Again, we see that Balaam is other than a true prophet within this dominant strand, for in Numbers 23:10, after Balaams first oracle, he cries out, Let my soul die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his! Now, this was a plea in the presence of Balak who was expecting a curse. Within the context of Ezekiel this seems to be a preposterous suggestion.21. The king is urged to sign a decree making it a capital offense for anyone, during a certain period of time, to offer prayers to any god except those approved by the king. The first section, Daniel 1-6, known as the Babylonian Narratives, shows four Jewish men living holy lives in a pagan land. 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, The Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha: Overview. b. I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation: This is not the same dream as in Daniel 2. God blessed him, and he was moved into King Nebuchadnezzar's service. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Daniel Chapter 4 Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. While the abomination of desolation did resemble Antiochus IV Epiphanes, it is also hinting at the antichrist at the end of time. Continue with Recommended Cookies, A summary of the book of Daniel as recorded in The Bible Brief Bible summary book. . Although a number of Mllers attempts to discern magical-mantic wisdom in the Ugaritic Daniel are not particularly convincing, it does seem that certain elements of it are present . We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Summary of the Book of Daniel - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org Now again, Day has tied his logic too closely to his linguistic description. 8 Just two of the indications within Daniel are: (1) the many parallels with Joseph (some of them on a conceptual level, others on even a verbal level), the son of Jacob the patriarch, in chapters 1 and 2, creating a positive, though largely sub-conscious deja vu experience in the minds of the readers, and (2) the interweaving of Daniels personal history with prophecy, emphasizing his own piety. Jesus mentions Daniel as the author as well ( Matthew 24:15 ). 2 And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. The Pure Susanna by Juan Manuel Blanes Susanna ( / suzn /; Hebrew: , Modern: anna, Tiberian: ann: "lily"), also called Susanna and the Elders, is a narrative included in the Book of Daniel (as chapter 13) by the Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Clicking on a chapter will show you the text of that chapter of Daniel in the Bible (New International Version). However, it is noteworthy that, in the words of Albright, the name Danilu, Danel is well attested (in different writings and perhaps with different meanings attributed to it) in Old Assyrian, Old Babylonian, Northwest Semitic . In other words, Daniels spelling reminds him of his own responsibility before God and of his own humility. The book contains traditional stories ( chaps. In Numbers 31:8 the author makes a specific point of Balaams death when Israel attacked Midian. Daniel Summary - Bible Hub . Meadors, Dr. Ed. A simple relabeling of the categories changes everything. Daniel (or his Babylonian name Belteshazzar), and his friends made bold and tough decisions and several times displayed their integrity to stand for Godliness instead of culture. If the categories are (a) pre-distinction man (Noah), (b) post-distinction Gentile (Job), and (c) post-distinction Jew, we can see how none of them could be interchanged with the others. Dan 2:29-45, etc. Jonah, Ruth, and Esther. But Daniel was included in the canon of Biblical texts, and its stories have consequently become among the best-known in all of the Old Testament. Nebuchadnezzar's dream is interpreted to mean a prediction concerning the rise and fall of four great world empires: the kingdom of Babylon; the kingdoms of the Medes and Persians; the kingdom of Greece; and the monstrous power under which the Jews suffered persecution at the hands of Antiochus. Daniel - CliffsNotes Finally, although Day did not bring out the force of this point very forcefully, the middle position of the name as an argument for antiquity seemed to me to be the strongest line of reasoning for the Ugaritic equation. The Book of Daniel was written during the life of Daniel in the sixth century BC in Babylon. Author, Date and Authenticity The book implies that Daniel was its author in several passages, such as 9:2; 10:2. . The story of the ruler becoming like an ox is thought to derive from Assyrian worship of bulls as representatives of good-luck deities. Dressler did, then, answer the charge--he just did not give the answer Day was expecting. During this period of crisis, the Jews were threatened with death if they refused to worship images, continued to offer prayers to Yahweh, observed their dietary laws, and worshiped on the Sabbath day. Summary of Daniel - Enter the Bible Daniels visions also introduce us to the "Son of Man," a Messiah figure who will come to restore Israel to their God and bring about a new Jerusalem. [12] Chapter 1 introduces God as the figure in control of all that happens, the possessor of sovereign will and power: he "gives" Jehoiachim into Nebuchadnezzar's hands, he "gives" Daniel "grace and mercies", and it is he who gives the four young Jews their "knowledge and skill". "[3], The Book of Daniel is "a composite text of dubious historicity from various genres",[4] and Daniel himself is a legendary figure. The reference to a resurrection of the dead indicates that the idea of resurrection was beginning to find acceptance among the Hebrews. Curiously, though, the Book of Daniel wasnt composed until around the second century BC the Dictionary of the Bible puts the date at around 164 BC even though the