though only the NASB and NET agree. The current form Lit. ‘to the den of Daniel’
xxxiii
(‫ )ישזבנך‬is imperfect, and the jussive would require different Or ‘the God of the Living
xxxiv
consonants (i.e. ‫)ישיזבך‬. Fascinatingly, the interrogative particle ֲ‫ה‬- does not ap-
xvi
Like German, Aramaic can use the number ‘one’ as an pear until the third word from the end of the sentence.
xxxv
indefinite article, as here. Peal perfect 3ms
xvii xxxvi
Hephal perfect 3fs Shaphel infinitive with 2ms suffix
xviii xxxvii
Peil perfect 3fs Up until this word, we the audience have been in as such
xix
Peal perfect 3ms with 3fs suffix suspense as the king!
xx xxxviii
All English translations except the NET insert the word Pael perfect 3ms of the rare root ‫מלל‬. The Hebrew cog-
‘own’ here for add emphasis. nate only occurs in poetic context. As this is the climax of the
xxi
Peal imperfect 3fs, like the LXX here, English must use story, perhaps the Aramaic author is waxing loquacious.
xxxix
the subjective in a result clause. Lit. ‘with’. Rosenthal (§83) lists this verse and glosses it
as all English translations do, but offers no explanation.

23
7 Chapter 7 A DANIEL

have not hurt mei ; because before him innocence was found in meii ; and alsoiii before you, O king, I have
doneiv no wrong.” 23 Then the king was exceeding gladv , and commanded that Daniel be takenvi from the 24
den. And Daniel was takenvii from the den, and no manner of injuryviii was foundix upon him, because he
believedx in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men were broughtxi who had maliciously 25
accusedxii Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the den of lions; and they had
not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 xiii
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwellxiv in all the earth: 26
“Peace be multiplied to you.xv 26 I make a decreexvi , that in all the dominion of my kingdom, they are to 27
tremblexvii and fear from before Daniel’s godxviii ,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
and his kingdom shall never be destroyedxix ,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27
He deliversxx and rescuesxxi ; and he works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, he who 28
has deliveredxxii Daniel from the handxxiii of the lions.” 28 And this Daniel prosperedxxiv during the reign 29
of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

7 Chapter 7

I
n the first yearxxv of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay
in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sumxxvi of the matter. 2 Daniel answered and
said, “I was seeingxxvii in my vision byxxviii night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens were stirring
upxxix the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came upxxx from the sea, different from one anotherxxxi .
xl xvi
or ‘messenger’ Again we see a periphrastic construction in direct speech
i
Pael perfect 3cp with 1cs suffix of king in the first person. Lit. ‘from before me a decree is
ii
This Aramaic is very odd here. ‫( זָכוּ‬a hapax) is taken made’ Peil perfect 3ms.
xvii
to be a feminine noun meaning ‘innocence’ or ‘blameless- Peal participle active mp. The next verb is the same.
xviii
ness’. HALOT suggests (1865) the tentative possibility that Lit. ‘his god, that of Daniel’
xix
Akkadian zakûtu/exemption may be the etymology,but an un- Hithpael imperfect ifs
xx
known Canaanite root seems more likely. The verb is in the Shaphel participle active ms. Presumedly this corre-
Hithpeal perfect 3fs, which would match that noun. Then sponds to a causative use of the Hebrew cognate ‫עָזַב‬.
xxi
there is the conjugated preposition ְ‫ ל‬with the 1cs suffix. Lit. Haphel participle active ms
xxii
‘blamelessness was found for me’. the same as the first verb of the verse: Shaphel perfect
iii
Here is the first of the four instances of the conjugation 3ms
xxiii
‫אַף‬, which I have consistently translated ‘also’ (cf. Ezra 5:10, A common cognitive metaphor for ‘power’
xxiv
14; 6:5). Haphel perfect 3ms
iv xxv
Peal perfect 1 cs Ordinal numbers in Aramaic are interesting: lit. ‘in year
v
Again, Aramaic’s seemingly periphrastic constructions of first.’
xxvi
are surprising. Lit. ‘the king — very good upon him’, where This is the ordinary word for ‘head’ in BA, ‫ֵראשׁ‬, which has
the ‘him’ is still the king, as translated by all. already appeared in this verse. It is used 14 times by Daniel
vi
Haphel Infinitive and once by Ezra (5:10). This is the only place we are re-
vii
Huphal perfect 3ms quired to translate it as something other than ‘head’, since it
viii
Lit. ‘and all of injury was not found’ is a common cognitive metaphor across languages. Another
ix
Hithpael perfect 3ms viable translation is ‘beginning’, which only the JPS follows.
x xxvii
Haphel perfect 3ms Peal active participle ms
xi xxviii
Haphel perfect 3cp. The men are not the actors of the Lit. ‘with’. This use, while unusual, has much later attes-
bringing, so this must be another periphrastic passive. tation in Hebrew and Aramaic.
xii xxix
Lit. “eaten the pieces”. cp. 3:8. Haphel participle fp. The cognate in used in Ezek 32:2
xiii
All consulted versions break here. and Job 38:8 to the same effect.
xiv xxx
Peal participle mp Peal participle fp
xv xxxi
Similar introductory formulas are still used in the NT Of note, different is a Peal participle fp, and ‘from one
epistles, several hundred years later. another’ is literally ‘this from that’

24
7 Chapter 7 A DANIEL

4
The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. I was lookingi until its wings were plucked offii , and it
was lifted upiii from the earth and was stoodiv on two feet like a man, and the heartv of a man was givenvi
to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, likevii a bearviii . And it was raised upix on one sidex .
And it had three ribsxi in its mouth between its teethxii ; and it was toldxiii this: “Arisexiv , devour much
flesh.” 6 After this, I lookedxv , and behold, anotherxvi , like a leopard, and it hadxvii four wings of a bird
on its backxviii . And the beastxix had four heads, and dominion was givenxx to it. 7 After this, I sawxxi in
the visions of the night, and, behold, a fourth animal, frightening and dreadful, and exceedingly strong;
and it had great iron teeth; and it ate and broke in piecesxxii , and stamped the residue with its feetxxiii :
and it was differedxxiv from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten hornsxxv . 8 I consideredxxvi
the horns, and behold, there came upxxvii among them another horn, a little onexxviii , and before whichxxix
three of the first horns were pluckedxxx . And behold, in this horn were eyesxxxi like the eyes of a manxxxii ,
and a mouth speaking great thingsxxxiii .
9xxxiv
As I lookedxxxv ,
thrones were placedxxxvi ,
and the Ancient of Days was seatedxxxvii ;
his clothingxxxviii was white as snowxxxix ,
and the hair of his head was like purexl woolxli ;
i xxiii
Peal participle active ms Another constantly dual word
ii xxiv
Peil perfect 3mp Pael passive participle fs
iii xxv
Peil perfect 3fs. This cannot mean totally destroyed, for Rosenthal notes (§45) that because horns always occur in
the must wait until v.12. twos, the dual form of the word is used here, even with the
iv
Hophal perfect 3fs. The form/vowel here is confusing. number 10!
xxvi
The LXX seems right to take it as a passive, just like the im- Hithpael participle ms. It is logical that ‘consideration’
mediately preceding verb. would take the middle voice.
v xxvii
Modern translations correctly translate this word as Peal perfect 3fs
xxviii
‘mind’. The ancient Hebrew anthropology was radically dif- This noun matches ‘horn’ and is in apposition.
xxix
ferent from the modern one. The heart was the source of The Qere/Ketiv readings throughout this entire verse are
thoughts, not merely feelings. I have used ‘heart’ to achieve attempts to keep the genders of the adjectives, nouns, and
total transparency of translation. participles matching. Given that this is a perennial battle in
vi
While the morphology of this verb could be Pael or Piel, the Book of Revelation too, and my ignorance on many of the
there is no reason to doubt it is continuing to use the passive issues, I have followed the simpler Qere throughout.
xxx
voice, like all the other verbs in the sentence. This hithpaal verb could also be reflexive (i.e. ‘plucked
vii
Peal active participle fs themselves up’. I am unsure how to adjudicate between these
viii
Object of the verb marked with ְ‫ל‬. possibilities in the context of a surreal vision.
ix xxxi
Hophal perfect 3fs Interestingly, this word is not a perpetual dual like so
x
Presumedly this means some kind of action like half- many other anatomy terms in this chapter.
xxxii
crouching. The Aramaic here is definite.
xi xxxiii
Without the you, this word would be ‘fangs’, which makes A substantive, feminine plural noun, acting like the En-
reasonable sense. glish neuter (cp. Williams §25).
xii xxxiv
Interestingly, this word is always in the dual form, perhaps The LXX adds ‘and it made war against the holy one’ bet-
because almost every animal has two rows of teeth. ter vv.8 and 9, a clear copy-mistake, taken from v.21.
xiii xxxv
Peal participle mp Lit. ‘I was seeing until’
xiv xxxvi
Peal imperative 2fs, and next Peil perfect 3ms to match ‘thrones’
xv xxxvii
Independent person pronoun plus Peal active participle Pael perfect 3ms
xxxviii
ms I can find no explanation why the subject of this clause
xvi
One could supply the assumed noun (‘beast’) here. This has a ְ‫ ל‬prefix.
xxxix
adjective is feminine and the subsequent noun is masculine, The Aramaic here is very strange, lit. “his clothing, like
so I have placed comma to distance them. snow [was] white” (Schuele, 31). This may be a product of Ara-
xvii
Lit. ‘and to it’ maic’s strong non-configurationality or the strain of describ-
xviii
The Ketiv is ‘its sides’, the Qere ‘its back’. ing apocalyptic visions.
xix xl
We have switched back to the feminine. There is an Egyptian Aramaic homonym to this word that
xx
Peil perfect 3ms means ‘lamb’, which would fit here (Collins, 301).
xxi xli
The same as previous verse cp. Rev 1:14
xxii
Haphel participle fs

