Daniel 2:14

2:14 Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel ¹  to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 3:3

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. ² 

Daniel 7:1

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

7:1 In the first ³  year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had ⁴  a dream filled with visions ⁵  while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion. ⁶ 

Daniel 8:23

8:23 Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts ⁷  are complete, a rash ⁸  and deceitful ⁹  king will arise. ¹⁰ 

Daniel 9:3

9:3 So I turned my attention ¹¹  to the Lord God ¹²  to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ¹³ 

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

[3:3]  ² tc The LXX and Theodotion lack the words “that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.”

[7:1]  ³ sn The first year of Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 553 B.C. Daniel would have been approximately 67 years old at the time of this vision.

[7:1]  ⁴ tn Aram “saw.”

[7:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Aram “head of words.” The phrase is absent in Theodotion. Cf. NIV “the substance of his dream.”

[8:23]  ⁷ tc The present translation reads הַפְּשָׁעִים (happÿsha’im, “rebellious acts”) for the MT הַפֹּשְׁעִים (happoshÿ’im, “rebels”). While the MT is understandable (cf. NIV, “when rebels have become completely wicked”), the filling up of transgressions is a familiar OT expression (cf. Gen 15:16) and fits this context well. Cf. the LXX, Theodotion, the Vulgate, and the Syriac.

[8:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “strong of face.”

[8:23]  ⁹ tn Heb “understanding riddles.” Possible meanings include “double-dealing” (BDB 295 s.v. חִידָה; cf. TEV, CEV) and “with a good knowledge of intrigue” (HALOT 309 s.v. חִידָה; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[8:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “stand” or “stand up.”

[9:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “face.”

[9:3]  ¹² tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).

[9:3]  ¹³ sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.