0. Welcome
Opening Question: Reflecting on our experience of Yom Kippur
(קמז) מִי שֶׁעָנָה
(קמח) לַחֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה
(קמט) בְּתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ
(קנ) הוּא יַעֲנֵֽנוּ:
(קנא) מִי שֶׁעָנָה לְדָנִיֵּאל
(קנב) בְּגוֹב הָאֲרָיוֹת
(קנג) הוּא יַעֲנֵנוּ:
Supplications of the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; part of the traditional liturgy for Kol Nidrei night.
(147) He Who answered
(148) Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah
(149) in the midst of the fiery furnace,
(150) He will answer us.
(151) He Who answered Daniel
(152) in the lions’ den,
(153) He will answer us.
1. Plan for Class 5
2. Introduction to Chapter 6
3. Questions to consider as we read our text
4. Our Text: Chapter 6 - Daniel in the Lions' Den
5. Discussion & Commentaries
6. Summary and Next Class
2. Introduction to Chapter 6
Let's reflect on our understanding of Jewish prayer practices
3. Questions to consider for Chapter 6
a. What do you think this chapter intends to convey to the reader?
b. In what context(s) does Daniel prayer in chapter 6? What do we learn about his prayer?
c. How is the angel in chapter 6 similar to and distinct from other angels we have encountered in Tanach?
d. How do you imagine Daniel spending his night in the lions' den?
e. How far does collective punishment extend in this chapter? What do you think of the punishment of families in this chapter?
4. Our Text - Chapter 6: Daniel in the Lions' Den
(א) וְדָרְיָ֙וֶשׁ֙ (מדיא) [מָֽדָאָ֔ה] קַבֵּ֖ל מַלְכוּתָ֑א כְּבַ֥ר שְׁנִ֖ין שִׁתִּ֥ין וְתַרְתֵּֽין׃ (ב) שְׁפַר֙ קֳדָ֣ם דָּרְיָ֔וֶשׁ וַהֲקִים֙ עַל־מַלְכוּתָ֔א לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֖א מְאָ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ין דִּ֥י לֶהֱוֺ֖ן בְּכׇל־מַלְכוּתָֽא׃ (ג) וְעֵ֤לָּא מִנְּהוֹן֙ סָרְכִ֣ין תְּלָתָ֔ה דִּ֥י דָנִיֵּ֖אל חַֽד־מִנְּה֑וֹן דִּֽי־לֶהֱוֺ֞ן אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֗ין יָהֲבִ֤ין לְהוֹן֙ טַעְמָ֔א וּמַלְכָּ֖א לָֽא־לֶהֱוֵ֥א נָזִֽק׃ (ד) אֱדַ֙יִן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל דְּנָ֔ה הֲוָ֣א מִתְנַצַּ֔ח עַל־סָרְכַיָּ֖א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֑א כׇּל־קֳבֵ֗ל דִּ֣י ר֤וּחַ יַתִּירָא֙ בֵּ֔הּ וּמַלְכָּ֣א עֲשִׁ֔ית לַהֲקָמוּתֵ֖הּ עַל־כׇּל־מַלְכוּתָֽא׃
Daniel succeeds in the court of Darius
(1) and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. (2) It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps to be in charge of the whole kingdom; (3) over them were three ministers, one of them Daniel, to whom these satraps reported, in order that the king not be troubled. (4) This man Daniel surpassed the other ministers and satraps by virtue of his extraordinary spirit, and the king considered setting him over the whole kingdom.
