ESV Expository Commentary (Volume 7) E-Book

Crossway

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: ESV Expository Commentary
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 2114

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Designed to strengthen the global church with a widely accessible, theologically sound, and pastorally wise resource for understanding and applying the overarching storyline of the Bible, this commentary series features the full text of the ESV Bible passage by passage, with crisp and theologically rich exposition and application. Editors Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton, and Jay A. Sklar have gathered a team of experienced pastor-theologians to provide a new generation of pastors and other teachers of the Bible around the world with a globally minded commentary series rich in biblical theology and broadly Reformed doctrine, making the message of redemption found in all of Scripture clear and available to all. Thirteen contributors explain the shorter Prophetic Books of the Old Testament—Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—with biblical insight and pastoral wisdom, showing readers the hope that is offered even amidst judgment. Contributors include: Mitchell L.  Chase George Schwab Allan M. Harman Michael G. McKelvey Max Rogland Jay Sklar Stephen J. Dempster Daniel Timmer David G. Firth Jason S. DeRouchie Michael Stead Anthony R.  Petterson Eric Ortlund

Leseprobe

ESV Expository Commentary

Vol. VII

Daniel–Malachi

Editors

Iain M. Duguid

James M. Hamilton Jr.

Jay Sklar

ESVExpository

Commentary

Vol. VII

Daniel–Malachi

DanielMitchell L. ChaseObadiahMax RoglandZephaniahJason S. DeRouchieHoseaGeorge M. Schwab Sr.JonahJay SklarHaggaiMichael SteadJoelAllan M. HarmanMicahStephen G. DempsterZechariahAnthony R. PettersonAmosMichael G. McKelveyNahumDaniel C. TimmerMalachiEric Ortlund HabakkukDavid G. Firth 

ESV Expository Commentary, Volume 7: Daniel–Malachi

Copyright © 2018 by Crossway

Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Jordan Singer

First printing 2018

Version: 2021-06-28

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Scripture quotation marked KJV is from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Scripture quotation marked MESSAGE is from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

The Scripture quotation marked NASB is from The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Scripture quotation marked NKJV is from The New King James Version. Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are from The Revised Standard Version. Copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.

There are also brief citations of the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), the New Living Translation (NLT), and The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Scripture quotations marked AT are the author’s translation.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the authors.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-4652-5

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7616-4

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7614-0

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Table of Contents

Editors

Title Page

Copyright

Tables

Preface

Contributors

Abbreviations

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

Scripture Index

Tables

Daniel

1.1  Body Parts of the Daniel 2 Image

1.2  Kingdoms Represented by the Daniel 2 Image

1.3  The Second Dream: Order of Recounting, Reiteration, and Interpretation

1.4  The Second Dream: Daniel’s Counsel for the King

1.5  The Words on the Wall and Their Interpretation

1.6  Daniel 1–6: Promotion and Prospering

1.7  Parallels between the Accounts of the Fiery Furnace and the Lions’ Den

1.8  Years and Locations of the Visions of Daniel 7–12

1.9  The Four Beasts of Daniel 7

1.10  Kings and Kingdoms of Daniel 2 and 7

1.11  The Seven Subjects of the Vision of Daniel 7

1.12  Different “Little Horns”? Comparing the Visions of Daniel 7 and 8

1.13  The “Sevens” of Daniel 9:24–27

1.14  Greek Kings Discussed in Comments on Daniel 11:2–35

1.15  Possible Parallels between Daniel 11:21–24 and 11:36–39

1.16  Parallels between Daniel 11:25–35 and 11:40–12:3

Hosea

2.1  Two Loosely Parallel Halves in Hosea 9:10–17

Jonah

6.1  Three Reasons Why Jonah Was Written

6.2  Two Possible Translations and Meanings of Jonah 2:8

Preface

to the ESV Expository Commentary

The Bible pulsates with life, and the Spirit conveys the electrifying power of Scripture to those who lay hold of it by faith, ingest it, and live by it. God has revealed himself in the Bible, which makes the words of Scripture sweeter than honey, more precious than gold, and more valuable than all riches. These are the words of life, and the Lord has entrusted them to his church, for the sake of the world.

He has also provided the church with teachers to explain and make clear what the Word of God means and how it applies to each generation. We pray that all serious students of God’s Word, both those who seek to teach others and those who pursue study for their own personal growth in godliness, will be served by the ESV Expository Commentary. Our goal has been to provide a clear, crisp, and Christ-centered explanation of the biblical text. All Scripture speaks of Christ (Luke 24:27), and we have sought to show how each biblical book helps us to see the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

To that end, each contributor has been asked to provide commentary that is:

exegetically sound

—self-consciously submissive to the flow of thought and lines of reasoning discernible in the biblical text;

robustly biblical-theological

—reading the Bible as diverse yet bearing an overarching unity, narrating a single storyline of redemption culminating in Christ;

globally aware

—aimed as much as possible at a global audience, in line with Crossway’s mission to provide the Bible and theologically responsible resources to as many people around the world as possible;

broadly reformed

—standing in the historical stream of the Reformation, affirming that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, taught in Scripture alone, for God’s glory alone; holding high a big God with big grace for big sinners;

doctrinally conversant

—fluent in theological discourse; drawing appropriate brief connections to matters of historical or current theological importance;

pastorally useful

—transparently and reverently “sitting under the text”; avoiding lengthy grammatical/syntactical discussions;

application-minded

—building brief but consistent bridges into contemporary living in both Western and non-Western contexts (being aware of the globally diverse contexts toward which these volumes are aimed);

efficient in expression

—economical in its use of words; not a word-by-word analysis but a crisply moving exposition.

In terms of Bible translation, the ESV is the base translation used by the authors in their notes, but the authors were expected to consult the text in the original languages when doing their exposition and were not required to agree with every decision made by the ESV translators.

As civilizations crumble, God’s Word stands. And we stand on it. The great truths of Scripture speak across space and time, and we aim to herald them in a way that will be globally applicable.

May God bless the study of his Word, and may he smile on this attempt to expound it.

 —The Publisher and Editors

Contributors

Editors

Iain M. Duguid

PhD, University of Cambridge

Professor of Old Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary

James M. Hamilton Jr.

PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Professor of Biblical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Preaching Pastor, Kenwood Baptist Church, Louisville

Jay Sklar

PhD, University of Gloucestershire

Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

Authors

Mitchell L. Chase

PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Preaching Pastor, Kosmosdale Baptist Church, Louisville; Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies, Boyce College

(Daniel)

Stephen G. Dempster

PhD, University of Toronto

Professor of Religious Studies, Crandall University, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

(Micah)

Jason S. DeRouchie

PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology, Bethlehem College & Seminary

(Zephaniah)

David G. Firth

PhD, University of Pretoria

Old Testament Tutor and Academic Dean, Trinity College Bristol; Research Associate, University of the Free State

(Habakkuk)

Allan M. Harman

ThD, Westminster Theological Seminary

Research Professor, Presbyterian Theological College, Melbourne, Australia

(Joel)

Michael G. McKelvey

PhD, University of Aberdeen

Associate Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson)

(Amos)

Eric Ortlund

PhD, University of Edinburgh

Tutor in Old Testament, Oak Hill College, London

(Malachi)

Anthony R. Petterson

PhD, The Queen’s University of Belfast

Lecturer, Morling College, Australian College of Theology

(Zechariah)

Max Rogland

PhD, Leiden University

Associate Professor of Old Testament, Erskine Theological Seminary; Senior Minister, Rose Hill Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

(Obadiah)

George M. Schwab Sr.

PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary

Professor of Old Testament, Erskine Theological Seminary

(Hosea)

Jay Sklar

PhD, University of Gloucestershire

Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

(Jonah)

Michael Stead

PhD, University of Gloucestershire

Bishop of South Sydney; Visiting Lecturer, Moore Theological College (Australia)

(Haggai)

Daniel C. Timmer

PhD, Trinity International University

Professor of Old Testament, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; Faculté de théologie évangélique, Montreal

(Nahum)

Abbreviations

General

b.

born

c.

circa, about, approximately

cf.

confer, compare, see

ch., chs.

chapter(s)

d.

died

diss.

dissertation

ed(s).

editor(s), edited by, edition

e.g.

for example

esp.

especially

et al.

and others

etc.

and so on

ff.

and following

Gk.

Greek

Hb.

Hebrew

ibid.

ibidem

, in the same place

i.e.

that is

lit.

literal, literally

LXX

Septuagint

mg.

marginal reading

MT

Masoretic Text

n.d.

no date

n.l.

no place of publication

n.p.

no publisher

NT

New Testament

OT

Old Testament

par.

parallel passage

r.

reigned

repr.

reprinted

rev.

revised (by)

s.v.

sub verbo

(under the word)

trans.

translator, translated by

v., vv.

verse(s)

vol(s).

volume(s)

vs.

versus

Bibliographic

AB

Anchor Bible

ANESSup

Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement Series

AOTC

Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries

ApOTC

Apollos Old Testament Commentary

AS

Assyriological Studies

AUSS

Andrews University Seminary Studies

Bib

Biblica

BR

Biblical Research

BSac

Bibliotheca Sacra

BZAW

Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

BBR

Bulletin for Biblical Research

CBQ

Catholic Biblical Quarterly

CTR

Criswell Theological Review

CurTM

Currents in Theology and Mission

ETL

Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses

FOTL

Forms of the Old Testament Literature

HACL

History, Archaeology, and Culture of the Levant

HALOT

The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament

. Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm. Translated and edited under the supervision of Mervyn E. J. Richardson. 5 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–2000.

HCOT

Historical Commentary on the Old Testament

HBT

Horizons in Biblical Theology

Int

Interpretation

JBL

Journal of Biblical Literature

JBQ

Jewish Bible Quarterly

JETS

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

JNES

Journal of Near Eastern Studies

JSOT

Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

LHBOTS

The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies

NAC

New American Commentary

NICOT

New International Commentary on the Old Testament

NIVAC

NIV Application Commentary

NTS

New Testament Studies

OTE

Old Testament Essays

OTL

Old Testament Library

Presb

Presbyterion

RA

Revue d’assyriologie et d’archéologie orientale

ResQ

Restoration Quarterly

RevExp

Review and Expositor

RB

Revue Biblique

SBJT

Southern Baptist Journal of Theology

StBibLit

Studies in Biblical Literature (Lang)

SBT

Studies in Biblical Theology

TDOT

Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament

. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren. Translated by John T. Willis et al. 8 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974–2006.

TOTC

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries

VT

Vetus Testamentum

WAW

Writings from the Ancient World

WBC

Word Biblical Commentary

WW

Word and World

WTJ

Westminster Theological Journal

ZAW

Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

Books of the Bible

Gen.

Genesis

Ex.

Exodus

Lev.

Leviticus

Num.

Numbers

Deut.

Deuteronomy

Josh.

Joshua

Judg.

Judges

Ruth

Ruth

1 Sam.

1 Samuel

2 Sam.

2 Samuel

1 Kings

1 Kings

2 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chron.

1 Chronicles

2 Chron.

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Ezra

Neh.

Nehemiah

Est.

Esther

Job

Job

Ps., Pss.

Psalms

Prov.

Proverbs

Eccles.

Ecclesiastes

Song

Song of Solomon

Isa.

Isaiah

Jer.

Jeremiah

Lam.

Lamentations

Ezek.

Ezekiel

Dan.

Daniel

Hos.

Hosea

Joel

Joel

Amos

Amos

Obad.

Obadiah

Jonah

Jonah

Mic.

Micah

Nah.

Nahum

Hab.

Habakkuk

Zeph.

Zephaniah

Hag.

Haggai

Zech.

Zechariah

Mal.

Malachi

Matt.

Matthew

Mark

Mark

Luke

Luke

John

John

Acts

Acts

Rom.

Romans

1 Cor.

1 Corinthians

2 Cor.

2 Corinthians

Gal.

Galatians

Eph.

Ephesians

Phil.

Philippians

Col.

Colossians

1 Thess.

1 Thessalonians

2 Thess.

2 Thessalonians

1 Tim.

1 Timothy

2 Tim.

2 Timothy

Titus

Titus

Philem.

Philemon

Heb.

