Daniel 2:14-15

2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel ¹  to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 2:15 He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” ²  Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.

Daniel 2:46

2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground ³  and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.

Daniel 3:21

3:21 So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, ⁴  and were thrown into the furnace ⁵  of blazing fire.

Daniel 4:7

4:7 When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me.

Daniel 5:6

5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face ⁶  and he became alarmed. ⁷  The joints of his hips gave way, ⁸  and his knees began knocking together.

Daniel 5:8

5:8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its ⁹  interpretation to the king.

Daniel 5:17

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

5:17 But Daniel replied to the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its ¹⁰  interpretation.

Daniel 5:29

5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, ¹¹  Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 6:5-6

6:5 So these men concluded, ¹²  “We won’t find any pretext against this man Daniel unless it is ¹³  in connection with the law of his God.”

6:6 So these supervisors and satraps came by collusion ¹⁴  to the king and said ¹⁵  to him, “O King Darius, live forever!

Daniel 6:18

6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions ¹⁶  were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. ¹⁷ 

Daniel 6:25

6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! ¹⁸ 

Daniel 7:1

Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea

7:1 In the first ¹⁹  year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had ²⁰  a dream filled with visions ²¹  while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. ²² 

[2:14]  ¹ tn Aram “returned prudence and counsel.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[2:15]  ² tn The Aramaic word מְהַחְצְפָה (mÿhakhtsÿfah) may refer to the severity of the king’s decree (i.e., “harsh”; so HALOT 1879 s.v. חצף; BDB 1093 s.v. חֲצַף), although it would seem that in a delicate situation such as this Daniel would avoid this kind of criticism of the king’s actions. The translation above understands the word to refer to the immediacy, not harshness, of the decree. See further, F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 50, §116; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 67.

[2:46]  ³ tn Aram “fell on his face.”

[3:21]  ⁴ sn There is a great deal of uncertainty with regard to the specific nature of these items of clothing.

[3:21]  ⁵ tn Aram “into the midst of the furnace.” For stylistic reasons the words “the midst of” have been left untranslated.

[5:6]  ⁵ tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”

[5:6]  ⁶ tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”

[5:6]  ⁷ tn Aram “his loins went slack.”

[5:8]  ⁶ tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishra’) of the Kethib.

[5:17]  ⁷ tn Or “the.”

[5:29]  ⁸ tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”

[6:5]  ⁹ tn Aram “were saying.”

[6:5]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “unless we find [it] against him.”

[6:6]  ¹⁰ tn The Aramaic verb רְגַשׁ (rÿgash) occurs three times in this chapter (vv. 7, 12, 16). Its meaning is widely disputed by commentators, and the versions vary considerably in how they render the word. The suggestion that it means “to come thronging” (BDB 1112 s.v.; cf. NAB) seems inappropriate, since it is unlikely that subordinates would enter a royal court in such a reckless fashion. The ancient versions struggled with the word and are not in agreement in their understanding of its meaning. In this chapter the word apparently means to act in agreement with other parties in the pursuit of a duplicitous goal, namely the entrapment of Daniel. Cf. NIV, NCV “went as a group”; NRSV “conspired and came to the king.”

[6:6]  ¹¹ tn Aram “thus they were saying.”

[6:18]  ¹¹ tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.

[6:18]  ¹² tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”

[6:25]  ¹² tn Aram “May your peace be increased!”

[7:1]  ¹³ sn The first year of Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 553 B.C. Daniel would have been approximately 67 years old at the time of this vision.

[7:1]  ¹⁴ tn Aram “saw.”

[7:1]  ¹⁵ tn Aram “and visions of his head.” The Aramaic is difficult here. Some scholars add a verb thought to be missing (e.g., “the visions of his head [were alarming him]”), but there is no external evidence to support such a decision and the awkwardness of the text at this point may be original.

[7:1]  ¹⁶ tn Aram “head of words.” The phrase is absent in Theodotion. Cf. NIV “the substance of his dream.”