25
7 Chapter 7 A DANIEL

his throne was flames of fire;

its wheels were burningi fire,
10
a river of fire issuedii and came forthiii from before him.
A thousand thousandsiv served him,
and ten thousand ten thousandsv stood before him:
the court was seatedvi ,
and the books were openedvii .
11
I was lookingviii , then, becauseix of the sound of the great words that the hornx was speakingxi . As I
lookedxii , the beast was killedxiii , and its body was destroyedxiv and given overxv to the burning of firexvi .
12
And the rest of the beasts: their dominion was taken awayxvii , and a prolonging of their lives was givenxviii
for a season and a timexix .
13
I saw in the visions of the night, and behold,
there was coming withxx the clouds of the heavens,
one like a son of manxxi ,
and he came toxxii the Ancient of Days,
and he was presentedxxiii before him.
14
And to him was givenxxiv dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,
and all the peoples, nations, and languages should servexxv him:
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom is one thatxxvi shall not be destroyed.
15
As for mexxvii , Daniel, my spirit was grievedxxviii in the midst of my bodyxxix , and the visions of my head
i xx
Peal active participle The Theodotian (Θ) translation has μετά here, which cor-
ii
Peal participle responds to the MT’s ‫עִם‬. The Old Greek (OG) has ἐπὶ/‘upon’.
iii xxi
The LXX takes these two verbs as a hendiadys and trans- Nelson (44) vigorously defends the old NIV’s “human
lates them with just one word (ἐκπορεύομαι. Since I agree being” here, which now only the JPS maintains. The
with them, this colon is taken to be in parallel with the previ- ESV/NIV*/NASB/NET all cite the NT’s use of the passage as
ous two, not a bicolor unto itself. a reason to retain “son of man” language, precisely why Nelson
iv
Rosenthal points (§42) that (the Ketiv) spelling of the plu- says not to.
xxii
ral ending on this word is Hebrew, not Aramaic. One is left OG and Θ have ‘as’ here, not ’to’. For a more exhaus-
to assume that we are counting people in these cola. tive list of Greek differences in this chapter, and their quota-
v
Now it is the Qere that is a Hebraicism, while the Ketiv tions in the NT, see Zacharias, H Daniel. 2011. ”Old Greek
reflects a standard Aramaic plural. Daniel 7:13-14 and Matthew’s Son of Man.” Bulletin For Biblical
vi
Courts only sat down to render judgment. Hence, most Research 21, no. 4: 453-465.
xxiii
English translations add that crucial idea. Haphel perfect 3mp. As consistent through out the book
vii
Peil perfect 3mp of Daniel, unexpected plural subjects encode passive voice.
viii
I find no way to render these words the same as I did in Here, the singular “subject” is seen as a pronominal suffix on
v.9. the verb.
ix xxiv
Another special use of the preposition ‫ מִן‬to indicate Peil perfect 3ms
xxv
cause. Peal imperfect 3mp. All translations agree on the modal-
x
Note the singularity of this horn. ity of this imperfect.
xi xxvi
Pael participle fs of the poetic word for speaking, ‫מלל‬. My ‘is one that’ is the simple particle ‫ דִּי‬in Aramaic.
xii xxvii
An often repeated phrase in this chapter The repetition of pronouns (independent after enclitic) is
xiii
Peil perfect 3fs an emphatic structure (Creager §41b).
xiv xxviii
Hophal perfect 3fs Ithpeal imperfect 3fs
xv xxix
Peil perfect 3fs This word (‫ )נְִדנֶה‬also means ‘sheath’. Are we to derive a
xvi
Genitive of mean, cp Williams §45b. physical anthropology from this one word (cp. Greenspahn,
xvii
Haphel perfect 3mp, periphrastic passive 161)? This seems extreme: we do not go looking for soul-
xviii
Peil perfect 3fs substance in the blood (cp. Gen. 9:4) or in the throat (Jonah
xix
Elsewhere, these terms are synonymous. This may, there- 2:6), nor image that the Hebrews thought in such crass terms
fore, be a case of parallelism to invoke a sense of poetry. either. This may also be a Persian loanword, and so etymolo-
gizing my be further unwarranted.

26
7 Chapter 7 A DANIEL

alarmed mei . 16 I came near to one of thoseii who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all of
this. And he told me, and made me knowiii the interpretation of the thingsiv . 17 ‘Thesev four great beasts
are four kingsvi whovii shall ariseviii from the earth. 18 And the holy onesix of the Most Highx shall receive
the kingdomxi , and possesxii the kingdom forever, and forever and everxiii .
19
Then I desired to know the truthxiv concerning the fourth animal, which differed from all of them,
exceedinglyxv frightening, its teeth of iron, and its nails of brassxvi ; devouring, broking in piecesxvii , and
stamping the residue with its feet; 20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other
horn which came upxviii , and before which threexix fellxx , and that horn (and it had eyes and a mouth)
spoke great things, and its appearance was greater thanxxi its companionsxxii . 21 I was lookingxxiii and this
horn made warxxiv with the holy ones and prevailed againstxxv them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came,
and judgment was givenxxvi to the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came thatxxvii the holy ones
receivedxxviii the kingdom.
23
Thus he said, “The fourth beast meansxxix ”
There shall be a fourth kingdom on the earth,
which shall differ from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and shall trample it down,
and break it in piecesxxx . 24 And the ten horns...xxxi
From thisxxxii kingdom shall arise ten kings,
and another shall arise after them;
and he shall differ from the former,
i xvii
Pael imperfect 3mp with 1cs suffix Haphel participle fs
ii xviii
Lit. ‘from’, here used as a partitive Peal perfect 3fs. It seems strange to have a finite verb here
iii
Haphel imperfect 3ms with 1cs suffix in a subordinate clause.
iv xix
Like Hebrew ‫דבר‬, Aramaic ‫ מלא‬can mean ‘word’, ‘thing’, Three what? Horns? That is the last time ‘three’ was used,
or ‘matter’. back in v.8.
v xx
Rosenthal lists this as the fifth of five places where the The copyists must also have been confused but the bare
demonstrative pronoun precedes the noun it modifies (25). numeral, because the Q/K differ only in encoding the mas-
vi
Again, ‘kings’ and ‘kingdoms’ are surprisingly inter- culine and feminine plural, a noun quality not present on the
changeable. numeral ‘three’.
vii xxi
Here is the ‫ די‬which occurred much earlier in the sen- Note the use of ‫ מִן‬in a comparison.
xxii
tence. I cannot explain its presence earlier when it is clearly Presumedly, this hapax is just the feminine counterpart to
needed here. Perhaps this is another odd case of non- the word we encountered in 2:13,17,18 of Daniel’s companions.
configurationality. Perhaps the feminine grammatical gender is diminutive or for
viii
Peal imperfect 3mp less animate subjects.
ix xxiii
Trad. ‘saints’, LXX ἅγιοι is a rich term, typically used in This exact Aramaic phrase occurs throughout this chap-
the ANE to refer to angels (cp. Ps . 89:6; Job 15:15). In the ter.
xxiv
Bible, it is used of the people of God, especially so in the NT. This is a literal translation. English is a language heavily
(Greenspahn, 162) influenced by Biblical idioms.
x xxv
‘Most High’ is a substantive adjective in the plural. In Creager notes the unusual use of ְ‫ ל‬to mean ‘against’ here.
context, it is referring to God with the plural of Majesty. The English preposition ‘over’ also works here.
xi xxvi
This is a definite, feminine, singular noun. Because the Peil perfect 3ms
xxvii
verb is marked for a subject that is masculine and plural, the This simple waw introduces a subordinate clause here,
VOS sentence can be understood. and must not be translated with ‘and’ in this case.
xii xxviii
Haphel imperfect 3mp Haphel perfect 3mp
xiii xxix
Lit. ‘until the age and until the age of ages’. Discussing The ESV and NET begin poetical breaks here. The JPS
the unexplainable is always difficult and it is fascinating the inserts ‘means’ here in order to make sense of the two appar-
way different language attempt to describe the eschaton. ent subjects in this sentence. The translations in the AV/RSV
xiv
All translations supply ‘the truth’. Perhaps translational tradition insert an ‘as for’ at the beginning.
xxx
suppletion could allow us to use ‘to understand’ which would Haphel imperfect 3fs with 3fs suffix
xxxi
not require an object, but this is speculation. This sentence fragment at the start of v.24 is handled as
xv
A Peal passive participle fs strangely as the start of v.23 in the translations.
xvi xxxii
This phrase was not used in v.7. The Aramaic is just ‘the’

27
7 Chapter 7 A DANIEL

and he shall humblei three kings.

