- Oct 2, 2011
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Daniel was bilingual in Hebrew and Aramaic. Being bilingual myself in Chinese and English, I often choose to write in the language that I find easier and more natural to express myself. I studied AI in Canada. When I talk about AI, I think and write in English. I cannot write about AI in Chinese. When I talk about 孫悟空, Wukong the Monkey King, I switch to Chinese. It would be difficult for my brain to write about him in English.
Daniel was a Jew, his mother tongue was Hebrew. He read the Hebrew Scriptures. He began to write the book of Daniel naturally in Hebrew until chapter 2 when he started to record his personal interactions with Nebuchadnezzar and the king's dream. Dan 4:
He continued to write in Aramaic about Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue in chapter 3. He interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream in chapter 4. He interpreted the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar in chapter 5. King Darius put him in the lion's den in chapter 6.
In this first section of his book, he began comfortably in Hebrew. Then, he switched naturally to Aramaic to write about his personal interactions with his kings, who spoke Aramaic. These narratives were directly related to his experiences in the royal court, making Aramaic the more natural choice for conveying these conversations and events.
The rest of the book was about his visions. He didn't switch to Hebrew right away. His mastery of Aramaic was so good that he was comfortable continuing to write in Aramaic. Chapter 7 described his vision of four beasts.
He switched to writing in Hebrew about his second vision starting in chapter 8. He prayed in Hebrew naturally in chapter 9. He wrote about his third vision in chapter 10 until the end of the book. The second half of the book was all in Hebrew.
Why was the book of Daniel half in Hebrew and half in Aramaic?
He wrote in Aramaic when recounting his interactions with the kings of Babylonia and in Hebrew when describing his religious visions. The exception was chapter 7, the transitional chapter in the middle of the book.
Daniel was a Jew, his mother tongue was Hebrew. He read the Hebrew Scriptures. He began to write the book of Daniel naturally in Hebrew until chapter 2 when he started to record his personal interactions with Nebuchadnezzar and the king's dream. Dan 4:
At 4b, he felt it was easier and better to write in Aramaic to quote the original conversations in Aramaic.
He continued to write in Aramaic about Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue in chapter 3. He interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream in chapter 4. He interpreted the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar in chapter 5. King Darius put him in the lion's den in chapter 6.
In this first section of his book, he began comfortably in Hebrew. Then, he switched naturally to Aramaic to write about his personal interactions with his kings, who spoke Aramaic. These narratives were directly related to his experiences in the royal court, making Aramaic the more natural choice for conveying these conversations and events.
The rest of the book was about his visions. He didn't switch to Hebrew right away. His mastery of Aramaic was so good that he was comfortable continuing to write in Aramaic. Chapter 7 described his vision of four beasts.
He switched to writing in Hebrew about his second vision starting in chapter 8. He prayed in Hebrew naturally in chapter 9. He wrote about his third vision in chapter 10 until the end of the book. The second half of the book was all in Hebrew.
Why was the book of Daniel half in Hebrew and half in Aramaic?
He wrote in Aramaic when recounting his interactions with the kings of Babylonia and in Hebrew when describing his religious visions. The exception was chapter 7, the transitional chapter in the middle of the book.
