Daniel 1:4-5

1:4 young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, ¹  well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated ²  and having keen insight, ³  and who were capable ⁴  of entering the king’s royal service ⁵  – and to teach them the literature and language ⁶  of the Babylonians. ⁷  1:5 So the king assigned them a daily ration ⁸  from his royal delicacies ⁹  and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained ¹⁰  for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. ¹¹ 

Daniel 1:8

1:8 But Daniel made up his mind ¹²  that he would not defile ¹³  himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. ¹⁴  He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself.

Daniel 1:18

1:18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, ¹⁵  the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.

Daniel 2:2

2:2 The king issued an order ¹⁶  to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men ¹⁷  in order to explain his dreams to him. ¹⁸  So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. ¹⁹ 

Daniel 2:8-9

2:8 The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm. 2:9 If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. ²⁰  For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful ²¹  until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence ²²  that you can disclose its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:13

2:13 So a decree went out, and the wise men were about ²³  to be executed. They also sought ²⁴  Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.

Daniel 2:16

2:16 So Daniel went in and ²⁵  requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king.

Daniel 2:18

2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he ²⁶  and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2:24

2:24 Then Daniel went in to see ²⁷  Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came ²⁸  and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me ²⁹  to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!” ³⁰ 

Daniel 2:30

2:30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom ³¹  than any other living person, but so that the king may understand ³²  the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. ³³ 

Daniel 2:46

2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground ³⁴  and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.

Daniel 2:49

2:49 And at Daniel’s request, the king ³⁵  appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court. ³⁶ 

Daniel 3:2

3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, ³⁷  and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he ³⁸  had erected.

Daniel 3:13

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage ³⁹  demanded that they bring ⁴⁰  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them ⁴¹  before the king.

Daniel 3:19-20

3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed ⁴²  toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders ⁴³  to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. 3:20 He ordered strong ⁴⁴  soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

Daniel 3:28

3:28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ⁴⁵  “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel ⁴⁶  and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring ⁴⁷  the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than ⁴⁸  serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!

Daniel 4:6

4:6 So I issued an order ⁴⁹  for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought ⁵⁰  before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Daniel 4:14-15

4:14 He called out loudly ⁵¹  as follows: ⁵² 

‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches!

Strip off its foliage

and scatter its fruit!

Let the animals flee from under it

and the birds from its branches!

4:15 But leave its taproot ⁵³  in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze around it ⁵⁴ 

surrounded by the grass of the field.

Let it become damp with the dew of the sky,

and let it live with ⁵⁵  the animals in the grass of the land.

Daniel 4:17

4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;

this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,

so that ⁵⁶  those who are alive may understand

that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, ⁵⁷ 

and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.

He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’

Daniel 4:26-27

4:26 They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven ⁵⁸  rules. 4:27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.” ⁵⁹ 

Daniel 5:2

5:2 While under the influence ⁶⁰  of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels – the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father ⁶¹  had confiscated ⁶²  from the temple in Jerusalem ⁶³  – so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. ⁶⁴ 

Daniel 5:7

5:7 The king called out loudly ⁶⁵  to summon ⁶⁶  the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed ⁶⁷  to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple ⁶⁸  and have a golden collar ⁶⁹  placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 5:12

5:12 Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret ⁷⁰  dreams, solve riddles, and decipher knotty problems. ⁷¹  Now summon ⁷²  Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation.”

Daniel 5:15

5:15 Now the wise men and ⁷³  astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message.

Daniel 5:29

5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, ⁷⁴  Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 6:2

6:2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable ⁷⁵  to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage.

Daniel 6:4

6:4 Consequently the supervisors and satraps were trying to find ⁷⁶  some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. ⁷⁷  But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, ⁷⁸  because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption. ⁷⁹ 

Daniel 6:7-8

6:7 To all the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors it seemed like a good idea for a royal edict to be issued and an interdict to be enforced. For the next thirty days anyone who prays ⁸⁰  to any god or human other than you, O king, should be thrown into a den of lions. 6:8 Now let the king issue a written interdict ⁸¹  so that it cannot be altered, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed. ⁸² 

Daniel 6:12

6:12 So they approached the king and said to him, ⁸³  “Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?” The king replied, “That is correct, ⁸⁴  according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”

Daniel 6:16-17

6:16 So the king gave the order, ⁸⁵  and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den ⁸⁶  of lions. The king consoled ⁸⁷  Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” 6:17 Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening ⁸⁸  to the den. The king sealed ⁸⁹  it with his signet ring and with those ⁹⁰  of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel.

