Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Anthony Becker wrote:
> Greetings everyone,
>
> I just joined the list and already have a question. I merely dabble in
> Hebrew so please be patient with me. I am looking at Daniel 11:29. There it
> says, "WL) THYH KR)SNH WK)XRNH." The RSV/ESV translates as "but it shall not
> be this time as it was before." The JPS translates as "but the second time
> will not be like the first." Translations such as these see a contrast being
> made between two items: the first / former and the last / later. These two
> items are no doubt understood to be the 2 campaigns of Antiochus IV against
> Egypt given Daniel 11:25-28, 11:29-35. Thus, in effect the meaning of these
> translations is "but this campaign will not be successful like the first one
> was." My questions is, is it possible that the text should be read as
> implying a middle campaign, and translated as "but it shall not be as the
> first or as the last"? The reason I ask is that Daniel 11 continues later on
> and envisions another campaign against Egypt (among others) which is to be
> successful (Daniel 11:40-43). Thus we would have Daniel 11:25-28
> (successful, first), 11:29-35 (unsuccessful), 11:40-43 (successful, last).
> The statement at 11:29 would then say in effect, "unlike the first and last
> campaigns, this one will not be successful." I just want to know if the text
> supports such an understanding or if I am overreaching and reading things
> into the text.
>   

HH: I don't have the time to study this in depth, but your idea is old, 
going back to the KJV:

Dan. 11:29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the 
south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

HH: The fact that the modern translations (NIV, NRSV, NET) do not agree 
with the KJV is reason to suspect that the KJV's interpretation is not 
correct, though it is possible grammatically.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard