Daniel

by Philip R. Davies

Daniel has engendered a good deal of controversial debate, especially regarding its date and authorship and its 'apocalyptic' character. In this introduction for the student, the scholarly issues are carefully described and assessed, while emphasis is placed on the literary and theological aspects of the book, which have been comparatively neglected, but which reflect the concerns and interests of contemporary Old Testament scholarship. This volume thus looks both at the past scholarship and points towards future trends in the understanding of a unique literary and theological masterpiece. It is provided with annotated bibliographies and indexes.

Genres: Biblical Studies

134 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

Reviews

[Luke Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

P. R. Davies' slim volume on the Book of Daniel is a helpful resources for students who are interested in Daniel. Davies surveys a number of important themes and topics in Daniel, including the multiple genres of the book, the multiple languages, the theology, apocalyptic viewpoint, etc.

It is almost equal in length to John J. Collins' FOTL work on Daniel, which in my opinion is a better introductory overview of Daniel, although I did appreciate the way in which Davies moved thematically through Daniel, rather than simply chapter by chapter, or section by section. Davies overemphasizes the different viewpoints on Gentile rule in the two halves of Daniel; while the stories may at times seem more cordial to Gentile kings and their kingdoms than do the visions, they are just as critical of empire as the visions are. The dream of the destruction of the four kingdoms in Daniel 2, for example, is the second most critical analysis of Gentile rule in Daniel, following the vision of four kingdoms in Daniel 7.

Unfortunately, the copy of Davies' book that I got from the library also had a number of pages that were left unprinted, so certain chapters I was not able to read in their entirety.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Davies’s Daniel is a scholarly book that will introduce the reader to the various critical issues such as authorship, date and genre. However, for the most part, I found his conclusions unconvincing.

A worthwhile read for any serious student.

[Fred Kohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book for beginners. Having read the Anchor Bible commentary on Daniel, along with other sundry stuff here and there, I was in a good position to appreciate this book. It consists of summaries of various positions concerning various scholarly controversies concerning Daniel, with many pointers to the scholars who take these positions. There is emphasis on controversies concerning the theology of the author(s) of Daniel as opposed to the historical schema(ta) presented. Depending on your POV, this is either a strength or a weakness. Speculation on the identities of the kingdoms and kings in Daniel has certainly been beaten to death.