DANIEL Summary of the Book of Daniel This summary of the book of Daniel provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Daniel. Author, Date and Authenticity The book implies that Daniel was its author in several passages, such as 9:2; 10:2. That Jesus concurred is clear from his reference to " the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of � through the prophet Daniel" (Mt 24:15; see note there), quoting 9:27 (see note there); 11:31; 12:11. The book was probably completed c. 530 b.c., shortly after Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, captured the city of Babylon in 539. The widely held view that the book of Daniel is largely fictional rests mainly on the modern philosophical assumption that long-range predictive prophecy is impossible. Therefore all fulfilled predictions in Daniel, it is claimed, had to have been composed no earlier than the Maccabean period (second century b.c.), after the fulfillments had taken place. But objective evidence excludes this hypothesis on several counts: 1.To avoid fulfillment of long-range predictive prophecy in the book, the adherents of the late-date view usually maintain that the four empires of chs. 2 and 7 are Babylon, Media, Persia and Greece. But in the mind of the author, "the Medes and Persians" (5:28;;) together constituted the second in the series of four kingdoms (2:32-43; see note there). Thus it becomes clear that the four empires are the Babylonian, Medo- Persian, Greek and Roman. 2.The language itself argues for a date earlier than the second century. Linguistic evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls (which furnish authentic samples of Hebrew and Aramaic writing from the third and second centuries b.c.; see essay, p. 1939) demonstrates that the Hebrew and Aramaic chapters of Daniel must have been composed centuries earlier. Furthermore, as recently demonstrated, the Persian and Greek words in Daniel do not require a late date. Some of the technical terms appearing in ch. 3 were already so obsolete by the second century b.c. that translators of the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) translated them incorrectly. 3.Several of the fulfillments of prophecies in Daniel could not have taken place by the second century anyway, so the prophetic element cannot be dismissed. The symbolism connected with the fourth kingdom makes it unmistakably predictive of the Roman empire (2:33;7:7,19), which did not take control of Syro-Palestine until 63 b.c. Also, a plausible interpretation of the prophecy concerning the coming of "the Anointed One, the ruler," approximately 483 years after "the issuing of the decree to
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DANIEL
Summary of the Book of Daniel
This summary of the book of Daniel provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Daniel.
Author, Date and Authenticity
The book implies that Daniel was its author in several passages, such as 9:2; 10:2. That Jesus concurred is clear from his reference to " the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of� through the prophet Daniel" (Mt 24:15; see note there), quoting 9:27 (see note there); 11:31; 12:11. The book was probably completed c. 530 b.c., shortly after Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, captured the city of Babylon in 539.
The widely held view that the book of Daniel is largely fictional rests mainly on the modern philosophical assumption that long-range predictive prophecy is impossible. Therefore all fulfilled predictions in Daniel, it is claimed, had to have been composed no earlier than the Maccabean period (second century b.c.), after the fulfillments had taken place. But objective evidence excludes this hypothesis on several counts:
1.To avoid fulfillment of long-range predictive prophecy in the book, the adherents of the late-date view usually maintain that the four empires of chs. 2 and 7 are Babylon, Media, Persia and Greece. But in the mind of the author, "the Medes and Persians" (5:28;;) together constituted the second in the series of four kingdoms (2:32-43; see note there). Thus it becomes clear that the four empires are the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman.2.The language itself argues for a date earlier than the second century. Linguistic evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls (which furnish authentic samples of Hebrew and Aramaic writing from the third and second centuries b.c.; see essay, p. 1939) demonstrates that the Hebrew and Aramaic chapters of Daniel must have been composed centuries earlier. Furthermore, as recently demonstrated, the Persian and Greek words in Daniel do not require a late date. Some of the technical terms appearing in ch. 3 were already so obsolete by the second century b.c. that translators of the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) translated them incorrectly.3.Several of the fulfillments of prophecies in Daniel could not have taken place by the second century anyway, so the prophetic element cannot be dismissed. The symbolism connected with the fourth kingdom makes it unmistakably predictive of the Roman empire (2:33;7:7,19), which did not take control of Syro-Palestine until 63 b.c. Also, a plausible interpretation of the prophecy concerning the coming of "the Anointed One, the ruler," approximately 483 years after "the issuing of the decree to
restore and rebuild Jerusalem" (9:25;9:25-27), works out to the time of Jesus' ministry.Objective evidence, therefore, appears to exclude the late-date hypothesis and indicates that there is insufficient reason to deny Daniel's authorship.
Theological Theme
The theological theme of the book is summarized in 4:17; 5:21: "The Most High (God) is sovereign over the kingdoms of men." Daniel's visions always show God as triumphant (7:11,26-27;8:25;9:27). The climax of his sovereign rule is described in Revelation: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ [i.e., Messiah, Anointed One'], and he will reign for ever� and ever" (rev 11:15;da 2:44;7:27;s).
Literary Form
The book is made up primarily of historical narrative (found mainly in chs. 1 - 6) and apocalyptic ("revelatory") material (found mainly in chs. 7 - 12). The latter may be defined as symbolic, visionary, prophetic literature, usually composed during oppressive conditions and being chiefly eschatological in theological content. Apocalyptic literature is primarily a literature of encouragement to the people of God (see Introduction to Zechariah: Literary Form and Themes; see also Introduction to Revelation: Literary Form). For the symbolic use of numbers in apocalyptic literature see Introduction to Revelation: Distinctive Feature.
Outline
•Prologue: The Setting (ch. 1)
•Historical Introduction (1:1-2)•Daniel and His Friends Are Taken Captive (1:3-7)•The Young Men Are Faithful (1:8-16)•The Young Men Are Elevated to High Positions (1:17-21)
•The Destinies of the Nations of the World (chs. 2-7;)
•Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of a Large Statue (ch. 2)•Nebuchadnezzar's Making of a Gold Image and His Decree That It Be Worshiped (ch. 3)•Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of an Enormous Tree (ch. 4)•Belshazzar's and Babylon's Downfall (ch. 5)•Daniel's Deliverance from the Lion's Den (ch. 6)•Daniel's Dream of Four Beasts (ch. 7)
•The Destiny of the Nation of Israel (chs. 8-12; in Hebrew)
•Daniel's Vision of a Ram and a Goat (ch. 8)•Daniel's Prayer and His Vision of the 70 "Sevens" (ch. 9)
•Daniel's Vision of Israel's Future (chs. 10-12)1.Revelation of things to come (10:1-3)2.Revelation from the angelic messenger (10:4;11:1)3.Prophecies concerning Persia and Greece (11:2-4)4.Prophecies concerning Egypt and Syria (11:5-35)5.Prophecies concerning the antichrist (11:36-45)6.Distress and deliverance (12:1)7.Two resurrections (12:2-3)8.Instruction to Daniel (12:4)9.Conclusion (12:5-13)
Daniel 1
Daniel Taken to Babylon
1 In the third year of 1the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of 2the vessels of the
house of God. And he brought them to 3the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, 4and
placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, 5his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of
Israel, both of the royal familya and of6the nobility,
4 youths without 7blemish, of good appearance and 8skillful in all wisdom, endowed with
knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and
Daniel’s languages. The book of Daniel was written in both Hebrew (1:1–2:3; 7:1–12:13) and Aramaic (2:4–7:28). In OT times, Aramaic was the language used
by several people groups in the Middle East (see2 Kings 18:26).