Hebrews

James

James

1 Pet.

1 Peter

2 Pet.

2 Peter

1 John

1 John

2 John

2 John

3 John

3 John

Jude

Jude

Rev.

Revelation

Apocrypha Sources Cited

1 Macc.

1 Maccabees

2 Macc.

2 Maccabees

Sir.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus

Daniel

Mitchell L. Chase

Introduction to Daniel

Daniel 1:1–21

Daniel 2:1–49

Daniel 3:1–30

Daniel 4:1–37

Daniel 5:1–31

Daniel 6:1–28

Daniel 7:1–28

Daniel 8:1–27

Daniel 9:1–27

Daniel 10:1–11:1

Daniel 11:2–12:3

Daniel 12:4–13

Introduction to

Daniel

Overview

Slow to anger and abounding in love, God sent prophet after prophet to rebellious Israel, threatening judgment and covenant curses if his people failed to keep their obligations under the covenant made at Mount Sinai (2 Chron. 36:15–16). If the people did not repent, wrath would come. God kept his word, and Israel fell in 722 BC to the Assyrians. Judah’s final demise began a little more than a century later, when the king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem in 605 BC and implemented the first stage of exile by deporting youths from royal and noble Judean families. The book of Daniel is an account of the deportation and subsequent history of one such individual, Daniel, from 605 BC to his last vision in 536 BC. Most of Daniel’s years were spent serving the royal court of Babylon, although he lived through the transition to Medo-Persian rule. Twelve chapters report harrowing stories of judgment and deliverance, as well as graphic prophecies of terror and hope. There are visions of beasts rising and rulers battling, and the atrocities that God’s people would face. Throughout decades of exile, Daniel remained faithful to Yahweh despite external opposition and threat of death. Amid the mayhem, though, a light of hope burns bright that one day God will establish an everlasting kingdom.

Title and Author

The title of the book comes from its key character, who was also the book’s author. The sixth-century-BC authorship of Daniel was widely accepted by Jewish tradition and the testimony of church history. One early exception to this affirmation was Porphyry (AD 233–304), who insisted that a second-century-BC Jew wrote the book long after the events it “predicted.” Many modern scholars have taken a similar view, though there are good reasons for maintaining the traditional dating.

Evidence Supporting Daniel as the Author

First, the book itself clearly claims to have been written by Daniel. The author writes in the first person in the visionary portion of the book (chs. 7–12) and identifies himself as Daniel no fewer than seventeen times in these chapters.

Second, Jewish tradition ascribes the book to Daniel and understands the events described in the book to be historical. When the author of 1 Maccabees describes Mattathias as remembering what God had done for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (1 Macc. 2:59–60), Mattathias’s appeal rests on the belief that the book of Daniel describes what really happened to three Jews in a fiery furnace.

Third, Jesus speaks about Daniel as a genuine historical person and prophet. During Jesus’ discourse on the Mount of Olives he says, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel . . .” (Matt. 24:15).

Fourth, the unity of the book suggests it had a single author, namely, Daniel. The frequent use of chiastic structures suggests a careful arrangement of the material by one mind. The move from Hebrew to Aramaic and then back to Hebrew is a fluid design strengthening the case for a single author. The intertextual connections between earlier and later portions of the book indicate an inextricable relationship between the chapters, forged by a purposeful hand.

Arguments Challenging Daniel as the Author

Some scholars deny that the book’s detailed prophecies are genuine predictions. They claim the prophecies must be post-event (ex eventu) compositions that merely seem to be forward-looking. For example, they say, since much of the final prophecy in chapter 11 relates to events in the Maccabean period (2nd century BC), the book must have been composed in that era. The problem with such a position is its anti-supernatural presupposition. If God can reveal himself, then surely he can communicate about the future, which he perfectly knows and has ordained! And if he can communicate aspects of the future, he can do so either in generalities or in detail, whichever he chooses. Insisting that Daniel’s prophecies were written ex eventu is “not scholarship but dogmatism.”1

Second, scholars sometimes point to lexical features in the book to suggest a late (2nd-century-BC) date. The presence of some Persian and Greek loanwords seems to be the primary basis of this assertion. Yet, since Daniel lived to see the Persian conquest of Babylon, the use of Persian words in the book is not chronologically improbable. Moreover, there are only three Greek loanwords in the book, all in chapter 3, each of which describes a musical instrument. Even some critical scholars admit the use of these words is too sparse to prove anything about the date of composition.2 Regarding the book’s Hebrew, W. J. Martin contends, “There is nothing about the Hebrew of Daniel that could be considered extraordinary for a bilingual or, perhaps in this case, a trilingual speaker of the language in the sixth century BC.”3 Regarding its Aramaic, “On the basis of presently available evidence, the Aramaic of Daniel belongs to Official Aramaic and can have been written as early as the latter part of the sixth century B.C.”4 Therefore a late date for the book cannot be established on lexical grounds.

Conclusion

If the book of Daniel was not composed by the sixth-century-BC prophet, then its historical accuracy is in question and its supposed predictions may be safely ignored. If the book’s events and visions were only fancifully retrojected to a time during the Babylonian exile, then the book is nothing more than a series of man-made documents manufactured to bring (false) hope and confidence to its readers. Rightly put, “The whole theological meaning of the book depends upon Yahweh’s ability to deliver his people and declare the future before it takes place.”5

Date and Occasion

Daniel was exiled to Babylon in 605 BC (1:1), and his final vision was in 536 (10:1). The book was probably completed shortly after that, for Daniel would have been in his eighties by then. During the long Babylonian exile, Daniel glimpsed the future through visions, learning that subsequent earthly empires would be followed by an everlasting kingdom not made with hands (2:34–35). What he recorded in his book would be helpful and important for his own contemporaries and for all future generations of readers as the prophecies neared fulfillment (cf. 8:26; 9:24–27; 12:4). It would be a means of God’s grace for their faithfulness and perseverance.

