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Additions to Daniel

Daniel’s Greek additions bring a hymn from the furnace, Susanna’s rescue from false accusers, and Daniel’s exposure of Bel’s priests.^{17 sources}17 sources1. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2 2. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:24 3. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:28 4. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:37 5. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:66 6. Daniel 3:23 7. Daniel 3:24 8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62 14. Bel and the Dragon 1:1 15. Bel and the Dragon 1:14 16. Bel and the Dragon 1:19 17. Bel and the Dragon 1:21

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At a glance

How many: Three passages: the furnace prayer and song, Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon.¹⁸
Genre: Prayer, hymn and rescue stories.^{18 sources}18 sources1. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2 2. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:24 3. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:28 4. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:37 5. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:66 6. Daniel 3:23 7. Daniel 3:24 8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62 19. Bel and the Dragon 1:31 20. Bel and the Dragon 1:32 21. Daniel 6:16 22. Daniel 6:22 23. (1902)
Written: Susanna: probably second or first century BC (Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906).^{24 18}
Language: Oldest surviving form: Greek; original language disputed.^{24 18}

Summary

Daniel uncovers false testimony by questioning Susanna’s accusers separately and exposes Bel’s priests through footprints in ashes. These Greek additions also bring prayer and a hymn into the furnace story. Greek and Latin Bibles include the passages in Daniel, while Protestant Apocrypha print them separately. Together they offer stories of rescue from false witnesses and false gods alongside worship in danger.^{18 sources}18 sources18. (1908)8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62 14. Bel and the Dragon 1:1 15. Bel and the Dragon 1:14 16. Bel and the Dragon 1:19 17. Bel and the Dragon 1:21 1. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2 2. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:24 3. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:28 4. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:37 5. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:66 6. Daniel 3:23 7. Daniel 3:24

Prayer and song in the flames
Within Daniel 3
Azariah prays, and the three young men call on creation to praise God. This passage sits inside the furnace account.^{7 sources}7 sources1. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2 2. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:24 3. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:28 4. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:37 5. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:66 6. Daniel 3:23 7. Daniel 3:24
Susanna’s trial
Daniel 13 in Catholic numbering
Two elders accuse Susanna after she refuses them. Daniel questions them separately, and their conflicting tree names expose their false testimony.^{7 sources}7 sources18. (1908)8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62
Bel, the dragon and the lions
Daniel 14 in Catholic numbering
Daniel exposes the priests’ secret meals, destroys the worshipped dragon, and survives six days with lions. Habakkuk arrives with dinner, carried by an angel.^{16 sources}16 sources18. (1908)14. Bel and the Dragon 1:1 15. Bel and the Dragon 1:14 16. Bel and the Dragon 1:19 17. Bel and the Dragon 1:21 25. Bel and the Dragon 1:27 23. (1902)19. Bel and the Dragon 1:31 20. Bel and the Dragon 1:32 21. Daniel 6:16 22. Daniel 6:22 26. Bel and the Dragon 1:34 27. Bel and the Dragon 1:36 28. Bel and the Dragon 1:37 29. Ezekiel 8:3 30. Edgecomb

Stories

A witness test saves Susanna
Susanna
One elder names a mastic tree, the other an evergreen oak. Their disagreement overturns the accusation, and they receive the penalty for false witness.^{6 sources}6 sources8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62
Footprints and a secret entrance
Bel and the Dragon
Ashes on the temple floor reveal where the priests and their families entered to eat Bel’s offerings. Daniel’s later ordeal includes a separate lions’ den rescue.^{9 sources}9 sources14. Bel and the Dragon 1:1 15. Bel and the Dragon 1:14 16. Bel and the Dragon 1:19 17. Bel and the Dragon 1:21 19. Bel and the Dragon 1:31 20. Bel and the Dragon 1:32 21. Daniel 6:16 22. Daniel 6:22 23. (1902)

Connections to the Bible

Echoes and allusions

Jeremiah 29:21–23 · Susannamedium confidence
The Jewish Encyclopedia suggests that stories like Jeremiah’s account of two adulterous men among Babylon’s exiles prompted Susanna. This is its proposed background.^{31 32 24}
Ezekiel 8:3 · Bel and the Dragon 1:36low confidence
An angel carries Habakkuk by the hair to bring Daniel dinner. Jerome reports a Jewish teacher’s objection to comparing this with Ezekiel: Ezekiel was moved in the Spirit.^{5 sources}5 sources26. Bel and the Dragon 1:34 27. Bel and the Dragon 1:36 28. Bel and the Dragon 1:37 29. Ezekiel 8:3 30. Edgecomb

Expansions

Daniel 3:23–24 · Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2
The prayer and hymn fit between these verses of the shorter furnace narrative. Expanded Catholic chapter numbering differs.^{8 sources}8 sources1. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:2 2. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:24 3. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:28 4. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:37 5. Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three 1:66 6. Daniel 3:23 7. Daniel 3:24 18. (1908)

Background

Deuteronomy 19:18–19 · Susanna 1:61–62
The elders receive the punishment for false witness prescribed by the law of Moses.^{6 sources}6 sources8. Susanna 1:2 9. Susanna 1:45 10. Susanna 1:54 11. Susanna 1:58 12. Susanna 1:61 13. Susanna 1:62

Contrasts

Daniel 6:16–22 · Bel and the Dragon 1:31–32
Bel’s Daniel spends six days with seven starved lions; Daniel 6 describes an overnight rescue and an angel closing their mouths.^{5 sources}5 sources19. Bel and the Dragon 1:31 20. Bel and the Dragon 1:32 21. Daniel 6:16 22. Daniel 6:22 23. (1902)

Where each church stands

BookProt.Cath.GreekSlav.Eth.

