A.E. Gardner, «The «Little Horn» of Dan 7,8: Malevolent or Benign?», Vol. 93 (2012) 209-226
It has been claimed that Dan 7,8 is an addition to the vision in Dan 7,2- 14 and its «little horn» indicates a wicked character, usually Antiochus Epiphanes. By paying close attention to the description of the «little horn» and its context, it is demonstrated that allusions to earlier biblical passages, including Daniel 4, are present. These indicate that the «little horn» is a benign character who should be differentiated from the «other» horn(s?) of 7,20-21.24-25 and the «little horn» of Dan 8,9-11. As the latter represents Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn of Dan 7,8 must be pre-Maccabean.
The “Little Horn†of Dan 7,8: Malevolent or Benign?
Dan 7,8 has received a lot of attention from commentators who
have diverse views about whether the verse is original 1. Indeed,
Sellin 2, followed by others 3, proposed that Daniel 7 was pre-Mac-
cabean and that Dan 7,8.20-22.24-25, which refer to the little/
eleventh horn, were added later. This proposal was based partly on
the use of wl) in Dan 7,8 rather than wr) which appears elsewhere
in the vision (7,2.5.6.7.13). However, almost without exception, com-
mentators, including Sellin 4, identify the “little horn†who arises
amongst the ten horns of the fourth beast with a wicked character 5,
usually Antiochus Epiphanes 6. They do so because they tend to
– assume that the “little horn†is of the same character as the fourth
beast who is described as “dreadful and terrible†and which is said
to have ten horns (Dan 7,7) 7, i.e. they believe that the context dic-
tates that the little horn is wicked.
– understand 7,8 in the light of Dan 7,20-22; 7,24-25 and 8,9-11 which
also feature the “other†/ “little†horn.
Another issue in Dan 7,8 is the identity of the three former horns. For
1
current views cf. J.J. COLLINS, Daniel. A Commentary on the Book of Daniel
(Minneapolis, MN 1993) 320-321.
E. SELLIN, Einleitung in das Alte Testament (Leipzig 1910) 233-234.
2
Sellin’s position, with variations, has been followed by others; cf.
3
COLLINS, Daniel, 278-80. R.G. KRATZ, “The Visions of Danielâ€, The Book of
Daniel. Composition and Reception (eds. J.J. COLLINS – P.W. FLINT) (Leiden
– Boston, MA 2001) I, 99, continues the view that the “little horn†(and thus
Dan 7,8) was a later addition.
SELLIN, Einleitung, 233-234.
4
J.E. GOLDINGAY, Daniel (WBC 30; Dallas, TX 1989) 164, and E.C.
5
LUCAS, Daniel (Leicester, UK – Downers Grove, IL 2002) 180, admit in pass-
ing that there is nothing inherently wicked about the little horn in Dan 7,8.
J.C.H. LEBRAM, Das Buch Daniel (Zurich 1984) 89, thinks the little horn
6
is Antiochus III.
“Horns†can represent leaders. They can be aggressive, e.g. in texts about
7
the oppression or punishment of Israel: Ezek 34,21; Zech 1,19. 21 (2,2.4); Lam
2,17. For horn imagery in general, cf. M.L. SÃœRING, The Horn-Motif (Andrews
University Seminary Doctoral Dissertation Series IV; Berrien Springs, MI 1980).
BIBLICA 93.2 (2012) 209-226
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