Daniel 6:22-24

6:22 My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.”

6:23 Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. 6:24 The king gave another order, ⁹¹  and those men who had maliciously accused ⁹²  Daniel were brought and thrown ⁹³  into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. ⁹⁴  They did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Daniel 6:26

6:26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God;

he endures forever.

His kingdom will not be destroyed;

his authority is forever. ⁹⁵ 

Daniel 7:8

7:8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn – a small one – came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. ⁹⁶  This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant ⁹⁷  things.

Daniel 7:14

7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.

All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving ⁹⁸  him.

His authority is eternal and will not pass away. ⁹⁹ 

His kingdom will not be destroyed. ¹⁰⁰ 

Daniel 9:2-3

9:2 in the first year of his reign ¹⁰¹  I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books ¹⁰²  that, according to the word of the LORD ¹⁰³  disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem ¹⁰⁴  were seventy in number. 9:3 So I turned my attention ¹⁰⁵  to the Lord God ¹⁰⁶  to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ¹⁰⁷ 

Daniel 9:17

9:17 “So now, our God, accept ¹⁰⁸  the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to ¹⁰⁹  your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. ¹¹⁰ 

Daniel 9:19

9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.” ¹¹¹ 

Daniel 9:22-24

9:22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: ¹¹²  “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you. 9:23 At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight. ¹¹³  Therefore consider the message and understand the vision: ¹¹⁴ 

9:24 “Seventy weeks ¹¹⁵  have been determined

concerning your people and your holy city

to put an end to ¹¹⁶  rebellion,

to bring sin ¹¹⁷  to completion, ¹¹⁸ 

to atone for iniquity,

to bring in perpetual ¹¹⁹  righteousness,

to seal up ¹²⁰  the prophetic vision, ¹²¹ 

and to anoint a most holy place. ¹²² 

Daniel 10:12-13

10:12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind ¹²³  to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 10:13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But ¹²⁴  Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there ¹²⁵  with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 11:2

11:2 Now I will tell you the truth.

The Angel Gives a Message to Daniel

“Three ¹²⁶  more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth ¹²⁷  king will be unusually rich, ¹²⁸  more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against ¹²⁹  the kingdom of Greece.

Daniel 11:14

11:14 “In those times many will oppose ¹³⁰  the king of the south. ¹³¹  Those who are violent ¹³²  among your own people will rise up in confirmation of ¹³³  the vision, but they will falter.

Daniel 11:17

11:17 His intention ¹³⁴  will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances. ¹³⁵  He will give the king of the south ¹³⁶  a daughter ¹³⁷  in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage.

Daniel 11:32

11:32 Then with smooth words he will defile ¹³⁸  those who have rejected ¹³⁹  the covenant. But the people who are loyal to ¹⁴⁰  their God will act valiantly. ¹⁴¹ 

Daniel 11:35

11:35 Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.

Daniel 12:4

12:4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, ¹⁴²  and knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:10

12:10 Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand.

Daniel 12:13

12:13 But you should go your way ¹⁴³  until the end. ¹⁴⁴  You will rest and then at the end of the days you will arise to receive ¹⁴⁵  what you have been allotted.” ¹⁴⁶ 

[1:4]  ¹ tn Heb “good of appearance.”

[1:4]  ² tn Heb “knowers of knowledge.”

[1:4]  ³ tn Heb “understanders of knowledge.”

[1:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “who had strength.”

[1:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “to stand in the palace of the king.” Cf. vv. 5, 19.

[1:4]  ⁶ sn The language of the Chaldeans referred to here is Akkadian, an East Semitic cuneiform language.

[1:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “Chaldeans” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV). This is an ancient name for the Babylonians.

[1:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”

[1:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “from the delicacies of the king.”

[1:5]  ¹⁰ tn Or “educated.” See HALOT 179 s.v. I גדל.

[1:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “stand before the king.”

[1:8]  ¹² tn Heb “placed on his heart.”

[1:8]  ¹³ tn Or “would not make himself ceremonially unclean”; TEV “become ritually unclean.”

[1:8]  sn Various reasons have been suggested as to why such food would defile Daniel. Perhaps it had to do with violations of Mosaic law with regard to unclean foods, or perhaps it had to do with such food having been offered to idols. Daniel’s practice in this regard is strikingly different from that of Esther, who was able successfully to conceal her Jewish identity.

[1:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “with the delicacies of the king and with the wine of his drinking.”

[1:18]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “at the end of the days which the king said to bring them.”

[2:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.

[2:2]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.

[2:2]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”

[2:2]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “stood before the king.”

