Linguistic Studies Shared on Dan. 8:9-14

Nicolas

Hi,

I am looking for an excellent and up-to-date linguistic studies on Daniel 8:9-14.

This includes the Grammatical Construction in verse 9, about the origin of the horn from littleness. Does the horn comes out of the winds/four notable [horns]?

Also about the change of gender in vss. 9,10,11,12 from fem to masc and so forth.

Thank U. In advance. Nicolas.

Eugene Shubert · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 8:12 am Post subject:

Nicolas,

I recall the SDA Bible Commentary asserting ambiguity in the Hebrew construction of Daniel 8:9 and that the horn comes out of the winds/four notable [horns]. William H. Shea says something similar in his book on prophetic interpretation. For up-to-date linguistic studies on Daniel 8:9-14, you may find something useful in The Hebrew of Daniel 8:14 and in my Commentary on Daniel 8.

Nicolas · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 3:06 am Post subject: Origin of the Little Horn

Hi,
Here are some notes from W.H. Shea gleaned from one doing research on Daniel:

"OUT OF ONE OF THEM"

"In Hebrew this phrase presents confusion of gender. The word for "them" hem, is masculine. This indicates that, grammatically, the antecedent is "winds" v. 8 and not "horns," since "winds" may be either masculine or feminine, but "horns" are only feminine.

"On the other hand, the word of "one", achath, is feminine, suggesting "horns" as the antecedent.

"Achath, could, of course, refer back to the word for "winds" which occurs most frequently in the feminine. But it is doubtful that the writer would assign two different genders to the same noun in such close contextual relaitonship. To reach grammatical agreement, either achath should be changed into a masculine, thus making the entire phrase refrer clearly to "winds", or the word for "them" should be changed into feminine, in which case the reference would be ambiguous, since either "winds" or "horns" may be the antecedent." (The SDA Bible Commentary 4:849-41)

"In my opinion, it is not necessary to resort to an emendation of the text if the syntax of this statement is understood. Verse 8 states that four horns [actually it doesn't say horns, just four notable ones] appeared in the place of the great horn which was broken. The last phrase of the verse indicates that those horns extended "toward the four winds of the heavens." Verse 9 begins with the prepositional phrase, "Out of one of them" and goes on to describe how the little horn went forth and grew up to a position of great exaltation.

"The English translation, "Out of one of them," however, obscures and smooths out the actual Hebrew construction. The sentence actually opens with two prepositional phrases. Translated literally the sentence reads, "and from the one from them..." etc. The reason why it is important to notice this literal construction is that it provides a precise parallel to the gender of the elements found in the last phrase of v8. This can best be shown by transposing the first phrase of v9 to line up beneath the last phrase of v8 with these elements in parallel columns. Such a procedure presents the following alignment:

v 8....."to the four winds of the heavens"

..........le'arba'......ruhot........hasamayim

...........min-ha'ahat.............mehem

v 9 "from the one..........from them"

"When this procedure is carried out, it can be seen that the gender of the first two elements in v9 "one/them" lines up perfectly with the gender of the last two elements at the end of v8 "winds/heavens".

"In writing his visions Daniel simply broke up the construct chain at the end of v8 "the four winds of the heavens" and distibuted its two elements to two separate prepositional phrases at the begining of v9 "from the one/from them". This is not poetic parallelism, it is syntactic parallelism in which the gender of the elements in the second statement parallels the gender of the elements in the first, or preceding statement.

"Thus the antecedent of "them" in the phrase "from them" v9 , is neither "winds" nor "horns," but "heavens," Since "heavens" is masculine by gender and treated as a plural in biblical Hebrew, according to the verbs and adjectives used with it, there is perfect agreement in gender and number with the masculine plural pronoun "them". It is not necessart to resort to emendations to bring the text into line with one's preconceptiosn about where the little horn came from. The feminine "one" of v9 refers back to the feminine "winds" of v9. The text discloses the origin clearly enough: it came from one of the four winds of the heavens, that is, from one of the directions of the compass.

"Thus the syntax of this statement does not support the contention that the little horn developed from the Selucid horn/kingdom, it is simply seen as coming from one of the compass directions." [W. H. Shea, Selected Studies, p. 41-43]

As you can see, this is clear evidence that the little horn or horn from littleness of Dn. 8:9 is from the four winds of heaven rather from the four notable [horns]. It is quite ambiguous, even in the context of symbolic vision to see a horn rising out of another horn.

I know that you make a contrast between the meaning of a beast and a horn in your expose of Dn. 8, but I will be very interested to have the maximum notes on the Linguistic Aspect of Dn. 8.

Thank you. Nicolas.

Eugene Shubert · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 7:27 am Post subject:

It’s been awhile but I recall talking to Bill Shea about my view of Daniel 8. He disagreed, arguing that the little horn comes out of one of the four winds. I countered saying it only confirmed my interpretation. The evil power in Daniel 9 is said to come on the wing of abominations. That suggests a coming as if by flight on a bird or the wind. I recall that Shea was speechless.

Nicolas · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:39 am Post subject: Daniel 8:8-9

Could you be more precise about the implication of your statement?

Eugene Shubert · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 1:04 pm Post subject:

Nicolas,

The implications are obvious. Daniel 9:24-27 parallels the little horn's concluding desolations as described in the vision of Daniel 8. Even the allusion to his coming from the wind (on a wing) is repeated. The angel in Daniel 9 is making good on his earlier promise to explain fully the latter end of the indignation and the appointed time of the end (8:19).

Nicolas · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:19 pm Post subject: Interesting Observation

Hi,

This is an interesting observation. I will check this out. If you can expand your thoughts on the subject or if you have any further information since your last post in 2003, please do so.

God Bless You.
Nicolas.