DANIEL 6:20: AN ARAMAIC CALQUE ON AN AKKADIAN EXPRESSION
Abstract
It is suggested in this contribution that in Dan 6:20 בְּנָגְהָא is not a gloss but rather an Aramaic calque on the Akkadian expression, ina/ana mimmû šēri ina namāri, “When the first light of dawn shone,” which occurs several times in the Gilgamesh epic, tablets VI:88; VIII:1, 64, 90, 206; XI:48, 97, which is comprised of the Akkadian verb, namāru, “to dawn, shine brightly,” and the noun, šēru (= נֹגהַּ ), “daybreak, daylight.” There is also the possibility that the word בְּנָגְהָא was incorrectly copied and should be vocalized as an infinitive, בְּנָגְהֵהּ , thus creating an exact parallel to the Akkadian verb, namāru. This, then, would add yet another example to the multiple influences of Akkadian words and phrases upon the Aramaic of the book of Daniel.Downloads
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