events it describes occurred some four centuries earlier. This king stripped him of his land, likely killed people he knew in front of him, and tried to rebrand him as a Babylonian, but Daniel still appears to care for this Babylonian king (Daniel 4:19-20). The main audience for this book would have likely been Jews who were under an oppressive ruler. . Dressler was simply being honest with the text of Ezekiel, pointing out that any arguments about lists fly in the face of Ezekiels tendencies. (Ch.9:24-27). Chapter 3, however, sees Daniels three friends (re-named Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-nego) thrown into a furnace for their refusal to worship the golden statueonly to be saved by God and the fourth man in the furnace with them. The purpose of the apocalyptic literature was to offer encouragement to the righteous to remain true and faithful to the principles of their religion. There may not be many valid comparisons between the Book of Daniel and Arthur Millers The Crucible, but the device of turning to an earlier historical period to comment on contemporary persecution is something they both have in common. [12] It was God who took Daniel and his friends into Babylonian exile, and it is God who is the source of their gifts and salvation.[3]. If it had been composed a little bit later, the Book of Daniel may have been consigned to the pile of texts labelled the Apocrypha, and the stories of Daniel in the lions den, the writing on the wall at Belshazzars feast, and Nebuchadnezzar throwing Shadrach and his fellow Jews into the fiery furnace would not have become the well-known tales they are. His visions offer guidance for faithfulness and hope of a future where evil hearts and rulers will one day come under the authority of the one true God. . Among these young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, who were given new names (Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah became Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, while Daniel's Babylonian name was Belteshazzar) and allocated rations of food and wine. Harold Dressler is well qualified to discuss the Dnil of the Ras Shamra texts since he wrote his doctoral dissertation on that very topic.5 He outlines four arguments which have been advanced for denying that the Daniel of Ezekiel xiv and xxviii is to be identified with the Biblical Daniel (p. 155). and any corresponding bookmarks? Although it concerns events of the sixth century BC, during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, it was clearly written many centuries later: some time in the second century BC is the best guess. (Read Daniel 11:1-30) The angel shows Daniel the succession of the Persian and Grecian empires. Could it be that this Danel is the same as Daniel in the book that bears his name? The antichrist will persecute believers in the future, but at the end of a metaphorical seventy weeks, the Son of Man will come and set everything right (Daniel 12). . it is generally agreed nowadays that the mention of Daniel between two figures from antiquity must imply that Daniel, too, cannot be a person contemporary with the prophet Ezekiel. Second, we see reassurances of hope during the most desperate times. Daniel 1:17; 2:19. What does it look like to be faithful in the midst of exile? As J. J. Edwards so aptly put it, with reference to this verse, Balaam could not curse--he could only envy!19 Finally, we again read in Numbers that Balaam was anything by a righteous man. ESVStudy Bible: English Standard Version. Check out her books at hopebolinger.comfor clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. . All Rights Reserved. The first chapter begins with the appointment of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, into the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar and taken on as 'wise men' or advisors to the king. O Lord, pay attention and act. He was trained in the king's court and then elevated to a high rank in the Babylonian and Persian kingdoms. 3. It would certainly catch the readers eye as it has ours! Named after its writer, Daniel's book is a product of his time in Babylon as a Jewish exile from Israel. In other words, when Ezekiel penned Noah, Daniel, and Job his intention was to list these three men, though the order of their names probably had to with the order of his recollection. Daniel (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). The first chapter begins with the appointment of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, into the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar and taken on as wise men or advisors to the king. The wicked would be destroyed, and the messianic kingdom would be established for all time to come. . Third, we see what loving our enemies looks like. After a brief discussion of other points ancillary to our discussion, Dressler summarizes his article: With regard to the Daniel-figure in Ezekiel no compelling reason was found for rejecting the identification of the Daniel mentioned by Ezekiel with the Biblical Daniel. Dressler assumes that Baal is intended. xiv 14, 20, Dressler states, one needs no particularly fertile imagination to view an Israelite Daniel flanked by a pre-Israelite and a non-Israelite to arrive at an equally satisfying theological construction (p. 157). Daniel 10. In other words, the basis on which Day denies the identity of rpu with Baal is the same basis on which he affirms his identity with El. With disregard to the non-Israelite emphasis of Ezek. The stories of the lions den and the fiery furnace, perhaps as well known as Jonah and the giant fish in the book of Jonah. Thus, we can allow Dresslers arguments to stand. For centuries, they had looked forward to a reign of justice and righteousness on earth. A Summary and Analysis of the Book