An Analysis of the Syriac Text of the Book of DanielSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/3DSX4HC7/tei
Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
2024-08-15-04:00
Born digital.
CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.Richard AndrewTaylorAn Analysis of the Syriac Text of the Book of Danielhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/3DSX4HC7https://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/3DSX4HC7https://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/3DSX4HC71990This investigation of the Syriac text of the Book of Daniel seeks primarily to address two issues. First, it defines the textual affinities of this version in terms of its relationship to the MT and its relationship to the other ancient versions of the Old Testament. Such an understanding of the textual affinities of the Syriac version is essential to establishing its proper role in the text-critical process. Second, it describes the translation characteristics and techniques of this version so as to evaluate its adequacy as a translation. Awareness of the translation techniques will also inform the text-critical use of this version. This study first isolates the textual and translational features of the Syriac version of the Book of Daniel which set if off from the Hebrew/Aramaic text of the MT and then considers those distinctive features in the light of evidence from the LXX, Theodotion-Daniel, the Sahidic Coptic, and the Latin Vulgate. It is demonstrated that the text before the Syriac translator was remarkably close to the MT; however, the version also exhibits influence from certain other sources. There is, for example, occasional agreement with the LXX, and there is considerable affinity with Theodotion-Daniel. The conclusion is drawn that while the Syriac version of the Book of Daniel was translated from a Hebrew/Aramaic text, it was also significantly influenced by Theodotion-Daniel. Its value as a textual witness is most significant therefore when it differs both from MT and from Theodotion-Daniel. In a limited number of instances the Syriac version alone has preserved the superior text. As a translation the Syriac version of the Book of Daniel is an accurate and faithful rendering of its Vorlage, while at the same time commending itself as a very readable and idiomatic translation. At times, however, it is pleonastic and expansionistic, and it occasionally shows a tendency to reverse the order of pairs of words. The translation was probably made in the second century A.D. At present it is not possible to say for sure whether it originated in a Jewish or in a Christian community.
Taylor, Richard Andrew. “An Analysis of the Syriac Text of the Book of Daniel.” Ph.D. dissertation, The Catholic University of America, 1990.
Richard Andrew Taylor, An Analysis of the Syriac Text of the Book of Daniel (Ph.D. dissertation, The Catholic University of America, 1990).DanielOld TestamentPeshitta OTSeptuagint