25
He shall speak words againstii the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to changeiii the timesiv and the law;
and they shall be givenv into his hand
for a time, timesvi , and halfvii a time.
26
And the judgment shall be seatedviii , and his dominion shall be taken awayix , to be consumed and de-
stroyedx until the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdomsxi under
the whole heavens shall be givenxii to the people ofxiii the holy ones of the Most High: hisxiv kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obeyxv him.
28
Here is the end of the matterxvi . As for mexvii , Daniel, my thoughts troubled me exceedingly, and
my color was changedxviii : and I kept the matter in my heart.xix

i xi
Haphel imperfect 3ms of ‫שפל‬, as seen in 4:37; 5:19,22. A construct plural before a prepositional phrase is quite
ii
Lit. ‘to the side of ’. rare in Aramaic!
iii xii
Haphel infinitive Peil perfect (3fs) used as future tense. It might also be
iv
or ‘seasons’ rendered ‘will have been given’, the future perfect of English.
v xiii
Hithpael imperfect 3mp. Though it is remote, there is a That is, constituted by
xiv
plural antecedent to fit this verb, and so it is not passive like Because ‘people’ is also masculine singular, some transla-
many other places in Danie. tions have ‘their’ here and in the next clause.
vi xv
The dual form, for however long it was productive, would Hithpael imperfect 3mp
xvi
have had the same consonants as the plural. “Two times” This is similar in many respects to Ecclesiastes 12:13
would make more sense here. (Greenspahn, 166).
vii xvii
Lit. ‘a division’/‫פְּלַג‬. It is debatable whether Aramaic had This is an attempt to deal with a free-floating nominative.
fractions (Johns, 88). ‘Daniel’ and ‘I’ go together, but they are not the subject of the
viii
This unusual expression again depends on a knowledge sentence. In BH, a noun before the verb would mark topical-
of ANE legal practice. Courts sat down when they were in ization, but there is not discussion of such a clefting structure
session or had reached a verdict. This is a sign of being ruled in BA.
xviii
against. See note for 5:9, there is an ‫עֲלַי‬/‘in me’ here that is un-
ix
Haphel imperfect 3mp. Here the plural is unexpected, translatable.
xix
and hence marks a periphrastic plural. This author is reminded of Mary in Lk 2:19.
x
Both of these verbs are Haphel infinitive, and hence,
could be active in meaning. However, Creager notes that the
IC ‘may have special gerundive force, an action practically be-
coming passive.’ All major translations render them as such.

28
 B EZRA

B Ezra
Ezra seems less divided along linguistic lines than Daniel. Ch. 3-6 seem to be a unit:
A. Religious celebration (3:1-6)
B. Building begins (3:7-13)
C. Opposition (4:1-24)
D. Prophets (5:1-2)
C’ Opposition (5:3-6:12)
B’ Building completed (6:13-15)
A’ Religious celebration (6:16-22)

4 4:7-24

A
nd in the days of Artaxerxes, Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associatesi wroteii toiii Artaxerxesiv
king of Persia in peacev , and the letter was written in Aramaicvi and was translated in Aramaicvii . 8 Rehum
the commanderviii and Shimshai the scribeix wrote ax letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxesxi the king as
followsxii : 9 Then Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associatesxiii , the
judgesxiv , the ambassadorsxv , the officialsxvi , the Persiansxvii , the men of Erechxviii , the Babylonians, the
x
“[C]hapter 7 marks a new section of the book” (Kidner, The number ‘one’ is used as an indefinite article here.
xi
136) For a defense of Ataxerxes and Ahasuerus being the same
Verse 7 is written entirely in Hebrew, but it is included person, as well as the chronological order of Ezra 4, see Emery,
here. It begins this paragraph in the ESV, but gets its own D L. ”Ezra 4 : is Josephus right after all?.” Journal of Northwest
paragraph in the JPS/NIV/NASB. Semitic Languages 13, (January 1, 1987): 33-44.
i xii
This word — though in a Hebrew sentence — is already In older English, ‘thus’ or ‘so’ could serve as a single word
spelled in an Aramaic way: ‫כְּנָת‬. It is a hapax. The Hebrew translations for this Aramaic single word, but they appear an-
cognate is ‫כָּנָה‬. tiquarian now.
ii xiii
Qal perfect 3ms but with singular subject This word ‘associate’ ‫ כְּנָת‬occurs only in the construct,
iii
This is likely another Aramaicism: ‫ עַל‬where we would again reminiscent of inalienable possession (in vv.17, 23; 5:3, 6;
have expected ְ‫ל‬. 6:6, 13).
iv xiv
This is the first of several alternate spellings of this name. Clines seems to be elucidating all modern translations
The Were spelling here has no final ‫א‬. In the next verse, it is choice to render this words as ‘judges’. The MT’s ‫ דִּינָיֵא‬should
also spelled with a schwa under the taw, and in 7:12, a samek be vocalized as ָ‫ַדיָּנַיּא‬, which is the same as the Persian dātabara,
replaces the sin (but not the shin). mentioned in Dan. 3:3 (78). The AV mistook this to be a peo-
v
Clines (77) thinks ‫ בִּשְׁלָם‬is another Aramaicism. All En- ple, the Dinaites.
xv
glish Bible translations have it as the name ‘Bislam’, but he is This word (‫ )אֲפְָֽרסְכָיֵא‬is glossed as ‘ambassador’ in BBA.
mentioned nowhere else. The LXX’s ἐν εἰρήνῃ also supports Kidner says BDB is right when it first parses the term as ‘an
my view. Confusion is understandable given that the conso- official’ and wrong when it speculates that it may be a Gen-
nants ‫ שלם‬begin any Semitic correspondence to this very day. tilic name (54). Clines says it is the same as the Persian term
vi
As in Daniel, ‘Aramaic’ is an adverb. faištaka.
vii xvi
This could mean translated from Aramaic or into Aramaic. For a vigorous but ultimately unpersuasive defense of this
However, we know that the practice of the Persian empire term (‫ )טְַרפְּלָיֵא‬as a gentilic noun meaning “Tarpelites”, see
was to have all communication in Aramaic, even if they were Zadok, Ran. “Two terms in Ezra.” Aramaic Studies 5, no. 2
retranslated into Persian at court. (January 1, 2007): 255-261. Clines seems most right when he
viii
Lit. ‘lord of the decree’. ‫ בְּעֵל‬is cognate to Hebrew says we simply do not know of whom this term speaks. He
‫בַּעַל‬/Baal. Trad. chancellor, but I have followed the ESV’s speculates that it meant ‘men from Tripolis’ (79).
xvii
“commander” here and in vv.9,17. The difference is pronun- The aleph prepended to this word is unexplained.
ciation from the Hebrew is due to the influence of Akkadian xviii
That is, Uruk, in Akkadian 𒌷𒀔, which developed into
bēlu, according to Greenspahn (20). Arabic al-ʿIrāq, where we get the name ‘Iraq’.
ix
The Aramaic word (‫ )סָפֵר‬has a fuller vowel than the He-
brew word for scribe (‫)סְפַר‬.