Introduction to DanielGlobal Message of DanielDan. 1:1–6:28 Daniel and the Three Friends at the Babylonian Court. The
Hebrew exiles live faithfully to the Lord while serving in the court of Nebuchadnezzar and his successors, from 605 B.C. to the fall of Babylon (539) and into the early years of Persian rule. Their service brings blessing to the Gentiles.
Daniel
Daniel was a young man from a noble family who was deported from Judah to
Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar (605 B.C.). The Babylonians trained Daniel for three years in their language and culture. The Lord blessed Daniel with exceptional wisdom in these areas. He also gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams. When Daniel interpreted a dream for Nebuchadnezzar, the grateful king gave him an important position in the royal court. After the fall of the Babylonian Empire, Daniel served in a similar role in the Medo-Persian Empire
that succeeded it (6:28). Daniel was a faithful servant of the Lord who consistently refused to disobey God. At the same time, he remained respectful to those in authority over him. Daniel, along with his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, did precisely what God had commanded the exiles to do
in Jeremiah 29:7: they were a blessing to their captors while at the same time remaining true to their Lord amid extraordinary pressures. (Daniel 1:17–21)
Dan. 1:1–21 Daniel describes how he and his three friends were taken into
exile (vv. 1–7), remained undefiled (vv. 8–16), and were promoted and preserved (vv. 17–21).
Dan. 1:1–2 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim . . . , Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon came to Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel and other
promising young people to Babylon to be trained in Babylonian culture and literature. This deportation was the beginning of what came to be known as the Babylonian exile. This exile was the result of the people’s sin (Lev. 26:33, 39). Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king c. 605–562 B.C. See 2 Kings 24:1–25:26; Jer. 39:1–18; 52:1–30.
Dan. 1:3–4 Some of the royal family and nobility were also exiled. Their exile fulfilled
Isaiah’s prophecy to King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 39, a century earlier. Hezekiah had shown the representatives of Babylon around his treasuries, hoping to win a political partner against the Assyrians. Because he had thus failed to trust in the Lord, it was prophesied that the treasures he had shown the Babylonians, as well as some of his own descendants, would be carried off to Babylon.
Dan. 1:5–7 Nebuchadnezzar forced the exiles into adopting Babylonian culture by depriving
them of their religious and cultural identity and creating dependence on the royal court. They were given names linked with Babylonian deities in place of Israelite names linked with their God.
Fact: What’s in a name?
What’s in a name? Changing a person’s name (1:7) was a sign of having power over that person. Conquering rulers often did this to their captives as a means of making them more a part of their new culture.
Dan. 1:8–16 Daniel and his three friends kept their original names and resolvednot
to defile themselves with the king’s food and drink (v. 8). They avoided the rich diet as a
way of protecting themselves from being tempted by Babylonian culture. Their restricted diet
continually reminded them that they were the people of God in a foreign land. They were
dependent for their food, indeed for their very lives, upon God, not King Nebuchadnezzar. The
Lord gave Daniel favor with his captors (v. 9), and the steward honored their request for a
special diet. At the end of a trial period, Daniel and his friends looked fitter than those who
had consumed a high-calorie diet.
Dan. 1:17–21 God also gave Daniel and his friends exceptional knowledge of
The dreams of a king (2:1) had significance for his nation as a whole because dreams were thought to be the shadows of future events. If the dreams of a king could be correctly interpreted, then the appropriate actions could be taken to preserve the kingdom
Dan. 2:1 In the ancient world, dreamswere thought to give an indication of future events. A
king’s dreams had significance for the nation as a whole. The interpretation was important so that the king might prepare for or try to prevent the events the dream foretold.
Dan. 2:2 Nebuchadnezzar had a staff specializing in dream interpretation: the
magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. “Chaldeans”
initially referred to a part of the Babylonian Empire. It developed into a descriptive term for a special group, known for their knowledge about magic and interpreting dreams.
Dan. 2:4 From this point until the end of ch. 7, the text switches from Hebrew toAramaic,
the official language of the Babylonian royal court.
The City of Babylon
The city of Babylon reached its zenith under Nebuchadrezzar II
(Nebuchadnezzar of Scripture, who reigned 605–562 B.C.). He restored and enlarged it, making it the largest city seen in the world up to that time. The Euphrates River flowed through it, with the oldest quarter of the city lying on the east bank of the river. The city was surrounded by a city wall with fortified gates that were named after the various Babylonian deities. The Esagila Complex on the east bank of the Euphrates contained the Temple of Marduk with its associated seven-storied ziggurat Etemenanki.From Esagila, the Processional Way (its walls lined with glazed bricks with representations of lions) led to the Ishtar Gate (which was decorated with glazed
brick reliefs of dragons and young bulls). Beside the Ishtar Gate stood two immense fortified palaces. A bridge led over the Euphrates to the western part of the city. No evidence of the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon has been found, but if anything like this was ever constructed here, it would have been during this time, at the height of the city’s splendor. The city was captured by Cyrus the
Persian in 539 B.C.
Dan. 2:5–6 Contrary to normal procedure, the king demanded that his interpreters recount
the dream itself as well as its interpretation. If the interpreters succeeded, they would
be given great rewards. If they failed, they would be executed and their houses would be
destroyed.
Dan. 2:11 These men consider the king’s demand unreasonable. No human being could
know another person’s dream unless it was revealed by the gods, whose dwelling is
not with flesh. Their own words reveal the power of Israel’s God, who does exactly what
they say is impossible.
Dan. 2:14–24 Daniel leads his friends in praying to the true God for insight.
Dan. 2:15–16 Daniel requested fromArioch an appointment with the king to reveal the
dream and its interpretation. This shows Daniel’s faith because he did this even before
God had revealed the dream to him.
Dan. 2:23 When God answered Daniel’s prayer, he praised and thanked God for
his wisdom and might.
Dan. 2:25–28 Arioch was eager to claim the credit for finding an interpreter for the king’s
dream. Daniel, however, was careful to credit God with revealing themystery. Daniel was
able to interpret it because there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
Dan. 2:30 God made known theinterpretation of the dream so that Nebuchadnezzar
would know this great God controlled future events, and so that he would be aware of what was coming.
