the bear was disfigured.21 However, the Hophal (Hp) perfect verb הֳקִמַ֔ת indicates that the side of the bear was “raised up” by someone. This is a reference to God granting greater dominion to the Persians in the empire consisting of both the Medes and the Persians—the Medo-Persian Empire created by Cyrus.22 The raised side is a strong indication that this beast represents Media-Persia, and not simply Media, as critical scholars claim. The difference is of great importance. If the beast only represents
Page 344