Daniel
The Prophet of Dreams and VisionsJewish exile who rose to prominence in Babylon and Persia through God-given wisdom and interpretation of dreams, receiving detailed prophecies of world empires and the end times
Daniel was taken to Babylon as a teenager in 605 BC and served in the royal courts of Babylon and Persia for over 70 years under kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. His unwavering faithfulness to God in a pagan environment made him a model of integrity. Daniel received the most detailed prophetic timeline in Scripture, including the prophecy of the '70 weeks' that predicted the exact timing of the Messiah's coming (9:24-27), visions of successive world empires, and detailed prophecies of the Antichrist and end times. His survival in the lions' den demonstrated God's power to deliver His faithful servants. Jesus referred to Daniel by name and called him 'the prophet' (Matthew 24:15).
Original Name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel)
Meaning
God is my judge
Etymology
The name Daniel combines 'dan' (to judge) with 'El' (God), meaning 'God is my judge' or 'God has judged.' This name proved prophetic as Daniel consistently chose God's judgment over human judgment, whether regarding diet, prayer, or worship. His name also reflects his role in receiving and communicating God's judgments on world empires.
Linguistic Insights
Daniel is unique among biblical books for being written in two languages: Hebrew (1:1-2:4a; 8:1-12:13) and Aramaic (2:4b-7:28). The Aramaic section deals with Gentile kingdoms, while Hebrew frames the book and contains visions for Israel. Daniel's prophecy uses specific terms that became standard eschatological vocabulary: 'Son of Man' (Bar Enash - בַּר אֱנָשׁ in Aramaic), 'Ancient of Days,' 'abomination of desolation,' and time references like 'time, times, and half a time.' The '70 weeks' prophecy (Shavuim Shivim - שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים) uses 'weeks of years,' predicting 483 years from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the Messiah - precisely fulfilled in Jesus's triumphal entry.
Translation Notes
- •His Babylonian name 'Belteshazzar' meant 'Bel protect his life' (pagan deity)
- •Greek Septuagint places Daniel among the Writings, not Prophets
- •The Dead Sea Scrolls contain 8 manuscripts of Daniel
- •Jesus quoted Daniel more than any other prophet regarding end times
- •The Aramaic section (2:4-7:28) was the international language of diplomacy
Related Terms
Taken captive to Babylon as a youth
Daniel 1:1-6Refused king's food, kept kosher
Daniel 1:8-16Given wisdom and understanding by God
Daniel 1:17-20Interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the statue
Daniel 2:1-49Friends survived the fiery furnace
Daniel 3:1-30Interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's tree dream
Daniel 4:1-37Interpreted the writing on the wall for Belshazzar
Daniel 5:1-31Thrown into the lions' den, delivered by God
Daniel 6:1-28Vision of the four beasts
Daniel 7:1-28Vision of the ram and goat
Daniel 8:1-27Prayer of confession for Israel
Daniel 9:1-19Received the 70 weeks prophecy from Gabriel
Daniel 9:20-27Vision of the heavenly messenger
Daniel 10:1-21Prophecy of kings of North and South
Daniel 11:1-45Final prophecy of the end times
Daniel 12:1-13Told to seal the book until the time of the end
Daniel 12:4, 9Daniel 1:8
"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."
Daniel 2:44
"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."
Daniel 3:17
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand."
Daniel 6:10
"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
Daniel 9:25
"Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.'"
Daniel 12:3
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
Ezekiel 14:14
"Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Matthew 24:15
"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand."
Born
c. 620 BC
Died
c. 530 BC
Lifespan
Approximately 90 years
Father
Unknown (of royal or noble lineage, Daniel 1:3)
Mother
Unknown
Spouse
None recorded - likely a eunuch in Babylonian court
Children