The Human and the Divine in History: Herodotus and the Book of Daniel

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The Human and the Divine in History investigates the possibility that the author of Daniel knew and drew upon the Histories of Herodotus. Daniel uses and develops Herodotean concepts such as the succession of world empires, dynastic dreams, and the focus on both human and divine cauration in explaining historical events. A comparative reading of these two texts illuminates Daniel's theology of history, showing it to be neither as exclusively eschatological nor as sectarian as is often supposed. Rather, it is specifically the end of exile -- understood as foreign domination -- that Daniel envisions for the entire Jewish people. This is volume 396 in the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series.

Reviews

Review in the International Review of Biblical Studies, vol 51 2004/05
Old Testament Abstracts: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly/ Vol. 29, 2006 -- mention
mentioned in Biblica
"The study is interesting and helpful. N. has demonstrated the correspondence between the Greek literary tradition and Daniel. The thesis is especially useful at a time of transition in biblical studies, when the influence of Hellenism on Second Temple Judaism is in the process of reevaluation." - The Catholic Biblical Quarterly * Catholic Biblical Quarterly *

Author Bio

Paul Niskanen is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota.