Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 26/05/2004 13:27, Lisbeth S. Fried wrote:

> Dear Peter,
> I keep thinking of the line in Richard III
> where the king says "Do you want me to break my word?
> Do you want me to commit treason?"
> Best,
> Liz
>
>  
Well, I think of Jephthah and his daughter. But he had made a vow to God 
and had to keep it. King Darius had only signed a document, but because 
of it was forced to sentence his best friend to death. This is certainly 
not the arbitrary despotism of Persian rulers who could do exactly what 
they wanted, even as late as 1979! Of course there is the question of 
who this "king" is supposed to be. If he is supposed to be a local ruler 
in Babylon, and if he had signed a decree in the name of the overall 
King of Kings, he would have been bound by that decree. Perhaps that is 
the key to understanding Daniel 6.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/