The Parallel of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel

There’s a connection between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar has dreams and Daniel has dreams. The narrator gives first person sections to both Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, and both include a lengthy prayer. So why is the author paralleling these characters.

I’m not sure but one possibility is to show how superior Daniel is. Daniel has more dreams and visions, doubling Nebuchadnezzar’s. Daniel’s first person section is also significantly longer.

Also, the content of their respective dreams differ drastically. Nebuchadnezzar ‘s dreams are not terribly enlightening, describing a world empire man who is destroyed and a tree that is felled. Daniel is given the most detailed tour of the future of any prophet.

The point of the author would be that the conquered man that he has taken prisoner has become superior to him by God’s action.

Notice that Daniel is included in all of Nebuchadnezzar’s scenes but Nebuchadnezzar is nowhere found in Daniels sections.

The opening and closing action of Daniel is charactisrically unkingly act of abstaining from eating (chap 1 and 8) whereas Nebuchadnezzar took The high Gods drinking vessels.

Daniel, as a better Adam, does not drink and rises to kingly status, surpassing even the most prestigious of worldly kings. Nebuchadnezzar arises, is cut down, and exiled from the story, never to be heard from after chapter 4.