230 A.E. Gardner identity of those who “come from a far country” in Isa 13,5. This phrase relates to Isa 46,10b-11a where God says, My counsel will stand (µwqt) and I will do all my pleasure, calling a bird of prey (fy[) from the east a man of my counsel from a far country (qjrm ≈ram). This passage refers to Cyrus the Persian (cf Isa 44,28; 45,1) and is in the context of the downfall of Babylon. It should be noted that Cyrus is called a bird of prey (fy[) which is graphically very close to the word for Arcturus (çy[). According then to the two phrases in Isa 13,5 which “describe” the conquerors of Babylon i.e. those who come from “the utmost part of Heaven” and those who come from “a far country” both Media and Persia are implicated. That this is so is confirmed when the third phrase from Isa 13,5 is taken into account. The phrase is “Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation (wm[z ylkw)”. “Weapons” is plural and therefore more than one nation is in view. Noticeably Yahweh is with them and this is stressed even more in Jer 50,25, an oracle against Babylon, where it is said, “Yahweh has opened his armoury and brought forth the weapons of his indignation (wm[z ylk): for Yahweh, Yahweh of hosts, has work (to do) in the land of the Chaldeans” (53). The use of µwqt in Isa 46,10 also indicates that it is God who does the establishing. This passage resolves the problem of how the related word, tmqh, in Daniel should be understood. Only the passive fits the situation - “It was raised up”/ “established”. 5. The bear is one dominion The Aramaic word rfç in Dan 7,5 which has been understood by commentators as either “side” or “dominion” has been culled from Job 38,33 (the Arcturus passage) where the linguistically related word rfçm appears. This is the only appearance of rfçm in the Hebrew Bible. Its meaning in Job 38,33 is “dominion”. Accordingly rfç in Dan 7,5 should be understood as “dominion” rather than “side”. It is emphasised in Dan 7,5 that the bear was established as one dominion. Such emphasis can be explained from a number of texts relating to the downfall of Babylon. Jer 51,28 mentions the nations, the Kings of Media, her governors and deputies in the context of Babylon’s downfall (54); Media and Persia are cited as joint conquerors of Babylon in Isa 13,7; 46,10b-11a. Further Jer 50,9.41 indicate that an alliance of more than one nation would conquer Babylon. None of the passages so far adduced as background to Dan 7,5 a and b have given any clues as to how 7,5 c and d should be understood. It is proposed to begin their exegesis by exploring how “mouth” and “teeth” were understood in the Hebrew Bible. (53) In accordance with current research on the book of Isaiah, it is more likely that Isaiah is alluding to Jeremiah, than the other way round cf. B.D. SOMMER, “Allusions and Illusions: The Unity of the Book of Isaiah in Light of Deutero-Isaiah’s Use of Prophetic Tradition”, New Visions of Isaiah (eds. R.F. MELUGIN – M.A. SWEENEY) (JSOTSS 214; Sheffield 1996) 156-186 (54) Jer 51,28 contains the phrase “all the land of his dominion” (wtlçmm ≈raAlk).