Ambiguity and Empire: A Literary Appreciation and Commentary for the Book of Daniel
University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns, 2026

In this monograph I offer a new literary commentary on the biblical Book of Daniel, arguing that its sophisticated literary design has been underappreciated in favor of historical, linguistic, and theological interpretations. Rather than focusing on questions of composition, dating, or historical background—as much previous scholarship has done—I emphasize Daniel’s literary artistry and the deliberate use of ambiguity as a central interpretive key. I contend that ambiguity is not a flaw or byproduct of the text’s complex development but a purposeful literary strategy. I further propose that this ambiguity functioned as a form of intellectual and cultural resistance literature, allowing Jewish communities living under imperial rule to express critiques of power in subtle and indirect ways. Thus, the book’s multilingualism (Hebrew and Aramaic), shifting styles, and diverse literary devices reflect the cosmopolitan and politically complex world of the Hellenistic period. I examine features such as irony, narrative characterization, multilingualism, sound patterns, paronomasia, polysemy, and rhetorical ambiguity to demonstrate the text’s coherence and artistic intentionality. My translation of Daniel intentionally preserves the text’s obscurities and tensions to help readers better appreciate the interpretive challenges faced by scholars. The book's reframing of Daniel as an innovative and intellectually sophisticated literary achievement illuminates, for scholars and students alike, how Jewish writers negotiated identity and cultural authority within imperial contexts and in response to empire.

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