(ה) אֱדַ֨יִן סָֽרְכַיָּ֜א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּ֗א הֲו֨וֹ בָעַ֧יִן עִלָּ֛ה לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֥ה לְדָנִיֵּ֖אל מִצַּ֣ד מַלְכוּתָ֑א וְכׇל־עִלָּ֨ה וּשְׁחִיתָ֜ה לָא־יָכְלִ֣ין לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֗ה כׇּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־מְהֵימַ֣ן ה֔וּא וְכׇל־שָׁלוּ֙ וּשְׁחִיתָ֔ה לָ֥א הִשְׁתְּכַ֖חַת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃ (ו) אֱ֠דַ֠יִן גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ אָֽמְרִ֔ין דִּ֣י לָ֧א נְהַשְׁכַּ֛ח לְדָנִיֵּ֥אל דְּנָ֖ה כׇּל־עִלָּ֑ה לָהֵ֕ן הַשְׁכַּ֥חְנָֽא עֲל֖וֹהִי בְּדָ֥ת אֱלָקֵֽהּ׃ {ס}
The opponents of Daniel
(5) The ministers and satraps looked for some fault in Daniel’s conduct in matters of state, but they could find neither fault nor corruption, inasmuch as he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. (6) Those men then said, “We are not going to find any fault with this Daniel, unless we find something against him in connection with the laws of his God.”
(ז) אֱ֠דַ֠יִן סָרְכַיָּ֤א וַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא֙ אִלֵּ֔ן הַרְגִּ֖שׁוּ עַל־מַלְכָּ֑א וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לֵ֔הּ דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֖א לְעָלְמִ֥ין חֱיִֽי׃ (ח) אִתְיָעַ֜טוּ כֹּ֣ל ׀ סָרְכֵ֣י מַלְכוּתָ֗א סִגְנַיָּ֤א וַֽאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא֙ הַדָּֽבְרַיָּ֣א וּפַחֲוָתָ֔א לְקַיָּמָ֤ה קְיָם֙ מַלְכָּ֔א וּלְתַקָּפָ֖ה אֱסָ֑ר דִּ֣י כׇל־דִּֽי־יִבְעֵ֣א בָ֠ע֠וּ מִן־כׇּל־אֱלָ֨הּ וֶֽאֱנָ֜שׁ עַד־יוֹמִ֣ין תְּלָתִ֗ין לָהֵן֙ מִנָּ֣ךְ מַלְכָּ֔א יִתְרְמֵ֕א לְגֹ֖ב אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃
A plan to entrap Daniel
(7) Then these ministers and satraps came thronging in to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! (8) All the ministers of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, companions, and governors are in agreement that a royal ban should be issued under sanction of an oath that whoever shall address a petition to any god or man, besides you, O king, during the next thirty days shall be thrown into a lions’ den.
(ט) כְּעַ֣ן מַלְכָּ֔א תְּקִ֥ים אֱסָרָ֖א וְתִרְשֻׁ֣ם כְּתָבָ֑א דִּ֣י לָ֧א לְהַשְׁנָיָ֛ה כְּדָת־מָדַ֥י וּפָרַ֖ס דִּי־לָ֥א תֶעְדֵּֽא׃ (י) כׇּל־קֳבֵ֖ל דְּנָ֑ה מַלְכָּא֙ דָּֽרְיָ֔וֶשׁ רְשַׁ֥ם כְּתָבָ֖א וֶאֱסָרָֽא׃ (יא) וְ֠דָנִיֵּ֠אל כְּדִ֨י יְדַ֜ע דִּֽי־רְשִׁ֤ים כְּתָבָא֙ עַ֣ל לְבַיְתֵ֔הּ וְכַוִּ֨ין פְּתִיחָ֥ן לֵהּ֙ בְּעִלִּיתֵ֔הּ נֶ֖גֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְזִמְנִין֩ תְּלָתָ֨ה בְיוֹמָ֜א ה֣וּא ׀ בָּרֵ֣ךְ עַל־בִּרְכ֗וֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּ֤א וּמוֹדֵא֙ קֳדָ֣ם אֱלָקֵ֔הּ כׇּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־הֲוָ֣א עָבֵ֔ד מִן־קַדְמַ֖ת דְּנָֽה׃ {ס} (יב) אֱ֠דַ֠יִן גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ הַרְגִּ֔שׁוּ וְהַשְׁכַּ֖חוּ לְדָנִיֵּ֑אל בָּעֵ֥ה וּמִתְחַנַּ֖ן קֳדָ֥ם אֱלָקֵֽהּ׃
The king's ban and Daniel's response
(9) So issue the ban, O king, and put it in writing so that it be unalterable as a law of the Medes and Persians that may not be abrogated.” (10) Thereupon King Darius put the ban in writing. (11) When Daniel learned that it had been put in writing, he went to his house, in whose upper chamber he had had windows made facing Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down, prayed, and made confession to his God, as he had always done. (12) Then those men came thronging in and found Daniel petitioning his God in supplication.
