Op woensdag 11 juli 2012 13:27 schreef Ali_Kannibali het volgende:Belshazzar is depicted as the last king of Babylon and the Babylonian empire is said to fall to the Medes and Persians when Belshazzar is slain the night of a great feast and a man referred to as Darius the Mede (also Darius the son of Ahasuerus of the seed of the Medes - Daniel 9:1) takes the kingdom at 62 years of age (Daniel 5:1, 30).
Daniel presents this Darius the Mede as being a contemporary ruler with Cyrus the Great of Persia (Daniel 6:28) and refers to their two reigns alternately throughout the Book (Daniel 1:21, Daniel 6:28, Daniel 9:1, Daniel 10:1, Daniel 11:1). In the eleventh chapter of the Book of Daniel an account of events is given that covers the rise of the Greek empire under Alexander the Great and continuing through the line of Ptolemaic and Seluecid kings ending with Antiochus III (Daniel 11:1-20). This account begins with Daniel's statement that after three more Persian kings a fourth king will arise in Persia, who will stir up all against the realm of Greece (Daniel 11:2). Daniel then describes the rise of Alexander the Great as a mighty king, which will stand up, whose kingdom will be broken and divided to four others to rule who are not of his bloodline (Daniel 11:3).
Despite the book's 6th century perspective, scholars have instead concluded that the book is a product of the 2nd century B.C. This conclusion is based on two objections.
First, scholars note the accuracy of Daniel 11's depiction of 4th through 2nd century Middle Eastern history.
"Old Testament Literature - By contrast, the book is a not inconsiderable historical source for the Greek period. It refers to the desecration of the Temple in 167 and possibly to the beginning of the Maccabean revolt. Only when the narrative reaches the latter part of the reign of Antiochus do notable inaccuracies appearÑan indication of a transition from history to prediction. The book is thus dated between 167 and 164 BCE." - Britannica.com
Britannica.com exemplifies the scholarly response to the descriptions of Daniel 11. First, it is noted that Daniel is a sound historical source on matters of 4th to 2nd century Middle Eastern history and that not until the part of the chapter dealing with the latter part of Antiochus IV Epiphanes' reign do "inaccuracies" appear.
The "inaccuracies" that Britannica.com says indicate "a transition from history to prediction" deal with the second half of Daniel 11. In this section of Daniel 11 a king is depicted, which some historians argue is Antiochus IV Epiphanes. As Britannica.com confirms the early description of this last figure's life and actions does resemble that of Antiochus in some ways. However, the later details of this king's life and actions do not fit with the history of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It is these final details, which Britannica.com identifies as "inaccuracies." It is these final details, which lead some scholars to label this portion of Daniel as a failed attempt to prophecy the end of Antiochus' reign.
However, Christians argue that Daniel 11:21-45 is not at all a reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes despite the similarities to his early reign. Instead, they note that Jesus' comments in the Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14, indicate that one of the most notable actions of this final king, his desecration of the Jewish Temple, was yet to occur.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
Therefore, since Antiochus IV Epiphanes lived 175 years before Jesus and since Jesus' places this act of the final king as still in the future, Jesus is indicating that Antiochus is not the final king described in Daniel 11:21-45. So, if Daniel 11:21-45 was not meant as a reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes as some have taken it to be, then the inconsistencies between its description and his reign are explained not as a case of failed prophecy, but of mistaken identity on the part of historians, who misunderstood the subject of the text.
But, back to the point, the first objection to a 6th century origin of the Book of Daniel offered by scholars is founded on their recognition that Daniel accurately identifies significant historical events that, if written in the 6th century B.C., would constitute legitimate prophecy. Since scholars reject the notion that prophecy could legitimately occur because it is fundamentally a supernatural phenomenon, scholars are forced to conclude that Daniel was not written in the 6th century B.C. as the book itself proclaims.
