Daniel 7:21-22

7:21 While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating ¹  them, 7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered ²  in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.

Daniel 4:8-9

4:8 Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, ³  and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well, 4:9 saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider ⁴  my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation!

Daniel 4:17-18

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

this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,

so that ⁵  those who are alive may understand

that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, ⁶ 

and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.

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

4:18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its ⁷  interpretation, for none of the wise men in ⁸  my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel 5:11

5:11 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have ⁹  insight, discernment, and wisdom like that ¹⁰  of the gods. ¹¹  King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners. ¹² 

[7:21]  ¹ tn Aram “prevailing against” (KJV and ASV both similar); NASB “overpowering them”; TEV “conquered them.”

[7:22]  ² tc In the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate the verb is active, understanding “judgment” to be the object rather than the subject of the verb (i.e., “the Ancient of Days rendered judgment”). This presupposes a different vocalization of the verb ( יְהַב [yÿhav] rather than the MT יְהִב [yÿhiv]).

[4:8]  ³ sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology.

[4:9]  ⁴ tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezvey, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.

[4:17]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”

[4:18]  ⁶ tc The present translation reads פִּשְׁרֵהּ (pishreh, “its interpretation”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew MSS; the Kethib is פִּשְׁרָא (pishra’, “the interpretation”); so also v. 16.

[4:18]  ⁷ tn Aram “of.”

[5:11]  ⁷ tn Aram “[there were] discovered to be in him.”

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Aram “wisdom like the wisdom.” This would be redundant in terms of English style.

[5:11]  ⁹ tc Theodotion lacks the phrase “and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods.”

[5:11]  ¹⁰ tc The MT includes a redundant reference to “your father the king” at the end of v. 11. None of the attempts to explain this phrase as original are very convincing. The present translation deletes the phrase, following Theodotion and the Syriac.