A prophet living at the time of the Babylonian exile of the Israelites. A book of the Old Testament is named for him.
About Daniel (Prophet)
A Jewish statesman and prophet in the Babylonian court. As a prophet, Daniel received visions from God. His career is recounted in the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel tells his story. We do not know anything about Daniel's early life, parents, or family. However, he probably came from an important Jewish family (Daniel 1:3).
Daniel may have been born during the time of King Josiah’s religious reforms (around 621 BC). If so, he would have been about 16 when King Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel, along with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from Jerusalem to Babylon. The Babylonian king may have taken these young men to make sure the royal family in Judah would cooperate with Babylon.
The Babylonians gave Daniel a new name, Belteshazzar (which means "may Bel [god] protect his life"). He trained for court service and quickly became known for his intelligence and faithfulness to his God. After three years of training, he began a court career that lasted nearly 70 years (Daniel 1:21).
Daniel had hardly finished his training when he was asked to interpret one of Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. In the dream, a great image fell down and turned to dust when struck by a stone. God revealed its meaning to Daniel, who explained it to the king. Nebuchadnezzar thanked Daniel and offered him the position of governor of Babylonia. Daniel requested that the honor be given to his three companions (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who were also forced to live in Bablyon.
Near the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, Daniel was able to interpret a second dream (Daniel 4). That dream predicted the king would soon live like a wild animal for a time, unable to rule as king. Daniel urged the king to repent, but he did not (4:27). As a result, for a period of time he became crazy.
King Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC. After this, Daniel was no longer as important in the royal court. He may have had a lower position. For several years, he stayed out of public view. During this time, God gave Daniel special visions in 555 and 553 BC, during the first and third years when a man named Belshazzar was ruling Babylon (Daniel 7–8).
It was not until 539 BC that Daniel made another public appearance. During a feast hosted by Belshazzar, the king disrespected holy vessels (cups and bowls) that had been stolen from the Jerusalem temple. A hand appeared by itself and wrote strange words on the palace wall: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin." No one knew what these words meant. The king called for Daniel to explain the message. Daniel told him that God was warning him that the kingdom of Babylon would soon end. That very night, this came true. The Persian army attacked the city, and Belshazzar was killed (5:30).
After this, a new ruler named Darius the Mede took control. He chose Daniel as one of three top leaders to help manage the kingdom (6:2). Daniel did his work so well that other officials became very jealous. They wanted to get rid of him, but they could not find anything wrong with his work.
These officials came up with a plan. They convinced King Darius to make a new law that said people could only pray to the king. The punishment for breaking the law was being thrown into a den of lions. Daniel knew about this law, but he continued to pray to God three times each day as he had always done. When the officials caught Daniel praying, they took him to the king. Even though the king did not want to punish Daniel, he had to follow his own law. Daniel was thrown into the lions' den. However, God protected Daniel, and the lions did not hurt him at all. The next day, when the king found Daniel alive and unharmed, he restored Daniel to his high position (verses 17–28).
The last part of the book of Daniel describes several visions he received of future events. The visions dealt with four beasts (chapter 7), future kingdoms (chapter 8), the coming of God's chosen leader, the Messiah (chapter 9), and Syria and Egypt (chapters 11–12). The prophet Ezekiel referred to Daniel’s great wisdom (Ezekiel 28:3). He also compared him in righteousness with Noah and Job (14:14, 20).
Key References
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
All Scripture References (72)
Ezekiel (3)
then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you!
Daniel (67)
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.
And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
So the decree went out that the wise men were to be executed, and men went to look for Daniel and his friends to execute them.
When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, went out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel responded with discretion and tact.
“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.
Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven
and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”
Arioch hastily brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who will tell the king the interpretation.”
The king responded to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in the dream, as well as its interpretation?”
Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.
At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.
I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.
So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by.
did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?
In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.
So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”
At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.
He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one that had appeared to me earlier.
While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.
I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was confounded by the vision; it was beyond understanding.
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
He instructed me and spoke with me, saying: “O Daniel, I have come now to give you insight and understanding.
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it concerned a great conflict. And the understanding of the message was given to him in a vision.
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.
Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.
“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
Matthew (1)
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
Mark (1)
So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.