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The Prince of the Host in the Book of Daniel and the Dead Sea Scrolls

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The Prince of the Host in the Book of Daniel and the Dead Sea Scrolls THE PRINCE OF THE HOST IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS BY GILLIAN BAMPFYLDE Portsmouth In the Book of Daniel and the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a supreme angelic being who is leader of the warrior angels. In inter- pretations and commentaries he has often been confused with Michael, the patron angel of Israel, or Gabriel, but our study will show that a different anonymous figure is presented. After the appearance of Gabriel to Daniel in Dan. 8:15-17; 9:20-23, there are further incidents in which a heavenly figure appears to Daniel, Dan. 10:2-21; 12:5-13. He is described fully in 10:5-6 as a fiery angel of majestic demeanour, rather similar in appearance to the fourth person seen in the fire by Nebuchadnezzar and described by him as a "son of the gods", which is a reference to angels. Descriptive circumlocutions are found in Dan. 10: 16 and 18. These probably refer to the person of Dan. 10:5-6, rather than to two companions of his, because the trend of the conversation between Daniel and this person indicates that it is this same person who touched and strengthened Daniel, which is where the cir- cumlocutions are used. There are two companions in 12:5, but these have not appeared on the scene until then. The person described in 10:5-6 is said to be a 'man', but is like no ordinary man. 10: 16 refers to 'one in the likeness of the sons of men', and 10:18 says, 'one having the appearance of a man'. These are cumbersome expressions, and the author is not using them merely to give a description, for they stand in place of a noun or a name which has been avoided. They are useful because they create an atmosphere of mystery and awe. This being remains deliberately anonymous in the Book of Daniel. Who then is this man? The author does not identify him with Gabriel, which he could easily have done (cf. 8:16; 9:21). Daniel has already met Gabriel (8:16), and would have recognised him if there were a renewed acquaintanceship. The man whom he sees in 130 ch. 10 is to be identified with the one who had spoken to Gabriel and sent him to Daniel: "And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, 'Gabriel, make this man understand the vision' " (8:16). The man whom Daniel sees in ch. 10 "clothed in linen" is described again in 12:6 as "the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream". He is therefore the man whose voice Daniel heard coming from between the banks of the Ulai when he first saw Gabriel. The man is not Michael. Indeed, he appears to have a higher status than Michael, the patron of Israel according to 10:21, "there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince". This man seems not to be in charge of any particular nation, but supports those who are on "his side": "And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him" (11:1). "His side" can be none other than the cause of truth and light and righteousness, and as its champion the strengthens Darius I, whose rule was notably enlightened for those times and favourable to the Jews. He is also able to have the necessary authority to charge Gabriel with explaining the vision to Daniel. He is therefore to be identified with "the Prince of the host" (8:11). This Prince of the host is not Michael, for although Michael is the patron of Israel and an arch-angel, he is not chief of the arch- angels in intertestamental literature, e.g. 1 Enoch 9:1-10:16; 20:5; 24:6; 54:6; 60:4-5; 68:2; 71:9. In the Book of Daniel there is no possibility that Michael might be the chief Prince. He is known as "one of the chief princes" (Dan. 10:13), whereas the Prince of the host (8:11) is called "the Prince of princes" (8:25). The man described in 10:5-6 is certainly one of the highest angels,-a "Prince" and a heavenly military commander. Neither is he to be identified with Gabriel, for he addresses Gabriel himself. Who is this Prince of the host? He is mentioned in Dan. 8:11. The horn in the vision "grew great, even to the host of heaven" (8:10). "It magnified itself, even up to the Prince of the host; and the continual burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown" (8:11). It is clear from v. 10 that the host, of which he is prince, is the heavenly host of warrior angels. In his priestly function, he receives the sacrifices which are made to God. No more is made of this priestly function, but he does appear to be a heavenly high priest as well as a warrior. It must be noted that the author of Daniel appears to assume that his readers .
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