Daniel (Daniel 1:1–21; Daniel 2:17–23; Daniel 2:46–49; Daniel 4:8–27; Daniel 5:13–31; Daniel 6:3–5; Daniel 6:10; Daniel 6:16–28; Daniel 7:13–18; Daniel 8:15–27; Daniel 9:1–23; Daniel 10:10–19; Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9–13; Matthew 24:15)

Man Greatly Beloved, Prophet in Babylon

A youth of Judah, named Belteshazzar in Babylon, who purposed not to defile himself with the king's dainties, made known the king's dream, read the writing on the wall, was cast into the den of lions, and received visions, prayed for Jerusalem, and was told to go his way till the end.

The book of Daniel introduces him among the youths brought to the king of Babylon: “Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah” (Daniel 1:6). The prince of the eunuchs gave him the name Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:7). “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s dainties” (Daniel 1:8), and “Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:17). The text says he “continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus” (Daniel 1:21).

Under Nebuchadnezzar he makes known the king's dream and its interpretation, saying that “there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets” (Daniel 2:28), and is made ruler over the province of Babylon (Daniel 2:48). He declares the meaning of the king's tree dream (Daniel 4:19-27) and reads the writing on the wall for Belshazzar, who clothes him with purple (Daniel 5:29). Under Darius the presidents and satraps could find no fault in him “except we find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5); he prayed as before, was cast into the den of lions, and “no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23).

The later chapters are told largely in his own voice: Daniel sees visions, is troubled and sick, prays and confesses with fasting (Daniel 9:3-5), and is three times called “greatly beloved” (Daniel 9:23). The book ends with the word to him, “Go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13). Scripture does not record his birth, his parents, or his death. Jesus speaks of the abomination of desolation “spoken of through Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15).

Strengths

• Purposed in his heart
• Counsel and prudence
• An excellent spirit
• Faithful
• Prayed as he did aforetime
• Trusted in his God
• Greatly beloved

Themes

• Faithfulness in exile
• God who reveals secrets
• Prayer
• Kings humbled
• Visions and understanding
• Deliverance

Purposes not to defile himself (Daniel 1:3–21)

Chosen with three companions for the king's palace, Daniel purposes in his heart not to eat the king's dainties, asks for pulse and water for ten days, and the four are found fairer than all the youths that ate the dainties.

Purposes not to defile himself

Among the youths of Judah brought for the king's palace were “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah” (Daniel 1:6), to whom the prince of the eunuchs gave other names; to Daniel, “Belteshazzar” (Daniel 1:7). “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. Now God made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs” (Daniel 1:8-9).

Daniel said to the steward, “Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12). “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths that did eat of the king’s dainties” (Daniel 1:15).

“Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:17). The king found them “ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus” (Daniel 1:20-21).

Makes known the king's dream (Daniel 2:12–49)

When the wise men cannot tell Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the decree goes out to slay them, Daniel and his companions seek mercies of the God of heaven, the secret is revealed to Daniel, and the king makes him great.

Makes known the king's dream

When the king “commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2:12), “they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain” (Daniel 2:13). “Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch” (Daniel 2:14), asked the king for a time, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret” (Daniel 2:18).

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his” (Daniel 2:19-20). Before the king he said, “there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and he hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days” (Daniel 2:28), and, “this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living” (Daniel 2:30).

“Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel” (Daniel 2:46), and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets” (Daniel 2:47). “Then the king made Daniel great” (Daniel 2:48); at his request Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were set over the affairs of the province, “but Daniel was in the gate of the king” (Daniel 2:49).

Interprets the king's tree dream (Daniel 4:4–27)

Nebuchadnezzar tells that Daniel, called Belteshazzar, came in after the magicians failed; Daniel is stricken dumb for a while, then says the tree is the king and counsels him to break off his sins.

Reads the writing on the wall (Daniel 5:1–31)

At Belshazzar's feast a hand writes on the wall; the wise men cannot read it, and Daniel, called in on the queen's word, refuses the gifts, rebukes the king, reads the writing, and is made third ruler.

Reads the writing on the wall

While Belshazzar and his lords drank from the vessels of the temple, “came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace” (Daniel 5:5). The wise men “could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation” (Daniel 5:8). The queen said, “There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods” (Daniel 5:11), and “Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation” (Daniel 5:12).

“Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation” (Daniel 5:17). He told the king of Nebuchadnezzar, whose spirit was hardened and who was driven from the sons of men until “he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 5:21), and said, “thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven” (Daniel 5:22-23).

“MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end; TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:26-28). “Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck” (Daniel 5:29). “In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom” (Daniel 5:30-31).

Cast into the den of lions (Daniel 6:1–28)

The presidents and satraps, finding no fault in Daniel except in the law of his God, obtain an interdict; Daniel prays three times a day as before, is cast into the den, and is taken up unhurt.

Cast into the den of lions

“Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him” (Daniel 6:3). They sought occasion against him, “but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful” (Daniel 6:4), and said, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5).

When the interdict was signed, “Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem); and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10). The king said to him as he was cast in, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Daniel 6:16).

At the morning Daniel said, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me” (Daniel 6:22). “So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23). Darius decreed that “men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever” (Daniel 6:26); “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Daniel 6:28).

Sees the four beasts and one like a son of man (Daniel 7:1–2; Daniel 7:13–18; Daniel 7:28)

In the first year of Belshazzar Daniel has a dream, sees the vision of the night, is grieved and troubled, and asks one who stood by for the truth of it.

Sees the ram and the he-goat; Gabriel comes (Daniel 8:1–5; Daniel 8:15–19; Daniel 8:27)

After a vision by the river Ulai, Daniel seeks to understand; Gabriel is told to make him understand, and Daniel falls on his face, is touched and set upright, then faints and is sick certain days before doing the king's business.

Prays and confesses for Jerusalem (Daniel 9:1–23)

Having understood from the books the seventy years of Jeremiah, Daniel sets his face to seek the Lord with fasting and sackcloth, confesses the sin of his people, and Gabriel comes to him as he prays.

Prays and confesses for Jerusalem

“In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:2-3).

“And I prayed unto Jehovah my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled” (Daniel 9:4-5). He asked, “we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies’ sake” (Daniel 9:18), and “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do” (Daniel 9:19).

“While I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he instructed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee wisdom and understanding” (Daniel 9:21-22). “ … for thou art greatly beloved: therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:23).

Mourns, and sees the man in linen by the great river (Daniel 10:1–19)

In the third year of Cyrus Daniel mourns three whole weeks; by the river Hiddekel he alone sees a man clothed in linen and is left without strength; he is touched, called a man greatly beloved, told his words were heard, and strengthened.

Told to shut up the words and go his way (Daniel 12:4–13)

Daniel is told to shut up the words and seal the book; he hears but understands not, and is told to go his way, for he shall rest and stand in his lot at the end of the days.

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego) (Daniel 1:6–7; Daniel 2:17–18; Daniel 2:49)

Youths of Judah chosen with Daniel, renamed with him, and the companions to whom he made known the king's matter that they might seek mercies of the God of heaven.

The prince of the eunuchs (Daniel 1:7–10; Daniel 1:18)

Gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; God made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in his sight, and he brought the youths in before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:18–19; Daniel 2:46–48; Daniel 4:8–9)

The king before whom Daniel stood, who fell on his face and worshipped him and made him great after the dream of the image.

Belshazzar (Daniel 5:13–17; Daniel 5:29–30)

The king who called Daniel to read the writing and clothed him with purple, and was slain that night.

Darius the Mede (Daniel 5:31; Daniel 6:1–3; Daniel 6:26)

Received the kingdom, set Daniel among three presidents, signed the interdict, and decreed that men fear before the God of Daniel.

The presidents and satraps (Daniel 6:4–13)

Sought occasion against Daniel, found none except in the law of his God, and brought the interdict and the accusation.

Arioch (Daniel 2:14–15; Daniel 2:24–25)

Captain of the king's guard, who went forth to slay the wise men, to whom Daniel returned answer, and who brought him in before the king.

Gabriel (Daniel 8:15–17; Daniel 9:21–23)

Called to make Daniel understand the vision, and who touched him about the time of the evening oblation.

Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2)

Daniel understood by the books the number of the years of the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet.

The LORD (Daniel 2:19–23; Daniel 6:22; Daniel 10:12)

The God of heaven who revealed the secret, shut the lions' mouths, and heard Daniel's words.

Major sections

• Daniel 1–6
• Daniel 7–12

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