Genre and Literary Features

No single literary genre covers the whole book of Daniel. The book consists of narratives (chs. 1–6) and visions (chs. 7–12). It makes use of chiasm,6 first- and third-person points of view, different languages (Hebrew and Aramaic), prophecy, dreams, and apocalyptic imagery. The narratives (except for parts of ch. 4) are conveyed in the third person, and the visions in the first person. Chapters 1 and 8–12 are written in Hebrew. Beginning in 2:4, the language switches to Aramaic through chapter 7. Dream accounts are related from both Nebuchadnezzar (e.g., ch. 2) and Daniel (e.g., ch. 7). Prophecy about the future is recorded in chapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12. Chiasms, along with other rhetorical devices, are used in both narratives and visions.

Theology of Daniel

The book of Daniel includes at least eight theological themes.

1. Divine sovereignty. God foretells the future and accomplishes it. He raises up rulers and brings them down. He appoints periods of punishment, overrules the murderous intents of rulers, and delivers his people. As Nebuchadnezzar rightly recognized, God “does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (4:35).

2. Worship. In the opening chapter, the contents of the Jerusalem temple are transported to a Babylonian temple. In chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar sets up an image for everyone to worship. In chapter 5, Belshazzar praises his gods using vessels from the Jerusalem temple. In chapter 6, enemies of Daniel convince the king to command prayer exclusively to him. In chapters 7 and 8, two “little horn” figures act against the true worship of Yahweh. In chapter 11, true worship in Israel is interrupted by a blasphemous ruler.

3. Faithfulness. Daniel and his friends display unwavering resolve to obey God (chs. 1, 3, and 6). Even when disobedience to God would mean being spared from death, they refuse to compromise.

4. Revelation. God alone knows the future, and at his sovereign pleasure he may choose to disclose it, such as through dreams to Nebuchadnezzar (chs. 2 and 4). In chapter 5 God writes a message on the wall revealing imminent judgment against Babylon and Belshazzar. In four visions (chs. 7, 8, 9, and 10–12) God reveals the future directly to Daniel. God “reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him” (2:22).

5. Wisdom. As Nebuchadnezzar evaluates the men trained in chapter 1, he concludes that Daniel and his friends are wiser than his Babylonian wise men (1:20). When Daniel interacts with nonbelievers, he is wise and prudent (cf. chs. 2 and 6). The queen in chapter 5 affirms Daniel’s wisdom (5:11–12). During future tribulation, the wise will instruct and be refined (11:33–35). Along with the wise, who will rise from the dead and shine like the stars (12:2–3), Daniel will rise and receive his inheritance (12:13).

6. Judgment. This theme can be understood in relation to earthly rulers and to God. The chief of the eunuchs fears the judgment of Nebuchadnezzar (1:10), who orders the deaths of all Babylonian wise men (2:12–13) and threatens anyone who refuses to worship his image (3:1–7). Darius of Medo-Persia makes a 30-day agreement to throw into a lions’ den anyone who prays to someone other than him (6:6–9). This same king orders Daniel’s accusers and their families to be killed (6:24). God displays even greater power to judge, however. He gives Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand (1:1–2) and humbles Nebuchadnezzar’s pride (4:28–37). He writes the judgment of Babylon and Belshazzar on the palace wall (5:26–30). Visions depict God’s judgment on two little horns (7:8; 8:25). The exile was God’s judgment (9:1–19), and more judgment lies in store for God’s people and the temple in Jerusalem (8:12–14; 9:26–27; 11:16, 28, 30–31). At the resurrection of the dead, God will judge the wicked (12:2).

7. Deliverance. God delivers the four youths from death in chapter 3. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego go into the furnace, God preserves them so completely that not even the smell of smoke is on them (3:25–28). God delivers Nebuchadnezzar from insanity and restores his majesty (4:34–37). When Daniel is in the lions’ den, God sends an angel to shut the lions’ mouths (6:22–23). In Daniel’s visions, God will ultimately deliver and vindicate his people (7:21–27; 8:13–14; 9:24–27; 11:35). On the day of resurrection, the righteous dead will be delivered from the dust (12:2–3).

8. Dominion. John Goldingay rightly observes, “The theme that is central to Daniel as it is to no other book in the OT is the kingdom of God.”7 Though Jerusalem was besieged and exiles were taken (1:1–2), God is still king of the cosmos. The dream he gives to Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2 is a prophecy of future empires being eclipsed by an everlasting kingdom that will achieve worldwide dominion (2:31–45). Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges God’s kingdom will endure from generation to generation (4:3, 34). Darius affirms the everlasting nature of this reign (6:26). Finally, Daniel’s visions depict the supremacy of God’s kingdom (7:14, 27; 12:1–3).

Relationship to the Rest of the Bible and to Christ

In the plotline of the Bible, the book of Daniel tells of the faithfulness of Yahweh and his people during the exile to Babylon and beyond. The book also holds forth hope for the messianic kingdom. Jesus has inaugurated the everlasting stone-kingdom of chapter 2 (cf. Luke 20:18). His redemptive rescue is foreshadowed by the deliverances reported in Daniel 3 and 6. Jesus is the “one like a son of man” who comes to the Ancient of Days in chapter 7 (cf. Matt. 26:64). He receives everlasting authority in heaven and on earth (cf. Matt. 28:18). Jesus is the anointed one of Daniel 9:26 who “finishes” transgression and atones for iniquity (cf. v. 24), and is the firstfruits of all who will be raised (1 Cor. 15:20; Dan. 12:2).

Preaching from Daniel

Sermons from the book of Daniel should address large portions of the narratives and visions. There are ten sections in the book (chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10–12), and each could constitute a sermon, though a detailed exploration of chapter 2 or chapters 10–12 may require more than one sermon.

The book of Daniel should be read and heralded as a Christian book. Christian sermons should “authentically integrate the message of the text with the climax of God’s revelation in the person, work, and/or teaching of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament.”8 The preacher may rightly discern in the book of Daniel multiple examples of faithfulness to Yahweh, from which hearers may be exhorted to obedience. This emphasis is not mere moralism. The NT recognizes the value of these examples for Christian obedience. In Hebrews 11:33–34, the writer speaks of how, by faith, there were saints who “stopped the mouths of lions” and “quenched the power of fire,” which are allusions to Daniel’s rescue from the lions’ den (Dan. 6:22–23) and the deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace (3:25–28). Since the examples in Hebrews 11 are intended to encourage readers to walk by faith (cf. Heb. 10:36–39), a legitimate application of those stories is to exhort God’s people to endure in faith and reject compromise, while at the same time keeping our eyes firmly fixed on “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).