However, we can quickly dismiss this first scholarly objection to a 6th century origin of the Book of Daniel. As we have previously discussed a rejection of the supernatural phenomena cannot be used as a legitimate objection for assessing historical claims. Given that Atheism has been disproved and conversely that the existence of a supernatural God has been proven, supernatural phenomena are entirely possible unless one presumes a Deistic or Naturalist view of God and then by a process of circular reasoning uses that conclusion to bias an analysis of historical evidence and claims.
Since, it is premature to assert Deistic and Naturalistic conclusions before or during our examination of historical evidences for the occurrence supernatural phenomena, we must allow for the possibility that supernatural phenomena, such as prophecy, can occur and then evaluate the specific instances to determine whether they are valid. For this reason, we cannot simply reject a 6th century origin of Daniel because it would require us to accept parts of Daniel as being legitimate supernatural phenomena in the form of prophecy. Far from being a rational approach to this comparative evaluation of Theistic views, to do so would be circular reasoning.
We can only conclude that Daniel was not written in the 6th century B.C. as the book itself claims, if we can identify evidence indicating that the Book was not written at that time. Again, because Atheism has been disproved and because Deism and Pantheistic Naturalism are conclusions that cannot interfere with the assessment process, a claim of supernatural phenomena cannot be used as evidence to object to a 6th century writing. This is where we arrive at the second scholarly objection to a 6th century dating of the Book of Daniel.
Scholars object to a 6th century origin of the Book of Daniel because they claim the book has a sketchy understanding of 6th century Mesopotamian history.
"Old Testament Literature - For many centuries the apocalyptic character of the Book of Daniel was overlooked, and it was generally considered to be true history, containing genuine prophecy. In fact, the book was included among the prophetic books in the Greek canon. It is now recognized, however, that the writer's knowledge of the exilic times was sketchy and inaccurate." - Britannica.com
As Britannica.com articulates, scholars claim that the inaccurate understanding of the period of Jewish exile exhibited in the Book of Daniel is not consistent with the book's claim to have been written by someone who was in close proximity to the nobility of the relevant empires during that period. Therefore, because they claim that Daniel does not have a sound grasp of 6th century history of the region it could not have originated at that time as the book itself claims.
However, we must ask what exactly it is that has led scholars to conclude that Daniel does not have an accurate understanding of 6th century Mesopotamian history. Specifically, they contend that Daniel exhibits confusion regarding historical persons and either their relationship with other ancient figures, their status in the empires of the day, or their placement in the chronology of events. In some cases scholars have claimed that Daniel invents figures that never historically existed. Again, Britannica.com articulates some of these objections.
"Old Testament Literature - Belshazzar is represented as the son of Nebuchadrezzar and the last king of Babylon, whereas he was actually the son of Nabonidus and, though a powerful figure, was never king; Darius the Mede, a fictitious character perhaps confused with Darius I of Persia, is made the successor of Belshazzar instead of Cyrus." - Britannica.com
The first historical figure that scholars contend is misunderstood in the Book of Daniel is Belshazzar. As we recall from our outline of the Book of Daniel early on in this section, Daniel reports three things about Belshazzar. First, he was king of Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar. Second, Belshazzar is referred to as Nebuchadnezzar's son. And third, Belshazzar is said to be the last king of Babylon, who is killed when the Medo-Persians take the city.
Scholars claim that each of these three facts is historically incorrect. First, Belshazzar was not a king of Babylon. Second, Belshazzar was not the son of Nebuchadnezzar, but the son of Nabonidus, who was the king of Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar. And third, Nabonidus, and not Belshazzar was the last Babylonian king during whose reign Babylon fell to the Persians, not the Medes.
The scholarly criticism that Daniel's identifying Belshazzar as the son of Nebuchadnezzar is incorrect and can easily be dissolved by a look at the Aramaic words the Bible uses to describe this relationship. The word for father that is used in Daniel 5:2, 11, 13, and 18 is the word "ab."
Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father (02) Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Daniel 5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. 10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father (02) light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father (02), the king, I say, thy father (02), made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father (02) brought out of Jewry?
Daniel 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father (02) a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
Strong's Concordance of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words that are used in the Bible lists "ab" as occurring 9 times in the Bible. If we were to survey those nine times we would see that in at least three cases the word is used more broadly than simply as the immediate biological father.
Ezra 4:15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers (02): so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
Ezra 5:12 But after that our fathers (02) had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
Daniel 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers (02), who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
In each of the above cases we see that the word "ab" is used to imply ones predecessors or forebears. It does not require that the persons in mind be a direct male parent. So, when Daniel refers to Nebuchadnezzar as Belshazzar's father he simply is referring to the fact that Nebuchadnezzar preceded Belshazzar in the line of Babylonian royalty.
That Daniel's account of this is historically accurate is further supported the following additional details. The word for son that is used in Daniel 5:22 is the Aramaic word "bar."
Daniel 5:22 And thou his son (1247), O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
Strong's Concordance provides the definition for "bar" (1247) and its Hebrew counterpart "ben" (1121).
1247 bar
TWOT - 2639 corresponding to 01121
Part of Speech
n m
Outline of Biblical Usage
1) son
1121 ben
TWOT - 254 from 01129
Part of Speech
n m
Outline of Biblical Usage
1) son, grandson, child, member of a group
a) son, male child
b) grandson
c) children (pl. - male and female)
d) youth, young men (pl.)
e) young (of animals)
f) sons (as characterisation, i.e. sons of injustice [for un- righteous men] or sons of God [for angels]
g) people (of a nation) (pl.)
h) of lifeless things, i.e. sparks, stars, arrows (fig.)
i) a member of a guild, order, class
As we can see the Hebrew word "ben," which corresponds to the Aramaic word "bar" can be used to refer to a son or a grandson. These two words are used interchangeably in the following four passages, which discuss the genealogy of Zechariah the prophet.
Ezra 5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son (1247) of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
Ezra 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son (1247) of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Zechariah 1:1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son (1121) of Berechiah, the son (1121) of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Zechariah 1:7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son (1121) of Berechiah, the son (1121) of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Notice, that in Ezra, Zechariah is noted as the son (bar) of Iddo, but in the book of Zechariah, Zechariah refers to himself as the son (ben) of Berechiah who was the son (ben) of Iddo. This means that Ezra uses the word son (bar) to denote Zechariah's relationship with Iddo even though Zechariah was, in fact, Iddo's grandson. So, we see that the word "bar" can be used to indicate a grandson.
So, from our examination of the Aramaic words that are used in these passages, that the Book of Daniel is simply referring to Nebuchadnezzar as a predecessor and possibly grandfather of Belshazzar and not necessarily as father and son as scholars insist. But the essential question is whether or not history supports or contradicts Daniel's record of these matters.
As we proceed into the historical record we should also mention that besides the three objections we identified earlier, some scholars have also continued to object to very existence of Belshazzar. But, though scholars are insistent upon the historical incorrectness of Daniel's account of Belshazzar, history has proven Daniel to be quite accurate.
For instance, the long disputed existence of Daniel's king Belshazzar, was proven true by the discovery of Babylonian cuneiform inscription in 1854.
"Belshazzar - Belshazzar had been known only from the biblical Book of Daniel (chapters 5, 7-8) and from Xenophon's Cyropaedia until 1854, when references to him were found in Babylonian cuneiform inscriptions." - Britannica.com
From these cuneiform inscriptions we know that Belshazzar did exist, just as the Book of Daniel reported. But we also learned a great deal of information about Belshazzar, all of which proves that Daniel's account of him is quite accurate.
First, we now know that Daniel's description of Belshazzar as the king of Babylon is correct because his father, Nabonidus made him coregent over the kingdom with Belshazzar ruling from Babylon while Nabonidus spent most of his time away in Arabia.