Dan. 2:37–38 According to Daniel’s interpretation, the head of gold was
Nebuchadnezzar. God gave him great authority, power, and glory. Babylon itself was an
amazing achievement, with its hanging gardens (one of the famed Seven Wonders of the ancient world), many temples, and a bridge crossing the Euphrates River. Thus the head of gold is a fitting description.
Dan. 2:39 After Nebuchadnezzar’s time there will be two more kingdoms (Medo-Persia
[539–331 B.C.] and Greece [331–63 B.C.]). Each will be inferior to the previous one, though still strong and powerful.
Dan. 2:40 The fourth kingdom (the Roman Empire) will be strong as iron, yet also
Dan. 2:43–44 God will establish a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, his final
kingdom, which will ultimately destroy all other kingdoms. Though it starts small, it will grow
to fill the earth and endure forever. The stone that will break in pieces all these other
four kingdoms is most likely Christ.
Dan. 2:46–49 Nebuchadnezzar recognized and honored Daniel’s God. He also promoted
Daniel and his friends within the Babylonian court, giving them further opportunity to bring peace and welfare to the city where the Lord had exiled them, as Jeremiah had counseled (Jer. 29:1–14).
Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready when 24you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp,
bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well
and good.c But if you do not worship, 25you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery
furnace. And 26who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"
16 27Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If this be so, 28our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.d
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the
golden image that you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was 29filled with fury, and the expression of his face 30was
changed against 31Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated
seven times more than it was usually heated.
20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army 32to bind33Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were 34bound in their cloaks, their tunics,e their hats, and their other
garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.
22Because the king's order was 35urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire
killed those men who took up 36Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell 37bound into the burning
fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was 38astonished and rose up 39in haste. He declared to
his 40counselors, "Did we not cast three men41bound into the fire?" They answered and said
to the king, "True, O king."
25 He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, 42walking in the midst of the fire,
and they 43are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like 44a son of the gods."
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he
declared, 45"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the46Most High God, come
out, and come here!" Then 47Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
27 And the 48satraps, the prefects, the governors, and 49the king's counselors gathered
together and saw that 50the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The
hair of their heads was not singed, their 51cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had
come upon them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of52Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, who 53has sent his angel and 54delivered his servants, who 55trusted in him, and
set asidef the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than 56serve and worship
any god except their own God.
29Therefore 57I make a decree: Any 58people, nation, or language that speaks anything
against the God of 59Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 60shall be torn limb from limb, and
their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way."
30 Then the king promoted 61Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in 62the province of
Babylon.
Footnotesa 3:1 - A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
•b 3:9 - Aramaic answered and said; also verses 24, 26•c 3:15 - Aramaic lacks well and good•d 3:17 - Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king.•e 3:21 - The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27•f 3:28 - Aramaic and changed
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jewish exiles and friends of Daniel in Babylon. As he did for Daniel, God gave them a remarkable understanding of Babylonian literature and culture. They, too, were given positions of great leadership in Babylon. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were always faithful to God and trusted him entirely. While they showed deep respect for King Nebuchadnezzar, they were unwilling to follow any orders that would mean compromising their faith. When commanded to worship a golden image, they refused to do so, even though it meant being cast into a fiery furnace. The three men assured Nebuchadnezzar that their God was able to save them from the furnace, but that even if he chose not to save them, they would still not deny him. (Daniel 3:16–18)
Dan. 3:1–30 Nebuchadnezzar commands all peoples under his rule to worship a golden image. Daniel’s friends refuse, out of loyalty to their God. When God delivers them from the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar’s respect for their God increases.
Dan. 3:1 The image of gold reflects the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, except it is made entirely of gold. It is as if Nebuchadnezzar were asserting that there would be no other kingdoms after his. It was sixty cubits (90 feet/27 m) high and six cubits (9 feet/2.7 m) wide. Its location on a plain in Babylonrecalls the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9), as does its purpose to provide a unifying center for all people.
Dan. 3:2 satraps. A governor of a satrapy (province).
Dan. 3:3 Chapter 3 repeatedly states that this was the image that King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. It is unclear whether the image represented
Nebuchadnezzar or one of his gods. All of the leading officials from throughout his empire were gathered before the statue for its dedication. The unity of Nebuchadnezzar’s
empire was based on worship of the golden image.
Dan. 3:12 Certain “Chaldeans” (see note on 2:2) observed that Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego had not bowed to the statue. They charged the young men with ingratitude
for the positions they held and disbelief in Nebuchadnezzar’s gods.
Dan. 3:18 But if not. There is no doubt in the three men’s minds that God has the power to save them. They also realize that God may choose not to save them.
Dan. 3:19 In anger, Nebuchadnezzar orders the furnace superheated. Seven times
more than it was usually heated is probably a figurative expression meaning “as hot
as possible.”
Dan. 3:22 Nebuchadnezzar’s order resulted in the death of his own soldiers. The Lord is able to protect his servants better than Nebuchadnezzar can protect his.
Dan. 3:24–25 Daniel’s friends were joined in the fire by a fourth individual, who had the
appearance of a divine being like a son of the gods. This was either a physical
appearance of Christ before his incarnation or an angel. Either way, this is a demonstration of God’s presence with believers in distress.
Dan. 3:27 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were completely untouched by the fire. Their
clothes were not harmed nor their hair singed, and they did not even smell of fire—a
testimony to the Lord’s protection.
Dan. 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar’s question in v. 15 had been decisively answered, as he is
forced to testify. Yet his heart is not yet changed: the God of whom he spoke was still the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, or their . . . God, not his own.
Dan. 3:30 Nebuchadnezzar shows that he appreciates the integrity of these men.
Nebuchadnezzar was the powerful King of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem and deported a number of the city’s inhabitants to his own land. When the king had a dream that only Daniel could interpret, he acknowledged the power of Daniel’s God. The mighty king had to be brought very low, however, before he turned to the Lord. After failing to heed a warning from God, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to live in the wilderness, where he ate grass and lived like an animal. At the end of God’s appointed time of judgment, however, Nebuchadnezzar turned to the Lord and he regained his sanity. God restored his kingdom to him, demonstrating that the Lord is able to humble the proud and exalt the humble. The great and mighty persecutor of Israel, the destroyer of Jerusalem, was humbled by God’s grace and brought to confess God’s mercy. (Daniel 4:28–37)
Dan. 4:1–37 Nebuchadnezzar has another dream, and Daniel again is the only one of his
officials able to interpret it. This dream concerns Nebuchadnezzar’s own need to acknowledge that the God of Israel is the true God. Through humiliation, Nebuchadnezzar learns that lesson.
Dan. 4:1–3 The narrative begins at the end of the story, with the letter of praise to God that
Nebuchadnezzar wrote after his recovery. From being a persecutor of the faithful, Nebuchadnezzar has become a witness to the faith.