29
4 4:7-24 B EZRA

men of Susai , that isii , the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and nobleiii Osnappariv
deportedv and settledvi vii in the cities of Samariaviii and in the rest of Beyond the Riverix . 11 (This is a copy
of the letter that they sent.) And nowx :
xi
“To Artaxerxes the king: Your slavesxii , the men of Beyond the Riverxiii . And now, 12 let it be
knownxiv to the king, that the Jewsxv who came upxvi from before youxvii have comexviii to Jerusalem
againstxix us; they are rebuildingxx the rebellious and the wicked city, and are finishingxxi the walls, and
i xii
Mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, i.e. Neh. 1:1; Dan. 8:2; The root ‫ עבד‬is debated in translation circles (e.g.
and 19 times in Esther. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx06mtApu8k ). I am in-
ii
Older translation (AV and Vulgate) followed the Qere clined towards the view that servanthood is not a strong
here (‫)דֶּהָוֵא‬, which lead to the creation of the “Dehavites”! enough concept, and have followed that through in BA/BH.
Rosenthal explains (25) that this form actually is the later See also Dan. 2:4,7; 3:26, 28; 6:20; Ezra 4:11, 5:11. The
Aramaic form of ‫ דִּי‬which became ְ‫דּ‬, hence the Ketiv ‫דְּהוּא‬ Qere/Ketiv differ in the plural vs. singular, just as in Daniel
— “that is”. This better understanding is reflected in the 2:4.
xiii
ESV/NASB/NIV/JPS/NET and even the LXX: οἵ εἰσιν. The ESV inserts ‘send greetings’ here. Other translation
iii
Clines seems to be saying that the phrase ‘great and no- add ‘to’s and ‘from’s, or semicolons and line breaks. In a less
ble’ is a calque of a Persian title. This eliminates the need to literal translation, I would follow this latter conventions to
explain why the Bible is seemingly extolling him. indicate that this is a letter.
iv xiv
That is, Ashurbanipal (Kidner, 51). Supposedly, the mid- As in the following verse and 5:8 (and Dan 3:18), ‫הוֵא‬ֱ ‫ל‬
ֶ ‫ע‬
ַ ‫יְִדי‬
dle resh and bet dropped out and the final ‘r’ became an ‘l’ after is ‘to know’ in the Peal Passive Participle ms, and ‘to be’ in
going through Persian, per Sidney Sowers “Did Xerxes wage the Peal Imperfect 3ms means “Let it be known” (BBA, 206).
war on Jerusalem?” Hebrew Union College Annual 67, (January 1, Thus – exactly as in English – the copula acts as auxiliary verb
1996): 43-53. to make the passive and the imperfect functions as a jussive.
v xv
Haphel perfect 3ms of ‫גלה‬, the typical/paradigmatic III- There is a marked transition in Scripture from the pre-
‫ ה‬verb in BH and BA. exilic use of this Gentilic noun to refer to ‘Judahites’ (2K. 16:6;
vi
Haphel perfect 3ms of ‫יְתִב‬/dwell. Causative derivation is 25:25, 11 times in Jeremiah) to the post-exilic use to the more
typically handled through suppletion in English, so it is not indiscriminate ‘Jew’ (Dan 3:8, 12; Ezra 4:12, 23; 5:1, 5; 6:7, 8, 14;
prudent to write ‘made to dwell’. 52 times in Esther; ten times in Nehemiah; and Zech. 8:23).
vii xvi
The Aramaic supplies the pronoun ‫ הִמֹּו‬at this point Peal perfect 3mp. It seems strange from an English per-
(“them”), which is ungrammatical in English. It is fascinat- spective for such a subordinate clause to utilize a finite verb.
xvii
ing, however, that the unmarked pronoun can be used as the Creager thinks this one word comes from yat, the DO
object of a verb. See also 4:23; 5:5, 12, 15; 7:17, as well as Dan. marker.??!?!?!?
xviii
2:34, 35 (Schuele, 53). Peal perfect 3mp
viii xix
Only the tortures and circuitous path this word took It seems wisest to me to translate the two different prepo-
(from Hebrew into Aramaic, through Latin, into English) can sition in this clause (‫ ל‬and ‫ )על‬differently in English. No trans-
explain why it is not ‘Shomron’. lation follows suit, however.
ix xx
This term is a name (Kidner suggest ‘Transeurphrates’, This is the Peal participle of the simple verb ‫בנה‬, the com-
which is indeed followed by the NIV/NET), not a descrip- mon Semitic root for ‘to build’ (as the AV has it). However,
tive phrase. Cline cites archeological evidence that this was the city already existed, so all modern translation deploy the
the official name of a satrapy. ESV/NASB/JPS supply ‘region’ English ‘to rebuild’.
xxi
or ‘province’. I believe capital letters are sufficient. The Qere reading is in the Aramaic Ishtaphel stem, while
x
This phrase occurred identically at the end of v.10. Only the Ketiv is in the Akkadian Shapel stem. Clines does not
the NASB retained it there as well; the rest take it as I do, believe they could be finishing the wall at this stage, so he
to be a copyist error, duplicating the word after the identical attempts a very contrived emendations to the text. The par-
phrases ‘Beyond the River’. ticiple implies ongoing, even desiderative, action
xi
I have followed the ESV/NASB/NET/JPS in breaking
paragraphs only at 11b. The NIV seems to follow Kinder (51)
in that every ‘and now’ should be such a break.

30
4 4:7-24 B EZRA

repairingi the foundationsii . 13 Now, let it be known to the king that if thatiii city is rebuiltiv , and the
walls finishedv , customary tributevi , and tollvii will not be paidviii , and in the endix it will be hurtfulx to the
kingsxi . 14 Now because we haven eatenxii the saltxiii of the palace, and it is not appropriatexiv for us to
seexv the nakednessxvi of the king, therefore have we have sentxvii and have informedxviii the king; 15 that
search may be madexix in the bookxx of the recordsxxi of your fathers: and you shall findxxii in the book of
the records, and you will know that thatxxiii city is a rebellious city, and hurtful toxxiv kings and provincesi ,
i xiv
Haphel imperfect 3mp. This hapax ḥûṭ could be related ESV/NASB ‘fitting’, NIV ‘proper’. NASB ‘appropriate’.
to the Akkadian word ḥâṭu, meaning ‘to examine.’ Clines wonders if this term (’ᵃrîk) could be related to the Per-
ii
Clines suggests this word ‫אֻשַּׁיָּא‬/’uššayyā’ is derived from sian word ariyaka meaning ‘worthy of an Aryan’. This suggests
Akkadian ušša. This seems much more likely than a West the English calques ‘not Persian of us’ or even the very awful
Semitic derivation, but in the east it meant a certain kind of ‘not very white of us’.
xv
wall with double-thickness sub-foundations, which does not Peal infinitive
xvi
seem possible here. All modern translation gloss this term (‫ )עְַרוָה‬as ‘dishonor’,
iii
It is extremely noteworthy that this pronoun (‫— )דְָּך‬ but the Hebrew cognate (‫ )עְֶרוָה‬is translated as ‘nakedness’
which is clear the far-demonstrative/‘that’ — is translated as over 50 times. Because the English cognitive metaphor is the
‘this’ here and in v.16 by JPS/NIV/NET. The most recently same, it seems best to be most literal here.
xvii
mentioned city is Jerusalem and it is further from the inter- Peal perfect 1cp
xviii
locutor of this dialogue. However, the speakers are emotionally Haphel perfect 1cp. It seems a matter of idiolect whether
distancing themselves from the city they hate. These are clear one uses the English perfect of intentional actions concurrent
example of emotional or empathetic deixis. to the discourse or not.
iv xix
See note on ‘build’ in previous verse. Pael imperfect 3ms. The English translation here suggests
v
Ishtaphel imperfect 3mp. By the repeated use of ‘city’ and a causal stem, but that is simply a matter of the idiosyncrasies
’walls’, the author includes them from the beginning in the inherent in the verbs ‘to search’ and ‘to enquire’.
xx
building project, and hence part of the ‘house of God’ (Eske- As in Hebrew, the word ‘book’ and ‘scribe’ are from the
nazi, 55). same root (‫)ספר‬.
vi xxi
The maqqef between these two words suggests that the The LXX uses the hapax ὑπομνηματισμός to translate
first word might have been originally pointed as a construct. this word, which is equivalent to the much more common
That would make this phrase lit. ‘tribute of custom.’ But see ὑπόμνημα.
xxii
the next note. Haphel imperfect 2ms
vii xxiii
The three terms – tribute, custom, toll (which recur in Even though it is awkward to have two ‘that’s in a row, this
4:20 and 7:24) — may have a had specific, distinguishable is the far demonstrative, and the speakers are subtly encoding
meaning, according to Clines. They may have been “semi- their distain for Jerusalem.
xxiv
voluntary gifts, fixed taxes, and corvée.” Haphel participle fs construct
viii i
Again, 3mp used to make passive construction (Rosenthal Every other instances of this word in the BA corpus (Ezra
§181). 5:8; 6:2; 7:16; Dan. 2:48,29; 3:1,2,3,13,30) is in the construct.
ix
Tawil suggests two Akkadian etymologies for this hapax Here, it is a synecdoche for the governors of districts.
are possible (438). Either it is from appitti meaning ‘accord-
ingly’, or it is from iptu meaning ‘tax, income, tribute’. The
latter option would render the verse a very reasonable, “and
the income of the kinds shall be hurt. Zadok seems to agree.
Clines very helpful points out that there is a Persian word ’ap-
pᵉṯōm which means ‘finally’.
x
Haphel imperfect 3fs. The lexicons all cite this text as
an active, (H)Aphel use of the word, with glosses such as ‘to
injury’ or ‘to hurt’, but the meaning is passive. A 3fs subject
for the verb can only be ‘tribute’.
xi
Rosenthal (§42) notes that this word is spelled with the
Hebrew plural ending, not the Aramaic one.
xii
Peal perfect 1cs
xiii
Per Clines, this may be indicative of a ‘covenant of salt’,
as we find in Lev. 2:13; Num. 18:19; and 2Chron. 13:5. The root
(‫ )מלח‬is the same for ‘salt’ and ‘eat’, raising the possibility of a
cognate accusative.

