Study
5 From the Book of Daniel is: Daniel 4
The
theme of this chapter is pride. It takes the form of a decree by Nebuchadnezzar
announcing the strange psychical affliction he has undergone, through which he
has learnt the all-important lesson that
‘the
Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will’ (verse
25). It can be compared with Is. 14:8-17
and Ezk. 1-10, passages which in their turn look back to the basic sin of
humanity (Gn. 3).
1- How
effective was the king’s experience in bringing him to humility? Contrast his
attitude to God and confession of Him in this chapter with his previous
utterances in 2:47; 3:29. How would you define the change?
2- What are the
main themes of Daniel’s teaching in this situation? With verse 27, cf. Mi. 6:8.
Notes
1- Verse 13. ‘A
watcher, a holy one’: i.e., an angelic figure who acted with the authority of
God.
2- Verse 33.
The mental derangement, known as zoanthropy, lasted for a set period described
as ‘seven times’ (verse 16). This could mean ‘seven years’ or simply ‘a
substantial period of time’. In the
apocryphal ‘Prayer of Nabonidus’, found a Qumran, it is recorded that King
Nabonidus, a successor of Nebuchadnezzar, spent seven years of his reign in
isolation at Teima because of some strange illness. So this chapter is not
without parallel in ancient traditions.