Fact: Tree
A tree represents King Nebuchadnezzar in his dream (4:5–27). Trees can
symbolize great kingdoms in the Bible. Ezekiel 31:2–9 compares Assyria to a cedar that shelters the nations. Jesus uses a tree to describe God’s kingdom
(Mark 4:32).
Dan. 4:7 This time Nebuchadnezzar tells the wise men of Babylon the dream.
Dan. 4:10–16 In this dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw an enormous tree whose top touched
the heavens. While Nebuchadnezzar was looking on, however, a watcher, a holy
one, came down and ordered that the tree be cut down. The tree was not completely
destroyed, however. Its stump would remain in the ground for seven periods of time.
“Seven” signifies completion. Most scholars, however, believe that this refers to seven years.
Dan. 4:22 In his interpretation, Daniel identified the enormous tree as Nebuchadnezzar: it
is you, O king.
Dan. 4:23 The image of the tree reaching to the heavens is a reminder of the Tower of
Babel (Gen. 11:1–9). Such pride ends in disaster. Nebuchadnezzar, who thought of himself in godlike terms, would become beastlike so that he could learn that he is merely human. When the tree was cut down, the stump and the roots were allowed to remain, bound in iron
and bronze, possibly suggesting that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom will be protected and then
established more firmly after he learned to honor the true God.
Dan. 4:25 Nebuchadnezzar will experience a full period of judgment,seven periods of
time, in this animal-like state. When Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that God the Most
High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will, Nebuchadnezzar’s
kingdom will be restored to him.
Dan. 4:27 Therefore, O king . . . break off your sins by practicing
righteousness, and . . . showing mercy to the oppressed. This appeal for
repentance implied that the outcome shown to Nebuchadnezzar in the dream could be changed. If Nebuchadnezzar would humble himself, God would not need to humble him further.
Dan. 4:28–33 A year went by, but Nebuchadnezzar was unchanged. The view from the roof of the royal palace of Babylon included numerous ornate temples, the hanging gardens, and the outer wall of the city. As he looked at these accomplishments, Nebuchadnezzar boasted to himself of his mighty power and glory. Immediately, the sentence of judgment was announced from heaven. His royal authority was taken from him, and he was driven away from Babylon. He ate grass and lived wild in the open air like the beasts of the field, growing his hair and nails long.
Fact: The city of BabylonThe city of Babylon had some of the most impressive buildings of the ancient Near East. It was home to the famous Hanging Gardens, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Its outer walls were wide enough for chariots driven by four horses to pass each other.
Dan. 4:34–37 At the end of God’s appointed time of judgment, Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes to heaven and his reason was restored. Once brought low by God, he was restored to control of his kingdom. He blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever.
are that Daniel, one of 37the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah.
14 I have heard of you that 38the spirit of the godse is in you, and that 39light and
understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
15 Now40the wise men, the 41enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this
writing and make known to me its interpretation, but 42they could not show the interpretation
of the matter.
16 43But I have heard that you can give interpretations and 44solve problems. 45Now if you
can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, 46you shall be clothed with
purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and 47shall be the third ruler in the
kingdom."
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, 48"Let your gifts be for yourself, and give
your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to
him the interpretation.
18 O king, the 49Most High God 50gave 51Nebuchadnezzar your father 52kingship and
greatness and glory and majesty.
19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, 53all peoples, nations, and
languages 54trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he
would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.
20 But 55when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt
proudly, 56he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
2157He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of
a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his
body was wet with the dew of heaven, 58until he knew that the59Most High God rules the
kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.
22And you his son,f 60 Belshazzar, 61have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
23 but you have lifted up yourself against 62the Lord of heaven. And 63the vessels of his
house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your
concubines have drunk wine from them. 64And you have praised the gods of silver and gold,
of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, 65but the God in whose
hand is your breath, and 66whose are all your ways, 67you have not honored.
24 "Then from his presence 68the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.
25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numberedg the days of your
kingdom and brought it to an end;
27TEKEL, 69you have been weighedh in the balances and found wanting;
28PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to 70the Medes and 71Persians."i
29Then 72Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel 73was clothed with purple, a chain of
gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be
the third ruler in the kingdom.
30 74That very night 75Belshazzar the 76Chaldean king was killed.
31 j And 77Darius 78the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Footnotesa 5:2 - Or predecessor; also verses 11, 13, 18•b 5:7 - Aramaic answered and said; also verse 10•c 5:10 - Or queen mother; twice in this verse•d 5:11 - Or Spirit of the holy God•e 5:14 - Or Spirit of God•f 5:22 - Or successor•g 5:26 - Mene sounds like the Aramaic for numbered•h 5:27 - Tekel sounds like the Aramaic for weighed•i 5:28 - Peres (the singular of Parsin) sounds like the Aramaic for divided and for Persia•j 5:31 - Ch 6:1 in Aramaic
Fact: Taking vengeance for his templeBabylon was conquered in one night, while the king feasted in pride, using the
golden vessels stolen from the temple (Daniel 5). Jeremiah sees this as the
Lord taking vengeance for his temple (Jer. 50:28; 51:11).
Dan. 5:1–31 Daniel explains to Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, that the writing on the
wall is a message that the true God rules over all. In his own time, this true God will vindicate his name against those who defile it, no matter how powerful they are.
Dan. 5:1–4 Belshazzar was a co-regent of Babylon c. 553–539 B.C. At the center of
Belshazzar’s great feast were the vessels of gold and of silver that had been taken
from the Jerusalem temple by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was not literally
the father of Belshazzar; Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, with whom he shared co-
regency during the closing years of the Babylonian monarchy. The word “father” in Aramaic, like Hebrew, can mean “ancestor” or “predecessor” (v. 2, ESV footnote). Belshazzar wanted to emphasize his direct connection to Nebuchadnezzar, who had been the greatest of all Babylonian kings.
Dan. 5:5–9 The fingers of a mysterious hand wrote on the plaster of the palace
wall opposite the lampstand, where its message could be clearly seen. The king’s
response was terror: literally, the “joints of his loins were loosened.” None of the Babylonian magicians were able to interpret the writing. Anyone who interpreted the writing would be clothed with purple, an expensive color in the ancient world, and would wear a chain
of gold, a mark of high rank. He would also be the third ruler in the kingdom, which
may refer to being next highest to King Nabonidus and the co-regent Belshazzar.
Dan. 5:10–12 The queen most likely refers to the queen mother. She reminded
Belshazzar of Daniel, whose ability to solve problems had been repeatedly demonstrated during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar had appointed him chief of his wise men, because the spirit of the holy gods enabled him to answer difficult questions.
Dan. 5:13–31 Daniel alone is able to decipher the writing on the wall. It is a message from
the true God, telling of the end of the Babylonian Empire.
