Who was the prophet Daniel?
BREAKDOWN
The prophet Daniel was a prominent figure in the Old Testament, a young Judean nobleman taken captive to Babylon during the first siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar around 605 BCE. Along with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (who were later given the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), Daniel was chosen for royal service due to his intelligence, handsome appearance, and noble lineage, as recorded in Daniel 1:3-6. Despite being immersed in the pagan culture and education of Babylon, Daniel resolved early in his life not to defile himself with the king's rich food and wine (Daniel 1:8), demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the Mosaic Law and the God of Israel. This faithfulness earned him divine favor and exceptional wisdom, enabling him to interpret dreams and visions, a gift that would elevate him to high positions under both the Babylonian and Persian empires. Daniel's narrative unfolds as he serves various monarchs, including Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius the Mede, and Cyrus the Great. His ability to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's forgotten dream (Daniel 2) and Belshazzar's enigmatic writing on the wall (Daniel 5) revealed God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms and earned him great honor. Perhaps his most famous act of faithfulness was his miraculous deliverance from the lions' den under Darius, due to his consistent prayer life despite a royal decree forbidding it (Daniel 6). Beyond his personal story, Daniel was also a recipient of profound prophetic visions concerning the rise and fall of empires, the coming of the Messiah, and the ultimate consummation of history in God's eternal kingdom (Daniel 7-12). His character is celebrated even by the prophet Ezekiel, who mentions Daniel alongside Noah and Job as a paradigm of righteousness (Ezekiel 14:14). The Book of Daniel is a testament to divine sovereignty, human faithfulness, and the certainty of God's prophetic word, offering both historical narrative and apocalyptic prophecy.
KEY TERMS
Judean nobleman
A person of high social standing from the kingdom of Judah.
Nebuchadnezzar
The powerful king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire who conquered Judah and initiated the Babylonian Exile.
Babylonian Exile
The period in Jewish history when many Jews were forcibly removed from Judah and held captive in Babylon.
Persian empires
The Achaemenid Persian Empire, which succeeded the Neo-Babylonian Empire and under which Daniel also served.
Messiah
The 'Anointed One,' a central figure in Jewish and Christian theology, prophesied in Daniel to bring an everlasting kingdom.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Daniel 1:3-6
The king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, and of the royal family, and of the nobles; youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and smart in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years, that at its end they might stand before the king. Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Daniel 1:8
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Daniel 2
In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. The king said to them, 'I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.' Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, 'O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.' The king answered the Chaldeans, 'The thing is gone from me. If you don't make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.' They answered the second time and said, 'Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.' The king answered, 'I know of a certainty that you would gain time, because you see the thing is gone from me. But if you don't make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.' The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, 'There is not a man on earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler has asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or Chaldean. It is a rare thing that the king asks, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.' For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain. Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and discretion to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He answered Arioch the king's captain, 'Why is the decree so urgent from the king?' Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered, 'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. I thank you, and praise you, God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king's matter.' Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: 'Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.' Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him, 'I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.' The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, 'Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?' Daniel answered before the king, and said, 'The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the enchanters, the magicians, and the soothsayers, cannot show to the king; but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these: As for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what shall happen. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was surpassing, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying. As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron, and partly of clay. You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory. Wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky, he has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold. After you, another kingdom will arise inferior to you; and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that breaks all these, it will break in pieces and crush. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay, and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. As the toes of the feet were partly of iron, and partly of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken. Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron doesn't mingle with clay. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.' Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him. The king answered Daniel, and said, 'Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.' Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the gate of the king.
