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

by Paul Niskanen

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2004

Overview

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 causation 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.

Contents

Top Highlights

“why not use it as a more accurate reflection of the actual eleven Persian kings from Cyrus to Darius III?” (Page 41)

Product Details

• Title: The Human and the Divine in History: Herodotus and the Book of Daniel
• Author: Paul Niskanen
• Series: Library of Hebrew Bible/OT Studies: JSOTS on Ketuvim
• Volume: 396
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 143

About Paul Niskanen

Paul V. Niskanen teaches Old Testament at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. His interests include an exploration of Hebrew poetry, along with prophetic and apocalyptic imagery. He has written a monograph and a commentary on the book of Daniel as well as articles on Daniel, Isaiah, and Genesis for the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and the Journal of Biblical Literature.