(יג) בֵּ֠אדַ֠יִן קְרִ֨בוּ וְאָמְרִ֥ין קֳדָם־מַלְכָּא֮ עַל־אֱסָ֣ר מַלְכָּא֒ הֲלָ֧א אֱסָ֣ר רְשַׁ֗מְתָּ דִּ֣י כׇל־אֱנָ֡שׁ דִּֽי־יִבְעֵא֩ מִן־כׇּל־אֱלָ֨הּ וֶֽאֱנָ֜שׁ עַד־יוֹמִ֣ין תְּלָתִ֗ין לָהֵן֙ מִנָּ֣ךְ מַלְכָּ֔א יִתְרְמֵ֕א לְג֖וֹב אַרְיָוָתָ֑א עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֗ר יַצִּיבָ֧א מִלְּתָ֛א כְּדָת־מָדַ֥י וּפָרַ֖ס דִּי־לָ֥א תֶעְדֵּֽא׃ (יד) בֵּ֠אדַ֠יִן עֲנ֣וֹ וְאָמְרִין֮ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּא֒ דִּ֣י דָנִיֵּ֡אל דִּי֩ מִן־בְּנֵ֨י גָלוּתָ֜א דִּ֣י יְה֗וּד לָא־שָׂ֨ם (עליך) [עֲלָ֤ךְ] מַלְכָּא֙ טְעֵ֔ם וְעַל־אֱסָרָ֖א דִּ֣י רְשַׁ֑מְתָּ וְזִמְנִ֤ין תְּלָתָה֙ בְּיוֹמָ֔א בָּעֵ֖א בָּעוּתֵֽהּ׃ {פ}
(טו) אֱדַ֨יִן מַלְכָּ֜א כְּדִ֧י מִלְּתָ֣א שְׁמַ֗ע שַׂגִּיא֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ עֲל֔וֹהִי וְעַ֧ל דָּנִיֵּ֛אל שָׂ֥ם בָּ֖ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתֵ֑הּ וְעַד֙ מֶֽעָלֵ֣י שִׁמְשָׁ֔א הֲוָ֥א מִשְׁתַּדַּ֖ר לְהַצָּלוּתֵֽהּ׃ {ס} (טז) בֵּאדַ֙יִן֙ גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֔ךְ הַרְגִּ֖שׁוּ עַל־מַלְכָּ֑א וְאָמְרִ֣ין לְמַלְכָּ֗א דַּ֤ע מַלְכָּא֙ דִּֽי־דָת֙ לְמָדַ֣י וּפָרַ֔ס דִּֽי־כׇל־אֱסָ֥ר וּקְיָ֛ם דִּֽי־מַלְכָּ֥א יְהָקֵ֖ים לָ֥א לְהַשְׁנָיָֽה׃
The king must punish Daniel
(13) They then approached the king and reminded him of the royal ban: “Did you not put in writing a ban that whoever addresses a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, during the next thirty days, shall be thrown into a lions’ den?” The king said in reply, “The order stands firm, as a law of the Medes and Persians that may not be abrogated.” (14) Thereupon they said to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, pays no heed to you, O king, or to the ban that you put in writing; three times a day he offers his petitions [to his God].” (15) Upon hearing that, the king was very disturbed, and he set his heart upon saving Daniel, and until the sun set made every effort to rescue him. (16) Then those men came thronging in to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that any ban that the king issues under sanction of oath is unalterable.”
