Reading “Bel and the Dragon” as Narrative: A Comparison between the Old Greek and Theodotion

2017

JSEM

This article is the concluding part in a series of articles on “Bel and the dragon”. These articles are an investigation into the Greek editor’s/author’s use of body, space, narrative and genre in creating a new reality regarding the Jewish deity. A spatial analysis is used. It suggests that the episodes of “Bel and the dragon”, as well as each of the chapters of Greek Daniel, should be read in a reciprocal relationship with each other. First, such an analysis indicates that the smaller episodes and chapters are part of a larger clash of deities. Second, it shows that the editor/author utilises the different events in the chapters of Greek Daniel to create a new worldview. In this new worldview the God of Israel is an almighty deity while other deities that are revered are false, and not real, living gods. In his own way the editor/author contributes to the way in which Jews regarded their God within the reality of the diaspora.

CONSTRUCTING a LIVING DEITY Â€“ FRAMING THE GOD OF ISRAEL IN THE STORIES OF DANIEL AND BEL AND THE DRAGON

2017

JSEM

Daniel Dragonslayer – Bel and the dragon, Verses 23−27 (OG/Th)

In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi

Joseph²

2015

In this article, aspects of narrative critique, genre, editorial critique, the body and space are uniquely combined into a body-space framework. This spatial framework is used to examine the second episode of ‘Bel and the Dragon’, called ‘Daniel Dragonslayer’. It is postulated that the second episode of ‘Bel and the Dragon’ should be read in a reciprocal relationship with not only ‘Bel and the Dragon’, but also the larger Book of Daniel. Firstly, such an analysis indicates that the smaller episode is part of a larger clash of deities. Secondly, it shows that the editor /author utilises the episode to create a new cosmology. In this new cosmology, the Jewish deity is an almighty one, whilst other deities are seen as false and not real living gods. In his own way, the editor or author contributes to the way in which Jews regarded their God within the reality of the diaspora.Daniel Dragonslayer − Bel en die draak, Verse 23−27 (VAN/Die). In hierdie artikel word aspekte van narratiewe-kritiek, genre, redaksie-kritiek, die liggaam en ruimte op ’n unieke wyse gekombineer om ’n beliggaamde ruimteraamwerk te vorm. Hierdie beliggaamde ruimteraamwerk word gebruik om die tweede episode van ‘Bel en die Draak’, naamlik ‘Daniël, die Draakjagter’, te analiseer. Die artikel stel voor dat hierdie tweede episode van ‘Bel en die Draak’ in ’n resiproke verhouding met ‘Bel en die Draak’, sowel as met die boek Daniël gelees moet word. Indien die teks op hierdie voorgestelde wyse ontleed word, kom verskeie punte na vore. Eerstens word aangedui dat die kleiner episode deel van ’n groter gode-oorlog vorm. Tweedens, die skrywer/redakteur gebruik die kleiner episode as deel van ’n proses om ’n nuwe kosmologie te skep. Volgens hierdie nuwe kosmologie is die Joodse God ’n almagtige God, terwyl ander gode vals en nie ware lewende gode is nie. Op sy eie manier lewer die skrywer/redakteur ’n bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van die Jode se godsbeskouing tydens die diaspora.

Dining in the lions� den � Bel and the dragon, verses 28�42 (Old Greek/Theodotion)

Joseph²

2015

Dining in the lions' den, an overviewThe story of Daniel in the lions' den is probably one of the best-known Bible stories. However, few people know that there is a second version of this famous story. This second version is found in the Septuagint (LXX). More specifically, it is part of the apocryphal additions to the book of Daniel. 1There are three of these additional stories in the LXX. The first is found in Daniel 3, The prayer of the three men in the fiery furnace. The second is called Suzanna and usually forms chapter 13 in the LXX Greek version of Daniel. The third story is actually a combination of three events (episodes). This third story is called Bel and the dragon and forms chapter 14 in the LXX Daniel.There are two Greek versions of Bel and the dragon. The oldest version (dating from 100 BCE) is that of the LXX and is often called the Old Greek (OG) version. The second version is the Theodotion (Th) version. Not only is it considered to be the younger version (dating from the 2nd century) but also the more elaborate one. Both versions consist of 42 verses. This article mostly refers to the LXX or OG version of the text, but where necessary, references will be made to Th.In the first episode of Bel and the dragon (verses 1-22), the character Daniel uncovers the deceit of the priests of the god Bel. Bel's temple is proven to be a space of fraud and lies, and Bel himself is proven a false and not-living deity. I call this episode the Disempowerment of Bel. The second episode (verses 23-27) demonstrates the character Daniel as a slayer of dragons. I therefore call the second episode Daniel dragon-slayer.However, it is the third episode (verses 28-42) that is investigated in this article. The third episode of Bel and the dragon uniquely recounts the story of Daniel in the lions' den. In Daniel 14, the story is narrated as a consequence of the first two episodes. The Babylonians demanded the death of Daniel after he killed the priests of Bel and their holy dragon (δράκων). The king in this episode is incapable of taking a stand against the mob, and Daniel is thrown into a den (λάκκος) full of lions. Daniel, however, is rescued from death by the intervention of the Jewish deity. The prophet Habakkuk (Αμβακοθμ) is sent with food to nourish Daniel down in the lions' den, which suggested the title for this article: Dining in the lions' den. Thus, although similar to the events of Daniel 6, there are also unique differences between the two narratives contained in Daniel 6 and Daniel 14. One such difference is the reason why Daniel is thrown into the lions' den. In Daniel 6, the 1.Daniel in italics is used in reference to the Book of Daniel. The character Daniel is referred to as 'Daniel' in normal script. This is done for a better distinction between the book and the character.