Daniel 2:9

2:9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. ¹  For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful ²  until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence ³  that you can disclose its interpretation.”

Daniel 4:17

4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;

this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,

so that ⁴  those who are alive may understand

that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, ⁵ 

and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.

He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’

Daniel 4:32-33

4:32 You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before ⁶  you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

4:33 Now in that very moment ⁷  this pronouncement about ⁸  Nebuchadnezzar came true. ⁹  He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. ¹⁰ 

Daniel 6:24

6:24 The king gave another order, ¹¹  and those men who had maliciously accused ¹²  Daniel were brought and thrown ¹³  into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. ¹⁴  They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Daniel 7:4

7:4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind ¹⁵  was given to it. ¹⁶ 

Daniel 7:9

7:9 “While I was watching,

thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days ¹⁷  took his seat.

His attire was white like snow;

the hair of his head was like lamb’s ¹⁸  wool.

His throne was ablaze with fire

and its wheels were all aflame. ¹⁹ 

Daniel 7:11

7:11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching ²⁰  until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into ²¹  the flaming fire.

Daniel 8:13

8:13 Then I heard a holy one ²²  speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, “To what period of time does the vision pertain – this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?”

Daniel 9:25

9:25 So know and understand:

From the issuing of the command ²³  to restore and rebuild

Jerusalem ²⁴  until an anointed one, a prince arrives, ²⁵ 

there will be a period of seven weeks ²⁶  and sixty-two weeks.

It will again be built, ²⁷  with plaza and moat,

but in distressful times.

Daniel 11:25

11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm ²⁸  against the king of the south ²⁹  with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him.

Daniel 11:36

11:36 “Then the king ³⁰  will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of ³¹  wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. ³² 

Daniel 12:1

12:1 “At that time Michael,

the great prince who watches over your people, ³³ 

will arise. ³⁴ 

There will be a time of distress

unlike any other from the nation’s beginning ³⁵ 

up to that time.

But at that time your own people,

all those whose names are ³⁶  found written in the book,

will escape.

[2:9]  ¹ tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.

[2:9]  ² tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”

[2:9]  ³ tn Aram “I will know.”

[4:17]  ⁴ tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’al-divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ad-divrat, “until”).

[4:17]  ⁵ tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”

[4:32]  ⁷ tn Aram “until.”

[4:33]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “hour.”

[4:33]  ¹¹ tn Or “on.”

[4:33]  ¹² tn Aram “was fulfilled.”

[4:33]  ¹³ tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[6:24]  ¹³ tn Aram “said.”

[6:24]  ¹⁴ tn Aram “had eaten the pieces of.” The Aramaic expression is ironic, in that the accusers who had figuratively “eaten the pieces of Daniel” are themselves literally devoured by the lions.

[6:24]  ¹⁵ tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.

[6:24]  ¹⁶ tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.

[7:4]  ¹⁶ tn Aram “heart of a man.”

[7:4]  ¹⁷ sn The identity of the first animal, derived from v. 17 and the parallels in chap. 2, is Babylon. The reference to the plucking of its wings is probably a reference to the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity (cf. chap. 4). The latter part of v. 4 then describes the restoration of Nebuchadnezzar. The other animals have traditionally been understood to represent respectively Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome, although most of modern scholarship identifies them as Media, Persia, and Greece. For a biblical parallel to the mention of lion, bear, and leopard together, see Hos 13:7-8.

[7:9]  ¹⁹ tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”

[7:9]  ²⁰ tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.

[7:9]  ²¹ tn Aram “a flaming fire.”

[7:11]  ²² tc The LXX and Theodotion lack the words “I was watching” here. It is possible that these words in the MT are a dittography from the first part of the verse.

[7:11]  ²³ tn Aram “and given over to” (so NRSV).

[8:13]  ²⁵ sn The holy one referred to here is presumably an angel. Cf. 4:13[10], 23 [20].

[9:25]  ²⁸ tn Or “decree” (NASB, NIV); or “word” (NAB, NRSV).

[9:25]  ²⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:25]  ³⁰ tn The word “arrives” is added in the translation for clarification.

[9:25]  ³¹ tn Heb “sevens” (also later in this line and in v. 26).

[9:25]  ³² tn Heb “it will return and be built.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[11:25]  ³¹ tn Heb “heart.”

[11:25]  ³² sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 B.C.).

[11:36]  ³⁴ sn The identity of this king is problematic. If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.

[11:36]  ³⁵ tn The words “the time of” are added in the translation for clarification.

[11:36]  ³⁶ tn Heb “has been done.” The Hebrew verb used here is the perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of fulfillment.

[12:1]  ³⁷ tn Heb “stands over the sons of your people.”

[12:1]  ³⁸ tn Heb “will stand up.”

[12:1]  ³⁹ tn Or “from the beginning of a nation.”

[12:1]  ⁴⁰ tn The words “whose names are” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.