Discovery BoxDaniel 8:22
Context8:22 The horn that was broken 1 and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength.
Daniel 8:1
Context8:1 2 In the third year 3 of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously. 4
Daniel 2:1--3:30
Context2:1 In the second year of his 5 reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. 6 His mind 7 was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. 8 2:2 The king issued an order 9 to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men 10 in order to explain his dreams to him. 11 So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. 12
2:3 The king told them, “I have had a dream, 13 and I 14 am anxious to understand the dream.” 2:4 The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic 15 ] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its 16 interpretation.” 2:5 The king replied 17 to the wise men, “My decision is firm. 18 If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered 19 and your homes reduced to rubble! 2:6 But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!” 2:7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us 20 of the dream; then we will disclose its 21 interpretation.” 2:8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 2:9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. 22 For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful 23 until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence 24 that you can disclose its interpretation.”
2:10 The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, 25 for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man. 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!” 26
2:12 Because of this the king got furiously angry 27 and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 2:13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about 28 to be executed. They also sought 29 Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.
2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel 30 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?” 31 Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 2:16 So Daniel went in and 32 requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king. 2:17 Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter. 2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he 33 and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised 34 the God of heaven, 2:20 saying, 35
“Let the name of God 36 be praised 37 forever and ever,
for wisdom and power belong to him.
2:21 He changes times and seasons,
deposing some kings
and establishing others. 38
He gives wisdom to the wise;
he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; 39
2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things.
He knows what is in the darkness,
and light resides with him.
2:23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,
for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.
Now you have enabled me to understand what I 40 requested from you.
For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” 41
2:24 Then Daniel went in to see 42 Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came 43 and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me 44 to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” 45
2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I 46 have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” 2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?” 2:27 Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. 2:28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, 47 and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. 48 The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed 49 are as follows.
2:29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. 50 The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 2:30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom 51 than any other living person, but so that the king may understand 52 the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. 53
2:31 “You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one 54 of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. 2:33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. 55 2:34 You were watching as 56 a stone was cut out, 57 but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. 2:35 Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction 58 and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. 2:36 This was the dream. Now we 59 will set forth before the king its interpretation.
2:37 “You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 2:38 Wherever human beings, 60 wild animals, 61 and birds of the sky live – he has given them into your power. 62 He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold. 2:39 Now after you another kingdom 63 will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. 2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces 64 all of these metals, 65 so it will break in pieces and crush the others. 66 2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes 67 partly of wet clay 68 and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay. 69 2:42 In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 2:43 And 70 in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed 71 with one another 72 without adhering to one another, just as 73 iron does not mix with clay. 2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. 2:45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. 74 The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”
2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground 75 and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 2:47 The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 2:49 And at Daniel’s request, the king 76 appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court. 77
3:1 78 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden 79 statue made. 80 It was ninety feet 81 tall and nine feet 82 wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, 83 and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he 84 had erected. 3:3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected. 85
3:4 Then the herald 86 made a loud 87 proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given: 88 3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, 89 trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must 90 bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. 3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately 91 be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!” 3:7 Therefore when they all 92 heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, 93 and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
3:8 Now 94 at that time certain 95 Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against 96 the Jews. 3:9 They said 97 to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 98 3:10 You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music. 3:11 And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and these men 99 have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage 100 demanded that they bring 101 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them 102 before the king. 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected? 3:15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?” 103 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, 104 “We do not need to give you a reply 105 concerning this. 3:17 If 106 our God whom we are serving exists, 107 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.”
3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed 108 toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders 109 to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. 3:20 He ordered strong 110 soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 3:21 So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, 111 and were thrown into the furnace 112 of blazing fire. 3:22 But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted 113 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed 114 by the leaping flames. 115 3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace 116 of blazing fire while still securely bound. 117
3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, “Wasn’t it three men that we tied up and threw 118 into 119 the fire?” They replied to the king, “For sure, O king.” 3:25 He answered, “But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!” 120 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out, 121 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!”
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire. 122 3:27 Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically 123 unharmed by the fire. 124 The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!
3:28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, 125 “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel 126 and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring 127 the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than 128 serve or pay homage to any god other than their God! 3:29 I hereby decree 129 that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes 130 the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.” 3:30 Then Nebuchadnezzar 131 promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 7:1-28
Context7:1 In the first 132 year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had 133 a dream filled with visions 134 while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. 135 7:2 Daniel explained: 136 “I was watching in my vision during the night as 137 the four winds of the sky 138 were stirring up the great sea. 139 7:3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another.
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 140 was given to it. 141
7:5 “Then 142 a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs 143 in its mouth between its teeth. 144 It was told, 145 ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’
7:6 “After these things, 146 as I was watching, another beast 147 like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back. 148 This beast had four heads, 149 and ruling authority was given to it.
7:7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions 150 a fourth beast appeared – one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. 151 It had two large rows 152 of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.
7:8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn – a small one – came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. 153 This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant 154 things.
7:9 “While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days 155 took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s 156 wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame. 157
7:10 A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. 158
The court convened 159
and the books were opened.
7:11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching 160 until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into 161 the flaming fire. 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living 162 for a time and a season. 7:13 I was watching in the night visions,
“And with 163 the clouds of the sky 164
one like a son of man 165 was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted 166 before him.
