A clash of gods – Conceptualising space in Daniel 1

Bruyn, Joseph Jacobus De

doi:10.4102/hts.v70i3.1956

Cited by 5 publications

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“…Humans use 'space' to make sense of the world around them and thus space forms an integral part of the way in which they express themselves. All human behaviour is located in and constructed of space (De Bruyn 2014:2−3, referring to Haspelmath 1997Zlatev 2007;Low & Lawrence-Zuniga 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Function of space in Daniel 1

Nel

2014

In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi

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Daniel 1 narrates how Daniel and his friends come from Jerusalem and are appointed as officials at the royal court in Babylon. The narrative is governed by the various and significant references to space. The Jews’ loyalty towards Jerusalem and its association with the Temple and temple cult is challenged by the loyalty required from them at the Babylonian court as symbolised by the new names they receive − names associated with the Babylonian gods. The strategy they devise to retain their loyalty towards YHWH is decided by their request for a specific specific type of food. Their eating special food in contrast to the royal food set apart for the candidates, creates a space that relates to the determinative contrast between Jerusalem and Shinar. The tale in Daniel 1 is determined by references to space that allowed the Jewish readers to understand its meaning.Daniël 1 vertel hoe Daniël en sy vriende uit Jerusalem as hofamptenare in Babilon aangestel word. Die narratief word beheers deur verskeie belangrike verwysings na ruimte. Die Joodse jongmanne se lojaliteit aan Jerusalem en hulle verbintenis met die Tempel en tempelkultus, word deur die lojaliteit wat aan die koninklike hof van hulle verwag word, getoets. Dit word deur die nuwe name wat aan hulle gegee is, gedemonstreer – name wat waarskynlik met Babiloniese gode se name verband hou. Hulle strategie om aan JHWH lojaal te bly, berus op hulle versoek om ’n spesifieke soort voedsel te gebruik. Afsonderlike voedsel in teenstelling met dié van die koning, skep die ruimte waarbinne die bepalende kontras tussen Jerusalem en Sinar gehandhaaf kan word. Die vertelling in Daniël 1 word bepaal deur verwysings na ruimte, wat die Joodse leser in staat stel om die betekenis daarvan te begryp.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Function of space in Daniel 1

Nel

2014

In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi

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Daniel 3, Contesting Space for Clashing Images

Bruyn¹

2017

JSEM

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It becomes clear that the narrative of Daniel 3 is part of a larger narrative that already starts in Daniel 1 when one applies a spatial-body-frameset to the story. Utilising spatial markers, the author of Daniel 3 demonstrates to his readers that the God of Israel indeed has the ability to operate inside the spatial authority (domain) of foreign gods. The narrative is not so much a question of Elohim’s ability to protect his people from death; it rather asks which deity has authority over the plain of Dura. Due to Elohim’s rescue of the three men, the fiery furnace cognitively becomes an image of Elohim’s god-space and power. In this way the author indicates that the plain of Dura does not belong to the authority domain of Marduk, but to the god-space of the God of Israel. Daniel 3 is not a story about three faithful men, but rather a story about the God of Israel. In his own manner the author attempts to persuade his readers that Elohim’s authority is universal, and not restricted to a particular spatial context.

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Susanna Â€“ Framing the Minds and Views of People

Bruyn

2017

JSEM

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This article analyses the story of Susanna by combining features of editorial and narrative critique as well as new insights on body and space in the field of linguistics. Furthermore, it is postulated that the Susanna narrative must be read in a reciprocal relationship to the entire Greek Daniel. Accordingly, it is put forward that the narrative of Susanna is utilised as part of a larger narrative structure. With this larger Greek Daniel narrative, a new worldview is created that opposes the worldviews of the ancient Near Eastern people. According to the new worldview the God of Israel is not bound to religious or cultural perceptions. Different bodily and spatial features are exploited to construct this new worldview. The story of Susanna is utilised as technique to influence the reader in rethinking their worldviews.

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A clash of gods – Conceptualising space in Daniel 1

Cited by 5 publications

References 1 publication

Function of space in Daniel 1

Function of space in Daniel 1

Daniel 3, Contesting Space for Clashing Images

Susanna Â€“ Framing the Minds and Views of People

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