Dan. 5:18 Daniel contrasted Belshazzar with Nebuchadnezzar, to whom the Most High
God gave . . . kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. Nebuchadnezzar
was given godlike powers to kill and keep alive, to raise up and to humble. Yet when he became proud, God humbled him until he confessed the power of God.
Dan. 5:23 Belshazzar knew of Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling, yet he lifted himself up . . .
against the Lord of heaven by using the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple for
an idolatrous feast.
Dan. 5:25 Daniel interpreted the writing . . . Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. The
words are clearly Aramaic. They describe a sequence of weights, decreasing from a mina to a shekel to a half-shekel. Read as verbs, the sequence becomes: “Numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided.” The Lord had numbered the days of Belshazzar’s kingdom and brought it to an end because he had been judged and found lacking.
Dan. 5:28 As a result of God’s judgment, Belshazzar’s kingdom will be divided and
Dan. 5:30–31 Belshazzar gave Daniel the promised reward, but it was an empty gift. That very night Belshazzar’s rule ended, when the Medes and the Persians entered Babylon.
Belshazzar was killed and replaced as king by Darius the Mede. The identity of Darius the Mede and the exact nature of his relationship to Cyrus are not certain. Cyrus was already king
of Persia at the time when Babylon fell to the Persians (539 B.C.).
Dan. 6:1–28 The events of ch. 6 recall the events of ch. 3. However, while ch. 3took place
in the Babylonian royal court, ch. 6 takes place in the court of the Medo-Persians who had conquered Babylon. Daniel refuses to treat King Darius as the gods’ chief representative. When God delivers Daniel from the lions, Darius learns to respect Daniel’s God.
Dan. 6:1–3 satraps. See note on 3:2. The three high officials oversaw the satraps’
work. As one of these three,Daniel received the reward promised by Belshazzar. Daniel did
such an excellent job in this role that Darius planned to set him over the whole
kingdom.
Dan. 6:4–15 The other officials in the Medo-Persian court are jealous of Daniel’s success.
They conspire to get the king to issue an edict that Daniel cannot obey.
Dan. 6:6–7 Darius likely viewed this law as a way to unite the kingdom by identifying himself
as the sole mediator between the people and the gods.
Dan. 6:8 the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.
This does not mean that Medo-Persian kings never changed their mind, but to do so would be an embarrassment.
Dan. 6:10 Daniel continued his practice of prostrating himself three times daily toward
Jerusalem. This must have made it easy for his enemies to gather the evidence necessary
to convict him.
Dan. 6:16–18 The mouth of the den was covered with a stone, which was
then sealed with the signet rings of the king and his lords. Humanly speaking, Daniel
was left all alone. Yet Darius’s last words to Daniel pointed to a higher source of help: “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
Fact: Lions’ densLions’ dens (6:17) were built to house captured lions, which would be later released and hunted for sport. Ancient writings other than the Bible also include stories of people being placed in cages with predatory animals.
Dan. 6:19–23 At break of day, Darius hurried to the lions’ den. He discovered that
Daniel had spent a comfortable night even though surrounded by wild animals, while Darius himself had been unable to sleep (v. 18) though surrounded by royal luxury. Because Daniel trusted in his God and was found blameless before him, God sent his
angel and shut the mouths of the lions so that they were unable to hurt him.
Dan. 6:24 After Daniel’s release, those who had schemed against him were thrown to the
same lions. Anyone who made a false accusation would be punished by receiving the same
fate they had sought for their victim. The sentence was also carried out on the families of the guilty men: their children, and their wives.
Dan. 6:25–27 Darius, like Nebuchadnezzar, confesses the awesome power and protection
of Daniel’s God: he is the living God . . . his kingdom shall never be destroyed.
Dan. 6:28 This closing comment reminds the reader that most of Daniel’s life was spent in exile. Yet God protected him right up to the time of King Cyrus, when Daniel’s prayers for Jerusalem finally began to be answered. Cyrus was God’s chosen instrument to return the Jews from exile. He issued a decree that they could return to their homeland and rebuild Jerusalem.
21 As I looked, this horn 42made war with the saints and prevailed over them,
22 until the 43Ancient of Days came, and44judgment was given for the saints of the Most
High, and the time came when45the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 "Thus he said: 'As for 46the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which
shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it
down, and break it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise
after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.
25 47He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most
High, and shall think to 48change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand
for 49a time, times, and half a time.
2650But the court shall sit in judgment, and 51his dominion shall be taken away, to be
consumed and destroyed 52to the end.
27 53And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole
heaven shall be given to the people of 54the saints of the Most High; 55their kingdom shall
be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'c
28 "Here is the end of the matter. 56As for me, Daniel, my 57thoughts greatly alarmed
me, 58and my color changed, but 59I kept the matter in my heart."
Footnotesa 7:2 - Aramaic answered and said•b 7:15 - Aramaic within its sheath•c 7:27 - Or his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him
7:1–12:13 The Visions of Daniel. These chapters describe Daniel’s apocalyptic visions,
which reassure God’s people that, in spite of exile and persecution, God is still in control of history and will make sure that his purposes are fulfilled.
Fact: Opening the booksOpening the books. Scribes recorded the daily events and activities of royal courts. These writings served as records for the archives and also could provide testimony for court hearings. Daniel’s first readers would have understood quite
well his vision of God opening the books (7:10).
Dan. 7:1–28 In the first vision, four beasts represent four mighty kings (or kingdoms); nevertheless, God’s plan to exalt his faithful will be victorious.
Dan. 7:1–2 Daniel received the vision during the first year of Belshazzar (c. 552 B.C.). He saw that four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea, a symbol for chaos and potential rebellion against God.
Dan. 7:3 This sea produced four startling creatures, one after the other, each more
frightening than the preceding one. These creatures are identified in v.17.
Dan. 7:4 The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings; it had the strength and
majesty of a lion combined with the speed and power of an eagle. This beast had his wings plucked off and was transformed into a man, recalling the humbling and restoration
of Nebuchadnezzar. Most scholars think the lion represents Babylon.
Dan. 7:5 The second beast was like a bear, raised up on one side. Many scholars
think this suggests the unequal power of the two countries combined in the Medo-Persian Empire. It had a mouth full of the ribs of its previous victim(s); these may have been the
people Cyrus conquered to unify his nation. However, the beast was told to arise and devour even more. The three ribs could also represent the three countries that
Medo-Persia conquered (Babylon, 539 B.C.; Lydia, 546; and Egypt, 525).
Dan. 7:6 The third beast was like another composite animal, part leopard,
part bird, with four wings and four heads. It combined ferocity and speed with the
ability to see in all four directions at once. But the four wings emphasize even more the element of speed. Many scholars believe this corresponds well to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the known world by age 32. After his death in 323 B.C., his empire was divided among four of his generals. These four rulers are symbolized by the four heads.