Prayer of Azariah and Song of the ThreeFull table →Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three · Protestant: Read, not for doctrine ('The Song of the Three Children')^{33 34}Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three · Catholic: Scripture (Daniel 3:24–90)³⁵Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three · Greek Orthodox: Scripture (within Daniel 3)^{36 37}Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three · Russian (Slavonic) Orthodox: Varies (within Daniel 3)Printed in Daniel with a note that vv. 24–91 (Synodal numbering) are translated from the Greek and absent from the Hebrew.Confidence: medium^{38 39}Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three · Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo: Scripture (part of Daniel)Cowley: the LXX additions to Daniel are in the Geez and Amharic.⁴⁰

SusannaFull table →Susanna · Protestant: Read, not for doctrine ('The Story of Susanna')^{33 34}Susanna · Catholic: Scripture (Daniel 13)³⁵Susanna · Greek Orthodox: Scripture (Daniel, before ch. 1 (numbered ch. 0 in the Church of Greece text))^{41 36 42}Susanna · Russian (Slavonic) Orthodox: Varies (Daniel 13)Printed with a note that ch. 13 is translated from the Greek and absent from the Hebrew.Confidence: medium^{38 39}Susanna · Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo: Scripture'Book of Susanna' is in Cowley's narrower canon.⁴⁰

Bel and the DragonFull table →Bel and the Dragon · Protestant: Read, not for doctrine ('Of Bel and the Dragon')^{33 34}Bel and the Dragon · Catholic: Scripture (Daniel 14)³⁵Bel and the Dragon · Greek Orthodox: Scripture (last chapter of Daniel (ch. 13 in the Church of Greece text))^{41 36}Bel and the Dragon · Russian (Slavonic) Orthodox: Varies (Daniel 14)Printed in Daniel as Greek-only material; see Sus.Confidence: medium^{38 39}Bel and the Dragon · Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo: Scripture (part of 'the rest of Daniel')Confidence: medium⁴⁰

Daniel (Greek)Full table →Daniel (Greek) · Protestant: Read, not for doctrineDaniel is canonical in its Hebrew/Aramaic form; the Greek additions are Apocrypha.^{33 43 34}Daniel (Greek) · Catholic: Scripture (Daniel 1–14)³⁵Daniel (Greek) · Greek Orthodox: Scripture (Daniel with Susanna, Azariah and Bel)^{41 36}Daniel (Greek) · Russian (Slavonic) Orthodox: VariesDaniel is canonical; its Greek-only parts are printed with 'not in the Hebrew' notes.Confidence: medium^{38 39}Daniel (Greek) · Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo: Scripture⁴⁰

Why some kept it, why others left it out

Julius Africanus, a Greek church writer, objected to Susanna’s absence from Jewish Daniel. Origen defended the Greek copies used in the churches. Jerome, the Latin translator, retained Susanna, the furnace hymn and Bel with warning marks because they circulated widely.^{4 sources}4 sources44. 4 45. 4 46. 4 30. Edgecomb

Kept

Early church: Greek

Origen argued that God’s care for the churches supported keeping their Greek Scriptures, including these passages.^{45 46}

Orthodox

The Synod of Jerusalem in 1672 defended Susanna and Bel as Scripture; the Orthodox Church in America treats the furnace prayer as part of Daniel.^{47 48}

Left out

Early church: Greek

Africanus argued that Susanna’s wordplay worked in Greek and that its absence from Jewish Daniel was an even stronger objection.^{49 50 44}

Protestant: Anglican

Article VI permits instructional reading of the additions without using them to establish doctrine, even though the furnace song remains in Morning Prayer.^{51 52 53}

Sources

53 sources from 52 works

Additions to Daniel

At a glance

Summary

Contents

Prayer and song in the flames

Susanna’s trial

Bel, the dragon and the lions

Stories

A witness test saves Susanna

Footprints and a secret entrance

Connections to the Bible

Echoes and allusions

Expansions

Background

Contrasts

Where each church stands

Why some kept it, why others left it out

Kept

Early church: Greek

Orthodox

Left out

Early church: Greek

Protestant: Anglican

Further reading

Sources

Report a problem

At a glance

Summary

Contents

Prayer and song in the flames

Susanna’s trial

Bel, the dragon and the lions

Stories

A witness test saves Susanna

Footprints and a secret entrance

Connections to the Bible

Echoes and allusions

Expansions

Background

Contrasts

Where each church stands

Why some kept it, why others left it out

Kept

Early church: Greek

Orthodox

Left out

Early church: Greek

Protestant: Anglican

Related books

Further reading

Sources

Report a problem