[2:9]  ²⁰ tn Aram “one is your law,” i.e., only one thing is applicable to you.

[2:9]  ²¹ tn Aram “a lying and corrupt word.”

[2:9]  ²² tn Aram “I will know.”

[2:13]  ²³ tn The Aramaic participle is used here to express the imminent future.

[2:13]  ²⁴ tn The impersonal active plural (“they sought”) of the Aramaic verb could also be translated as an English passive: “Daniel and his friends were sought” (cf. NAB).

[2:16]  ²⁵ tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”

[2:18]  ²⁶ tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.

[2:24]  ²⁷ tc The MT has עַל עַל (’al ’al, “he entered upon”). Several medieval Hebrew MSS lack the verb, although this may be due to haplography.

[2:24]  ²⁸ tc The LXX and Vulgate, along with one medieval Hebrew MS, lack this verb.

[2:24]  ²⁹ tn Aram “cause me to enter.” So also in v. 25.

[2:24]  ³⁰ tn Aram “the king.”

[2:30]  ³¹ tn Aram “not for any wisdom which is in me more than [in] any living man.”

[2:30]  ³² tn Aram “they might cause the king to know.” The impersonal plural is used here to refer to the role of God’s spirit in revealing the dream and its interpretation to the king. As J. A. Montgomery says, “it appropriately here veils the mysterious agency” (Daniel [ICC], 164-65).

[2:30]  ³³ tn Aram “heart.”

[2:46]  ³⁴ tn Aram “fell on his face.”

[2:49]  ³⁵ tn Aram “and Daniel sought from the king and he appointed.”

[2:49]  ³⁶ tn Aram “was at the gate of the king.”

[3:2]  ³⁷ sn The specific duties of the seven types of officials listed here (cf. vv. 3, 27) are unclear. The Aramaic words that are used are transliterations of Akkadian or Persian technical terms whose exact meanings are uncertain. The translations given here follow suggestions set forth in BDB.

[3:2]  ³⁸ tn Aram “Nebuchadnezzar the king.” The proper name and title have been replaced by the relative pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[3:13]  ³⁹ tn Aram “in anger and wrath”; NASB “in rage and anger.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[3:13]  ⁴⁰ tn The Aramaic infinitive is active.

[3:13]  ⁴¹ tn Aram “these men.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid undue repetition.

[3:19]  ⁴² tn Aram “the appearance of his face was altered”; cf. NLT “his face became distorted with rage”; NAB “[his] face became livid with utter rage.”

[3:19]  ⁴³ tn Aram “he answered and said.”

[3:20]  ⁴⁴ tn This is sometimes taken as a comparative: “[some of the] strongest.”

[3:28]  ⁴⁵ tn Aram “answered and said.”

[3:28]  ⁴⁶ sn The king identifies the “son of the gods” (v. 25) as an angel. Comparable Hebrew expressions are used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible for the members of God’s angelic assembly (see Gen 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Pss 29:1; 89:6). An angel later comes to rescue Daniel from the lions (Dan 6:22).

[3:28]  ⁴⁷ tn Aram “they changed” or “violated.”

[3:28]  ⁴⁸ tn Aram “so that they might not.”

[4:6]  ⁴⁹ tn Aram “from me there was placed a decree.”

[4:6]  ⁵⁰ tn The Aramaic infinitive here is active.

[4:14]  ⁵¹ tn Aram “in strength.”

[4:14]  ⁵² tn Aram “and thus he was saying.”

[4:15]  ⁵³ tn Aram “the stock of its root.” So also v. 23. The implication here is that although the tree is chopped down, it is not killed. Its life-giving root is spared. The application to Nebuchadnezzar is obvious.

[4:15]  ⁵⁴ sn The function of the band of iron and bronze is not entirely clear, but it may have had to do with preventing the splitting or further deterioration of the portion of the tree that was left after being chopped down. By application it would then refer to the preservation of Nebuchadnezzar’s life during the time of his insanity.

[4:15]  ⁵⁵ tn Aram “its lot be.”

[4:17]  ⁵⁶ tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’al-divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ad-divrat, “until”).

[4:17]  ⁵⁷ tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”

[4:26]  ⁵⁸ sn The reference to heaven here is a circumlocution for God. There was a tendency in Jewish contexts to avoid direct reference to God. Cf. the expression “kingdom of heaven” in the NT and such statements as “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight” (Luke 15:21).

[4:27]  ⁵⁹ tn Aram “if there may be a lengthening to your prosperity.”

[5:2]  ⁶⁰ tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).

[5:2]  ⁶¹ tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships.

[5:2]  ⁶² tn Or “taken.”