7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving 167 him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away. 168
His kingdom will not be destroyed. 169
7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed, 170 and the visions of my mind 171 were alarming me. 7:16 I approached one of those standing nearby and asked him about the meaning 172 of all this. So he spoke with me and revealed 173 to me the interpretation of the vision: 174 7:17 ‘These large beasts, which are four in number, represent four kings who will arise from the earth. 7:18 The holy ones 175 of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’
7:19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning 176 of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet. 7:20 I also wanted to know 177 the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes 178 and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. 179 7:21 While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating 180 them, 7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered 181 in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.
7:23 “This is what he told me: 182
‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth
that will differ from all the other kingdoms.
It will devour all the earth
and will trample and crush it.
7:24 The ten horns
mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom.
Another king will arise after them,
but he will be different from the earlier ones.
He will humiliate 183 three kings.
7:25 He will speak words against the Most High.
He will harass 184 the holy ones of the Most High continually.
His intention 185 will be to change times established by law. 186
They will be delivered into his hand
For a time, times, 187 and half a time.
7:26 But the court will convene, 188 and his ruling authority will be removed –
destroyed and abolished forever!
7:27 Then the kingdom, authority,
and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven
will be delivered to the people of the holy ones 189 of the Most High.
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
7:28 “This is the conclusion of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and the color drained from my face. 190 But I kept the matter to myself.” 191
Daniel 1:1-21
Context1:1 In the third 192 year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar 193 of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem 194 and laid it under siege. 195 1:2 Now the Lord 196 delivered 197 King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, 198 along with some of the vessels 199 of the temple of God. 200 He brought them to the land of Babylonia 201 to the temple of his god 202 and put 203 the vessels in the treasury of his god.
1:3 The king commanded 204 Ashpenaz, 205 who was in charge of his court officials, 206 to choose 207 some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent 208 – 1:4 young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, 209 well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated 210 and having keen insight, 211 and who were capable 212 of entering the king’s royal service 213 – and to teach them the literature and language 214 of the Babylonians. 215 1:5 So the king assigned them a daily ration 216 from his royal delicacies 217 and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained 218 for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. 219 1:6 As it turned out, 220 among these young men 221 were some from Judah: 222 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 223 1:7 But the overseer of the court officials renamed them. He gave 224 Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah he named Shadrach, Mishael he named Meshach, and Azariah he named Abednego. 225
1:8 But Daniel made up his mind 226 that he would not defile 227 himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. 228 He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. 1:9 Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. 229 1:10 But he 230 responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided 231 your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? 232 If that happened, 233 you would endanger my life 234 with the king!” 1:11 Daniel then spoke to the warden 235 whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 1:12 “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 1:13 Then compare our appearance 236 with that of 237 the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; 238 deal with us 239 in light of what you see.” 1:14 So the warden 240 agreed to their proposal 241 and tested them for ten 242 days.
1:15 At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier 243 than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. 1:16 So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine 244 from their diet 245 and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. 1:17 Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, 246 the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. 1:19 When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group 247 anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. 248 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and 249 insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times 250 better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire. 1:21 Now Daniel lived on until the first 251 year of Cyrus the king.
Daniel 1:1-21
Context1:1 In the third 252 year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar 253 of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem 254 and laid it under siege. 255 1:2 Now the Lord 256 delivered 257 King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, 258 along with some of the vessels 259 of the temple of God. 260 He brought them to the land of Babylonia 261 to the temple of his god 262 and put 263 the vessels in the treasury of his god.
1:3 The king commanded 264 Ashpenaz, 265 who was in charge of his court officials, 266 to choose 267 some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent 268 – 1:4 young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, 269 well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated 270 and having keen insight, 271 and who were capable 272 of entering the king’s royal service 273 – and to teach them the literature and language 274 of the Babylonians. 275 1:5 So the king assigned them a daily ration 276 from his royal delicacies 277 and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained 278 for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. 279 1:6 As it turned out, 280 among these young men 281 were some from Judah: 282 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 283 1:7 But the overseer of the court officials renamed them. He gave 284 Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah he named Shadrach, Mishael he named Meshach, and Azariah he named Abednego. 285
1:8 But Daniel made up his mind 286 that he would not defile 287 himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. 288 He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. 1:9 Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. 289 1:10 But he 290 responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided 291 your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? 292 If that happened, 293 you would endanger my life 294 with the king!” 1:11 Daniel then spoke to the warden 295 whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 1:12 “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 1:13 Then compare our appearance 296 with that of 297 the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; 298 deal with us 299 in light of what you see.” 1:14 So the warden 300 agreed to their proposal 301 and tested them for ten 302 days.
1:15 At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier 303 than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. 1:16 So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine 304 from their diet 305 and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. 1:17 Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, 306 the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. 1:19 When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group 307 anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. 308 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and 309 insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times 310 better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire. 1:21 Now Daniel lived on until the first 311 year of Cyrus the king.
[8:22] 1 tn Heb “the broken one.” The word “horn” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.
[8:1] 2 sn Dan 8:1 marks the switch from Aramaic (= 2:4b-7:28) back to Hebrew as the language in which the book is written in its present form. The remainder of the book from this point on (8:1-12:13) is in Hebrew. The bilingual nature of the book has been variously explained, but it most likely has to do with the book’s transmission history.
[8:1] 3 sn The third year of King Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 551
[8:1] 4 tn Heb “in the beginning.” This refers to the vision described in chapter seven.
