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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.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
The Dream of Gudea
Gudea Cylinders
Ancient Near East
“Secondly, there was a strong man; ... a tablet of lapis lazuli he held in his hand. For the temple a plan he made. Before me a holy head basket he placed; the holy mold he arranged. The brick of fate in the mold he made. By the sacred . . . placed before me the . . . bird brought morning light to me. An ass crouched at the right of my lord.” The patesi his mother Nina answered. “My shepherd, your dream I will interpret for you. As for the man in form like heaven, in form like the earth, as to his head a god, at his side the storm-bird, at his feet the hurricane, at whose right and at whose left a panther lay, truly my brother Ningirsu it is. He has commanded you to build the abode of his Eninnu. The sun which arose from the world is your god Gishzida; like the sun from the world he arose for you. The maiden who . . . made, who in her hand held the sacred stylus, who possessed the tablet of the favorable stars, who counseled with herself, truly it is my sister Nidaba. “By the bright star she announced to you the building of the temple. In the second place there is the strong man . . . who held in his hand a plate of lapis lazuli; it is the god Nindub. He fixes for you the plan of the temple. The sacred head basket which was placed before you, the sacred mold which was arranged, the brick of fate which was in the mold, truly, the holy brick of Eninnu it is. As for the holy . . . placed before you in which the bird . . . brings the light of dawn to men, it means pleasant things shall not prevent you from building the temple.
Date: 2125 B.C.E. (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.
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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 ...
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