rakovsky
Well-known member
A little puzzle in Ezekiel shows up in Ezekiel 14 & 28 when Ezekiel refers to "Danel"/Daniel. The issue is whether Ezekiel's "Danel" refers to a figure from well before the time of David, whether it refers to the 6th century BC Jewish exile Daniel of the Babylonian court, or both. A Canaanite legend from before Moses' time about "Danel" and his son Aqhat was found in an ancient archaeological artifact in Ugarit.
The ancient Hebrew text alphabetically spells "Danel" דנאל in these verses, the same spelling as for the ancient Canaanite figure, rather than the spelling for the Book of Daniel's exile, "Daniel" דניאל . This inclines me to think that Ezekiel was more likely referring to the ancient Canaanite figure, since if he was referring to the Biblical exile Daniel, I would expect Ezekiel to use the same Biblical spelling. Nonetheless, the medieval Masoretes added vowel dots to the Danel in Ezekiel's text that make it look like דָּנִאֵל and would make it sound like the English pronunciation of "Daniel."
Ezekiel names "Danel" in 14:14 between Noah and Job, which implies to me that Ezekiel's Danel lived between the time of those two figures, well before the time of the 6th century BC exile Daniel, but perhaps within the time of the one in the Canaanite legend.
Ezekiel implies that "Danel" is righteous like Noah and Job, ("...they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness..."). His association of Danel with Noah and Job, placing Danel's name between theirs, would normally imply that Ezekiel was talking about a well-known pre-Mosaic, righteous Danel figure who was loyal to God, Jehovah, like they were. However, while the Canaanite legend portrays its pre-Mosaic "Danel" figure as admirable for his love for his son, the elegend also portrays him as pious to some Canaanite gods. This aspect of the Canaanite pagan Danel goes against the likelihood that Ezekiel chose him for his sermon. Conceivably, Ezekiel knew of an Israelite, non-pagan version of the legend of this pre-Mosaic "Danel." Or else Ezekiel used the pagan "Danel" to make a point that the pagan Danel's righteousness, whatever the extent of it, was not effective to save even his own children.
In contrast, the Biblical exile "Daniel" would clearly meet the qualities of righteousness and faithfulness to the God Jehovah shared by Noah and Job. That is, the 6th century BC Jewish exile Daniel shares Noah's and Job's qualities of righteousness and faithfulness to Jehovah, but isn't from their era, whereas the Canaanite Danel in the surviving Canaanite legend doesn't relate to Jehovah, and thus it's doubtful that Ezekiel would imply his righteousness.
The theme of Ezekiel 14:13-21 involves the three men's own survival, the protection of their children, and God sending disasters as punishment. The story of Noah involves Noah making an ark to successfully save himself and his family from God's punishing disaster of flood. The story of Job involves Job losing his children and other disasters coming upon him, although Job survives. The Canaanite legend of "Danel" involves Danel showing his piety with prayers to Canaanite gods for getting a son - Aqhat, then a Canaanite goddess angrily using a sailor to kill Aqhat for insulting her, and then a vulture eats Danel's dead son's corpse. Next, Danel kills the vulture and prays successfully for famine. The Canaanite legend shares the theme of protecting - or failing to protect - one's children, Danel's personal survival, and the divinely-sent disasters of beasts (the vultures sent by the goddess), famine (from Danel's prayer), and the sword (the sailor killing Aqhat).
By comparison, the Jewish exile Daniel survives the Babylonian king's threat over a dream's interpretation (Dan. 1) and survives the Persian king's lion's den (Dan. 6). However, the Bible doesn't depict those two threats as coming from God, but rather from earthly kings. Further, the Jewish Daniel's story doesn't involve his children.
The ancient Hebrew text alphabetically spells "Danel" דנאל in these verses, the same spelling as for the ancient Canaanite figure, rather than the spelling for the Book of Daniel's exile, "Daniel" דניאל . This inclines me to think that Ezekiel was more likely referring to the ancient Canaanite figure, since if he was referring to the Biblical exile Daniel, I would expect Ezekiel to use the same Biblical spelling. Nonetheless, the medieval Masoretes added vowel dots to the Danel in Ezekiel's text that make it look like דָּנִאֵל and would make it sound like the English pronunciation of "Daniel."
Ezekiel names "Danel" in 14:14 between Noah and Job, which implies to me that Ezekiel's Danel lived between the time of those two figures, well before the time of the 6th century BC exile Daniel, but perhaps within the time of the one in the Canaanite legend.
Ezekiel implies that "Danel" is righteous like Noah and Job, ("...they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness..."). His association of Danel with Noah and Job, placing Danel's name between theirs, would normally imply that Ezekiel was talking about a well-known pre-Mosaic, righteous Danel figure who was loyal to God, Jehovah, like they were. However, while the Canaanite legend portrays its pre-Mosaic "Danel" figure as admirable for his love for his son, the elegend also portrays him as pious to some Canaanite gods. This aspect of the Canaanite pagan Danel goes against the likelihood that Ezekiel chose him for his sermon. Conceivably, Ezekiel knew of an Israelite, non-pagan version of the legend of this pre-Mosaic "Danel." Or else Ezekiel used the pagan "Danel" to make a point that the pagan Danel's righteousness, whatever the extent of it, was not effective to save even his own children.
In contrast, the Biblical exile "Daniel" would clearly meet the qualities of righteousness and faithfulness to the God Jehovah shared by Noah and Job. That is, the 6th century BC Jewish exile Daniel shares Noah's and Job's qualities of righteousness and faithfulness to Jehovah, but isn't from their era, whereas the Canaanite Danel in the surviving Canaanite legend doesn't relate to Jehovah, and thus it's doubtful that Ezekiel would imply his righteousness.
The theme of Ezekiel 14:13-21 involves the three men's own survival, the protection of their children, and God sending disasters as punishment. The story of Noah involves Noah making an ark to successfully save himself and his family from God's punishing disaster of flood. The story of Job involves Job losing his children and other disasters coming upon him, although Job survives. The Canaanite legend of "Danel" involves Danel showing his piety with prayers to Canaanite gods for getting a son - Aqhat, then a Canaanite goddess angrily using a sailor to kill Aqhat for insulting her, and then a vulture eats Danel's dead son's corpse. Next, Danel kills the vulture and prays successfully for famine. The Canaanite legend shares the theme of protecting - or failing to protect - one's children, Danel's personal survival, and the divinely-sent disasters of beasts (the vultures sent by the goddess), famine (from Danel's prayer), and the sword (the sailor killing Aqhat).
By comparison, the Jewish exile Daniel survives the Babylonian king's threat over a dream's interpretation (Dan. 1) and survives the Persian king's lion's den (Dan. 6). However, the Bible doesn't depict those two threats as coming from God, but rather from earthly kings. Further, the Jewish Daniel's story doesn't involve his children.
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