[2:1] 3 tn Heb “Nebuchadnezzar’s.” The possessive pronoun is substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[2:1] 4 tn Heb “dreamed dreams.” The plural is used here and in v. 2, but the singular in v. 3. The plural “dreams” has been variously explained. Some interpreters take the plural as denoting an indefinite singular (so GKC 400 §124.o). But it may be that it is describing a stream of related dreams, or a dream state. In the latter case, one might translate: “Nebuchadnezzar was in a trance.” See further, J. A. Montgomery, Daniel (ICC), 142.
[2:1] 6 tn Heb “his sleep left (?) him.” The use of the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) here is unusual. The context suggests a meaning such as “to be finished” or “gone.” Cf. Dan 8:27. Some scholars emend the verb to read נָדְדָה (nadÿdah, “fled”); cf. Dan 6:19. See further, DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3; HALOT 244 s.v. היה nif; BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2.
[2:2] 4 tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.
[2:2] 5 tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.
[2:2] 6 tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”
[2:2] 7 tn Heb “stood before the king.”
[2:3] 5 tn Heb “I have dreamed a dream” (so KJV, ASV).
[2:4] 6 sn Contrary to common belief, the point here is not that the wise men (Chaldeans) replied to the king in the Aramaic language, or that this language was uniquely the language of the Chaldeans. It was this view that led in the past to Aramaic being referred to as “Chaldee.” Aramaic was used as a lingua franca during this period; its origins and usage were not restricted to the Babylonians. Rather, this phrase is better understood as an editorial note (cf. NAB) marking the fact that from 2:4b through 7:28 the language of the book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. In 8:1, and for the remainder of the book, the language returns to Hebrew. Various views have been advanced to account for this change of language, most of which are unconvincing. Most likely the change in language is a reflection of stages in the transmission history of the book of Daniel.
[2:5] 7 tn Aram “answered and said,” a common idiom to indicate a reply, but redundant in contemporary English.
[2:5] 8 tn It seems clear from what follows that Nebuchadnezzar clearly recalls the content of the dream, although obviously he does not know what to make of it. By not divulging the dream itself to the would-be interpreters, he intends to find out whether they are simply leading him on. If they can tell him the dream’s content, which he is able to verify, he then can have confidence in their interpretation, which is what eludes him. The translation “the matter is gone from me” (cf. KJV, ASV), suggesting that the king had simply forgotten the dream, is incorrect. The Aramaic word used here (אַזְדָּא, ’azda’) is probably of Persian origin; it occurs in the OT only here and in v. 8. There are two main possibilities for the meaning of the word: “the matter is promulgated by me” (see KBL 1048 s.v.) and therefore “publicly known” (cf. NRSV; F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 62-63, §189), or “the matter is irrevocable” (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV, CEV, NLT; HALOT 1808 s.v. אזד; cf. also BDB 1079 s.v.). The present translation reflects this latter option. See further E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 3.
[2:5] 9 tn Aram “made limbs.” Cf. 3:29.
[2:7] 8 tn Aram “his servants.”
[2:9] 9 tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.
[2:9] 10 tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”
[2:9] 11 tn Aram “I will know.”
[2:10] 10 tn Aram “matter, thing.”
[2:11] 11 tn Aram “whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
[2:12] 12 tn Aram “was angry and very furious.” The expression is a hendiadys (two words or phrases expressing a single idea).
[2:13] 13 tn The Aramaic participle is used here to express the imminent future.
[2:13] 14 tn The impersonal active plural (“they sought”) of the Aramaic verb could also be translated as an English passive: “Daniel and his friends were sought” (cf. NAB).
[2:14] 14 tn Aram “returned prudence and counsel.” The expression is a hendiadys.
[2:15] 15 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.
[2:16] 16 tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”
[2:18] 17 tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.
[2:20] 19 tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”
[2:20] 20 sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.
[2:21] 21 tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”
[2:23] 21 tn Aram “we.” Various explanations have been offered for the plural, but it is probably best understood as the editorial plural; so also with “me” later in this verse.
[2:23] 22 tn Aram “the word of the king.”
[2:24] 22 tc The MT has עַל עַל (’al ’al, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew
[2:24] 23 tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew
[2:24] 24 tn Aram “cause me to enter.” So also in v. 25.
[2:25] 23 sn Arioch’s claim is self-serving and exaggerated. It is Daniel who came to him, and not the other way around. By claiming to have found one capable of solving the king’s dilemma, Arioch probably hoped to ingratiate himself to the king.
[2:28] 24 tn Aram “a revealer of mysteries.” The phrase serves as a quasi-title for God in Daniel.
[2:28] 25 tn Aram “in the latter days.”
[2:28] 26 tn Aram “your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed.”
[2:29] 25 tn Aram “your thoughts upon your bed went up to what will be after this.”
[2:30] 26 tn Aram “not for any wisdom which is in me more than [in] any living man.”
[2:30] 27 tn Aram “they might cause the king to know.” The impersonal plural is used here to refer to the role of God’s spirit in revealing the dream and its interpretation to the king. As J. A. Montgomery says, “it appropriately here veils the mysterious agency” (Daniel [ICC], 164-65).
[2:33] 28 sn Clay refers to baked clay, which – though hard – was also fragile. Cf. the reference in v. 41 to “wet clay.”
[2:34] 30 tc The LXX, Theodotion, and the Vulgate have “from a mountain,” though this is probably a harmonization with v. 45.