Daniel 5
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came out the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's face was changed, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, 'Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.' Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed. Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house. The queen spoke and said, 'O king, live forever! Don't let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him. The King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, the king, I say, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.' Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, 'Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing, and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.' Then Daniel answered before the king, 'Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O you king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he wanted, he killed; and whom he wanted, he kept alive; and whom he wanted, he raised up; and whom he wanted, he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals', and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will. And you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which don't see, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified. Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed. This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end. TEKEL: You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. PERES: Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.' Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Daniel 6
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who would be throughout the whole kingdom; and over these three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give accounts to them, and that the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, 'We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.' Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, 'King Darius, live forever! All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.' Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the interdict. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he knelt on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict: 'Haven't you signed an interdict, that every man who asks a petition of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?' The king answered, 'The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.' Then they answered and said before the king, 'That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't respect you, O king, nor the interdict that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.' Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. Then these men assembled to the king, and said to the king, 'Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.' Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, 'Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.' A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. When he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel. The king spoke and said to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?' Then Daniel said to the king, 'O king, live forever! My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no hurt.' Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: 'Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion will be even to the end. He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.' So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 7-12
The Book of Daniel chapters 7-12 contain complex apocalyptic visions concerning four great beasts representing successive world empires, the Son of Man, the Ancient of Days, and detailed prophecies regarding the seventy 'sevens' culminating in the coming of the Messiah and the end times, along with intense spiritual warfare and resurrection.
Ezekiel 14:14
though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord Yahweh.
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
דָּנִיֵּאל
Daniel
DefinitionGod is my judge
חָכְמָה
Wisdom
DefinitionSkill, wisdom, prudence
חֲזוֹן
Visions
DefinitionVision, divine communication, oracle
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The historical context of Daniel's life is rooted in the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626-539 BCE), particularly during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BCE), who initiated the Babylonian Exile by conquering Judah and deporting its elite. Jerusalem was besieged multiple times, with the temple eventually destroyed in 586 BCE. This period marked a profound shift for the Jewish people, moving from a land-based worship to maintaining their identity and faith in a foreign land. Babylon was a grand imperial capital, renowned for its ziggurats, the Ishtar Gate, and vast palaces, representing the pinnacle of ancient Mesopotamian civilization and polytheistic worship. Daniel's ministry also extended into the subsequent Achaemenid Persian Empire (539-331 BCE) following Babylon's fall to Cyrus the Great. This transition from Babylonian to Persian rule is a key element in Daniel's prophecies and personal experiences. The cultural clash between the monotheistic Yahwism of the exiled Jews and the polytheistic practices of Babylon and Persia, including astrological divination and idol worship, formed the backdrop for Daniel's unwavering faithfulness and divine interventions. Archaeological findings, such as the Babylonian Chronicles and cuneiform tablets, corroborate the historical details of Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns and the fall of Babylon, providing a tangible link to the world Daniel inhabited.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
Daniel's life and the prophecies in his book offer profound theological insights into God's sovereignty over history and nations. He demonstrates that God is actively involved in human affairs, raising up and casting down rulers according to His divine plan, as seen in the succession of empires revealed to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) and Daniel himself (Daniel 7). His unwavering faithfulness in a hostile environment highlights the theme of steadfast obedience to God regardless of personal cost, providing a model for believers in all ages. The book also underscores the certainty of God's prophetic word, particularly concerning the advent of the Messiah, the 'Anointed One,' whose kingdom will be eternal (Daniel 9:24-27). Daniel's apocalyptic visions reveal the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over all earthly powers, culminating in the resurrection of the dead and eternal life for the righteous.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Jewish)
Rashi emphasizes Daniel's exceptional righteousness and wisdom even as a youth, highlighting his adherence to the dietary laws and his refusal to defile himself, which allowed him to receive divine understanding. He notes that Daniel's interpretation of dreams was a manifestation of divine favor, setting him apart from the Chaldean magicians.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Matthew Henry stresses Daniel's exemplary character as a young man, attributing his wisdom and success to his unyielding commitment to God amidst the temptations of the Babylonian court. He views Daniel's life as a powerful example of how God honors those who honor Him, providing divine protection and elevation in times of severe testing, such as the lions' den.
John Calvin (Christian)
Calvin highlights the prophetic nature of Daniel's book, particularly its visions concerning the succession of world empires and the ultimate establishment of Christ's kingdom. He sees Daniel as a witness to God's immutable decrees, asserting that God governs the course of history and uses even pagan kings to fulfill His purposes, ultimately leading to the glorification of His Son.
Midrash Rabbah (Lamentations) (Jewish)
The Midrash often praises Daniel as one of the great righteous men who sanctified God's name, seeing his wisdom as superior to that of the entire Babylonian court. It draws parallels between Daniel's resilience in exile and the enduring hope of Israel.