"Nabonidus - After a popular rising led by the priests of Marduk, chief god of the city, Nabonidus, who favoured the moon god Sin, made his son Belshazzar coregent and spent much of his reign in Arabia." - Britannica.com
"Nabonidus - He was not of Nebuchadnezzar's family, and it is possible that he usurped the throne...Cuneiform records indicate that Belshazzar was Nabonidus' son and his coregent during the last years of Babylon." - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Belshazzar - When Nabonidus went into exile (550), he entrusted Belshazzar with the throne and the major part of his army." - Britannica.com
So, we see that it is in fact, accurate to call Belshazzar the king of Babylon. For he was coregent with his father over the empire and he ruled in Babylon, while his father traveled the empire in exile after a popular uprising led by the priest of Marduk. Additionally, it is apparent that the Book of Daniel makes reference to this coregency when Belshazzar appoints Daniel to be the third and not second ruler in the kingdom. Since Belshazzar and his father, Nabonidus both ruled as kings of Babylon, Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the third position in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
We also saw in the quote from Columbia Encyclopedia that Nabonidus was not of Nebuchadnezzar's family. However, this does not pose a problem for Daniel's description of Belshazzar as Nebuchadnezzar's son for two reasons. First, as we have already stated it is entirely possible that Daniel was only referring to the fact that Belshazzar was a successor to Nebuchadnezzar over Babylon. Second, it is believed by some scholars that Belshazzar's mother was, in fact, a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar.
"Belshazzar - Though he is referred to in the Book of Daniel as the son of Nebuchadrezzar, the Babylonian inscriptions indicate that he was in fact the eldest son of Nabonidus, who was king of Babylon from 555 to 539, and of Nitocris, who was perhaps a daughter of Nebuchadrezzar. When Nabonidus went into exile (550), he entrusted Belshazzar with the throne and the major part of his army." - Britannica.com
So, it may well be the case that Belshazzar is not only Nebuchadnezzar's successor, but also his grandson on his mother's side. So, we see that scholarly objections to Daniel's description of Belshazzar as king of Babylon and the son of Nebuchadnezzar are invalid. But what about Daniel's claim that Belshazzar was killed the night of a great feast as the Medo-Persian army took the city?
Daniel 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Again, history substantiates the Book of Daniel.
"Belshazzar - According to the accounts in the Bible and Xenophon, Belshazzar held a last great feast...Belshazzar died after Babylon fell to the Persian general Gobyras without resistance on Oct. 12, 539, and probably before the Persian king Cyrus II entered the city 17 days later." - Britannica.com
So, we see that, though our modern understanding has been quite inadequate, Daniel's account of the fall of Babylon is, in fact, quite accurate (even his mention of the feast). But what about Daniel's report that a person named Darius the Mede (whom Daniel later says in chapter 9 is the son of Ahasuerus) takes the city and acts as king? Is this an accurate understanding of history or not?
According to scholars, Daniel is again in error here. Scholars note that Daniel falsely credits this Darius the Mede with taking the city of Babylon. They claim this task was accomplished by Cyrus the Great and that the author of Daniel probably confused Cyrus the Great with Darius the Great (who became the king after the death of Cyrus' son Cambyses II.)
However, history is not so clear on this point. What we do know is that just as Daniel reports, Cyrus did not take the city himself, but his forces were led by another man, known as Gobryas.
"Belshazzar - Belshazzar died after Babylon fell to the Persian general Gobyras without resistance on Oct. 12, 539, and probably before the Persian king Cyrus II entered the city 17 days later." - Britannica.com
"Nabonidus - After a popular rising led by the priests of Marduk, chief god of the city, Nabonidus, who favoured the moon god Sin, made his son Belshazzar coregent and spent much of his reign in Arabia. Returning to Babylon in 539 BC, he was captured by Cyrus' general Gobryas and exiled." - Britannica.com (Continued in next section.) Lees de rest dus op
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