[2:35] 30 tn Aram “as one.” For the meaning “without distinction” see the following: F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 36, §64, and p. 93; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 60.
[2:36] 31 tn Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It is probably the editorial plural and could be translated here as “I.”
[2:38] 32 tn Aram “the sons of man.”
[2:38] 33 tn Aram “the beasts of the field.”
[2:39] 33 sn The identity of the first kingdom is clearly Babylon. The identification of the following three kingdoms is disputed. The common view is that they represent Media, Persia, and Greece. Most conservative scholars identify them as Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
[2:40] 34 tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”
[2:40] 35 tn The Aramaic text does not have this word, but it has been added in the translation for clarity.
[2:40] 36 tn The words “the others” are supplied from the context.
[2:41] 35 tc The LXX lacks “and toes.”
[2:41] 36 tn Aram “potter’s clay.”
[2:41] 37 tn Aram “clay of clay” (also in v. 43).
[2:43] 36 tc The present translation reads the conjunction, with most medieval Hebrew
[2:43] 37 sn The reference to people being mixed is usually understood to refer to intermarriage.
[2:43] 38 tn Aram “with the seed of men.”
[2:43] 39 tc The present translation reads הֵיךְ דִּי (hekh diy) rather than the MT הֵא־כְדִי (he’-khÿdi). It is a case of wrong word division.
[2:45] 37 tn Aram “after this.”
[2:46] 38 tn Aram “fell on his face.”
[2:49] 39 tn Aram “and Daniel sought from the king and he appointed.”
[2:49] 40 tn Aram “was at the gate of the king.”
[3:1] 40 sn The LXX introduces this chapter with the following chronological note: “in the eighteenth year of.” Such a date would place these events at about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586
[3:1] 41 sn There is no need to think of Nebuchadnezzar’s image as being solid gold. No doubt the sense is that it was overlaid with gold (cf. Isa 40:19; Jer 10:3-4), with the result that it presented a dazzling self-compliment to the greatness of Nebuchadnezzar’s achievements.
[3:1] 42 sn According to a number of patristic authors, the image represented a deification of Nebuchadnezzar himself. This is not clear from the biblical text, however.
[3:1] 43 tn Aram “sixty cubits.” Assuming a length of 18 inches for the standard cubit, the image would be 90 feet (27.4 m) high.
[3:1] 44 tn Aram “six cubits.” Assuming a length of 18 inches for the standard cubit, the image would be 9 feet (2.74 m) wide.
[3:2] 41 sn The specific duties of the seven types of officials listed here (cf. vv. 3, 27) are unclear. The Aramaic words that are used are transliterations of Akkadian or Persian technical terms whose exact meanings are uncertain. The translations given here follow suggestions set forth in BDB.
[3:2] 42 tn Aram “Nebuchadnezzar the king.” The proper name and title have been replaced by the relative pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[3:3] 42 tc The LXX and Theodotion lack the words “that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.”
[3:4] 43 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).
[3:4] 44 tn Aram “in strength.”
[3:4] 45 tn Aram “they are saying.”
[3:5] 44 sn The word zither (Aramaic קִיתָרוֹס [qitaros]), and the words for harp (Aramaic פְּסַנְתֵּרִין [pÿsanterin]) and pipes (Aramaic סוּמְפֹּנְיָה [sumponÿyah]), are of Greek derivation. Though much has been made of this in terms of suggesting a date in the Hellenistic period for the writing of the book, it is not surprising that a few Greek cultural terms, all of them the names of musical instruments, should appear in this book. As a number of scholars have pointed out, the bigger surprise (if, in fact, the book is to be dated to the Hellenistic period) may be that there are so few Greek loanwords in Daniel.
[3:5] 45 tn The imperfect Aramaic verbs have here an injunctive nuance.
[3:6] 45 tn Aram “in that hour.”
[3:7] 46 tn Aram “all the peoples.”
[3:7] 47 tc Though not in the Aramaic text of BHS, this word appears in many medieval Hebrew
[3:8] 47 tc This expression is absent in Theodotion.
[3:8] 49 tn Aram “ate the pieces of.” This is a rather vivid idiom for slander.
[3:9] 48 tn Aram “answered and said,” a common Aramaic idiom that occurs repeatedly in this chapter.
[3:9] 49 sn O king, live forever! is a comment of typical court courtesy that is not necessarily indicative of the real sentiments of the speaker. Ancient oriental court protocol could sometimes require a certain amount of hypocrisy.
[3:12] 49 sn Daniel’s absence from this scene has sparked the imagination of commentators, some of whom have suggested that perhaps he was unable to attend the dedication due to sickness or due to being away on business. Hippolytus supposed that Daniel may have been watching from a distance.
[3:13] 50 tn Aram “in anger and wrath”; NASB “in rage and anger.” The expression is a hendiadys.
[3:13] 51 tn The Aramaic infinitive is active.
[3:13] 52 tn Aram “these men.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid undue repetition.
[3:15] 51 tn Aram “hand.” So also in v. 17.
[3:16] 52 tc In the MT this word is understood to begin the following address (“answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar’”). However, it seems unlikely that Nebuchadnezzar’s subordinates would address the king in such a familiar way, particularly in light of the danger that they now found themselves in. The present translation implies moving the atnach from “king” to “Nebuchadnezzar.”
[3:16] 53 tn Aram “to return a word to you.”
[3:17] 53 tc The ancient versions typically avoid the conditional element of v. 17.
[3:17] 54 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.
[3:19] 54 tn Aram “the appearance of his face was altered”; cf. NLT “his face became distorted with rage”; NAB “[his] face became livid with utter rage.”
[3:19] 55 tn Aram “he answered and said.”
[3:20] 55 tn This is sometimes taken as a comparative: “[some of the] strongest.”
[3:21] 56 sn There is a great deal of uncertainty with regard to the specific nature of these items of clothing.
[3:21] 57 tn Aram “into the midst of the furnace.” For stylistic reasons the words “the midst of” have been left untranslated.
[3:22] 57 tn Aram “caused to go up.”
[3:22] 58 tn The Aramaic verb is active.
[3:22] 59 tn Aram “the flame of the fire” (so KJV, ASV, NASB); NRSV “the raging flames.”
[3:23] 58 tn Aram “into the midst of the furnace.” For stylistic reasons the words “the midst of” have been left untranslated.
[3:23] 59 sn The deuterocanonical writings known as The Prayer of Azariah and The Song of the Three present at this point a confession and petition for God’s forgiveness and a celebration of God’s grace for the three Jewish youths in the fiery furnace. Though not found in the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel, these compositions do appear in the ancient Greek versions.
[3:24] 59 tn Aram “we threw…bound.”
[3:24] 60 tn Aram “into the midst of.”
[3:25] 60 sn The phrase like that of a god is in Aramaic “like that of a son of the gods.” Many patristic writers understood this phrase in a christological sense (i.e., “the Son of God”). But it should be remembered that these are words spoken by a pagan who is seeking to explain things from his own polytheistic frame of reference; for him the phrase “like a son of the gods” is equivalent to “like a divine being.”
[3:26] 61 tn Aram “answered and said.”
[3:26] 62 tn Aram “from the midst of the fire.” For stylistic reasons the words “the midst of” have been left untranslated.
[3:27] 62 tn Aram “in their bodies.”
[3:27] 63 tn Aram “the fire did not have power.”
[3:28] 63 tn Aram “answered and said.”
[3:28] 64 sn The king identifies the “son of the gods” (v. 25) as an angel. Comparable Hebrew expressions are used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible for the members of God’s angelic assembly (see Gen 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Pss 29:1; 89:6). An angel later comes to rescue Daniel from the lions (Dan 6:22).
[3:28] 65 tn Aram “they changed” or “violated.”
[3:28] 66 tn Aram “so that they might not.”
[3:29] 64 tn Aram “from me is placed an edict.”
[3:29] 65 tn Aram “speaks negligence.”
[3:30] 65 tn Aram “and the king.” The proper name has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[7:1] 66 sn The first year of Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 553
[7:1] 68 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] 69 tn Aram “head of words.” The phrase is absent in Theodotion. Cf. NIV “the substance of his dream.”
[7:2] 67 tn Aram “answered and said.”
[7:2] 68 tn Aram “and behold.”
[7:2] 69 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[7:2] 70 sn The referent of the great sea is unclear. The common view that the expression refers to the Mediterranean Sea is conjectural.
[7:4] 68 tn Aram “heart of a man.”
[7:4] 69 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.
[7:5] 69 tn Aram “and behold.”
[7:5] 70 sn The three ribs held securely in the mouth of the bear, perhaps representing Media-Persia, apparently symbolize military conquest, but the exact identity of the “ribs” is not clear. Possibly it is a reference to the Persian conquest of Lydia, Egypt, and Babylonia.
[7:5] 71 tc The LXX lacks the phrase “between its teeth.”
[7:5] 72 tn Aram “and thus they were saying to it.”
[7:6] 70 tn Aram “this.” So also in v. 7.
[7:6] 71 tn Aram “and behold, another one.”
[7:6] 73 sn If the third animal is Greece, the most likely identification of these four heads is the four-fold division of the empire of Alexander the Great following his death. See note on Dan 8:8.
[7:7] 71 tn The Aramaic text has also “and behold.” So also in vv. 8, 13.
[7:7] 72 sn The fourth animal differs from the others in that it is nondescript. Apparently it was so fearsome that Daniel could find nothing with which to compare it. Attempts to identify this animal as an elephant or other known creature are conjectural.
[7:7] 73 tn The Aramaic word for “teeth” is dual rather than plural, suggesting two rows of teeth.
[7:8] 72 tn Aram “were uprooted from before it.”
[7:8] 73 tn Aram “great.” So also in vv. 11, 20.
[7:9] 73 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] 74 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] 75 tn Aram “a flaming fire.”
[7:10] 74 tn Aram “were standing before him.”
[7:10] 75 tn Aram “judgment sat.”
[7:11] 75 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] 76 tn Aram “and given over to” (so NRSV).
[7:12] 76 tn Aram “a prolonging of life was granted to them.”
[7:13] 77 tc The LXX has ἐπί (epi, “upon”) here (cf. Matt 24:30; 26:64). Theodotion has μετά (meta, “with”) here (cf. Mark 14:62; Rev 1:7).
[7:13] 78 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
[7:13] 79 sn This text is probably the main OT background for Jesus’ use of the term “son of man.” In both Jewish and Christian circles the reference in the book of Daniel has traditionally been understood to refer to an individual, usually in a messianic sense. Many modern scholars, however, understand the reference to have a corporate identity. In this view, the “son of man” is to be equated with the “holy ones” (vv. 18, 21, 22, 25) or the “people of the holy ones” (v. 27) and understood as a reference to the Jewish people. Others understand Daniel’s reference to be to the angel Michael.
[7:13] 80 tn Aram “they brought him near.”
[7:14] 78 tn Some take “serving” here in the sense of “worshiping.”
[7:14] 79 tn Aram “is an eternal authority which will not pass away.”
[7:14] 80 tn Aram “is one which will not be destroyed.”
[7:15] 79 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.”
[7:16] 80 tn Aram “what is certain.”
[7:16] 81 tn Aram “and made known.”
[7:16] 82 tn Aram “matter,” but the matter at hand is of course the vision.
[7:18] 81 sn The expression holy ones is either a reference to angels or to human beings devoted to God.
[7:19] 82 tn Aram “to make certain.”
[7:20] 83 tn The words “I also wanted to know” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[7:20] 84 tc The conjunction in the MT before “eyes” is odd. The ancient versions do not seem to presuppose it.
[7:20] 85 tn Aram “greater than its companions.”
[7:21] 84 tn Aram “prevailing against” (KJV and ASV both similar); NASB “overpowering them”; TEV “conquered them.”
[7:22] 85 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]).
[7:23] 86 tn Aram “thus he said.”
[7:24] 87 tn Or “subjugate”; KJV, NASB, NIV “subdue”; ASV, NRSV “put down.”
[7:25] 88 tn Aram “wear out” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NASB, NLT “wear down.” The word is a hapax legomenon in biblical Aramaic, but in biblical Hebrew it especially refers to wearing out such things as garments. Here it is translated “harass…continually.”
[7:25] 89 tn Aram “he will think.”
[7:25] 90 tn Aram “times and law.” The present translation is based on the understanding that the expression is a hendiadys.
[7:25] 91 sn Although the word times is vocalized in the MT as a plural, it probably should be regarded as a dual. The Masoretes may have been influenced here by the fact that in late Aramaic (and Syriac) the dual forms fall out of use. The meaning would thus be three and a half “times.”
[7:26] 89 tn Aram “judgment will sit” (KJV similar).
[7:27] 90 tn If the “holy ones” are angels, then this probably refers to the angels as protectors of God’s people. If the “holy ones” are God’s people, then this is an appositional construction, “the people who are the holy ones.” See 8:24 for the corresponding Hebrew phrase and the note there.
[7:28] 91 tn Aram “my brightness was changing on me.”
[7:28] 92 tn Aram “in my heart.”
[1:1] 92 sn The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim would be ca. 605
[1:1] 93 sn King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from ca. 605-562
[1:1] 94 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:1] 95 sn This attack culminated in the first of three major deportations of Jews to Babylon. The second one occurred in 597
[1:2] 93 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[1:2] 95 tn Heb “hand,” which is often used idiomatically for one’s power and authority. See BDB 390 s.v. יָד 2.
[1:2] 96 tn Or “utensils”; or “articles.”
[1:2] 97 tn Heb “house of God.”
[1:2] 98 sn The land of Babylonia (Heb “the land of Shinar”) is another name for Sumer and Akkad, where Babylon was located (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1, 9; Josh 7:21; Isa 11:11; Zech 5:11).
[1:2] 99 tn Or “gods” (NCV, NRSV, TEV; also later in this verse). The Hebrew term can be used as a numerical plural for many gods or as a plural of majesty for one particular god. Since Nebuchadnezzar was a polytheist, it is not clear if the reference here is to many gods or one particular deity. The plural of majesty, while normally used for Israel’s God, is occasionally used of foreign gods (cf. BDB 43 s.v. אֱלֹהִים 1, 2). See Judg 11:24 (of the Moabite god Chemosh); 1 Sam 5:7 (of the Philistine god Dagon); 1 Kgs 11:33 (of the Canaanite goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom); 2 Kgs 19:37 (of the Assyrian god Nisroch). Since gods normally had their own individual temples, Dan 1:2 probably refers to a particular deity, perhaps Marduk, the supreme god of Babylon, or Marduk’s son Nabu, after whom Nebuchadnezzar was named. The name Nebuchadnezzar means “Nabu has protected the son who will inherit” (HALOT 660 s.v. נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר). For a discussion of how temples functioned in Babylonian religion see H. Ringgren, Religions of the Ancient Near East, 77-81.
[1:2] 100 tn Heb “brought.” Though the Hebrew verb “brought” is repeated in this verse, the translation uses “brought…put” for stylistic variation.
[1:3] 94 tn Or “gave orders to.” Heb “said to.”
[1:3] 95 sn It is possible that the word Ashpenaz is not a proper name at all, but a general term for “innkeeper.” See J. J. Collins, Daniel (Hermeneia), 127, n. 9. However, the ancient versions understand the term to be a name, and the present translation (along with most English versions) understands the word in this way.
[1:3] 96 sn The word court official (Hebrew saris) need not mean “eunuch” in a technical sense (see Gen 37:36, where the term refers to Potiphar, who had a wife), although in the case of the book of Daniel there was in Jewish literature a common tradition to that effect. On the OT usage of this word see HALOT 769-70 s.v. סָרֹיס.
[1:3] 98 tn Heb “and from the seed of royalty and from the nobles.”
[1:4] 95 tn Heb “good of appearance.”
[1:4] 96 tn Heb “knowers of knowledge.”
[1:4] 97 tn Heb “understanders of knowledge.”
[1:4] 98 tn Heb “who had strength.”
[1:4] 99 tn Heb “to stand in the palace of the king.” Cf. vv. 5, 19.
[1:4] 100 sn The language of the Chaldeans referred to here is Akkadian, an East Semitic cuneiform language.
[1:4] 101 tn Heb “Chaldeans” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV). This is an ancient name for the Babylonians.
[1:5] 96 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[1:5] 97 tn Heb “from the delicacies of the king.”
[1:5] 98 tn Or “educated.” See HALOT 179 s.v. I גדל.
[1:5] 99 tn Heb “stand before the king.”
[1:6] 97 tn Heb “and it happened that.”
[1:6] 98 tn Heb “among them”; the referent (the young men taken captive from Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:6] 99 tn Heb “the sons of Judah.”
[1:6] 100 sn The names reflect a Jewish heritage. In Hebrew Daniel means “God is my judge”; Hananiah means “the Lord is gracious”; Mishael means “who is what God is?”; Azariah means “the Lord has helped.”
[1:7] 98 tc The LXX and Vulgate lack the verb here.
[1:7] 99 sn The meanings of the Babylonian names are more conjectural than is the case with the Hebrew names. The probable etymologies are as follows: Belteshazzar means “protect his life,” although the MT vocalization may suggest “Belti, protect the king” (cf. Dan 4:8); Shadrach perhaps means “command of Aku”; Meshach is of uncertain meaning; Abednego means “servant of Nego.” Assigning Babylonian names to the Hebrew youths may have been an attempt to erase from their memory their Israelite heritage.
[1:8] 99 tn Heb “placed on his heart.”
[1:8] 100 tn Or “would not make himself ceremonially unclean”; TEV “become ritually unclean.”
[1:8] 101 tn Heb “with the delicacies of the king and with the wine of his drinking.”
[1:9] 100 tn Heb “Then God granted Daniel loyal love and compassion before the overseer of the court officials.” The expression “loyal love and compassion” is a hendiadys; the two words combine to express one idea.
[1:10] 101 tn Heb “The overseer of the court officials.” The subject has been specified in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:10] 102 tn Heb “assigned.” See v. 5.
[1:10] 103 tn Heb “Why should he see your faces thin from the young men who are according to your age?” The term translated “thin” occurs only here and in Gen 40:6, where it appears to refer to a dejected facial expression. The word is related to an Arabic root meaning “be weak.” See HALOT 277 s.v. II זעף.
[1:10] 104 tn The words “if that happened” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[1:10] 105 tn Heb “my head.” Presumably this is an implicit reference to capital punishment (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), although this is not entirely clear.
[1:11] 102 sn Having failed to convince the overseer, Daniel sought the favor of the warden whom the overseer had appointed to care for the young men.
[1:13] 103 tn Heb “let our appearance be seen before you.”
[1:13] 104 tn Heb “the appearance of.”
[1:13] 105 tn Heb “delicacies of the king.” So also in v. 15.
[1:13] 106 tn Heb “your servants.”
[1:14] 104 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the warden mentioned in v. 11) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 105 tn Heb “listened to them with regard to this matter.”
[1:14] 106 sn The number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number of completeness. Cf. v. 20; Zech 8:23; Rev 2:10.
[1:15] 105 tn Heb “fat of flesh”; KJV, ASV “fatter in flesh”; NASB, NRSV “fatter” (although this is no longer a sign of health in Western culture).
[1:16] 106 tn Heb “the wine of their drinking.”
[1:16] 107 tn The words “from their diet” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 107 tn Heb “at the end of the days which the king said to bring them.”
[1:19] 108 tn Heb “from all of them.”
[1:19] 109 tn Heb “stood before the king.”
[1:20] 109 tc The MT lacks the conjunction, reading the first word in the phrase as a construct (“wisdom of insight”). While this reading is not impossible, it seems better to follow Theodotion, the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Sahidic Coptic, all of which have the conjunction.
[1:21] 110 sn The Persian king Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon was 539
[1:1] 111 sn The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim would be ca. 605
[1:1] 112 sn King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from ca. 605-562
[1:1] 113 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:1] 114 sn This attack culminated in the first of three major deportations of Jews to Babylon. The second one occurred in 597
[1:2] 112 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[1:2] 114 tn Heb “hand,” which is often used idiomatically for one’s power and authority. See BDB 390 s.v. יָד 2.
[1:2] 115 tn Or “utensils”; or “articles.”
[1:2] 116 tn Heb “house of God.”
[1:2] 117 sn The land of Babylonia (Heb “the land of Shinar”) is another name for Sumer and Akkad, where Babylon was located (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1, 9; Josh 7:21; Isa 11:11; Zech 5:11).
[1:2] 118 tn Or “gods” (NCV, NRSV, TEV; also later in this verse). The Hebrew term can be used as a numerical plural for many gods or as a plural of majesty for one particular god. Since Nebuchadnezzar was a polytheist, it is not clear if the reference here is to many gods or one particular deity. The plural of majesty, while normally used for Israel’s God, is occasionally used of foreign gods (cf. BDB 43 s.v. אֱלֹהִים 1, 2). See Judg 11:24 (of the Moabite god Chemosh); 1 Sam 5:7 (of the Philistine god Dagon); 1 Kgs 11:33 (of the Canaanite goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom); 2 Kgs 19:37 (of the Assyrian god Nisroch). Since gods normally had their own individual temples, Dan 1:2 probably refers to a particular deity, perhaps Marduk, the supreme god of Babylon, or Marduk’s son Nabu, after whom Nebuchadnezzar was named. The name Nebuchadnezzar means “Nabu has protected the son who will inherit” (HALOT 660 s.v. נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר). For a discussion of how temples functioned in Babylonian religion see H. Ringgren, Religions of the Ancient Near East, 77-81.
[1:2] 119 tn Heb “brought.” Though the Hebrew verb “brought” is repeated in this verse, the translation uses “brought…put” for stylistic variation.
[1:3] 113 tn Or “gave orders to.” Heb “said to.”
[1:3] 114 sn It is possible that the word Ashpenaz is not a proper name at all, but a general term for “innkeeper.” See J. J. Collins, Daniel (Hermeneia), 127, n. 9. However, the ancient versions understand the term to be a name, and the present translation (along with most English versions) understands the word in this way.
[1:3] 115 sn The word court official (Hebrew saris) need not mean “eunuch” in a technical sense (see Gen 37:36, where the term refers to Potiphar, who had a wife), although in the case of the book of Daniel there was in Jewish literature a common tradition to that effect. On the OT usage of this word see HALOT 769-70 s.v. סָרֹיס.
[1:3] 117 tn Heb “and from the seed of royalty and from the nobles.”
[1:4] 114 tn Heb “good of appearance.”
[1:4] 115 tn Heb “knowers of knowledge.”
[1:4] 116 tn Heb “understanders of knowledge.”
[1:4] 117 tn Heb “who had strength.”
[1:4] 118 tn Heb “to stand in the palace of the king.” Cf. vv. 5, 19.
[1:4] 119 sn The language of the Chaldeans referred to here is Akkadian, an East Semitic cuneiform language.
[1:4] 120 tn Heb “Chaldeans” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV). This is an ancient name for the Babylonians.
[1:5] 115 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[1:5] 116 tn Heb “from the delicacies of the king.”
[1:5] 117 tn Or “educated.” See HALOT 179 s.v. I גדל.
[1:5] 118 tn Heb “stand before the king.”
[1:6] 116 tn Heb “and it happened that.”
[1:6] 117 tn Heb “among them”; the referent (the young men taken captive from Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:6] 118 tn Heb “the sons of Judah.”
[1:6] 119 sn The names reflect a Jewish heritage. In Hebrew Daniel means “God is my judge”; Hananiah means “the Lord is gracious”; Mishael means “who is what God is?”; Azariah means “the Lord has helped.”
[1:7] 117 tc The LXX and Vulgate lack the verb here.
[1:7] 118 sn The meanings of the Babylonian names are more conjectural than is the case with the Hebrew names. The probable etymologies are as follows: Belteshazzar means “protect his life,” although the MT vocalization may suggest “Belti, protect the king” (cf. Dan 4:8); Shadrach perhaps means “command of Aku”; Meshach is of uncertain meaning; Abednego means “servant of Nego.” Assigning Babylonian names to the Hebrew youths may have been an attempt to erase from their memory their Israelite heritage.
[1:8] 118 tn Heb “placed on his heart.”
[1:8] 119 tn Or “would not make himself ceremonially unclean”; TEV “become ritually unclean.”
[1:8] 120 tn Heb “with the delicacies of the king and with the wine of his drinking.”
[1:9] 119 tn Heb “Then God granted Daniel loyal love and compassion before the overseer of the court officials.” The expression “loyal love and compassion” is a hendiadys; the two words combine to express one idea.
[1:10] 120 tn Heb “The overseer of the court officials.” The subject has been specified in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:10] 121 tn Heb “assigned.” See v. 5.
[1:10] 122 tn Heb “Why should he see your faces thin from the young men who are according to your age?” The term translated “thin” occurs only here and in Gen 40:6, where it appears to refer to a dejected facial expression. The word is related to an Arabic root meaning “be weak.” See HALOT 277 s.v. II זעף.
[1:10] 123 tn The words “if that happened” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[1:10] 124 tn Heb “my head.” Presumably this is an implicit reference to capital punishment (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), although this is not entirely clear.
[1:11] 121 sn Having failed to convince the overseer, Daniel sought the favor of the warden whom the overseer had appointed to care for the young men.
[1:13] 122 tn Heb “let our appearance be seen before you.”
[1:13] 123 tn Heb “the appearance of.”
[1:13] 124 tn Heb “delicacies of the king.” So also in v. 15.
[1:13] 125 tn Heb “your servants.”
[1:14] 123 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the warden mentioned in v. 11) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 124 tn Heb “listened to them with regard to this matter.”
[1:14] 125 sn The number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number of completeness. Cf. v. 20; Zech 8:23; Rev 2:10.
[1:15] 124 tn Heb “fat of flesh”; KJV, ASV “fatter in flesh”; NASB, NRSV “fatter” (although this is no longer a sign of health in Western culture).
[1:16] 125 tn Heb “the wine of their drinking.”
[1:16] 126 tn The words “from their diet” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 126 tn Heb “at the end of the days which the king said to bring them.”
[1:19] 127 tn Heb “from all of them.”
[1:19] 128 tn Heb “stood before the king.”
[1:20] 128 tc The MT lacks the conjunction, reading the first word in the phrase as a construct (“wisdom of insight”). While this reading is not impossible, it seems better to follow Theodotion, the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Sahidic Coptic, all of which have the conjunction.
[1:21] 129 sn The Persian king Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon was 539
