The Reworking of the Ba'al Cycle in Daniel 7:9-13

 

Daniel’s use of the Ba’al Cycle is one biblical example of Semitic Adaptation of “Pagan” sources. Here is a useful table comparing Dan 7:9-13 and the Ba’al Cycle in the Ugaritic Tablets taken from (Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn, The Angel of the Lord: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Study (Dacono, Colo.: Waters of Creation Publishing, 2020), 162-63:

 

Daniel 7:9-13	Ba’al Cycle
7:2a I saw in my vision by night, and behold b the four winds of heaven were c stirring up the great seam [yam].	[Baal], take your clouds, your winds, your lightnings, your rains (KTU I.5.v:6-9)
7:3a Four great beasts came up out of the sea There are a total of seven heads	Yam sent messengers . . . With great rejoicing they flew heavenwards Their nostrils flaring (KTU I.2.i.11-13) Yam is described as a seven headed sea-monster with four names: Dragon, Leviathan (L-t-n), Arsh, and Atick (KTU I.3.iii.38-44)
7:9 As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like lamb’s wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.	The gods raise their heads from the thrones of their princeships (KTU I.2.i.29)   El: The Father of Years (KTU i.3.v:8) I shall make [‘El’s] gray hair run with blood, The gray hair of his beard (KTU I.3.v.2)
7:10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him;	She set her fact towards El At the source of the rivers, At the midst of the spr-ings of the two deeps (KTU I.3.v:7)
thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him
The court saw in judgement, and the books were opened	Set your faces towards the convocation of the Council; Towards the divine mountain (KTU I.2.i:14) The tablets of Yam (KTU I.2.i:26)
7:11a I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.   b And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.	Message of Yam, your master, Of our lord, Ruler Nahar: “Give up the god whom you obey, The one whom you obey; Tempest! Give up Baal and his retinue. The Son of Dagan, whose gold I shall seize!” (KTU I.2.i.34-36) Then Baal went out [ . . . ] Valiant Baal dried him up Yam is indeed dead! (KTU I.2.iv.31-32)
7:12 And for the rest of the beast, their dominion was taken away, But their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.	You [Ba’al], your name is “Expeller.” Expeller of Yam [the sea god], Expel Yam from his throne Nahar from the siege of his dominion! (KTU I.2.iv:12-13)
7:13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.	O Charioteer of the Clouds O Prince Baal (KTU I.2.iv:8) Baal stood by El (KTU I.2.i.22)
7:14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdoms one that shall not be destroyed.	Take your everlasting kingdom, your eternal dominion! (KTU I.2.iv.10)

 

For more, see:

 

Kevin L. Barney, "The Facsimiles and Semitic Adaptation of Existing Sources”

 

David Bokovoy on the Book of Abraham Facsimiles and the Semitic Adaptation of Existing Sources

 

Chapter 4: "Yahweh's Appropriation of Baal Imagery" in John Day, Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan (Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 265; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000, 2002), pp. 91-127