Interpretive Challenges

A number of challenges emerge when interpreting Daniel. First is the historical order of earthly kingdoms in the visions of chapters 2 and 7. There is disagreement as to whether the four kingdoms are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—which is the traditional position—or Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece.

Second, relating the little horn in chapter 7 to the one in chapter 8 is challenging. The descriptions of the horns are similar, leading some interpreters to equate them. If the referents of the horns are different, however, their relationship must be explained. Is one horn foreshadowing or typifying the second? Proposing historical or future fulfillment for the horns is controversial.

Third, identifying the heavenly figures in the book of Daniel can be difficult, because they are not all given names. The figure in 8:16–17 is named Gabriel, who appears again in 9:20–21. Other heavenly figures are more ambiguous. In the fiery furnace, interpreters must weigh evidence for identifying the fourth man (who was “like a son of the gods”; 3:25) as the preincarnate Christ or an angel. The same kind of question may apply to Daniel’s rescue from the lions’ den in 6:22. And was the angel who spoke to Daniel in 7:16 perhaps also Gabriel (cf. 9:21)? In the final vision (10:1–12:13), the figure who appears in 10:5–6 is unnamed, leaving the interpreter to consider whether this is again Gabriel or someone else.

Fourth, interpreters must wrestle with the relationship between Darius and Cyrus. In 5:31, “Darius the Mede received the kingdom,” and chapter 6 reports an event during his reign. The end of chapter 6, though, refers to the “reign of Cyrus the Persian” (6:28). Historically, there is no evidence for a Darius who reigned before Cyrus in the Medo-Persian kingdom, so either such evidence is still forthcoming or the two names refer to the same person.

Fifth, the book of Daniel contains many numbers to reflect upon. In chapter 1 there is a ten-day test (Dan. 1:14–15). In chapter 2 there are four parts to a metal man (2:31–35). In chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar will be punished for “seven periods of time” (4:32). In chapter 7 Daniel has a vision of four beasts (7:1–8). The fourth beast has ten horns (v. 7), and among them arises a little horn, before which three of the other horns fall (v. 8). There is a reference to “a time, times, and half a time” (7:25), which may refer to three and a half years. In chapter 8, a ram has two horns, and a goat has one (8:3, 5–6). The sanctuary will be desolate for “2,300 evenings and mornings” (8:14). In chapter 9, Daniel learns about seventy “sevens,” broken into seven, sixty-two, and one (9:24–27; cf. ESV mg. on v. 24). In chapter 10, Daniel mourns for three weeks (10:2), and the heavenly figure contends with the prince of Persia for twenty-one days (10:13). In chapter 12, Daniel hears reference to another “time, times, and half a time” (12:7). And, at the end of the book, there is a reference to 1,290 days (12:11) and 1,335 days (12:12).

Sixth, an interpretive challenge surely exists when we come to the lengthy passage in chapter 11. The prophecy in 11:2–12:3 is the longest in the book and part of the largest unit of the book (10:1–12:13). The kings of the south and north are manifold, and historical skirmishes are plentiful. Interpreters need to consider specific historical fulfillments of this chapter because the Greek Empire, while future to Daniel, is past to us.

Seventh, there are two Greek versions of the book of Daniel: the Septuagint (LXX), also known as the Old Greek, and the version by Theodotion. The latter was widely used by the early church, although the NT also cites from the Old Greek version. These two Greek versions give insights into how Jews from antiquity understood particular passages from Daniel.

Outline

Multiple structures are common in the Bible, so it is not surprising to find multiple ways of outlining the book of Daniel. The simplest approach is to see the book in two parts: six narratives in chapters 1–6 and four visions in chapters 7–12. Another observation modifies this twofold design, however, for the Aramaic section of the book (chs. 2–7) is widely recognized as a chiasm, with chapters 2 and 7 prophesying about four kingdoms, 3 and 6 recounting rescues from death, and 4 and 5 reporting divine judgment on arrogant kings. Perhaps the whole book of Daniel is a single chiasm,9 or even two interlocking chiasms fused together by chapter 7.10 There also appears to be a three-part Hebrew chiasm in chapters 8–12: “It is with chapter 8 that chapters 10–12 have most detailed points of contact. Reminiscences of almost every verse of chapter 8 reappear here.”11

The chiasms correspond to language changes in the book. Chapter 1 is a Hebrew introduction to the book, followed by an Aramaic chiasm (chs. 2–7), leading to a Hebrew chiasm (chs. 8–12), with chapter 7 as an important transition to the visionary section of the book. The following structure is an attempt to represent the ten parts of the book of Daniel in a way that showcases the Aramaic and Hebrew features:

I. Hebrew Introduction: Exile to Babylon (

1:1–21

)

II. Aramaic Chiasm: Kingdoms, Deliverance, and Judgment (

2:1–7:28

)

A. Vision of Four Kingdoms Preceding an Eternal Kingdom (

2:1–49

)

B. Divine Deliverance from Death (

3:1–30

)

C. Judgment on Royal Arrogance (

4:1–37

)

C'. Judgment on Royal Arrogance (

5:1–31

)

B'. Divine Deliverance from Death (

6:1–28

)

A'. Vision of Four Kingdoms Preceding an Eternal Kingdom (

7:1–28

)

III. Hebrew Chiasm: Kingdoms, Seventy Sevens, and the Anointed One (

8:1–12:13

)

A. Medo-Persian and Greek Kingdoms (

8:1–27

)

B. Seventy Sevens and the Anointed One (

9:1–27

)

A'. Medo-Persian and Greek Kingdoms (

10:1–12:13

)

1 Michael Shepherd, Daniel in the Context of the Hebrew Bible, StBibLit 123 (New York: Peter Lang, 2009), 65.

2 Cf. John J. Collins, Daniel: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel, Hermeneia (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), 20.

3 W. J. Martin, “The Hebrew of Daniel,” in Notes on Some Problems in the Book of Daniel, ed. D. J. Wiseman (London: Tyndale, 1965), 30. Cf. Andrew E. Steinmann, Daniel, Concordia Commentary (St. Louis: Concordia, 2008), 8.

