Daniel 3:12

3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and these men ¹  have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

Daniel 7:5

7:5 “Then ²  a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs ³  in its mouth between its teeth. ⁴  It was told, ⁵  ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’

[3:12]  ¹ sn Daniel’s absence from this scene has sparked the imagination of commentators, some of whom have suggested that perhaps he was unable to attend the dedication due to sickness or due to being away on business. Hippolytus supposed that Daniel may have been watching from a distance.

[7:5]  ² tn Aram “and behold.”

[7:5]  ³ sn The three ribs held securely in the mouth of the bear, perhaps representing Media-Persia, apparently symbolize military conquest, but the exact identity of the “ribs” is not clear. Possibly it is a reference to the Persian conquest of Lydia, Egypt, and Babylonia.

[7:5]  ⁴ tc The LXX lacks the phrase “between its teeth.”

[7:5]  ⁵ tn Aram “and thus they were saying to it.”