(יז) בֵּאדַ֜יִן מַלְכָּ֣א אֲמַ֗ר וְהַיְתִיו֙ לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל וּרְמ֕וֹ לְגֻבָּ֖א דִּ֣י אַרְיָוָתָ֑א עָנֵ֤ה מַלְכָּא֙ וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֔אל אֱלָקָ֗ךְ דִּ֣י (אנתה) [אַ֤נְתְּ] פָּֽלַֽח־לֵהּ֙ בִּתְדִירָ֔א ה֖וּא יְשֵׁיזְבִנָּֽךְ׃ (יח) וְהֵיתָ֙יִת֙ אֶ֣בֶן חֲדָ֔ה וְשֻׂמַ֖ת עַל־פֻּ֣ם גֻּבָּ֑א וְחַתְמַ֨הּ מַלְכָּ֜א בְּעִזְקְתֵ֗הּ וּבְעִזְקָת֙ רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי דִּ֛י לָא־תִשְׁנֵ֥א צְב֖וּ בְּדָנִיֵּֽאל׃ (יט) אֱ֠דַ֠יִן אֲזַ֨ל מַלְכָּ֤א לְהֵֽיכְלֵהּ֙ וּבָ֣ת טְוָ֔ת וְדַחֲוָ֖ן לָא־הַנְעֵ֣ל קׇֽדָמ֑וֹהִי וְשִׁנְתֵּ֖הּ נַדַּ֥ת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃ (כ) בֵּאדַ֣יִן מַלְכָּ֔א בִּשְׁפַּרְפָּרָ֖א יְק֣וּם בְּנׇגְהָ֑א וּ֨בְהִתְבְּהָלָ֔ה לְגֻבָּ֥א דִֽי־אַרְיָוָתָ֖א אֲזַֽל׃ (כא) וּכְמִקְרְבֵ֣הּ לְגֻבָּ֔א לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל בְּקָ֥ל עֲצִ֖יב זְעִ֑ק עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר לְדָנִיֵּ֗אל דָּֽנִיֵּאל֙ עֲבֵד֙ אֱלָהָ֣א חַיָּ֔א אֱלָקָ֗ךְ דִּ֣י (אנתה) [אַ֤נְתְּ] פָּֽלַֽח־לֵהּ֙ בִּתְדִירָ֔א הַיְכִ֥ל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתָ֖ךְ מִן־אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃
Daniel is thrown into the lions' den
(17) By the king’s order, Daniel was then brought and thrown into the lions’ den. The king spoke to Daniel and said, “Your God, whom you serve so regularly, will deliver you.” (18) A rock was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; the king sealed it with his signet and with the signet of his nobles, so that nothing might be altered concerning Daniel. (19) The king then went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and his sleep fled from him. (20) Then, at the first light of dawn, the king arose and rushed to the lions’ den. (21) As he approached the den, he cried to Daniel in a mournful voice; the king said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was the God whom you served so regularly able to deliver you from the lions?”