4 Gerhard F. Hasel, “The Book of Daniel and Matters of Language: Evidence Relating to Names, Words, and the Aramaic Language,” AUSS 19 (1981): 225.

5 James M. Hamilton Jr., With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology, New Studies in Biblical Theology, vol. 32 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014), 32.

6 A figure of speech employing inverted parallelism (e.g., A-B-C-B'-A'), often used to emphasize the center (C) of the chiasm’s structure.

7 John E. Goldingay, Daniel, WBC (Dallas: Word, 1989), 330.

8 Sidney Greidanus, Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999), 10.

9 Hamilton, With the Clouds of Heaven, 77–83.

10 Steinmann, Daniel, 20–25.

11 Goldingay, Daniel, 283.

Daniel 1:1–21

1 1:1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 1:2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 1:3Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family1 and of the nobility, 4 1:4youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 1:5The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 1:6Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 1:7And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

8 1:8But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 1:9And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 1:10and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 1:11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 1:12“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 1:13Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 1:14So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 1:15At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. 16 1:16So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 1:17As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 1:18At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 1:19And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 1:20And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 1:21And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

1 Hebrew of the seed of the kingdom

Section Overview

When God poured the curse of exile upon Judah in 605 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar transported temple vessels and people to Babylon (1:1–2). Exiled youths faced indoctrination in Babylonian culture and literature (vv. 3–7), but Daniel resolved not to defile himself with royal food or wine. After a time of testing in which Daniel and his friends partake of only vegetables and water, Nebuchadnezzar finds them in better condition than the other youths, as well as superior in wisdom to all his magicians and enchanters (vv. 15, 18–20).

Section Outline

I. Hebrew Introduction: Exile to Babylon (

1:1–21

)

A. Babylon Besieges Jerusalem in the Third Year of King Nebuchadnezzar (

1:1–2

)

B. Time of Babylonian Education Begins (

1:3–7

)

C. Daniel Asks Not to Eat the King’s Food and Wine (

1:8

)

D. God Gives Favor in the Sight of the Chief of the Eunuchs (

1:9

)

E. Chief of the Eunuchs Speaks to Daniel (

1:10

)

F. Daniel Suggests a Ten-Day Test (

1:11–13

)

E'. The Appointed Steward Listens to Daniel (

1:14

)

D'. God Gives Favor in the Sight of the Steward (

1:15

)

C'. Steward Removes the King’s Food and Wine (

1:16

)

B'. Time of Babylonian Education Ends (

1:17–20

)

A'. Daniel Serves Babylonian Kings until the First Year of King Cyrus (

1:21

)

The opening and closing verses of this section form an inclusio,1 as A and A' both name a king and a year of his reign. Both B and B' mention a time of education, the king’s command, the importance of learning and skill in literature and wisdom, the chief of the eunuchs, the names of Daniel and his friends, and the event of standing before the king.

The main drama in Daniel 1 is verses 8–16. Sections C and C' match: in the former Daniel requests not to defile himself with royal food or drink, while in the latter the steward removes the royal rations from all the youths. In D, Daniel is shown favor in the sight of Ashpenaz, the chief eunuch, and in D' he and his three friends seem better in appearance than the other youths. In E the chief of the eunuchs speaks to Daniel, and in E' the appointed steward listens to Daniel.

The turning point of the chapter (F) is Daniel’s request to eat only vegetables and water for ten days, so as to avoid defilement with the king’s food and drink. He leads the steward to believe their appearance will be more pleasing than that of the other young men. The center of the chiasm highlights Daniel’s faithfulness and boldness.

1 An “inclusio” can be described as a literary “envelope” or as “bookends” that frame a body of text by placing similar material at the beginning and end of the text.

Comment

1:1–2 The book of Daniel begins with an ominous report: Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem in 605 BC. The king of Judah was Jehoiakim, an ungodly king who began his reign at age 25 (2 Kings 23:36–37). God was already angry with Judah “because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him” (2 Kings 23:26) and had resolved to remove Judah from his sight (v. 27).

The words of Daniel 1:2 are unvarnished in their terror. God gave Jehoiakim over to Nebuchadnezzar. The king of Judah was now in the hands of the king of Babylon, though ultimately both were in the hands of God—Nebuchadnezzar was God’s instrument of judgment (2 Kings 24:3–4). This devastation of Jerusalem was the outworking of God’s plan to judge his people. Still, the city of Jerusalem and its temple were not destroyed in 605 BC. Nebuchadnezzar’s actions in Daniel 1:1–2 represent only the first of three stages of Jerusalem’s fall. The dates of 597 and 586 BC complete the second and third stages. From 605 to 586 BC, Judah’s status seemed dark, unfathomable, chaotic, and hopeless. This judgment was an expression of God’s faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant, which contained fitting curses for disobedience and idolatry, one of which was exile: “The LORD will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known. And there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone” (Deut. 28:36–37).

In Daniel 1:2, God’s pagan rod of judgment turned against the Jerusalem temple. The spoils from Nebuchadnezzar’s siege included temple vessels made during Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 7). The king of Babylon transported them to the east, to the treasury of his god (Dan. 1:2). Their relocation to Babylon would play a role in chapter 5, when King Belshazzar uses them in his banquet (5:2), while their repatriation to Judah (Ezra 1:7–11) underscores an important continuity between those who returned at the time of Cyrus and their preexilic roots.

The destination of the temple vessels was the “land of Shinar” (Dan. 1:2)—a significant way of referring to Babylon, for Shinar was mentioned in Genesis 11:2. There, rebels sought to make a name for themselves and, in their idolatry, began to build a city-temple to the heavens (vv. 3–4). Yahweh confused the language of the united idolaters, and therefore, “its name was called Babel” (v. 9), the Hebrew name for Babylon. The notion of not understanding a language is also found in the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28, where Yahweh had threatened to “bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand” (v. 49). In Daniel 1, the covenant curse was coming to pass as “Babel-onians” arrived in Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar, like the rebels in Genesis 11, was interested in making a name for himself. He targeted the city, the temple, the temple’s vessels, and the people of God.

