213 THE “LITTLE HORN” OF DAN 7,8: MALEVOLENT OR BENIGN? In some other Biblical passages “eyes”, as in Dan 4,31{34}, also appear in the context of gazing towards God and are an expression of dependence upon the deity (Ps 123,2; Isa 17,7; Zech 9,1). The text which is closest to the present one in Dan 7,8 is Zech 9,1 which reads, “for the eye of a man (Md) Ny() 15 and of all the tribes of Is- rael is toward Yahweh”. The context is one of coming judgment upon the enemies of Israel (Zech 9,2-8), followed by the kingly rule in Jerusalem of one who is “just, having salvation, humble … (who) will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth” (Zech 9,9-10). It is noteworthy that this parallels what happens in the vi- sion of Daniel, for after the appearance of the “little horn”, judg- ment upon Israel’s oppressors is carried out (Dan 7,11-12), followed by the elevation of “one like a son of man” who is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations and languages should serve him” (Dan 7,13-14). b) Nbrbr llmm Mp “a mouth speaking great things” As well as having “eyes like the eyes of a man” the little horn is described in Dan 7,8 as having “a mouth speaking great things”. “Great things” (Nbrbr) in Dan 7,8 are usually taken by commenta- tors, following the lead of Jerome, to indicate arrogance or hubris, but that does not accord with the little horn’s recognition of God which is implied in him having “eyes like the eyes of a man”. Nbrbr is an Ara- maic word which appears only in Daniel. As an adjective it is coupled with two negative images (the four great beasts in Dan 7,3.17 and the teeth of the fourth beast in Dan 7,7) as well as a positive one (gifts given to Daniel by Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 2,48). At first sight then it would appear that as Nbrbr occurs in two other verses in Daniel’s vi- sion in chapter 7, it must have a negative implication, and indeed, it is specifically connected with those two occurrences by Settembrini 16. However, unlike those two other occurrences, Nbrbr in Dan 7,8 does not function as an adjective, rather as a substantive. It also appears as a substantive in a speech made by Nebuchadnezzar when he praised God subsequent to his own restoration to humanity saying, “How The Hebrew Md) is the equivalent of the Aramaic #n). 15 M. SETTEMBRINI, Sapienza e Storia in Dn 7-12 (AnBib 169; Roma 2007) 16 104. © Gregorian Biblical Press 2012 - Tutti i diritti riservati