[5:2]  ⁶³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:2]  ⁶⁴ sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.

[5:7]  ⁶⁵ tn Aram “in strength.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁶ tn Aram “cause to enter.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁷ tn Aram “answered and said.”

[5:7]  ⁶⁸ sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.

[5:7]  ⁶⁹ tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).

[5:12]  ⁷⁰ tc The translation reads מִפְשַׁר (mifshar) rather than the MT מְפַשַּׁר (mÿfashar) and later in the verse reads וּמִשְׁרֵא (mishre’) rather than the MT וּמְשָׁרֵא (mÿshare’). The Masoretes have understood these Aramaic forms to be participles, but they are more likely to be vocalized as infinitives. As such, they have an epexegetical function in the syntax of their clause.

[5:12]  ⁷¹ tn Aram “to loose knots.”

[5:12]  ⁷² tn Aram “let [Daniel] be summoned.”

[5:15]  ⁷³ tn The Aramaic text does not have “and.” The term “astrologers” is either an appositive for “wise men” (cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV), or the construction is to be understood as asyndetic (so the translation above).

[5:29]  ⁷⁴ tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”

[6:2]  ⁷⁵ tn Aram “giving an account.”

[6:4]  ⁷⁶ tn Aram “looking to find.”

[6:4]  ⁷⁷ tn Aram “from the side of the kingdom.”

[6:4]  ⁷⁸ tn Aram “pretext and corruption.”

[6:4]  ⁷⁹ tn Aram “no negligence or corruption was found in him.” The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the phrase “and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”

[6:7]  ⁸⁰ tn Aram “prays a prayer.”

[6:8]  ⁸¹ tn Aram “establish a written interdict and inscribe a written decree.”

[6:8]  ⁸² tn Or “removed.”

[6:12]  ⁸³ tc The MT also has “about the edict of the king,” but this phrase is absent in the LXX and the Syriac. The present translation deletes the expression.

[6:12]  tn Aram “before the king.”

[6:12]  ⁸⁴ tn Aram “the word is true.”

[6:16]  ⁸⁵ tn Aram “said.” So also in vv. 24, 25.

[6:16]  ⁸⁶ sn The den was perhaps a pit below ground level which could be safely observed from above.

[6:16]  ⁸⁷ tn Aram “answered and said [to Daniel].”

[6:17]  ⁸⁸ tn Aram “mouth.”

[6:17]  ⁸⁹ sn The purpose of the den being sealed was to prevent unauthorized tampering with the opening of the den. Any disturbance of the seal would immediately alert the officials to improper activity of this sort.

[6:17]  ⁹⁰ tn Aram “the signet rings.”

[6:24]  ⁹¹ tn Aram “said.”

[6:24]  ⁹² tn Aram “had eaten the pieces of.” The Aramaic expression is ironic, in that the accusers who had figuratively “eaten the pieces of Daniel” are themselves literally devoured by the lions.

[6:24]  ⁹³ tn The Aramaic active impersonal verb is often used as a substitute for the passive.

[6:24]  ⁹⁴ tc The LXX specifies only the two overseers, together with their families, as those who were cast into the lions’ den.

[6:26]  ⁹⁵ tn Aram “until the end.”

[7:8]  ⁹⁶ tn Aram “were uprooted from before it.”

[7:8]  ⁹⁷ tn Aram “great.” So also in vv. 11, 20.

[7:14]  ⁹⁸ tn Some take “serving” here in the sense of “worshiping.”

[7:14]  ⁹⁹ tn Aram “is an eternal authority which will not pass away.”

[7:14]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Aram “is one which will not be destroyed.”

[9:2]  ¹⁰¹ tc This phrase, repeated from v. 1, is absent in Theodotion.

[9:2]  ¹⁰² tn The Hebrew text has “books”; the word “sacred” has been added in the translation to clarify that it is Scriptures that are referred to.

[9:2]  ¹⁰³ sn The tetragrammaton (the four Hebrew letters which constitute the divine Name, YHWH) appears eight times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the book of Daniel.

[9:2]  ¹⁰⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:3]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “face.”

[9:3]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).

[9:3]  ¹⁰⁷ sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.

[9:17]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “hear.” Here the verb refers to hearing favorably, accepting the prayer and responding positively.

[9:17]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “let your face shine.” This idiom pictures God smiling in favor. See Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19.

[9:17]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “for the sake of my Lord.” Theodotion has “for your sake.” Cf. v. 19.

[9:19]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v 18.