Dan. 7:7 The fourth beast cannot be described in terms of earthly animals. It
was terrifying and dreadful,exceedingly strong, with great iron
teeth that devoured and crushed, and it trampled down whatever it did not eat. Its
head had ten horns, symbolizing increased strength. This final, terrifying beast most likely
represents the Roman Empire.
Dan. 7:8 Even more surprisingly, another small horn came up among the horns,
uprooting three of the 10 others. This horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
The 10 horns likely signify 10 rulers or kingdoms. The little horn was significantly different
than the others, for it had teeth of iron, claws of bronze, and eyes like the eyes of a man.
It started “little” but grew up to overpower three of the other horns. Some scholars understand this horn to refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but many have understood it to refer to the Antichrist.
Dan. 7:9–12 At the center of Daniel’s vision was the heavenly courtroom, with thrones set
up for judgment. The Ancient of Days, God himself, sat on the central throne. His
clothing was white as snow, representing purity. His hair was as white as pure
wool, symbolizing the wisdom that comes with great age. His chariot-throne was flaming with
fire, images of the divine warrior’s power to destroy his enemies. A stream of fire flowed
out from before him, and angelic attendants surrounded him.
Fact: PurityPurity. In 12:10, “white” symbolizes purity, as in clothing that is clean rather
than dirty (see 7:9). “Refined” means purified or cleansed. Revelation similarly
pictures saints wearing white clothes (Rev. 4:4; 7:13–14; 19:8).
Dan. 7:10 Ten thousand times ten thousand is an uncountable multitude,
representing not one kingdom but all the kingdoms of the earth standing before God. The
books that were opened represent God’s records of the deeds of those on the earth.
Dan. 7:11–12 As Daniel kept watching, the boastful little horn was finally silenced: the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with
fire. Daniel looked back at the other beasts and their dominion was taken away, but
they were not destroyed like this last beast. Their kingdoms remained for a time set by God and then were incorporated into the following kingdom.
Dan. 7:13–14 The one like a son of man combines human and divine traits in one
person. This son of man seems also to be greater than any mere human, for to come on the clouds is a clear symbol of divine authority. This son of man is given dominion and
glory and a kingdom. He will rule over the entire world forever. Thus, he must be much
more than a personified representative of Israel, and certainly more than a mere angel, for no created being would have the right to rule the entire world forever. Jesus refers to himself as “son of man” more than any other title, and this role is ultimately fulfilled in Rev. 19:11–16 when Jesus comes at the end of the age to judge and rule the nations. At the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when he claimed to be this heavenly “son of man,” his opponents said he had committed blasphemy because he was claiming God’s power as his own.Dan. 7:15–27 Daniel’s vision returns to the four beasts (vv. 1–8). As for the “little” horn from
the fourth beast (vv. 7–8), who made war with the saints and prevailed over
them (v. 21) and who shall wear out the saints (v. 25), many take this to represent the
Antichrist, whom they expect in the end times. Other interpreters think there is not enough precise data to identify the little horn. It is clear, however, that this king will blaspheme against God, oppress the saints, and try to abolish the calendar and the law, which govern how God’s people worship. The saints will be handed over into his power for a time, times, and half
a time (v. 25)—totaling three and a half times, or half of a total period of seven times of
judgment. The angel’s primary concern is the judgment to come and the triumph of the saints, rather than the identity of the little horn. The central point of the vision is that God limits the time when the beastly kingdoms of the earth will oppress the saints. In the heavenly court, the beasts will finally be destroyed.
The Empires of Daniel’s Visions: The Persiansc. 538–331 B.C.After Cyrus the Great united the Median and Persian empires, he overthrew the Babylonians and established the greatest power the world had ever known. Under later rulers the Persian Empire eventually extended from Egypt and
Thrace to the borders of India, and Cyrus himself declared, “the LORD, the God of
heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Chron. 36:23; Ezra 1:2). Consistent with his regular policies to promote loyalty among his subjugated peoples, Cyrus immediately released the exiled Jews from their captivity in Babylon and even sponsored the rebuilding of the temple.
Dan. 7:28 Daniel is stunned by the vision revealed in this chapter; he has only enough
21 And 59the goate is the king of Greece. And 60the great horn between his eyes is 61the
first king.
22 62As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms
shall arise from hisfnation, 63but not with his power.
23 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a
king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.
24 His power shall be great--64but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful
destruction 65and shall succeed in what he does, 66and destroy mighty men and the people
who are the saints.
25 67By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind 68he
shall become great. 69Without warning he shall destroy many. And he 70shall even rise up
against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken--but 71by no human hand.
26The vision of 72the evenings and the mornings that has been told 73is true, but74seal up
the vision, 75for it refers to many days from now."
27 And 76I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about
the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision 77and did not understand it.
a 8:2 - Or the fortified city Footnotes•b 8:10 - Or host, that is, some•c 8:12 - Or in an act of rebellion•d 8:14 - Hebrew; Septuagint, Theodotion, Vulgate to him
Dan. 8:1–27 In this next vision, Daniel sees what is to come of the Medo-Persian Empire, Alexander the Great’s empire, and the Hellenistic empires that succeed it. The upheavals to come will mean terrible times for God’s people, but they must endure, knowing that God rules over all.
Dan. 8:3 In this vision, Daniel saw an all-powerful ram with two horns, one of which was
longer than the other. The ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire, with
the higher horn representing the stronger, Persian part.
Dan. 8:5 a male goat came from the west. Alexander the Great came from Greece,
which was to the “west” of both Babylon and Persia. without touching the ground.
Alexander conquered the mighty Persian Empire with amazing speed.
Dan. 8:7 he was enraged. Alexander’s father was king of Macedonia and brought all of
Greece under his control by 336 B.C. Alexander was only 20 when his father was murdered, but he consolidated his hold on Greece and unified the Greeks.
Dan. 8:8 the goat became exceedingly great. Alexander the Great’s kingdom
extended all the way to India, exceeding any kingdom before it in size. there came up
four conspicuous horns. After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., four of his
generals divided his kingdom into four parts.
Fact: Antiochus IV EpiphanesThe reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 B.C.) was disastrous for the Jews
(11:21–35; see 8:9–14, 23–25). He banned circumcision, ended the sacrifices,
and defiled the temple. Judas Maccabeus led a revolt against him in 167 B.C.
Dan. 8:9–10 A little horn grows out of one of the four horns and expands his realm. Most
scholars identify this little horn as Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ruled 175–164 B.C.). Antiochus IV tried to unify his kingdom by forcing his subjects to adopt Greek cultural and religious practices. He banned circumcision, ended sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem, and deliberately defiled the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and placing a pagan religious object in the Most Holy Place. This horn grew great, even to the host of heaven,
andsome of the stars it threw down to the ground. This probably refers to the
faithful who were killed during Antiochus IV’s reign.