31
4 4:7-24 B EZRA

and that sedition was stirred upii in it from days of oldiii ; for which causeiv that city was laid wastev . 16 We
are making it knowvi to the king that if that city is rebuiltvii , and the walls finished, thenviii you shall have
noix portion Beyond the River.”
17x
The king sent thisxi answer to Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of
their associates who dwell in Samariaxii , and the rest of Beyond the River: “Peace, and now: 18 The letter
which you sentxiii to usxiv (being interpretedxv ) was readxvi before me. 19 I decreedxvii , and search has been
madexviii , and it has been foundxix that that city from days of old has risen upxx against kings, and rebel-
lion and sedition have been madexxi in it, 20 and mighty kings have beenxxii over Jerusalemxxiii , who have
ruledxxiv over all of Beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paidxxv to them. 21 Therefore,
makexxvi a decree forxxvii these men to ceasexxviii , and that city not to be rebuiltxxix , until I make the de-
creexxx . 22 And take carexxxi of beingxxxii slack in this matter, lestxxxiii the damage growxxxiv to the hurtxxxv
of the kings.”
23xxxvi
Then whenxxxvii the copy of the letter of Artaxerxesxxxviii the king was readxxxix before Rehum, and
Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they wentxl in haste to Jerusalem toxli the Jews, and stoppedxlii
ii xxv
Peal participle mp. Periphrastic passive. Hithpeal participle. Johns (26) wrongly sees this verb as
iii
The same word (‫ )עלם‬as ‘eternity’. finite, and worse, an example of 3mp being used for imper-
iv
Lit. ‘upon this’ sonal subjects (cp. Rosenthal §181), and worse still, as a future
v
Hophal perfect 3fs tense!
vi xxvi
Haphel participle mp Peal imperative 2mp
vii xxvii
Hithpeal imperfect 3fs. We would find (as we would ex- English requires a conjunction here where none exists in
pect) that a hypothetical protasis uses the imperfect. the Aramaic.
viii xxviii
Lit. ‘to before this’ Peal infinitive
ix xxix
Because we are in the apodosis, the supplied tense must Hithpeal imperfect 3fs. Again, Aramaic uses a finite verb
be future, even though this is just the existential adverb (‫)איתי‬ where we would not expect, nor can we use one in English.
xxx
and not a verb. Lit. ‘until from me the decree is made (Hithpael imper-
x
ESV/NASB/NIV/NET/JPS all have a major break here. fect 3ms). As throughout BA, kings draw back from naked
xi
The Aramaic has the definite article, not a demonstrative first person statements.
xxxi
pronoun. The reply begins at this end of the first. Peil participle mp
xii xxxii
“[A] Persian province in the central hill country ; named Peal imperative 2mp. English would have used a negative
after the capitol of Israel’s Northern Kingdom when it was adverb here and in the second half of the verse. Aramaic ap-
conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B.C.E.” (Greenspahn, 22) parently would have considered that pleonastic negative, and
xiii
Peal perfect 2mp. The loss of separate forms for the sec- so skips them both!
xxxiii
ond personal plural is one of the most regrettable develop- Here, ‘why’/‫“ לְמָה‬is a rhetorical equivalent for ‘so that it
ments in Modern English. should not be; lest.’ (Creager §44bN12) The JPS alone follows
xiv
Clines says this is not a royal ‘we’, given the ‘me’ later in this advice.
xxxiv
the verse. Perhaps the royal court is in view. Peal imperfect 3ms. ESV/NIV/NET add ‘should’ here in
xv
Pael passive participle. Probably from Aramaic to Old order to expand the modal sense of the verb.
xxxv
Persian (Clines, 81). Haphel infinitive construct with ‫ ל‬preposition. The
xvi
Peil perfect 3ms translators of the LXX apparently coined the word
xvii
Lit. ‘from me a decree was made’ κακοποίησις to deal with this word, but it is equivalent
xviii
Pael perfect 3mp. Periphrastic passive, and in next to κακοποιΐα.
xix xxxvi
Haphel perfect 3mp All consulted translations have a paragraph break here.
xx xxxvii
Ithpael Participle. JPS/ESV/NASB have ‘has risen’, but Aramaic ‘from that’
xxxviii
JPS/NIV/NET add modal auxiliaries of repetition or habitu- The Ketiv made his name definite.
xxxix
ation. Peil perfect 3ms
xxi xl
Hithpeal participle with 3fs suffix. Or ‘done’ Peal perfect 3mp. Because the plural antecedent is clear
xxii
Peal perfect 3mp of ‘to be’ and the verb has no meaning in the passive, this is clearly not
xxiii
This could be a reference to David, Solomon or Jeroboam a periphrastic construction.
xli
II, all of whom would have been known to the Arameans. A slight over-translation might be ‘in opposition to’.
xxiv xlii
This is an adjective, not a verb, in BA/BH. The cognate ESV/NASB/NIV have ‘made them cease’, which make it
is used repeatedly throughout Ecclesiastes, so it may be more appear to be a causal stem here. The NET/JPS’s ‘stopped’ is
poetic in nature. more transparent.

32
5 Chapter 5 B EZRA

them by force and poweri .

24
Thenii the work of the house of God whichiii is in Jerusalem stopped, and it was haltediv until the
second yearv of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

5 Chapter 5

A
nd the prophets, Haggaivi and Zechariahvii son of Iddo, prophesiedviii to the Jews who were in Judah
and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over themix . 2 Then Zerubbabelx the
son of Shealtiel and Jeshuaxi the son of Jozadak arosexii and began to buildxiii the house of God which is
in Jerusalem, and the prophetsxiv of Godxv were with them, supportingxvi them. 3xvii At the same timexviii
Tattenai the governor of Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came unto themxix
and spoke to them thus: “Who set you a decree to buildxx this house and to finishxxi this structure?”
i vii
The MT puts the pretonic vowel of this word in the “A Judean prophet of priestly descent during the reign of
pausal form (Rosenthal, 21). The NIV, NASB, and NET in- Darius I (521-486 B.C.E.), who encouraged the reestablish-
sert a paragraph break here, though the ESV and JPS do not. ment of the kingdom.” (Greenspahn, 28)
viii
There is a sectional-samek marking the end of section here, Hithpeal perfect 3ms. Recall there is no was-consecutive
but it’s origin is dubious. Because the Aleppo Codex lacks in Aramaic.
ix
Ezra/Nehemiah entirely, BHS replies upon Kimhi codex. These last two words in English (so
This samek is not “listed in Ofer, Yellin, pp. 322-328, but ap- ESV/NIV/NASB/NET) are one word in Aramaic (‫)עֲלֵיהוֹן‬. A
pears thus in Horev and Jerusalem Crown editions as stated literalistic ‘to them’ is actually overly simplistic.
x
in the editorial essays as the back of these volumes: ‘In a few “Grandson of Judah’s king Jehoiachin, who was appointed
places where Kimhi did not note anything but a parashah ap- governor by the Persians and led a group of exiles back to Ju-
pears in other accurate codices, I have added a parashah based dah, where he was viewed by some Judeans with messianic fer-
on the Leningrad Codex. These include...’ (Breuer, Horev, vor.” (Greenspahn, 28)
xi
p. 14). These additions assume that Kimhi failed to note a “(called ַ‫ יְהוֹשֻׁע‬in Haggai and Zechariah) — Descendant of
parashah accidentally.” Seriah, a leading priest who was killed when the Babylonians
This polyvalent word (‫ )חַיִל‬can mean ‘power’ or ‘army’. It conquered Jerusalem and whose son Jozadak was taken into
is unclear which sense is employed here. exile; he returned to Judah in 520 with Zerubbabel, alongside
ii
‘Then’ ESV/NASB, ‘so’ NET, ‘thus’ NIV shows the con- of whom he played a major role in the reestablishment of sac-
nection, not to the previous verse, but to v.5 (Kidner, 53). rifice.” (Greenspahn, 28)
xii
Howard quotes Williamson as proving that vv.7-23 have been Peal perfect 3mp of the hollow verb ‫קום‬.
xiii
an excursis into the future, and v.24 marks a return to the That is, rebuild. This temple is so different from the first
story’s present. See David M. Howard, Jr., An Introduction to that it can hardly be called ‘rebuilding’. See Ezra 3, Haggai 2.
xiv
the Old Testament Historical Books, 1993 ed. (Chicago: Moody The Qere is an update to Syriac orthography.
xv
Publishers, 2007), 321. Also, “If the Book of Ezra were re- Definite in Aramaic
xvi
arranged in chronological order, the material in 4:6-23 would Pael participle mp. This BA hapax is cognate to the He-
most likely be placed just prior to Ezra’s move to Jerusalem brew root, which occurs often in the Psalms as ‘comfort’ or
(chapter 7).” Sowers (cp. Clines, 76). The NIV/NASB/NET ‘strengthen’.
xvii
indicate this via a paragraph break. The ESV/JPS do not. Only the JPS fails to make a paragraph division here.
iii xviii
The Aramaic, at first blush, makes it appear as if ‘God’ is Lit. “In it, that is, the time” (Johns 14)
xix
at Jerusalem, but it is more reasonable to connect this phrase That is, the workers, not themselves. BA/BH third per-
all the way back to ‘work’. son pronouns may not be used reflexively.
iv xx
A compound of two verbs in Aramaic: ‫ הֲוָה‬in the Peal It is interesting to note the different morphology of this
Perfect 3ms and ‫ בְּטֵל‬in the Peal Participle. Greenspahn calls exact infinitive in this verse and the previous. There seems to
this “much like our present perfect.” (98). be no rational as to why it is spelled ‫( לְמִבְנֵא‬vv.2,6:8), or ‫לִבְּנֵא‬
v
Lit. ‘until the year of two of ’ (vv.3;13), or ‫( לְמִבְנְיָה‬v.9) (Greenspahn, 95).
vi xxi
I seems terribly awkward to repeat Haggai’s title “the Shaphel infinitive of the geminate verb ‫כלל‬
prophet” as given in the text. The Ketiv utilizes a non-
standard mater.