(כב) אֱדַ֙יִן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֔אל עִם־מַלְכָּ֖א מַלִּ֑ל מַלְכָּ֖א לְעָלְמִ֥ין חֱיִֽי׃ (כג) אֱלָקִ֞י שְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאֲכֵ֗הּ וּֽסְגַ֛ר פֻּ֥ם אַרְיָוָתָ֖א וְלָ֣א חַבְּל֑וּנִי כׇּל־קֳבֵ֗ל דִּ֤י קׇֽדָמ֙וֹהִי֙ זָכוּ֙ הִשְׁתְּכַ֣חַת לִ֔י וְאַ֤ף (קדמיך) [קׇֽדָמָךְ֙] מַלְכָּ֔א חֲבוּלָ֖ה לָ֥א עַבְדֵֽת׃ (כד) בֵּאדַ֣יִן מַלְכָּ֗א שַׂגִּיא֙ טְאֵ֣ב עֲל֔וֹהִי וּלְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל אֲמַ֖ר לְהַנְסָקָ֣ה מִן־גֻּבָּ֑א וְהֻסַּ֨ק דָּנִיֵּ֜אל מִן־גֻּבָּ֗א וְכׇל־חֲבָל֙ לָא־הִשְׁתְּכַ֣ח בֵּ֔הּ דִּ֖י הֵימִ֥ן בֵּאלָקֵֽהּ׃ (כה) וַאֲמַ֣ר מַלְכָּ֗א וְהַיְתִ֞יו גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ דִּֽי־אֲכַ֤לוּ קַרְצ֙וֹהִי֙ דִּ֣י דָֽנִיֵּ֔אל וּלְג֤וֹב אַרְיָוָתָא֙ רְמ֔וֹ אִנּ֖וּן בְּנֵיה֣וֹן וּנְשֵׁיה֑וֹן וְלָֽא־מְט֞וֹ לְאַרְעִ֣ית גֻּבָּ֗א עַ֠ד דִּֽי־שְׁלִ֤טֽוּ בְהוֹן֙ אַרְיָ֣וָתָ֔א וְכׇל־גַּרְמֵיה֖וֹן הַדִּֽקוּ׃
Daniel leaves the den; his enemies are thrown in
(22) Daniel then talked with the king, “O king, live forever! (23) My God sent His angel, who shut the mouths of the lions so that they did not injure me, inasmuch as I was found innocent by Him, nor have I, O king, done you any injury.” (24) The king was very glad, and ordered Daniel to be brought up out of the den. Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no injury was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. (25) Then, by order of the king, those men who had slandered Daniel were brought and, together with their children and wives, were thrown into the lions’ den. They had hardly reached the bottom of the den when the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
(כו) בֵּאדַ֜יִן דָּרְיָ֣וֶשׁ מַלְכָּ֗א כְּ֠תַ֠ב לְֽכׇל־עַֽמְמַיָּ֞א אֻמַּיָּ֧א וְלִשָּׁנַיָּ֛א דִּֽי־[דָיְרִ֥ין] (דארין) בְּכׇל־אַרְעָ֖א שְׁלָמְכ֥וֹן יִשְׂגֵּֽא׃ (כז) מִן־קֳדָמַי֮ שִׂ֣ים טְעֵם֒ דִּ֣י ׀ בְּכׇל־שׇׁלְטָ֣ן מַלְכוּתִ֗י לֶהֱוֺ֤ן (זאעין) [זָיְעִין֙] וְדָ֣חֲלִ֔ין מִן־קֳדָ֖ם אֱלָקֵ֣הּ דִּי־דָֽנִיֵּ֑אל דִּי־ה֣וּא ׀ אֱלָהָ֣א חַיָּ֗א וְקַיָּם֙ לְעָ֣לְמִ֔ין וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ֙ דִּֽי־לָ֣א תִתְחַבַּ֔ל וְשׇׁלְטָנֵ֖הּ עַד־סוֹפָֽא׃ (כח) מְשֵׁיזִ֣ב וּמַצִּ֔ל וְעָבֵד֙ אָתִ֣ין וְתִמְהִ֔ין בִּשְׁמַיָּ֖א וּבְאַרְעָ֑א דִּ֚י שֵׁיזִ֣ב לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל מִן־יַ֖ד אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃ (כט) וְדָנִיֵּ֣אל דְּנָ֔ה הַצְלַ֖ח בְּמַלְכ֣וּת דָּרְיָ֑וֶשׁ וּבְמַלְכ֖וּת כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ (פרסיא) [פָּרְסָאָֽה]׃ {פ}
Darius praises the God of Israel
(26) Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language that inhabit the earth, “May your well-being abound! (27) I have hereby given an order that throughout my royal domain men must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God who endures forever; His kingdom is indestructible, and His dominion is to the end of time; (28) He delivers and saves, and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, for He delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” (29) Thus Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In the eye of the artists: Rubens (shared also in lesson 1) and Delacroix
"Daniel in the Lions' Den," by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)- qgE_ZHxscNNGbA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22174501
Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798 - 1863), “Daniel in the Lions’ Den,” 1853, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
5. Discussion & Commentaries
Chapter 6 echoes some themes of Chapter 3, in which Daniel's three friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's idol.
