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.
216 ANNE E. GARDNER
Thus they changed their glory
For the likeness of an ox that eats grass (Ps 106,20).
This provides an easily recognizable link with Daniel 4,29{32}
where Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment for disregarding God was that
“he was driven from men and ate grass as oxenâ€.
It is noteworthy that the “great things†spoken by the little horn
in Daniel 7,8 are immediately prior to the appearance of the Divine
court and the setting of the judgment. They are mentioned again in
Dan 7,11 just before that judgment is carried out. This, like the use
of wl), suggests that the little horn is instrumental in both, in some
fashion. Commentators usually take it that the judgment was carried
out because of the hubris of the “little hornâ€, but, as his words ap-
pear to have been in praise of God, that is not possible.
3. The differentiation of the “(little) horn†from the other horns
The only occurrence of “horn (Nrq)†in Daniel, prior to 7,8 is in
7,7 where it is in the plural 19. There the ten horns are part of the fourth
beast. “Horns†can belong to the “wicked†or to the “righteous†as Ps
75,11[10] asserts when it states that “God is the judge†(Ps 75,8[7])
and that ultimately all the horns of the wicked will be cut off but those
of the righteous will be lifted up (hnmmwrt). It should be noted that
in Psalm 75 “horns†do not indicate “leaders†as such, as the “ten
horns†of Dan 7,7 are usually understood to be 20; rather “horns†are
symbolic of the ability to wield power, either for good or evil 21. Con-
text determines what kind of person or entity “horns†are attached to
in any given narrative. It is clear that the “horns†on the fourth beast
belong to a wicked creature as the beast is said to be “terrible and
powerful and strong exceedingly†and “it devoured and broke in
pieces and stamped the rest with its feet†(Dan 7,7). All the verbs are
active and, as Goldingay points out, this emphasizes that the beast’s
deeds are its own 22. By contrast, the way has been cleared for the ar-
Nrq is used in Dan 3,7.5.10.15 but indicates a musical instrument.
19
Dan 7,24 which identifies the ten horns as ten kings clearly has influ-
20
enced the views of scholars.
Other passages where “horns†appear in a metaphorical sense substan-
21
tiate this claim; cf. Ezek 34,21; Amos 6,13.
GOLDINGAY, Daniel, 163.
22
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