Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Péter-Contesse and Ellington on Daniel 5:28

  

RSV

TEV

PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

divisions, your kingdom is divided up and given to the Medes and Persians.”I

 

I PERSIANS: In Aramaic the word for “Persians” sounds like the word for “division.”

 

PERES: this is the singular form of the plural parsin found in verse 25. The word comes from a root meaning “divide,” “dissect,” or “cut in two.” But there is a play on words in this verse, so that is also related to the Persians mentioned at the end of the verse. While NJB and REB have the plural form, this is not recommended. In fact, with all three terms, it will be better to translate the meaning rather than retain the transliterated form of the Aramaic. (René Péter-Contesse and John Ellington, A Handbook on The Book of Daniel [New York: United Bible Societies, 1993], 151-52)

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