(14) Nebuchadnezzar spoke to them and said, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my god or worship the statue of gold that I have set up?
(24) Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and, rising in haste, addressed his companions, saying, “Did we not throw three men, bound, into the fire?” They spoke in reply, “Surely, O king.” (25) He answered, “But I see four men walking about unbound and unharmed in the fire and the fourth looks like a divine being.”
(ו) אֱ֠דַ֠יִן גֻּבְרַיָּ֤א אִלֵּךְ֙ אָֽמְרִ֔ין דִּ֣י לָ֧א נְהַשְׁכַּ֛ח לְדָנִיֵּ֥אל דְּנָ֖ה כׇּל־עִלָּ֑ה לָהֵ֕ן הַשְׁכַּ֥חְנָֽא עֲל֖וֹהִי בְּדָ֥ת אֱלָקֵֽהּ׃ {ס}
Jewish Religion
(6) Those men then said, “We are not going to find any fault with this Daniel, unless we find something against him in connection with the laws of his God.”
(יב) אַ֨רְתַּחְשַׁ֔סְתְּא מֶ֖לֶךְ מַלְכַיָּ֑א לְעֶזְרָ֣א כָ֠הֲנָ֠א סָפַ֨ר דָּתָ֜א דִּֽי־אֱלָ֧הּ שְׁמַיָּ֛א גְּמִ֖יר וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃
(12) “Artaxerxes king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scholar in the law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now,
(כה) וְאַ֣נְתְּ עֶזְרָ֗א כְּחׇכְמַ֨ת אֱלָקָ֤ךְ דִּֽי־בִידָךְ֙ מֶ֣נִּי שָׁפְטִ֞ין וְדַיָּנִ֗ין דִּי־לֶהֱוֺ֤ן (דאנין) [דָּאיְנִין֙] לְכׇל־עַמָּא֙ דִּ֚י בַּעֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֔ה לְכׇל־יָדְעֵ֖י דָּתֵ֣י אֱלָקָ֑ךְ וְדִ֧י לָ֦א יָדַ֖ע תְּהוֹדְעֽוּן׃
(25) And you, Ezra, by the divine wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the province of Beyond the River who know the laws of your God, and to teach those who do not know them.
A special kind of royal ban
(9) So issue the ban, O king, and put it in writing so that it be unalterable as a law of the Medes and Persians that may not be abrogated.”
Pamela Milne, John J. Collins, Harper Collins Study Bible, Daniel, comment to 6:9 (6:8)
Cannot be revoked, a folkloristic motif, not a Persian custom. The scheme is designed to trap both Daniel and the king; see Esther 1:19;8:8.
(8) And you may further write with regard to the Jews as you see fit. [Write it] in the king’s name and seal it with the king’s signet, for an edict that has been written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet may not be revoked.”
(יא) וְ֠דָנִיֵּ֠אל כְּדִ֨י יְדַ֜ע דִּֽי־רְשִׁ֤ים כְּתָבָא֙ עַ֣ל לְבַיְתֵ֔הּ וְכַוִּ֨ין פְּתִיחָ֥ן לֵהּ֙ בְּעִלִּיתֵ֔הּ נֶ֖גֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וְזִמְנִין֩ תְּלָתָ֨ה בְיוֹמָ֜א ה֣וּא ׀ בָּרֵ֣ךְ עַל־בִּרְכ֗וֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּ֤א וּמוֹדֵא֙ קֳדָ֣ם אֱלָקֵ֔הּ כׇּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־הֲוָ֣א עָבֵ֔ד מִן־קַדְמַ֖ת דְּנָֽה׃ {ס}
Daniel's prayer practices
(11) When Daniel learned that it had been put in writing, he went to his house, in whose upper chamber he had had windows made facing Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down, prayed, and made confession to his God, as he had always done.
(ה) ותעש לה חדר קטן בעליית ביתה ותשב שם חגורת שק ותצם יום יום בבגדי אלמנותה מלבד שבתות ה׳ ומלבד ראשי החודשים ומועדי בני ישראל:
Prayer in an upper chamber
(5) And she made her a tent on the top of her house; and she put sackcloth on her loins and wore her widow's clothing. And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except for the eves of the sabbaths and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons and the new moons, and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.
Facing Jerusalem
(46) “When they sin against You—for there is no mortal who does not sin—and You are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to an enemy land, near or far; (47) and then they take it to heart in the land to which they have been carried off, and they repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying: ‘We have sinned, we have acted perversely, we have acted wickedly,’ (48) and they turn back to You with all their heart and soul, in the land of the enemies who have carried them off, and they pray to You in the direction of their land that You gave to their ancestors, of the city that You have chosen, and of the House that I have built to Your name— (49) oh, give heed in Your heavenly abode to their prayer and supplication, uphold their cause, (50) and pardon Your people who have sinned against You for all the transgressions that they have committed against You. Grant them mercy in the sight of their captors that they may be merciful to them.
(ה) הָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר, יֵרֵד. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵירֵד, יַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו, וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו, יְכַוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים:
(5) While praying, one must face toward the direction of the Holy Temple. One who was riding on a donkey should dismount and pray calmly. If he is unable to dismount, he should turn his face toward the direction of the Temple. If he is unable to turn his face, it is sufficient that he focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies.
Three prayer times
(18) Evening, morning, and noon,
I complain and moan,
and He hears my voice.
and three times: These are the three statutory prayers that our early [scholars] instituted.
It was stated: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: The practice of praying three times daily is ancient, albeit not in its present form; prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings sacrificed in the Holy Temple, and the prayers parallel the offerings, in terms of both time and characteristics.
(יג) כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֨ה שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה כִּיּ֣וֹר נְחֹ֗שֶׁת וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֘הוּ֮ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעֲזָרָה֒ חָמֵ֨שׁ אַמּ֜וֹת אׇרְכּ֗וֹ וְחָמֵ֤שׁ אַמּוֹת֙ רׇחְבּ֔וֹ וְאַמּ֥וֹת שָׁל֖וֹשׁ קוֹמָת֑וֹ וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד עָלָ֗יו וַיִּבְרַ֤ךְ עַל־בִּרְכָּיו֙ נֶ֚גֶד כׇּל־קְהַ֣ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּפָּ֖יו הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה׃ {פ}
Kneeling
(13) Solomon had made a bronze platform and placed it in the midst of the Great Court; it was 5 cubits long and 5 cubits wide and 3 cubits high. He stood on it; then, kneeling in front of the whole congregation of Israel, he spread forth his hands to heaven
Daniel's experience in the lions' den
(22) Daniel then talked with the king, “O king, live forever! (23) My God sent His angel, who shut the mouths of the lions so that they did not injure me, inasmuch as I was found innocent by Him, nor have I, O king, done you any injury.”
Aphraat (Syrica Father, d. c. 345), Account of Daniel in the Lions’ Den, quotede in L. Hartman, Anchor Bible: Daniel, Introduction, Part IV, page 22. Translated from Syriac by Hartman.
"...When Daniel got up in the den to pray, they [the lions] followed Daniel's example and stretched out their paws to heaven. It was the offerer of prayers [i.e. Gabriel] who came down into their midst to shut the mouths of the lions. For later Daniel said to Darius: "My God sent his angel to shut the mouths of the lions so that they would not harm me" [Dan 6:23]. Although the pit was completely covered and sealed, a bright light shone inside. And so the lions rejoiced, for they saw this light because of Daniel. When Daniel wanted to lie down and go to sleep, the lions stretched themselves out so that he could sleep on their backs and not on the ground. The pit was much brighter than his upper room that had many windows [cf. Dan 6:11]. In the pit Daniel said more prayers than he did in his own room where he used to pray only three times a day [Dan 6:11]...."