1:3–7 Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to evaluate Israelites using certain criteria so they could be reeducated after their deportation. The first round of deportees were “both of the royal family and of the nobility” (v. 3). By removing individuals from these groups, Nebuchadnezzar hoped to minimize resistance to his plans and increase allegiance among the populace to his Babylonian rule.

According to verse 4, Israelites who faced deportation were to meet a high standard of physical appearance and intellectual capability. Nebuchadnezzar wanted the cream of the Israelite crop, those who might be able to serve in his royal court. These candidates had to be “youths.” While Nebuchadnezzar did not specify an age, the deportees were almost certainly teenagers, perhaps as young as fourteen. The younger the subject, the longer he could serve in the royal court and the more impressionable he would be to the Babylonian worldview. Nebuchadnezzar wanted deportees to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans—he wanted to make Babylonians out of these Jews. He wanted to reorient their worship and allegiance.

Nebuchadnezzar’s strategy of Babylonian indoctrination included a predetermined daily menu. He “assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank” (v. 5). The issue of eating and drinking is integral to the drama soon to unfold. In addition to the new location, criteria, and menu of the deportees, Nebuchadnezzar set a three-year timetable for their immersion in all things Babylonian. When that time was fulfilled, they would stand before him for evaluation (v. 18).

Four young men among the deportees are named: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The first is the central character of the book, and the others are his friends. All four are mentioned in chapter 2; only Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah appear in chapter 3; Daniel is featured without his friends throughout the rest of the book.

The young men were of the “tribe of Judah” (1:6). They were not just citizens of the southern kingdom but descendants of the royal tribe. In Genesis 49:10, Jacob said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet.” Judah was the tribe from which the Messiah would come (Matt. 1:2–3; Heb. 7:14). Now Daniel and his friends were experiencing the demise of Judah. It looked as if the scepter was indeed departing from it. It seemed that a pagan king had seized the ruler’s staff.

The names Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are each connected in some way to either the name Yahweh or the name Elohim. It is significant, then, that a renaming accompanied their exile. The new names—Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were each connected to pagan deities. Nebuchadnezzar explicitly said Daniel was “named Belteshazzar after the name of my god,” Bel (Dan. 4:8). This was part of Nebuchadnezzar’s strategy to make Babylonians out of the Israelite deportees, in both head and heart. The teens faced the challenge of holding fast their devotion to Yahweh in a new place, with new stories to learn and a new language to speak, with a new menu to eat and even new names to bear.

1:8 Daniel resolved not to eat the king’s food or drink his wine. This decision might seem surprising, for up to this point there has been no indication of any resistance to going into exile, receiving the syllabus for Babylonian worldview formation, or learning a new name evoking a Babylonian deity. Perhaps this issue of food and drink was the first thing Daniel could control. He believed partaking of the royal food and drink would be wrong, so he “resolved that he would not defile himself.”

How the king’s food and wine would have defiled Daniel is a disputed question.1 Some suggest that the food and wine were first offered to idols, and so Daniel refused to partake because he rejected idolatry. There are, however, two problems with this answer. First, the items he requested as substitutes—vegetables and water (v. 12)—would probably have been offered to the pagan gods as well,2 and second, later in his servitude Daniel did eat meat and drink wine (10:2–3). Another theory is that the food was not kosher. This explanation is unlikely, though, because wine was not forbidden to Israelites. Some scholars posit more specifically that Daniel may have been abstaining from food and wine because of a Nazirite vow (cf. Numbers 6). A prior vow is possible, but the text is not clear that he made one. Another possibility is that Daniel rejected the king’s menu because the food and drink would have been served using temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon. Other scholars suggest that Daniel wanted to make it clear to the king that his devotion was ultimately to Yahweh. In the end, Daniel’s rejection of the royal food may have been a personal resolution to maintain his devotion to Yahweh, regardless of who knew of it.

Of these options, the most compelling is the last one. Daniel was maintaining his devotion to Yahweh, and eating and drinking the king’s food and wine would have shown dependence on the king. Daniel had been given a Babylonian name, but that was not unique in Babylon. He was learning the Babylonian literature and language, but those things were part of the cultural milieu. The royal table, though, was unique, and enjoying the king’s food and wine was a distinct privilege closely aligning him with the Babylonian ruler. The problem was not the food or wine itself but the fact that it was the king’s. When the food and wine are first mentioned, they are described as “food that the king ate” and “wine that he drank” (Dan. 1:5). When Daniel wanted to avoid defilement, he would have been defiled “with the king’s food” and “with the wine that he drank” (v. 8). The chief of the eunuchs reminded Daniel that “the king” had “assigned your food and your drink” (v. 10). When Daniel suggested a ten-day test, he referred to “the king’s food” (v. 13). After the ten-day test was complete, Daniel and his friends “were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food” (v. 15). Interestingly, once the test succeeded, “The steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables” (v. 16), and no reference is made to the items being the king’s. If it is significant that this is the only time in chapter 1 that the food and wine are not attributed to the king, the shift was probably due to God’s showing favor on Daniel and his friends during the test.

1:9 Daniel’s request was politically dangerous. Ashpenaz could have reported Daniel to the king for rebelling against royal orders, but there is a different result: “God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.” As in verse 2, God “gave,” highlighting his sovereignty over Daniel’s situation.

1:10 The chief of the eunuchs was honest about his fear. Daniel had asked him to go against the king’s orders, and the penalty for such rebellion could be death. Ashpenaz reasonably enough believed the effects of this different diet would be obvious when Daniel and his friends stood before Nebuchadnezzar for evaluation, and the chief of the eunuchs did not want to appear derelict in his duties.

1:11–13 Although the chief eunuch was too fearful to help Daniel with his request, the steward he had appointed over Daniel and his three friends (v. 11) was more sympathetic. Daniel’s second attempt showed the degree of his boldness and persistence. The steward could have reported Daniel’s words to the king but did not. Though there is no mention of Daniel’s discussing his defilement concerns with his three friends, the reader can reasonably assume they shared his resolve (cf. the resolve they themselves later exhibited; 3:16–18).

