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.
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THE “LITTLE HORN†OF DAN 7,8: MALEVOLENT OR BENIGN?
In this Psalm God responds to the pleas of the Psalmist made in
the first half of the Psalm and assures him he will dwell in Zion
(v.14), satisfy her poor (v.15), clothe her priests with salvation (v.16),
and “her pious ones†(hydysx) will shout for joy (v.16).
Ps 89,20-21(19-20).25(24) is our last example:
Then you (God) spoke in a vision (Nwzxb)
to your pious ones (Kydysxl)
And you said, I have laid help upon a mighty one
I have exalted one chosen from the people
I have found David my servant […]
in my name his horn (wnrq) will be exalted (Mwrt).
As in Pss 148,14; 132,17 the exaltation of the horn is welcome
news to the pious ones (Mydysx) who in Ps 89,20(19) are commun-
icated with by God in a vision (Nwzxb) (cf. Dan 7,1).
5. The specification that the Nrq is “littleâ€
It is specified in Dan 7,8 that the horn is “little†(hry(z). Such a
description did not occur in any of the above passages that mention a
horn, and, indeed, ry(z appears elsewhere only in Job 36,2 and Isa
28,10.13, none of which shed any light on the Danielic occurrence. It
is however cognate with ry(c in biblical Hebrew, also meaning
“smallâ€, and a search of its occurrences proves to be more fruitful.It is
applied to a place in Mic 5,1(2) and to individuals in Ps 119,141 and
Isa 60,21-22 32. These passages are dealt with in turn. Mic 5,1(2):
And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
little (ry(c) to be among the thousands of Judah,
from you to me will come forth ()cy)
one to be ruler in Israel […]
Bethlehem Ephrathah is, of course, the place of origin of David.
Ps 119,141 reads:
I am little (ry(c) and despised (hzbn)
(but) I do not forget your precepts.
ry(c is not common, and, except in those passages cited above, it
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means the “younger oneâ€, e.g. Gen 19,31.
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