Daniel 2:20

2:20 saying, ¹ 

“Let the name of God ²  be praised ³  forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

Daniel 3:4

3:4 Then the herald ⁴  made a loud ⁵  proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given: ⁶ 

Daniel 4:2

4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

Daniel 5:1

Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall

5:1 King Belshazzar ⁷  prepared a great banquet ⁸  for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of ⁹  them all. ¹⁰ 

Daniel 7:15

An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed, ¹¹  and the visions of my mind ¹²  were alarming me.

Daniel 7:18

7:18 The holy ones ¹³  of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’

Daniel 7:26

7:26 But the court will convene, ¹⁴  and his ruling authority will be removed –

destroyed and abolished forever!

Daniel 11:34

11:34 When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully.

¹ tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”

² sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.

³ tn Or “blessed.”

⁴ tn According to BDB 1097 s.v. כָּרוֹז the Aramaic word used here is a Greek loanword, but other scholars have argued instead for a Persian derivation (HALOT 1902 s.v. *כָּרוֹז).

⁵ tn Aram “in strength.”

⁶ tn Aram “they are saying.”

⁷ sn As is clear from the extra-biblical records, it was actually Nabonidus (ca. 556-539 B.C.) who was king of Babylon at this time. However, Nabonidus spent long periods of time at Teima, and during those times Belshazzar his son was de facto king of Babylon. This arrangement may help to explain why later in this chapter Belshazzar promises that the successful interpreter of the handwriting on the wall will be made third ruler in the kingdom. If Belshazzar was in effect second ruler in the kingdom, this would be the highest honor he could grant.

⁸ sn This scene of a Babylonian banquet calls to mind a similar grandiose event recorded in Esth 1:3-8. Persian kings were also renowned in the ancient Near Eastern world for their lavish banquets.

⁹ sn The king probably sat at an elevated head table.

¹⁰ tn Aram “the thousand.”

¹⁰ tn The Aramaic text includes the phrase “in its sheath,” apparently viewing the body as a container or receptacle for the spirit somewhat like a sheath or scabbard is for a knife or a sword (cf. NAB “within its sheath of flesh”). For this phrase the LXX and Vulgate have “in these things.”

¹¹ tn Aram “head.”

¹³ sn The expression holy ones is either a reference to angels or to human beings devoted to God.

¹⁶ tn Aram “judgment will sit” (KJV similar).