Dan. 8:11 The Prince of the host probably refers to God, because of the similar
expression “Prince of princes” in v. 25. the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.
When the Jews refused to adopt Antiochus IV’s pagan religion, he punished them severely.
Dan. 8:12–14 Because of renewed transgression on the part of God’s people, the saints
and the temple sacrifices were handed over to Antiochus IV, but only for a limited period: 2,300 evenings and mornings, or a little over six years. In the end, the little horn
will be judged and the sanctuary restored to its rightful state. Unlike the less precise
“time, times, and half a time” of 7:25, this period is measured in days, suggesting that God has a precise calendar for the times of his people’s suffering.
Dan. 8:15–26 The angel Gabriel explains to Daniel that the vision concerns the future of the
region, which God rules for his purposes. The vision is given to prepare God’s people for the coming events, even the severe persecutions under Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Fact: Gabriel
Gabriel is the first angel mentioned by name in the Bible (8:16; 9:21). Michael,
the only other angel named in Scripture, also appears in Daniel (10:13, 21; 12:1). In the NT, Gabriel was the angel who announced the births of John the
Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:19, 26). Michael appears again in Rev. 12:7.
Dan. 8:20–22 Unlike the vision of ch. 7, the vision of 8:3–14 is precisely interpreted by the angel. The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia, of whom Cyrus, king of Persia, became the dominant partner. The goat was the king of Greece, Alexander the Great. See note on v. 8.
Dan. 8:23 The “little horn” of v. 9corresponds to a king of bold face, who was completely wicked. This describes Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175–164 B.C.). See note on vv. 9–10.
The Empires of Daniel’s Visions: The Greeksc. 335–303 B.C.The ascension of Alexander the Great to the throne of the Macedonian kingdom (in northern Greece) spelled the end for the mighty Persian Empire. After
gaining the loyalty of the other city-states of Greece, Alexander’s astounding military prowess and success enabled him to systematically overtake virtually all of Persia’s former territory within 12 years. Soon after he died in Babylon at age
33 (323 B.C.), Alexander’s conquered territory was divided among his generals, who constantly vied for power among each other until their territories resembled those shown here (c. 303).
Dan. 8:25 he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes. This title refers to
God. Antiochus IV rebels against even God’s legitimate sovereignty, as he shows by desecrating the temple (see note on 11:31–32).
Dan. 8:27 Even though Daniel did not fully understand the vision, he was
nonetheless overcome and appalled, for he recognized the severity of the suffering
coming on his own people. Like the other prophets, he sympathized with his people when they faced the judgment of God. Yet in spite of his deep concern for the future, he went
26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall 80be cut off and shall have nothing.
And the people of the prince who is to come 81shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary.82Itse end shall come with a flood, 83and to the end there shall be
war.84Desolations are decreed.
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,f and for half of the week
he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.85And on the wing of abominations shall come
one who makes desolate, until86the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."
Footnotesa 9:12 - Or our judges who judged us
•b 9:17 - Hebrew for the Lord's sake•c 9:24 - Or sevens; also twice in verse 25 and once in verse 26•d 9:24 - Or thing, or one•e 9:26 - Or His•f 9:27 - Or seven; twice in this verse
Dan. 9:1–27 While reading the book of Jeremiah and realizing that the “seventy years” (v. 2) are almost over (see Jer. 29:10), Daniel turns to God in prayer, seeking mercy for Jerusalem. The angel Gabriel appears to him (Dan. 9:21) and explains that another period of 70 “sevens” is at hand for God’s people. The name Yahweh (represented by LORD, in small capital letters), not used elsewhere in Daniel, is used seven times in this chapter, emphasizing God’s covenantal relationship to his people. This vision occurs in Darius’s first year (539 B.C.), about 11 years after the one in ch. 8. Daniel appears to be over 80 years old. On the identity of Darius the Mede, see note on 5:30–31.
Fact: Daniel’s prayerDaniel’s prayer. Jeremiah prophesied that God would restore his people after 70
years in Babylon (Jer. 25:11–14; 29:10). With this in mind, Daniel prays for
Israel’s restoration (Dan. 9:1–19).
Dan. 9:1–19 Daniel knows why the exile came upon the Jewish people, and he confesses his own and his people’s sins and prays for forgiveness and mercy.
Dan. 9:2 Some interpreters understand the seventy years to extend from 605B.C. to the
first return of the exiles in 538, following Cyrus’s decree allowing the Jews to return. Others suggest that the 70 years extend from 586 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, to 515, when the rebuilding of the temple was completed under Zerubbabel.Jeremiah 29:10–14 suggests that at the end of the 70 years Israel will pray to God and he will hear them. This passage may suggest a time when the temple is complete and is being used for prayer. Both interpretations are reasonable, but Daniel appears to be suggesting the first interpretation. At the end of the 70 years Babylon will be punished, which fits well with the events of 539 B.C.
Dan. 9:3 Daniel began to pray for the restoration of God’s people to their land. Daniel also
fasted and put on sackcloth and ashes.
Dan. 9:4 Daniel’s prayer begins with praise of God’s power and justice. Daniel pleads with
God to show grace to his people.
Dan. 9:11 Under the terms of the Sinai covenant, the unfaithfulness that Daniel confesses in
vv. 5–11 would result in the exile of God’s people from the Land of Promise. Yet when his people repented of their sins, the Lord would gather them again to the land.
Dan. 9:17 Daniel asked the Lord to show favor to his sanctuary and to end the exile, thus
honoring his own name.
Dan. 9:20–27 The angel Gabriel, first seen in ch. 8, appears to Daniel and reveals that
there is more to come. This is clear proof that Daniel’s prayer has been heard and his request for favor has been honored by the Lord.
Dan. 9:24–27 There are many suggested interpretations of the seventy weeks, but there
are three main views: (1) the passage refers to events surrounding Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 B.C.); (2) the 70 sevens are to be understood figuratively; and (3) the passage refers to events around the time of Christ. Most scholars understand the 70 “sevens” to be made up of 70 periods of seven years, or 490 years, but they apply these years to different periods of time. (See diagram.) In any case, the important point is that God has appointed a certain amount of time until the end of his people’s suffering, and thus they should not lose heart.
Dan. 9:24 Gabriel says Daniel’s requests for his people and city will be answered. Cyrus
fulfilled this when he allowed the Jews to return home. Gabriel also explains when Jerusalem will be completely cleansed. The transgression, sin, and iniquity that had led God to
abandon Israel will ultimately be atoned for. God will bring everlasting righteousness,
making his people into a holy nation. Because of their past neglect of the prophets’ words, the Lord will seal their words as an ancient document writer might seal a letter. God will stamp
the words of the prophets as authentic expressions of his mind through their fulfillment. To
anoint a most holy place might refer to the sanctuary in Jerusalem and its
reconsecration by Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. Or, it might refer to the “anointing” of the heavenly most holy place by Christ when he died. The Lord was committed to bring in the promised new covenant of Jer. 31:31–33.
