Daniel 2-7 are noteworthy chapters in the Bible, partly because they are in Aramaic rather than Hebrew and partly because the early Greek translation of those chapters, known to us as the Septuagint, is quite different from the Aramaic text that we have. This book highlights and analyzes the differences by exploring the effectiveness of each version as a piece of narrative. A new appreciation of the craft of the Aramaic narrative is one result. Another is an enhanced understanding of how biblical narrative handles symbolism. Through this study the reader also gains insight into differing circles of wisdom in Persian times, each giving rise to a textual tradition still accessible to us.

Dr T.J. Meadowcroft is Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Bible College of New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand.