Daniel 1:2

1:2 Now the Lord ¹  delivered ²  King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, ³  along with some of the vessels ⁴  of the temple of God. ⁵  He brought them to the land of Babylonia ⁶  to the temple of his god ⁷  and put ⁸  the vessels in the treasury of his god.

Daniel 1:18

1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, ⁹  the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.

Daniel 5:13

5:13 So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?

Daniel 4:6

4:6 So I issued an order ¹⁰  for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought ¹¹  before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel 5:3

5:3 So they brought the gold and silver ¹²  vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God ¹³  in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them.

Daniel 5:2

5:2 While under the influence ¹⁴  of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father ¹⁵  had confiscated ¹⁶  from the temple in Jerusalem ¹⁷  – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. ¹⁸ 

Daniel 6:17

6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening ¹⁹  to the den. The king sealed ²⁰  it with his signet ring and with those ²¹  of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel.

Daniel 6:24

6:24 The king gave another order, ²²  and those men who had maliciously accused ²³  Daniel were brought and thrown ²⁴  into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. ²⁵  They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Daniel 5:23

5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods ²⁶  that cannot see or hear or comprehend! But you have not glorified the God who has in his control ²⁷  your very breath and all your ways!

Daniel 3:13

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage ²⁸  demanded that they bring ²⁹  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them ³⁰  before the king.

Daniel 2:25

2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I ³¹  have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.”

Daniel 2:24

2:24 Then Daniel went in to see ³²  Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came ³³  and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me ³⁴  to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” ³⁵ 

Daniel 1:3

1:3 The king commanded ³⁶  Ashpenaz, ³⁷  who was in charge of his court officials, ³⁸  to choose ³⁹  some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent ⁴⁰  –

Daniel 5:15

5:15 Now the wise men and ⁴¹  astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message.

Daniel 11:8

11:8 He will also take their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their cast images and prized utensils of silver and gold. Then he will withdraw for some years from ⁴²  the king of the north.

Daniel 11:28

11:28 Then the king of the north ⁴³  will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land.

Daniel 11:38

11:38 What he will honor is a god of fortresses – a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities.

Daniel 6:16

6:16 So the king gave the order, ⁴⁴  and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den ⁴⁵  of lions. The king consoled ⁴⁶  Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!”

Daniel 9:15

9:15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power ⁴⁷  and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly.

Daniel 1:16

1:16 So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine ⁴⁸  from their diet ⁴⁹  and gave them a diet of vegetables instead.

Daniel 2:46

2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground ⁵⁰  and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.

Daniel 5:22

5:22 “But you, his son ⁵¹  Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, ⁵²  although you knew all this.

Daniel 11:29

11:29 At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did.

Daniel 1:1

Daniel Finds Favor in Babylon

1:1 In the third ⁵³  year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar ⁵⁴  of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem ⁵⁵  and laid it under siege. ⁵⁶ 

Daniel 6:18

6:18 Then the king departed to his palace. But he spent the night without eating, and no diversions ⁵⁷  were brought to him. He was unable to sleep. ⁵⁸ 

Daniel 7:13

7:13 I was watching in the night visions,

“And with ⁵⁹  the clouds of the sky ⁶⁰ 

one like a son of man ⁶¹  was approaching.

He went up to the Ancient of Days

and was escorted ⁶²  before him.

Daniel 9:3

9:3 So I turned my attention ⁶³  to the Lord God ⁶⁴  to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ⁶⁵ 

Daniel 12:3

12:3 But the wise will shine

like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.

And those bringing many to righteousness

will be like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 5:7

5:7 The king called out loudly ⁶⁶  to summon ⁶⁷  the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed ⁶⁸  to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple ⁶⁹  and have a golden collar ⁷⁰  placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 7:5

7:5 “Then ⁷¹  a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs ⁷²  in its mouth between its teeth. ⁷³  It was told, ⁷⁴  ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’

Daniel 11:25

11:25 He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm ⁷⁵  against the king of the south ⁷⁶  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 12:13

12:13 But you should go your way ⁷⁷  until the end. ⁷⁸  You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive ⁷⁹  what you have been allotted.” ⁸⁰ 

Daniel 9:26

9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks,

an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. ⁸¹ 

As for the city and the sanctuary,

the people of the coming prince will destroy ⁸²  them.

But his end will come speedily ⁸³  like a flood. ⁸⁴ 

Until the end of the war that has been decreed

there will be destruction.

Daniel 3:23

3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace ⁸⁵  of blazing fire while still securely bound. ⁸⁶ 

[1:2]  ¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[1:2]  ² tn Heb “gave.”

[1:2]  ³ tn Heb “hand,” which is often used idiomatically for one’s power and authority. See BDB 390 s.v. יָד 2.

[1:2]  ⁴ tn Or “utensils”; or “articles.”

[1:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “house of God.”

[1:2]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Heb “brought.” Though the Hebrew verb “brought” is repeated in this verse, the translation uses “brought…put” for stylistic variation.

[1:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “at the end of the days which the king said to bring them.”

[4:6]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”

[4:6]  ¹¹ tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.

[5:3]  ¹² tc The present translation reads וְכַסְפָּא (vÿkhaspa’, “and the silver”) with Theodotion and the Vulgate. Cf. v. 2. The form was probably accidentally dropped from the Aramaic text by homoioteleuton.

[5:3]  ¹³ tn Aram “the temple of the house of God.” The phrase seems rather awkward. The Vulgate lacks “of the house of God,” while Theodotion and the Syriac lack “the house.”

[5:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).

[5:2]  ¹⁵ tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships.

[5:2]  ¹⁶ tn Or “taken.”

[5:2]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:2]  ¹⁸ sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.

[6:17]  ¹⁹ tn Aram “mouth.”

[6:17]  ²⁰ sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.

[6:17]  ²¹ tn Aram “the signet rings.”

[6:24]  ²² tn Aram “said.”

[6:24]  ²³ 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]  ²⁴ tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.

[6:24]  ²⁵ tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.

[5:23]  ²⁶ tn Aram “which.”

[5:23]  ²⁷ tn Aram “in whose hand [are].”

[3:13]  ²⁸ tn Aram “in anger and wrath”; NASB “in rage and anger.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[3:13]  ²⁹ tn The Aramaic infinitive is active.

[3:13]  ³⁰ tn Aram “these men.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid undue repetition.

[2:25]  ³¹ 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.

[2:24]  ³² tc The MT has עַל עַל (’al ’al, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew MSS lack the verb, although this may be due to haplography.

[2:24]  ³³ tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew MS, lack this verb.

[2:24]  ³⁴ tn Aram “cause me to enter.” So also in v. 25.

[2:24]  ³⁵ tn Aram “the king.”

[1:3]  ³⁶ tn Or “gave orders to.” Heb “said to.”

[1:3]  ³⁷ 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]  ³⁸ 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]  ³⁹ tn Heb “bring.”

[1:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and from the seed of royalty and from the nobles.”

[5:15]  ⁴¹ tn The Aramaic text does not have “and.” The term “astrologers” is either an appositive for “wise men” (cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV), or the construction is to be understood as asyndetic (so the translation above).

[11:8]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew preposition מִן (min) is used here with the verb עָמַד (’amad, “to stand”). It probably has a sense of separation (“stand away from”), although it may also be understood in an adversative sense (“stand against”).

[11:28]  ⁴³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of the north) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:16]  ⁴⁴ tn Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.

[6:16]  ⁴⁵ sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.

[6:16]  ⁴⁶ tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”

[9:15]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “with a powerful hand.”

[1:16]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the wine of their drinking.”

[1:16]  ⁴⁹ tn The words “from their diet” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[2:46]  ⁵⁰ tn Aram “fell on his face.”

[5:22]  ⁵¹ tn Or “descendant”; or “successor.”

[5:22]  ⁵² tn Aram “your heart.”

[1:1]  ⁵³ sn The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim would be ca. 605 B.C. At this time Daniel would have been a teenager. The reference to Jehoiakim’s third year poses a serious crux interpretum, since elsewhere these events are linked to his fourth year (Jer 25:1; cf. 2 Kgs 24:1; 2 Chr 36:5-8). Apparently Daniel is following an accession year chronology, whereby the first partial year of a king’s reign was reckoned as the accession year rather than as the first year of his reign. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is following a nonaccession year chronology, whereby the accession year is reckoned as the first year of the king’s reign. In that case, the conflict is only superficial. Most modern scholars, however, have concluded that Daniel is historically inaccurate here.

[1:1]  ⁵⁴ sn King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from ca. 605-562 B.C.

[1:1]  ⁵⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:1]  ⁵⁶ sn This attack culminated in the first of three major deportations of Jews to Babylon. The second one occurred in 597 B.C. and included among many other Jewish captives the prophet Ezekiel. The third deportation occurred in 586 B.C., at which time the temple and the city of Jerusalem were thoroughly destroyed.

[6:18]  ⁵⁷ 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]  ⁵⁸ tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”

[7:13]  ⁵⁹ 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]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[7:13]  ⁶¹ 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]  ⁶² tn Aram “they brought him near.”

[9:3]  ⁶³ tn Heb “face.”

[9:3]  ⁶⁴ tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).

[9:3]  ⁶⁵ sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.

[5:7]  ⁶⁶ tn Aram “in strength.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁷ tn Aram “cause to enter.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁸ tn Aram “answered and said.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁹ sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.

[5:7]  ⁷⁰ tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).

[7:5]  ⁷¹ tn Aram “and behold.”

[7:5]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ tc The LXX lacks the phrase “between its teeth.”

[7:5]  ⁷⁴ tn Aram “and thus they were saying to it.”

[11:25]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “heart.”

[11:25]  ⁷⁶ sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145 B.C.).

[12:13]  ⁷⁷ tn The words “your way” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[12:13]  ⁷⁸ tc The LXX lacks “until the end.”

[12:13]  ⁷⁹ tn The word “receive” is added in the translation for clarification.

[12:13]  ⁸⁰ sn The deuterocanonical writings known as the Story of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon appear respectively as chapters 13 and 14 of the book of Daniel in the Greek version of this book. Although these writings are not part of the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel, they were popular among certain early communities who valued traditions about the life of Daniel.

[9:26]  ⁸¹ sn The expression have nothing is difficult. Presumably it refers to an absence of support or assistance for the anointed one at the time of his “cutting off.” The KJV rendering “but not for himself,” apparently suggesting a vicarious death, cannot be defended.

[9:26]  ⁸² tc Some witnesses (e.g., the Syriac) understand a passive verb and the preposition עִם (’im, “with) rather than the noun עַם (’am, “people”), thus reading “the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed with the coming prince.”

[9:26]  ⁸³ tn The words “will come speedily” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[9:26]  ⁸⁴ sn Flood here is a metaphor for sudden destruction.

[3:23]  ⁸⁵ tn Aram “into the midst of the furnace.” For stylistic reasons the words “the midst of” have been left untranslated.

[3:23]  ⁸⁶ 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.