Arboreal Metaphors and Botanical Symbolism in the Theodotion Susanna Narrative

Full title
Arboreal Metaphors and Botanical Symbolism in the Theodotion Susanna Narrative
Updated By
Research notes

NR\Reader checked\26/04/2015

Reference type
Author(s)
Corley, Jeremy
Editor(s)
Markus Witte
Sven Behnke
Year
2015
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Yearbook 2014/2015: The Metaphorical Use of Language in Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature
Series Title
Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature
Publisher
De Gruyter
Place of Publication
Berlin\Munich\Boston
Pages
125-152
Work type
Label
20/04/2015
Abstract

Within the Theodotion version of the Susanna narrative, arboreal metaphors occur in Daniel’s sentence of judgment on the two sinful elders who were thwarted in their attempt to rape the heroine (vv. 55, 59). Here the famous Greek wordplays are a verbal expression that conveys the principle of “measure for measure,” whereby the punishment is intended to fit the crime, just as King Belshazzar’s offence is met by the Aramaic wordplay Mene, mene, tekel uparsin (Dan 5:25). The punishment decreed on the unnamed elders (being sawn or split through the middle) has echoes of several prophetic oracles using arboreal metaphors to describe the cutting down of powerful rulers (Isa 10:33–34; Ezek 31:12). Such imagery appears especially in Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream (Dan 4:11[14], 20[23]).