33
5 Chapter 5 B EZRA

4
Then wexxii saidxxiii them thus, “Whatxxiv are the names of the men were who are buildingi thisii build-
ingiii ?” 5 Andiv the eyev of their God wasvi upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them, until
the matter should comevii to Darius, and then a letterviii be returnedix about thisx .
6
Thisxi is a copyxii of the letter that Tattenai the governor of Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai
and his associates, the ambassadors who were in Beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They
sent him a reportxiii , and it was writtenxiv thusxv : “To Darius the king, allxvi peace. 8 Let it be known to
the king that we wentxvii to the province ofxviii Judah, to the house of the great godxix . And it is being
builtxx withxxi specially-selected stonesxxii , and woodxxiii is laid in the walls. And that work goes onxxiv
diligently and prospers in their handsxxv . 9 Then we asked those elders; we said to them thus, “Who set
you a decree to buildxxvi this house, and to finishxxvii this wall?” 10 And also we asked them their names, to
inform youxxviii that we might writexxix the names of the men who were at their headxxx . 11 And according
to this word they replied to usxxxi sayingxxxii , “We are the slavesxxxiii of the God of the heavens and the
earth, and are rebuildingxxxiv the house that was builtxxxv these many years agoxxxvi , whichxxxvii a great king
xxii xvii
Like the ‘we’ passages in the Book of Acts, the ‘we’ here Peal perfect 1cp
xviii
bespeaks the author’s identity. This is even more startling The noun is not in the construct, nor does it precede the
given that the passage is in Aramaic, as noted by Berman, proper name. They appear to be in apposition.
xix
Joshua. ”The narratorial voice of the scribes of Samaria: Ezra “as used by an outsider [this expression] probably meant
iv 8-vi 18 reconsidered.” Vetus Testamentum 56, no. 3. nothing more than ‘their chief God’. Hence, I have chosen to
xxiii
Peal perfect 1cp of ‫אמר‬/say. A question follows and it is not capitalize the ‘g’ here.
xx
an English convention to use ‘ask’. However, I am striving to Hithpeal participle
xxi
illustrate the difference with v.9, where ‘ask’ is indeed used. There is no preposition in the Aramaic.
xxiv xxii
The use of ‫מַן‬/who here is arresting. (Rosenthal, 26). Per- The word ‫ גְּלָל‬occurs only here and 6:4, and hence are the
haps people are so identified with their names that Aramaic only two locations of this phrase. For a robust defense of this
used the personal instead of the impersonal interrogative pro- unique translation, see Williamson, H G M. “’eben gělāl (Ezra
noun with only this word. We simply do not know. 5:8, 6:4) again.” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Re-
i
Peal active participle mp search no. 280 (November 1, 1990): 83-88.
ii xxiii
Rosenthal lists this as one of five verses where the demon- This just the Aramaic for ‘wood’. English is very precise in
strative pronoun precedes the noun. (25) distinguishing ‘wood’ from ‘tree’ from ‘timber’ from ‘lumber’,
iii
This seems to be a cognitive accusative (cp. Williams §51). something uncommon in languages of the world.
xxiv
The LXX has ‘city’. Lit. ‘works’, Hithpael participle fs, a cognate accusative.
iv xxv
While this waw is contrastive, the meaning is not ob- Hands are synonymous with power and work, a common
scured by remaining literal. cognitive metaphor.
v xxvi
One might have expected the dual here as in BH, but it Peal infinitive
xxvii
fell out of use with time in all Semitic languages. Shaphel infinitive
vi xxviii
Peal perfect 3fs. The copula is optional, so perhaps it is Preposition plus Haphel infinitive plus 2ms suffix.
xxix
emphatic here. Peal imperfect 1cp. English requires the subjective in a
vii
Peal imperfect 3ms of ‫הלך‬, a word so polysemous in itself result clause.
xxx
as to almost be modal by nature. Colloquial English would say, ‘who were in charge of
viii
The Aramaic is definite here. them’.
ix xxxi
Haphel imperfect 3mp. The English past tense here is Haphel perfect 3mp with 1cp suffix. Lit. ‘they returned
modal and aspectival, not for tense. us’.
x xxxii
All translations have ‘it’ here except the NET. ‘This’ Peal infinitive
xxxiii
seems to preserve the eyewitness character of the text better. This word has ‘his’ appended to it (not in English), which
xi
The ‘this’ which demarcates what follows as a letter is not Johns calls a “prospective pronominal suffix”. This would be
present until v.7. the opposite of a resumptive pronoun.
xii xxxiv
The Aramaic here is definite, since it is in construct rela- Peal active participle mp
xxxv
tionship to a definite noun. The Bible is not reminding us that Johns (26) says ‫ הֲוָא‬plus a passive participle should be
we do not have an autograph here, but rather emphasizing the translated as a pluperfect (‘had been built’), but no transla-
precise clarity of the written word. tion I consulted follows this recommendation and the mean-
xiii
Definite in Aramaic ing seems equivalent here.
xiv xxxvi
Peil perfect 3ms Lit. ‘from before of this year many’
xv xxxvii
Lit. ‘in the midst of it’. The ‘thus’ was taken up into the This simple waw must be epexegetical and cannot be
previous verse. translated with just an ‘and’.
xvi
It is unusual to say the least to see ‫ כל‬treated as an adjec-
tive, following the noun and matching it in definiteness.

34
5 Chapter 5 B EZRA

of Israelxxxviii built and finishedi . 12 Butii becauseiii our fathers angerediv the God of the Heavensv , he
gavevi themvii into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldeanviii , whoix destroyedx this
housexi and carried awayxii the people to Babylonxiii . 13 However, in the first yearxiv of Cyrus, the king
of Babylon, Cyrus the king set a decree to buildxv this house of God. 14 And also the vessel of gold
and the silverxvi of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had takenxvii from the temple that was in
Jerusalem, and he broughtxviii them into the temple of Babylon, thosexix Cyrus the king took out from
the temple of Babylon, and they were deliveredxx to one whose name was Sheshbazzarxxi , whom he had
madexxii governor; 15 and he said to him, ‘’Takexxiii thesexxiv vessels, go, putxxv them in the temple that is
in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuiltxxvi on its site.” 16 Then that Sheshbazzar came andxxvii
laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and from that timexxviii evenxxix until now
has it been being builtxxx , and it is not completedxxxi . 17 And now, if it isxxxii good to the king, let a search
be madexxxiii in the house of the treasurexxxiv of the king, which is there in Babylon, if it be soxxxv , that a
decree was made ofxxxvi Cyrus the king to rebuildxxxvii that house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king
send his pleasurei to us concerning this.”
xxxviii xix
Lit. ‘a king for Israel great’. Aramaic uses a periphrastic Here is a resumptive pronoun.
xx
construction to make an indefinite first element in what I would have preferred to be consistent and used ‘place’
would otherwise be a construct chain. (Johns, 10) here, but English is particular with that verb.
i xxi
Both of these final verbs have 3ms suffixes to indicate Lit. ‘to Sheshbazzar his name’
xxii
their object in Aramaic. Lit. ‘whom governor he had made him’
ii xxiii
Lit. ‘and if ’ Peal imperative 2ms and next
iii xxiv
Lit. ‘from that’ The Qere and Ketiv are two (equally acceptable) spellings
iv
Haphel perfect 3mp. The RSV family of translations have of the near demonstrative pronoun plural.
xxv
the English perfect tense here. Haphel imperative 2ms. Surprisingly, the LXX does not
v
Darius worshipped Ahura Mazda, “God of Heaven”. As take these two verbs as a hendiadys, translating them sepa-
Kidner mentions, the Hebrews use of this title for Yahweh is rately.
xxvi
a subtle challenge (55). Hithpeal imperfect 3ms with jussive force
vi xxvii
Or ‘he placed’. Peal perfect 3ms of ‫יהב‬. There is no conjunction in Aramaic; these Peal perfect
vii
This is the independent pronoun. It is unclear why this 3ms verbs are in asyndeton.
xxviii
is so, and not a suffix on the verb. The ‘that’ is substantive in Aramaic; we must supply the
viii
Here is the only time this word is used in Ezra (cp. Dan. ‘time’.
xxix
2:5,10; 3:8; 4:7; 5:7,11,30). While the ketiv has ‫ כַּסְָדּיָה‬and the I have kept the waw as ‘even’. Only Latin has a simple
were has ‫כַּסְָדּאָה‬, they both have a samek instead of a sin. This word for ‘until’ which incorporates the word ‘and’ like Ara-
is a later development in BA. (Greenspahn, 70) maic: usque.
ix
This is actually a waw which is being deployed epexeget- xxx
An admittedly awkward way to keep this Hithpael par-
ically. ticiple a participle in English too.
x
Peal perfect 3ms with 3ms suffix xxxi
All translations supply a ‘yet’ here, though the NASB puts
xi
Lit. ‘this house — he destroyed it’. It is not possible to it in italics.
put the same emphasis in English as exists in the Aramaic ca- xxxii
ESV supplies ‘seems’ here. All other translations turn
sus pendens. (Greenspahn, 69) ‘good’ into a verb and render it ‘pleases’. It is still literal to
xii
Haphel perfect 3ms supply the copula, which BA/BH often omit.
xiii
I am not clear why the ESV alone translate this word as xxxiii
Hithpael imperfect 3ms with jussive force
‘Babylonia’, even though it is spelled the same way but trans- xxxiv
Only the ESV translates this word as ‘documents’ or
lated ‘Babylon’ earlier in the verse. The LXX has βαβυλῶνα ‘archives’, here and in 6:1 and 7:20
here and in 6:5. xxxv
‘it be so’ is the simple existential particle ‫איתי‬.
xiv
Lit. ‘in year of one’ xxxvi
Lit. ‘from’
xv
Fortunately, this verb does not require a subject and xxxvii
Peal infinitive
so this infinitive can be presented without inserting an i
This phrase seems slightly ungrammatical (which is in-
epenthetic actor (cp. Johns, 26). deed a descriptive, not a prescriptive enterprise): it begins
xvi
The determined state of the ‘gold’ and ‘silver’ is somewhat with ‘the pleasure of the king’ — which is feminine — but
anomalous, again what Rosenthal calls ‘general designation of the verb ‘let him send’ is masculine, which could match only
species’, §46. king.
xvii
Haphel perfect 3ms. While older English translations
have a simple past tense (‘took out’) here, all modern trans-
lations have a pluperfect and Johns labels it as such (21).
xviii
Haphel perfect 3ms

