Bel and the Dragon
The narrative of Bel (Daniel 14:1–22) ridicules the worship of idols.
According to the brief companion narrative of the dragon (Daniel 14:23–30), "there was a great dragon which the Babylonians revered". Some time after the temple's condemnation the Babylonians worship the dragon. The king says that, unlike Bel, the dragon is a clear example of a living animal. Daniel promises to slay the dragon without the aid of a sword, and does so by baking pitch, fat, and hair to make cakes that cause the dragon to burst open upon consumption.
In other variant readings, other ingredients serve the purpose: in a form known to the Midrash, straw was fed in which nails were hidden, or skins of camels were filled with hot coals. A similar story occurs in the Persian poet Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, where Alexander the Great, or "Iskandar", kills a dragon by feeding it cow hides stuffed with poison and tar.
Title - Thesis | Scroll | Short Description | Synthesis 2nd Temple | Antithesis | Synthesis Apostolic | Synthesis Amoraim | Continent Origin | Southern Worldview | Northern Worldview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bel and the Dragon | Scroll 37 | Story of ridicule | Daniel | Bel and the Dragon | Addition to Daniel | NA | Asia | Book of Prophets | Midrash |
Category Reference Guide
Title/Thesis - The name of the book in American English
Synthesis 2nd Temple - The name of the book in order of its presentation other than the Apostles, ranging from 2nd temple Judaism up to the 1st century
Antithesis - The name of the book in another language
Synthesis Apostolic - The identity of the book in order of its presentation according to Tradition in the church after the 3rd century
Synthesis Amoraim - The name of the book in order of its presentation other than the Apostles, ranging from Tannaim up to the 5th century
Continent Origin - Continent from where the Text Type Source comes from
Southern Worldview - Catalog strategy for storing the scrolls include the interpretation. South means Africa or Egypt (Alexandrian) such as LXX. South of Palestine.
Northern Worldview - Catalog strategy for storing the scrolls include the interpretation. North means Asia or Persia (Babylonian) such as Masoretic. North of Palestine.
Here are additional resources for those who want to continue learning and exploring:
Link to some reference to Bel and the Dragon https://ancientinsights.wordpress.com/2021/05/18/orthodoxy-on-the-deuterocanon/