This work is accessible only to Andrews University faculty, staff, and students. Off-Campus Andrews University users should click the "Off-Campus Download" button below, then enter your Andrews University username and password when prompted.
Manuscript Type
Article
Abstract (For book reviews see instructions below)
The account in Daniel 4, in which it is said that King Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind and lived as a beast for seven years, lacks corroboration in cuneiform documents. There are consequently several theories that attempt to explain the meaning of this story. One of them is the theory of lycanthropy, which suggests that the mental ailment of the king was due to a strange disease. This theory has largely been abandoned because other theories are better supported by ancient documents. However, the present study proposes a reconsideration of the lycanthropy theory for two main reasons. The first is that, according to the analysis conducted in this study, there seems to be a seven-year period within Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (from 574 BC to 568/7 BC) during which there is no information about the king’s personal activities, suggesting that lycanthropy could have developed during that time. The second is that situating the theory of lycanthropy specifically within this period might explain Babylon’s failure to conquer Tyre and the delay in the invasion of Egypt. Therefore, this study suggests that the lycanthropy theory deserves greater consideration in future research, as it could offer a plausible historical explanation for the account in Daniel 4.
Recommended Citation
Ubilla, Fabián.
"RECONSIDERING NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SEVEN-YEAR
MADNESS: THE LYCANTHROPY THEORY AND ITS
HISTORICAL POTENTIAL IN DANIEL 4."
Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)
61.1
():
.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol61/iss1/4
