Reading for May 25th

Read Daniel 2.1-16 In 2.1-49: Nebuchadnezzar's dream. This tale demonstrates God's superiority and Daniel's incomparable wisdom. In verses 1-16: Nebuchadnezzar's impossible demand prepares the reader for Daniel's role as a supremely competent interpreter in chs.7-12. Dream and omen interpretation were widely practiced in Babylonia. In verse 1: The second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was 603 BCc. Daniel appears before his training is complete (1.1, 5). In verse 4: From 2.4b through 7.28 the text is written in Aramaic. While Hebrew is a west semitic language, Aramaic is an east Semitic language, orginating in northern Aram (Syria), that was employed extensively throughout the Neareast from the seventh or eigth century BCE until emergence of Islam in the seventh century CE. Comments or Questions..