Texts in Conversation
In the Dream of Gudea, the Sumerian ruler turns to the goddess Nanshe to interpret his confusing dream. Daniel follows this tradition when Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men fail and God reveals the dream and its meaning to Daniel.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Gudea Cylinders A v 12
The Dream of Gudea; Building of Ningirsu's Temple
Ancient Near East, Sumerian
11 To the ruler his mother Nanshe answered: 12 “My shepherd, your dream I will interpret for you: 13 As for the man whose stature was like heaven and whose stature was like earth, 14 who as to his head was a god, at whose side 15 was the storm-bird, at whose feet was the hurricane, 16 and at whose right and left a lion lay couched— 17 he is surely my brother Ningirsu!
Date: 2125 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Daniel 2:28
Hebrew Bible
27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows: 29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place.
Date: 2nd century BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Search:
Notes and References
... Kings were frequent recipients of revelation through dreams in antiquity. In the biblical context, the pharaoh's dream in Genesis 41 comes most readily to mind, but it is far too simple to say that 'this chapter is a new version of the story of Joseph' or 'a midrash on Genesis 41.' The story must be seen in its wider Near Eastern context. Mesopotamian examples of royal dreams range from those of Gudea, who was ensi of the Sumerian city of Lagash, through the dreams of Asshurbanipal to those of Nabonidus. The last of these royal figures is of particular interest here, because it is generally recognized that traditions about him underlie the portrayal of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4. Nabonidus was exceptional among the neo-Babylonian rulers for his interest in dreams. He refers several times in his inscriptions to apparitions of gods, and on one occasion he refers to an apparition of his illustrious predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar II, in a dream. Most of his dream revelations are concerned with the repair and rebuilding of sanctuaries ...
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.
User Comments
,