The Animalising Affliction of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4: Reading Across the Human-Animal Boundary

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Peter Joshua Atkins (University of Edinburgh, UK) Laura Quick (Princeton University USA)

The Animalising Affliction of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4

Reading Across the Human-Animal Boundary

Peter Joshua Atkins (University of Edinburgh, UK), Laura Quick (Princeton University USA), Jacqueline Vayntrub (Yale University USA)

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English

T.& T.Clark Ltd
22 August 2024

Old Testaments; Animals & society

Series: The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies

This is a detailed investigation into the nature of Nebuchadnezzar's animalising affliction in Daniel 4 and the degree to which he is depicted as actually becoming an animal. PeterAtkins examines two predominant lines of interpretation: either Nebuchadnezzar undergoes a physical metamorphosis of some kind into an animal form; or diverse other readings that specifically preclude or deny an animal transformation of the king. By providing an extensive study of these interpretative opinions, alongside innovative assessments of ancient Mesopotamian divine-human-animal boundaries, Atkins ultimately demonstrates how neither of these traditional interpretations best reflect the narrative events.

While there have been numerous metamorphic interpretations of Daniel 4, these are largely reliant upon later developments within the textual tradition and are not present in the earliest edition of Nebuchadnezzar’s animalising affliction. Atkins' study displays that when Daniel 4 is read in the context of Mesopotamian texts, which appear to conceive of the human-animal boundary as being indicated primarily in relation to possession or lack of the divine characteristic of wisdom, the affliction represents a far more significant categorical change from human to animal than has hitherto been identified.

By: Peter Joshua Atkins (University of Edinburgh UK)
Edited by: Laura Quick (Princeton University USA), Jacqueline Vayntrub (Yale University USA)
Imprint: T.& T.Clark Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9780567706225
ISBN 10: 0567706222
Series: The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
Pages: 280
Publication Date: 22 August 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Peter Joshua Atkins is Teaching Fellow in Old Testament and Hebrew Bible at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He is also the co-founder and co-chair of the 'Animals and the Bible' research group for the European Association of Biblical Studies.

Reviews for The Animalising Affliction of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4: Reading Across the Human-Animal Boundary

This monograph is a welcome addition to the interpretation of the book of Daniel … This book is a gift to researchers in the field. I look forward to more from this author’s pen. * Review of Biblical Literature *