The Kings and Princes in the Combat of Daniel 10

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is a literary historical approach to the book of Daniel viewed as Jewish 2nd century literature written toward the end of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. The focus of the article is to clarify the nature, identity and roles of the beings in the celestial battle mentioned in Daniel 10 and the connections between those beings and the sons of God in 4QDeutj’s reading of Deut 32,8. It is concluded that the kings of Persia mentioned in Dan 10,13 were tutelary deities; and that the combatant princes were servants in defense of the interests of the tutelary deities.