35
6 6:1-18 B EZRA

6 6:1-18

T
hen Darius the king made a decreeii , and search was made in the house of the books, where the
treasures were laid upiii , there in Babylon. 2 And in Ecbatanaiv , the citadel that is in the province of
Media, av scroll was foundvi on whichvii this was written thisviii recordix . 3 “In the first yearx of Cyrus the
king, Cyrus the king made a decree aboutxi the house of God at Jerusalem, “Let the house be rebuiltxii ,
the place where sacrifices were offeredxiii , and let the foundations of it be laidxiv ; the height of it sixty
cubits, the breadth of it sixty cubits;xv 4 with three layersxvi of specially-selected stonesxvii and one layer
of woodxviii . And let the cost be givenxix from the house of the king. 5 And also let the vessels of gold and
silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took outxx from the temple which is at Jerusalem, and
brought to Babylon, be restoredxxi , and come to the temple which is at Jerusalem, to itsxxii place; and you
shall put themxxiii in the house of God.
6 xxiv
“ Now, Tattenai, governor of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and yourxxv associates, the am-
bassadors who are in Beyond the River, keepxxvi far away from there! 7 Leave alone the workxxvii on that
house of God! Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuildxxviii this house of God on
its site. 8 And I make a decreexxix what you shall do with these elders of the Jews for the rebuildingxxx of
that house of God: and from the property of the king, even of the tribute of Beyond the River, expenses
be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered. 9 That which they have need of,
namelyi young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the god of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine,
and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without
ii xv
As we have seen throughout the BA corpus, a king would The NLT lists in its footnotes a claim that the text should
never speak directly of his own actions, so the distant, third be emended from ‘60 cubits by 60 cubits’ to ‘60 by 20 by 30’,
person quality of the passage is emphasized. and says the Syriac supports this claim. Clearly, the desire ex-
iii
Haphal passive participle, mp ists to change this text to match 1K. 6:2, but the Syriac simply
ܵ ̇ ܵ ܿ
iv
The LXX treats this name as if it was of Semitic origin says : ܹ ‫ ܼ ܿܐ ̈ ܼ ܪܘ‬. ܼ ܿ
ܹ ̣ ‫ܼ ܼܐ ܼ ̈ ܼܘ‬ ܸ . i.e. ‘60 by
(‫ )חמת‬and renders it ‘city’. 20’. The third dimension is missing and need not be supplied.
v
This is another example of the numeral ‘one’ being used This seems to be a case where the Peshitta preserves a better
to show indeterminacy. reading than the MT or LXX. See Weitzman, 59; Eskenazi,
vi
Hithpael perfect 3ms, which does not match the gender 57.
xvi
of ‘scroll’. ‘Layers’ is preferred by all translations, except the NIV
vii
Lit. ‘in the midst of it’ which has ‘courses.’
viii xvii
The Aramaic is the definite article, not the near demon- See note in 5:8
xviii
strative pronoun. Kidner mentions that this is the ratio of Solomon’s tem-
ix
Kidner says Bickerman has proven that the Hebrew ple, cp. 1K. 6:36 (55).
xix
proclamation of 1:2ff. and this ‘record’ are not two variants Hithpael imperfect 3fs
xx
of the same record but two independent records concerning Haphel perfect 3ms
xxi
the same case.’ (56) It is awkward to separate the various auxiliaries of this
x
Lit. ‘In year of one’ Haphel imperfect/jussive 3ms but it is necessary to contrast
xi
Because this is indirect discourse for a moment longer, an this verse with the one which have resumptive pronouns.
xxii
adverbial conjunction must be supplied in English. The Aramaic is indeed singular here.
xii xxiii
Hithpael imperfect 3ms with jussive force Haphel imperfect/jussive 2ms. The ‘them’ is an English
xiii
Even though this Peal active participle matches ‘sacri- artifact.
xxiv
fices’ by being masculine and plural, it is nonsensical for sac- All consulted translations have a paragraph break here.
xxv
rificial victims to do the offering. Therefore, this must be Aramaic ‘their’
xxvi
another periphrastic passive. Peal imperative 2mp of ‘to be’. The command is in the
xiv
Polel passive participle mp plural, which explains the NET’s “all of you”.
xxvii
Direct object marked by ְ‫ל‬
xxviii
Peal imperfect/jussive 3ms. Note that this agrees with
‘governor’. Aramaic seems free in its choice between singu-
lar and plural verbs in such cases.
xxix
Lit. ‘and from me is set a decree
xxx
‫ ל‬plus Peal infinitive not in the construct state
i
As Creager points out, this is a simple waw here, but it is
epexegetical (§109.A).

36
6 6:1-18 B EZRA

fail; 10 that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aromaii to the god of heaven, and pray for the lives of the
king, and of his sons. 11 Also I make a decree that if anyone altersiii this edict, a beam shall be pulled out
of his house, and he shall be impalediv , and his house shall be made a dunghillv . 12 And the godvi who has
caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to alter
the same, to destroy this house of the god which is at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made a decree; let it be
done with all diligence.
13
Then Tattenai, the governor of Beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions, because
Darius the king had sent a decree, did accordingly with all diligencevii . 14 The elders of the Jews built and
prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.viii They built
and finished it, according to the decree of the god of Israel, and according to the decreeix of Cyrus, and
Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.x 15 And thisxi house was being suppliedxii untilxiii the thirdxiv day
of the month Adarxv , which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16xvi
The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity,
kept the dedicationxvii of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of
God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve
male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They set the priests in their divisions, and
the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of
Mosesi .
ii xii
As Berner notes, the term (ַ‫ )נִיחוֹח‬is “a cultic term taken A BA hapax (‫) יְצָא‬, here in the Shapel Perfect 3ms. Van
from Exod. 29.18 and Lev. 1.9.” Pelt (216) — citing Rosenthal, 53 — says this is an Akkadian
iii
This would have included violating the edict (Kidner, 57). loan word, namely ‫שיציא‬. But Tawil (445) protests that it must
iv
Kidner lists the wide interpretations of this word: im- be a North-West Semitic etymology. The Š-stem of Y-Ṣ-ʔ in
palement, fastening to and flogging upon, crucifixion (BDB), Ugaritic means ‘to supply, to deliver’ (DULAT, 986).
xiii
or hanging on it (57-8). As Batten points out, this preposition (‫ )עד‬is everywhere
v
This word (‫ )נְוָלוּ‬occurs here and in Daniel 2:5, 3:29 Gen- else translated ‘until’, except in this verse. Only the NASB
esius compares it to ‫ מוֹצָאָה‬in 2K. 10:27, which he says means notes this. Van Pelt instructs us “translate as ‘on’.”
xiv
‘cloaca’, cp. Mk 7:19. 1 Esdras 7:5 has ‘twenty-third’. Perhaps a word was in-
vi
This first word (‫ )וֵאלָהָא‬is the only instance of the waw- serted there or dropped here (Kidner, 60).
xv
conjunction taking a tsere vowel-point (BBA 7.5). “[The l]ast month of the Hebrew calendar (late winter).”
vii
At this fourth usage of the term (‫)אָסְפְַּרנָא‬, Kidner (59) (Greenspahn, 57)
xvi
calls it a “keyword” of the chapter. It was used once in 5:8, Only the JPS fails to make a paragraph division here.
xvii
here at vv.8,12, and 13, but also occurs four times in chapter From later in history, this word (‫ )חֲנֻכָּא‬becomes the name
seven (vv.17, 21, and 26) of the festival ‘Chanukah’ (Kidner, 60).
viii i
It is striking that this verse would reference Zechariah, Levitical priests were established in Leviticus, but the ‘di-
who in his 4:9 credits Zarubabbel with building the temple visions’ and ‘courses’ were Davidic innovations. This veer also
(Cline, 27). implies a lively tradition of priests already existing in Ezra’s
ix
As Kidner points out (59), the two instance of “decree” in day (Kidner, 61).
this verse are different words in the MT, but are spelled the The return to Hebrew here for a brief time is unique in
same in the unpointed, Aramaic abjad. ‫ טְעֵם‬occurs 25 times, the Bible. Genesis and Jeremiah feature short bursts of Ara-
while ‫ טַעַם‬occurs five times. Kidner, Eskenazi (41), and Crea- maic surrounded by Hebrew. Daniel is a long stream of Ara-
ger (§22n8) intimate that the latter is a construct of the MT. maic, flanked by Hebrew chapters. Only here do we have He-
The LXX (γνώμη), Vulgate (jubente), ESV and NET trans- brew surrounded by Aramaic. As Howard says (335), “when
late them both with the same word. the subject returns to religious matters as prescribed by the
x
Eskenazi calls this verse a key “summarizing the book” law (as it does here), specifically ‘as it is written in the Book of
(37). Cline calls it a “striking example” because “the devine Moses’ (6:18), the natural language in which to proceed was the
and human are artlessly conjoined.” (31) language in which those instructions had been given, namely,
xi
Berner’s conclusion that the Aramaic portions of Ezra Hebrew.” This coheres favorably with Eskenazi’s thesis, that
are written from a Samaritan perspective rests largely on this the written word is the source of action in Ezra/Nehemiah,
word (as opposed to the house of God). and so must be transmitted verbatim. Ezra 7:1-26 speaks of
Ezra in the third person, while 7:27-9:15 are in the first. Hence,
it is the narrators voice we see here (Cline, 6).