[9:22]  ¹¹² tn Heb “he instructed and spoke with me.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[9:23]  ¹¹³ tn Or “a precious treasure”; KJV “greatly beloved”; NASB, NIV “highly esteemed.”

[9:23]  ¹¹⁴ tn This sentence is perhaps a compound hendiadys (“give serious consideration to the revelatory vision”).

[9:24]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “sevens.” Elsewhere the term is used of a literal week (a period of seven days), cf. Gen 29:27-28; Exod 34:22; Lev 12:5; Num 28:26; Deut 16:9-10; 2 Chr 8:13; Jer 5:24; Dan 10:2-3. Gabriel unfolds the future as if it were a calendar of successive weeks. Most understand the reference here as periods of seventy “sevens” of years, or a total of 490 years.

[9:24]  ¹¹⁶ tc Or “to finish.” The present translation reads the Qere (from the root תָּמַם, tamam) with many witnesses. The Kethib has “to seal up” (from the root הָתַם, hatam), a confusion with a reference later in the verse to sealing up the vision.

[9:24]  ¹¹⁷ tc The present translation reads the Qere (singular), rather than the Kethib (plural).

[9:24]  ¹¹⁸ tn The Hebrew phrase לְכַלֵּא (lÿkhalle’) is apparently an alternative (metaplastic) spelling of the root כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”), rather than a form of כָּלָא (kala’, “to shut up, restrain”), as has sometimes been supposed.

[9:24]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or “everlasting.”

[9:24]  ¹²⁰ sn The act of sealing in the OT is a sign of authentication. Cf. 1 Kgs 21:8; Jer 32:10, 11, 44.

[9:24]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “vision and prophecy.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[9:24]  ¹²² tn Or “the most holy place” (NASB, NLT); or “a most holy one”; or “the most holy one,” though the expression is used of places or objects elsewhere, not people.

[10:12]  ¹²³ tn Heb “gave your heart.”

[10:13]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “and behold.”

[10:13]  ¹²⁵ tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[11:2]  ¹²⁶ sn Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (ca. 522 B.C.), and Darius I Hystaspes (ca. 522-486 B.C.).

[11:2]  ¹²⁷ sn This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465 B.C.). The following reference to one of his chiefs apparently has in view Seleucus Nicator.

[11:2]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “rich with great riches.”

[11:2]  ¹²⁹ tn The text is difficult. The Hebrew has here אֶת (’et), the marker of a definite direct object. As it stands, this would suggest the meaning that “he will arouse everyone, that is, the kingdom of Greece.” The context, however, seems to suggest the idea that this Persian king will arouse in hostility against Greece the constituent elements of his own empire. This requires supplying the word “against,” which is not actually present in the Hebrew text.

[11:14]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “stand against.”

[11:14]  ¹³¹ sn This was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (ca. 203-181 B.C.).

[11:14]  ¹³² tn Heb “sons of violence.” “Son(s) is sometimes used idiomatically in Hebrew to indicate that someone is characterized by a certain quality. So the expression “sons of violence” means that these individuals will be characterized by violent deeds.

[11:14]  ¹³³ tn Heb “to cause to stand.”

[11:17]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “and he will set his face.” Cf. vv. 18, 19.

[11:17]  ¹³⁵ tc The present translation reads מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim, “alliances”) for the MT וִישָׁרִים (viysharim, “uprightness”).

[11:17]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:17]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “the daughter of the women.”

[11:17]  sn The daughter refers to Cleopatra, the daughter of Antiochus, who was given in marriage to Ptolemy V.

[11:32]  ¹³⁸ tn Or “corrupt.”

[11:32]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “acted wickedly toward.”

[11:32]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “know.” The term “know” sometimes means “to recognize.” In relational contexts it can have the connotation “recognize the authority of, be loyal to,” as it does here.

[11:32]  ¹⁴¹ sn This is an allusion to the Maccabean revolt, which struggled to bring about Jewish independence in the second century B.C.

[12:4]  ¹⁴² tn Or “will run back and forth”; KJV “shall run to and fro”; NIV “will go here and there”; CEV “will go everywhere.”

[12:4]  sn Many will dash about is probably an allusion to Amos 8:12.

[12:13]  ¹⁴³ tn The words “your way” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.

[12:13]  ¹⁴⁴ tc The LXX lacks “until the end.”

[12:13]  ¹⁴⁵ tn The word “receive” is added in the translation for clarification.

[12:13]  ¹⁴⁶ sn The deuterocanonical writings known as the Story of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon appear respectively as chapters 13 and 14 of the book of Daniel in the Greek version of this book. Although these writings are not part of the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel, they were popular among certain early communities who valued traditions about the life of Daniel.