Daniel proposed a 10-day test (1:12–13). If the steward permitted a brief season of water and vegetables, he could evaluate the four youths compared to the others and act accordingly. No reason is given for the length of ten days, although obviously the test needed to be long enough to provide a fair physical assessment.3 If Daniel and his friends appeared better (i.e., fatter) than the other youths after the test was completed, God’s favor could be the only reason. Daniel was so confident of God’s faithfulness during this impending test that he told the steward to “deal with your servants according to what you see” (v. 13): the steward could, if necessary, put them on the royal diet like everyone else or even deal harshly with them in some other way.

1:14 Although the idea of God’s “favor” is not repeated in this verse (cf. v. 9), that the steward “listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days” (v. 14) was evidence of God’s blessing upon the young men. God had preserved them during the besieging of Jerusalem, through their exile to Babylon, through the expression of resistance to royal orders, and now through their ten-day test.

1:15 When ten days had passed, Daniel and his three friends surpassed not just some of their fellow deportees but also “all the youths who ate the king’s food.” This vindication foreshadowed the fates of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in later narratives.

1:16 Without consulting Nebuchadnezzar, the steward made the decision to take away “their food and the wine they were to drink” and substitute vegetables. This response fulfilled Daniel’s request in verse 13: “Deal with your servants according to what you see.” It is also possible that the steward removed the king’s food and wine from everyone, with “their” (v. 16) referring to “all the youths who ate the king’s food” (v. 15).

1:17–20 Once again “God gave” (cf. vv. 2, 9). He gave the four youths “learning and skill in all literature and wisdom” (v. 17), fulfilling Nebuchadnezzar’s hope for the young exiles. The Babylonian program of indoctrination focused on the literature and language of the Chaldeans, as well as on being skillful in wisdom and knowledge (v. 4). God gave the four young men exactly what they needed in order to have favor with the king. Daniel received from God “understanding in all visions and dreams” (v. 17). This endowment would be integral to the following stories, for Daniel would relay and interpret royal dreams and would see visions directly from God.

The three-year Babylonian education ended, and Nebuchadnezzar ordered that all of the exiled youths be brought before him (v. 18). He evaluated the four young men (v. 19) with tests of wisdom and understanding, and in every matter the king “found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom” (v. 20). The four surpassed not just their Babylonian schoolmates but even the Babylonian seers!

In finding them “ten times better,” Nebuchadnezzar echoes the earlier use of the number “ten” in the passage: Daniel’s suggesting the test for “ten days” (v. 12), the report that the steward tested Daniel and his friends for “ten days” (v. 14), and the announcing of the end of “ten days” (v. 15). Nebuchadnezzar’s estimation of the four as “ten times better” reminds the reader that God was behind their flourishing.

1:21 Like the opening of the chapter, this final verse mentions a king and a year of his reign. While verse 1 informed the reader that Nebuchadnezzar exiled Daniel in the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign (605 BC), verse 21 tells us “Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.” Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon in 539 BC, and Daniel “was there” until that time. This probably means that Daniel served Babylonian kings in the royal court until that time. If Daniel was deported as a teenager in 605, and if the “first year of King Cyrus” (v. 21) was 539, then Daniel served the royal court into his eighties. He showed decades of faithfulness as an exiled worshiper of Yahweh.

1 Cf. a survey of options in Steinmann, Daniel, 99.

2 Ibid., 99.

3 The use of “ten days” in verse 12 may explain why the same timespan appears in Revelation 2:10 in the letter to the church in Smyrna. The believers would be “tested . . . for ten days.”

Response

The opening verses of Daniel anchor the book in history. The narration of the book’s events should lead a charitable reader to believe their historicity and theological significance. In a dark and troubled period on Israel’s timeline, many Israelites were exiled and their temple and city ransacked. When “all around . . . gives way,” Yahweh must remain “our hope and stay.”

Our resolve to worship God matters because we too are exiles, redeemed from the slavery of sin but not yet home. A transformed creation awaits us, but for now voices all around us beckon our time, money, and allegiance. The snare of idolatry may be nearer than we imagine. The challenge is to be transformed in our minds instead of conformed to the pattern of this world (Rom. 12:2). We need a devotion to Yahweh purified by the heat of testing and suffering. Our passion for God does not exempt us from pain. The comforting bedrock of God’s sovereignty implies we must be willing, for the sake of Christ, to take up our cross. Commitment to Christ is not something we should pursue only when it is convenient, politically correct, or socially acceptable. Daniel reminds us that God’s people face opposition, and when they do they must endure with faith in him, believing in both his promises and his ability to keep those promises according to his sovereign will.

The resolve of Daniel and his friends at such a young age was especially remarkable. Their allegiance to God would have been taught them by their parents. Christian parents must be mindful and purposeful in the task of training up their children in the way of the Lord (Deut. 6:4–8; Proverbs 1–9; Eph. 6:4). Away from their home and families, Daniel and his three friends walked steadfastly in righteousness. While Ashpenaz feared Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:10), the Jewish youths feared God. A true fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). We must pass on the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and seek to fortify in others a biblical worldview.

Part of a biblical worldview is the awareness that God’s people will suffer hardship. While the faith of Daniel and his friends resulted in blessing and favor before others, obedience does not mean things will always turn out well from an earthly perspective. A biblical worldview accepts that God can deliver from death or through death, yet obedience is called for—no matter the cost. Daniel 1 is not a chapter about dieting; it is about the courage to live out biblical conviction when compromise would be much easier. We are tempted to compromise because we are sinners, and sinners need a Savior. We are tempted by idols because our hearts are rebellious, and such idolatrous hearts need to behold an all-surpassing Treasure. Daniel believed Yahweh was better than Babylon and anything it could offer.

Daniel and his three friends, and even Nebuchadnezzar and his successors, were characters in an unfolding story that was heading somewhere, and to Someone. One day another young man who loved God with all his heart would come into history. He would be in his Father’s house, teaching and amazing those who would listen. Jesus would walk in faithfulness, more so than even Daniel and his friends, and he would be wiser than anyone else who had ever lived. The work he accomplished on the cross would herald a return from deepest exile—captivity to sin and death. This one from Judah’s tribe would take up the scepter and reign forever.

Daniel 2:1–49

2 2:1In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 2:2Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 2:3And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 2:4Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,1 “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 2:5The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 2:6