Punishment of Daniel's enemies - and of their children and wives
(25) Then, by order of the king, those men who had slandered Daniel were brought and, together with their children and wives, were thrown into the lions’ den. They had hardly reached the bottom of the den when the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
False witnesses
(16) If someone appears against another party to testify maliciously and gives incriminating yet false testimony, (17) the two parties to the dispute shall appear before ה׳, before the priests or magistrates in authority at the time, (18) and the magistrates shall make a thorough investigation. If the one who testified is a false witness, having testified falsely against a fellow Israelite, (19) you shall do to the one as the one schemed to do to the other. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst;
The rebellion of Korah - Korah's family
(27) So they withdrew from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Now Dathan and Abiram had come out and they stood at the entrance of their tents, with their wives, their adult children, and their little ones. (28) And Moses said, “By this you shall know that it was ה׳ who sent me to do all these things; that they are not of my own devising: (29) if these people’s death is that of all humankind, if their lot is humankind’s common fate, it was not ה׳ who sent me. (30) But if ה׳ brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have spurned ה׳.” (31) Scarcely had he finished speaking all these words when the ground under them burst asunder, (32) and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all Korah’s people and all their possessions. (33) They went down alive into Sheol, with all that belonged to them; the earth closed over them and they vanished from the midst of the congregation.
A rule about punishment of family members
(16) Parents shall not be put to death for children, nor children be put to death for parents: they shall each be put to death only for their own crime.
Persian admiration for Judaism?
(27) I have hereby given an order that throughout my royal domain men must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God who endures forever; His kingdom is indestructible, and His dominion is to the end of time; (28) He delivers and saves, and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, for He delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Lawrence M. Wills, Jewish Study Bible, Daniel, comment to v. 8
"The exclusive worship of one god was a Jewish view, and this exclusive notion is projected onto an Eastern divine monarch. The narrative thus reflects Jewish tensions about remaining monotheistic in a mixed Diaspora culture.
Louis F. Hartman, Anchor Bible: Daniel, Commentary to 3:24-30 (yes), p. 164
Attitude of Persian kings to Judaism
“…the situation of the Jews in the Persian period. At that time there were apparently various decrees and edicts in favor of the Jews, which in turn established a basis in custom, and probably also in law, for later Greek and Roman practice in regard to Judaism; cf. the various edicts and decrees of the Persian kings, recorded in the Book of Ezra, with regard to Jewish rights in Palestine and the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, as well as the well-known ‘Passover Letter’ of Elephantine, which demonstrates a strong governmental interest in the observance of Jewish religious laws on the part of the Jews throughout the Persian empire.”
(Hartman draws attention to this comment in his comment on the Decree of Darius in vv26-29 of ch 6).
We meet Cyrus the Great (ruled 559-530 BCE)
(29) Thus Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
(1) In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, when the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah was fulfilled, the LORD roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his realm by word of mouth and in writing as follows: (2) “Thus said King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has charged me with building Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (3) Anyone of you of all His people—may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judah and build the House of the LORD God of Israel, the God that is in Jerusalem; (4) and all who stay behind, wherever he may be living, let the people of his place assist him with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, besides the freewill offering to the House of God that is in Jerusalem.”
6. Summary and Next Class
Summary
Next Class: Class 6
- Introduction: Part 2 of Daniel (Chapters 7-12): Apocalyptic visions
- Chapter 7 Aramaic. The four beasts
Chag Sameach! !חג שמח Have a happy Sukkot!
Arthur Szyk, (Poland and USA, 1894-1951), “Sukkot” (1948) Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sukkot_(7946233256).jpg
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Afterthought: the description of Darius' efforts to avoid throwing Daniel into the lions' den (v. 15) calls to mind another figure who strives to justify someone: see Samuel's efforts to justify Saul in 1 Samuel ch. 15.
(15) Upon hearing that, the king was very disturbed, and he set his heart upon saving Daniel, and until the sun set made every effort to rescue him.
(10) The word of the LORD then came to Samuel: (11) “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated the LORD all night long.