37
7 7:12-26 B EZRA

7 7:12-26

A
rtaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the god of heaven, perfect
[peace]ii . And now 13 I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the
Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. 14 Because
you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according
to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his
counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose abode iii is in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and
gold that you shall find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill-offeringiv of the people, and of
the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17 therefore you shall with
all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings,
and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 Whatever shall seem
good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that after the will of
your God. 19 The vessels also that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliverv
before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls
to you to provide,you may providevi it out of the king’s treasury.
21vii
And I, even Iviii Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are Beyond the
River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it
be done with all diligence, 22 to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred measures of wheat, and
to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
23
Whatever is commanded by the god of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the god of heaven;
for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 Let it be knownix to you that
it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers,
the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25i
And you, Ezra, according to the wisdomii of your God, that is in your handiii , the king is , set
magistrates and judgesiv , which may judge all the people that are of Beyond the Riverv , all such as know
the laws of you God; and you shall teach those who do not know. 26 Whoever will not do the law of your
God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it be to death,
or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

viii
All commentators place a major division in Ezra at chap- ??? What is MIN doing here??? It has a pronominal suf-
ter 7. I agree with Dorsey, that Ch. 7-8 hang together well: fix, but then is followed by an independent pronoun, so it is
A. Ezra’s return (1-10) emphatic (Creager §41b).
ix
B. king’s blessing (11-26) This is another instance of the 3mp being used to make
C. gathering of people (27-28) an impersonal or passive construction (Rosenthal §181)
i
D. list (8:1-14) Only the JPS fails to make a paragraph division here.
ii
C’ gathering of people (15-21) Kidner says (61) that this word highlights the broader def-
B’ Jew’s blessing (22-30) inition of Torah/‫ תּוָֹרה‬than our word ‘law’.
iii
A’ Ezra’s return (31-36) Hebrew/Aramaic ‫ יד‬means ‘hand’ and by extension
ii
Kidner, the ESV and NASB all agree that the word ‘peace’ ’power’ (HALOT 1:386-8). Kidner says “dedicated study is
was intended here, or this is a formulaic greeting. cp. 5:7 and seen hand in hand with personal obedience and with teach-
Dan. 4:1 ing... the Torah ... was far more than a lawyer’s text...” (27).
iii iv
Johns (14) calls the ‘his’ (not in English) attached to ‘abode’ The spelling of this word (‫ שׁ‬instead of ‫ ת‬for the first let-
a “retrospective pronominal suffix, because it comes after a ‫דִּי‬. ter) indicates that it is not an Aramaic word, but a Canaanite-
iv
One word, Ithpael Infinitive Construct in construct rela- Hebrew loan word (Rosenthal, 20).
v
tionship to the next word!!!! That is, the Euphrates.
v
‫ שְׁלַם‬Haphel Imperative 2ms. Eskenazi knowingly goes
against all translations and HALOT and argues for “com-
plete” instead of “deliver” (71-72). The other occurrence in
the Haphel (Dan. 5:26) means ‘finish’, as does the Peal in 5:16.
vi
‫ נְתַן‬in the Peal Imperfect 2ms, used as a volitive (Johns,
24).
vii
Only the JPS fails to make a paragraph division here.

38
 C SINGLE VERSES

C Single Verses
1 Genesis 31:47

A Mound).
nd Laban called it Jegar-Sahaduthai (The Mound of the Witness), but Jacob called it Galeed (Forever

2 Jeremiah 10:11

T
husii you shall sayiii to themiv : ‘The godsv thatvi have not madevii the heavens and the earthviii , they
shall perishix fromx the earthxi , and thesexii from under the heavens.’

Why does the text record Laban’s speech in Aramaic,
and Jacob’s in Hebrew? They have the same meaning
(Greenspahn, 47). Keil explains in a footnote, “These words
are the oldest proof, that in the native country of the patri-
archs, Mesopotamia, Aramean, or Chaldean was spoken, and
Hebrew in Jacob’s native country, Canaan; from which we may
conclude that Abraham’s family first acquired the Hebrew in
Canaan from the Canaanites (Phoenicians).” (Pentateuch, 192)
i
The second word in Aramaic (‫ )שָׂהֲדוּ‬is f rom a root
which appears nowhere else in the Bible, except Job 16:19 —
‫שָׂהֵד‬/‘record’.
Why is this verse in Aramaic, surrounded by He-
brew? Keil quotes one Seb. Schm who says “ut Ju-
vii
Peal perfect 3mp. English past tense clauses which have
been negated are identical to perfect ones.
viii
Here ‘earth’ is spelled in the Ancient Aramaic (10th − 7th
cent. B.C.) way (‫)אֲַרק‬. This is unique in the Bible.
ix
This verb (‫ )אֲבַד‬is in the Peal, but it could be imperfect or
jussive, as evidenced by the lack of final nun (Johns 24; Crea-
gers §53.A.1). However, only the JPS translates it such. I have
followed the ESV/NIV/NASB/NET because of my chiastic
outline for the verse (see final note).
x
This is the one instance of the preposition ‫ מִן‬becoming
proclitic and taking the tsere vowel (BBA 7.8).
xi
Here ‘earth’ is spelled in the Standard Literary Aramaic
(6 − 3rd cent. B.C.) way (‫)אֲַרע‬, as it is the 20 other times it
th

daeis suggerat, quomodo Chaldaeis (ad quos nisi Chal- occurs in the Bible.
xii
daice loqui poterant) paucis verbis respondendum sit” ‘these’ could be modifying ‘heavens’ (JPS) or ‘gods’
(NIV/NASB). The ESV and NET leave it untranslated. I be-
(Jeremiah/Lamentations, 125). That is, this verse serves as an
lieve it modifies ‘gods’, mainly because of my chiastic outline
apologetic direct quote for Israelite use.
ii (see final note).
The particle ‫ — כְִּדנָה‬which consists of a preposition on
the demonstrative pronoun (BBA §9.6.3) — is used here as an
adverb. The only other place it occurs without a waw is Dan.
3:29. As noted on BBA p.165, the part of this verse in quotes forms
iii
These three English words are one word in Aramaic an octamerous chiasm:
(‫)תֵּאמְרוּן‬, Peal Imperfect 2mp A. ‫אלהיא‬
iv
This “conjugated” preposition is spelled here with the B. ‫שמיא‬
plene spelling and a final-nun. The “defective” spelling with C. ‫וארעא‬
final-mem (‫ )לְהֹם‬is found only in Ezra 5:3, 4, 9, 10; 6:9. D. ‫עבדו‬
v
This masculine plural determined noun is the actor and/or D’ ‫אמדו‬
subject of all the following clauses. C’ ‫מארעא‬
vi
This Aramaic word (‫ )דִּי‬is incredibly flexible. Here it in- B’ ‫שמיא‬
troduces a relative clause. A’ ‫אלה‬

39
 D BIBLIOGRAPHY

D Bibliography

Clines, David J.A. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: Based On the Revised Standard Version. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans

Pub Co, 1984.

Collins, John J. Daniel: a Commentary On the Book of Daniel. Edited by Frank Moore Cross. Minneapolis:

Fortress Press, 1994.

Coxon, Peter W. ”Syntax of the Aramaic of Daniel : a dialectal study.” Hebrew Union College Annual 48,

(January 1, 1977): 107-122.

Creager, Harold L. Grammar of the Biblical Aramaic. self published, 1939.

Eskenazi, Tamara Cohn. In an Age of Prose: A Literary Approach to Ezra-Nehemiah (SBL Monograph Series).

Adela Yarbro Collins, Ed., Scholar Press, Atlanta, 1988

Grelot, Pierre. 1979. “Orchestre de Daniel 3:5,7,10,15.” in Vetus Testamentum 29, no. 1: 23-38

Kidner, Derek. Ezra and Nehemiah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). Downers Grove: InterVar-

sity Press, 1979.

Johns, Alger F. A Short Grammar of Biblical Aramaic, Jerusalem Academic Press, Jerusalem, 1966, 2nd edi-

tion

Nelson, William. Daniel (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series). Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013.

Tawil, Hayim ben Yosef. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Id-

iomatic Equivalents with Supplement On Biblical Aramaic. Edited by Richard White. Jersey City: KTAV

Publishing House, 2009.

Williamson, H. G. M. Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 16, Ezra-Nehemiah, New York: Thomas Nelson, 1985.

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