of Daniel - Interesting Literature Removing #book# Enduring Word Bible Commentary Daniel Chapter 3 The recital of these apocalyptic fulfillments inspired confidence that the remaining ones would take place in the near future. Day does, indeed, log a bit of time on it, though, in my view, he paints himself in a corner in the process: That the expression mt. This horn, with eyes like a human's and a mouth, speaks words of blasphemy, persecutes the saints, and endeavors to change laws. Summary Of The Prophet Jeremiah (Expanded). Since the Ugaritic Aqht Text has the same spelling as in Ezekiel (dnil), scholars have argued for the probability of a connection. [7] Daniel is a legendary figure,[8] probably chosen for the book's hero because of his reputation as a wise seer in Hebrew tradition. This has no cost implication to the purchaser. But Day has made a logical fallacy here: he says that rpu and Baal cannot be the same god (even though Dressler uses the word counterpart to describe their relationship) because their names occur in the same text as separate entities, but the text he cites to demonstrate that rpu is El makes no such identification (El took his servant, he blessed {Daniel?} They rejecting the kings food, prayed when it was illegal to do so, and refused to bow to the kings idol, for which they were thrown into a scorching furnace. They also mention the coming Messiah and the apocalyptic events to come. Daniel 1-6 is set in exile. He has a Ph.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and is currently professor of New Testament Studies at his alma mater. However, one needs no particularly fertile imagination to view an Israelite Daniel flanked by a pre-Israelite and a non-Israelite to arrive at an equally satisfying theological construction. (pp. Along with articles & posts of a Christian nature, my aim here is to post summaries of every book/epistle in the complete Bible from genesis to Revelation.Much of this material is extracted from my books to enable the Bible student access to the material at zero cost should funds be limited! (3:130) Daniel's three friends in the fiery furnace, C. (4:137) Daniel interprets a dream for Nebuchadnezzar, C'. A portion of these includes the results of the earthly kingdoms that he lived in. So, why did the Book of Daniel become part of the canon, despite being composed so late some four centuries after the events it describes? Who Was Daniel in the Bible? - Learn Religions For sake of ease of discussion, we will organize Days comments according to Dresslers four main points, even though Day has them ordered differently.). Shadrach, Meshach, and AbednegoBible Story Summary - Learn Religions More recently, two articles have appeared in Vetus Testamentum, dealing with the identification of Ezekiels Danel. Daniel (or his Babylonian name Belteshazzar), and his friends made bold and tough decisions and several times displayed their integrity to stand for Godliness instead of culture. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. Most scholars agree Daniel is the author of all twelve chapters, and the differences of style, language, and theme are due to the shift of the Babylonian narratives (seen in chapters 1-6) to the visions Daniel experienced about events to come (chapters 7-12). Although most scholars consistently agree that Daniel, an Israelite captive in Babylon during the sixth century BC, wrote the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel, some scholars debate as to who authored the final six. In Chapter 6 Daniel is thrown into the lions den by his new ruler, Darius the Mede, but God closes the mouths of the lions and he is unscathed, and promoted by King Darius. The Daniel of the Book of Daniel is, though, a fiction. and his writings records the events of the Babylonian captivity in 560-536 B.C. Chapter 5 sees Nebuchadnezzars son, Belshazzar, and the passage relating to the writing on the wall that Daniel interprets correctly to prophesy the end of Belshazzars kingdom. Was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace: Nebuchadnezzar's rest was the false peace of the ungodly. . In effect, what he is saying is that A (biblical Daniels wisdom) is a subset of B (mantic wisdom) and C (Ugaritic Dnils incantation wisdom) is also a subset of B; therefore, A = C! Daniels visions are packed with apocalyptic imagery, offering hope to Israelites living in exile under Babylonian rule. The prophet Daniel wrote it around 530 B.C. Most likely written during the time of exile, 587538 B.C. Perhaps most important has been the investigation into the meaning of sedaqah in Ez. There is a discernible link between Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 and the image he made in Daniel 3. But Day goes on: That this is no special pleading is indicated by the example of Noah, mentioned alongside Daniel as a righteous man in Ezekiel xiv 14, 20, whose name, according to some experts, is that of a Mesopotamian deity17 (italics added). . Daniel Summary Download Transcript Download Video Transcript (this transcript has been lightly edited for readability) Well, before I talk about the gospel themes in Daniel, I want to talk about a problem we seem to have with Daniel. The name of Daniel is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel as a man famed for his wisdom and righteousness. The unknown author may have drawn inspiration from Ugaritic and Phoenician sources that speak of a legendary figure notable for his righteousness and wisdom. The dream Daniel interprets represents the different empires and kingdoms of the day, while prophesying that Alexander the Greats Macedonian empire would rise up and swallow the rest. Daniel's visions also introduce us to the "Son of Man," a Messiah figure who will come to restore Israel to their God and bring about a new Jerusalem.