Daniel 2:11

2:11 What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!” ¹ 

Daniel 3:17-18

3:17 If ²  our God whom we are serving exists, ³  he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. 3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

Daniel 9:10

9:10 We have not obeyed ⁴  the LORD our God by living according to ⁵  his laws ⁶  that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:17

9:17 “So now, our God, accept ⁷  the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to ⁸  your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. ⁹ 

¹ tn Aram “whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

² tc The ancient versions typically avoid the conditional element of v. 17.

³ tn The Aramaic expression used here is very difficult to interpret. The question concerns the meaning and syntax of אִיתַי (’itay, “is” or “exist”). There are several possibilities. (1) Some interpreters take this word closely with the participle later in the verse יָכִל (yakhil, “able”), understanding the two words to form a periphrastic construction (“if our God is…able”; cf. H. Bauer and P. Leander, Grammatik des Biblisch-Aramäischen, 365, §111b). But the separation of the two elements from one another is not an argument in favor of this understanding. (2) Other interpreters take the first part of v. 17 to mean “If it is so, then our God will deliver us” (cf. KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB). However, the normal sense of ’itay is existence; on this point see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 45, §95. The present translation maintains the sense of existence for the verb (“If our God…exists”), even though the statement is admittedly difficult to understand in this light. The statement may be an implicit reference back to Nebuchadnezzar’s comment in v. 15, which denies the existence of a god capable of delivering from the king’s power.

³ tn Heb “paid attention to the voice of,” which is an idiomatic expression for obedience (cf. NASB “nor have we obeyed the voice of”).

⁴ tn Heb “to walk in.”

⁵ tc The LXX and Vulgate have the singular.

⁴ tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.

⁵ tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.

⁶ tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.