Dan. 9:25–26 The promised restoration of God’s people and sanctuary will come in three
stages. The first seven periods of sevens will run from the issuing of the decree to restore
and rebuild Jerusalem to the time when that rebuilding is complete. This period of restoration will be a time of trouble, as will the subsequent sixty-two periods of sevens after the city
had been rebuilt. The messianic ruler will make his appearance at the end of these 69
sevens. Even the appearing of this anointed one, a prince, will not immediately usher in
the peace and righteousness that Jer. 31:31–33 anticipated. Instead, the anointed one will himself be cut off, leaving him with nothing, surely a reference to the crucifixion of Christ.
After the cutting off of the anointed one,the people of the prince who is to come will
destroy Jerusalem and its sanctuary. Many commentators understand this “coming prince” as a reference to the Roman general Titus, whose army destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70, or as a reference to a future antichrist. Other interpreters understand him to be the same “anointed prince” anticipated in Dan. 9:25. This person is addressed as “anointed one,” where the focus is on his priestly work of offering himself as a sacrifice, and as a “ruler” whose people fail to submit to his rule. The principal cause of the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem in A.D.70 was the transgression of God’s people in rejecting the Messiah that God had sent to them (Luke 19:41–44).
Dan. 9:27 he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. In one interpretation, this
refers to Christ’s atonement. With the death of Jesus on the cross, the atoning sacrifices of the OT were abolished. In another interpretation, if “the prince who is to come” (v. 26) is not the Messiah but an opponent of God’s people, then “he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering” means he will destroy the temple, and thus the prediction refers to the destruction of Jerusalem. A third interpretation argues that this will be fulfilled at the end of the church age, during the great tribulation. The final part of v. 27 is extremely difficult to translate. Literally, it reads, “In the middle of that seven, he will put an end to sacrifice and offering, and on account of the extremity [or “wing”] of abominations that cause desolation, until the end that has been decreed, it will be poured out unto desolation.” On the connection of abominations and makes desolate, see note on 11:31–32.
Dan. 10:1–12:13 Conflicts on earth reflect conflicts in the heavens, and this will continue to
the end, when God will ultimately win the battle.
Dan. 10:1–11:1 A heavenly visitor tells Daniel about conflict in heaven. He explains that he
has met resistance from other spiritual powers. He has come to tell Daniel about future events.
The 70 Weeks of Daniel 9
Dan. 10:1 Chapters 10–12 form a single vision, received in the third year of Cyrus
king of Persia. Two years earlier, the first party of Jewish exiles had returned to
Jerusalem, but they faced severe opposition and had stopped their rebuilding work.Dan. 10:2–3 As a sign of identification with the trials of his brothers and sisters in Judah,
Daniel was in mourning for three weeks. He went without meat or wine and did not
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Dan. 10:5–6 Daniel received a vision of a heavenly being, dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold . . . around his waist. His body glowed with inner light,like beryl, a gemstone. His face shone like lightning. His eyes were like torches and his arms and legs like polished bronze. The sound of his words echoed like the roar of a crowd. Yet this glorious figure was unable to complete his task without the help of Michael (v. 13), so it is unlikely that this is a physical manifestation of God or Christ.
Dan. 10:10–12 This messenger encouraged Daniel by telling him that he was greatly loved by God. He had been sent to Daniel to give him insight in response to his prayer about the situation in Jerusalem.
Dan. 10:13 The angelic messenger was delayed on his journey twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia, an evil angel associated with the Persian Empire. Although this spiritual opponent was powerful enough to delay God’s messenger for a period of three weeks, all he could do was delay him. When Michael, one of the chief
7 "And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the
army and enter the12fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall
prevail.
8He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their
precious13vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the
king of the north.
9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own
land.
10 "His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep
coming 14and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as
his 15fortress.
11 Then the king of the south, 16moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king
of the north.17And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand.
12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down
tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.
13 For the king of the north shall again18raise a multitude, greater than the first. And 19after
some yearsb he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.
14 "In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your
own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but 20they shall fail.
15 Then the king of the north shall come and 21throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified
city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no
strength to stand.
16 But he who comes against him shall 22do as he wills, and23none shall stand before him.
And he shall stand in 24the glorious land, with destruction in his hand.
17 He shall 25set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring
terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to
destroy the kingdom,c but it shall not stand or be to his advantage.
18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a
commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed,d he 26shall turn his insolence back
upon him.
19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the 27fortresses of his own land, but he
shall 28stumble and fall,29and shall not be found.
20 "Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an30exactor of tribute for the glory of the
kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.
21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been
given. 31He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom 32by flatteries.
22 Armies shall be 33utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the
covenant.
23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall
become strong with a small people.
24 34Without warning he shall come into 35the richest partse of the province, and he shall do
what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder,
spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time.
25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against 36the king of the south with a great
army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army,
but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him.
26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be 37swept away, and many
shall fall down slain.
27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at
the same table, but to no avail, for 38the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the
holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.
29 "At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time
as it was before.
30 For ships of 39Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and
shall turn back and 40be enraged and41take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn
back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 Forces from him shall appear and42profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away
the regular burnt offering. And 43they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know
their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 44And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days
they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to
them with flattery,
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, 45purified, and 46made
white, until 47the time of the end, 48for it still awaits the appointed time.
36 "And the king shall 49do as he wills. 50He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above
every god, 51and shall speak astonishing things against 52the God of gods. 53He shall
prosper 54till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He
shall not pay attention to any other god, for 55he shall magnify himself above all.
38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not
know he shall honor 56with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.
39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who
acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and 57shall
divide the land for a price.f
40 58"At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attackg him, but the king of the north
shall rush upon him59like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And
he shall come into countries and 60shall overflow and pass through.
41 He shall come into61the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be
delivered out of his hand: 62Edom and 63Moab and the main part of the 64Ammonites.
42He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not
escape.
43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of
Egypt, and the 65Libyans and the 66Cushites shall follow in his train.
44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury
to destroy and devote many to destruction.
45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet
he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
Footnotesa 11:6 - Or obtained•b 11:13 - Hebrew at the end of the times•c 11:17 - Hebrew her, or it•d 11:18 - The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain•e 11:24 - Or among the richest men•f 11:39 - Or land as payment•g 11:40 - Hebrew thrust at
The Empires of Daniel’s Visions: The Ptolemies and the Seleucids (Early)c. 323–198 B.C.
The two most powerful successors to Alexander, Ptolemy and Seleucus, continued to expand their domains into territory claimed by other generals of Alexander, and they repeatedly clashed with each other over land along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, including the land later called Palestine.
Dan. 11:1 Mention of the first year of Darius the Mede (539 B.C.) is significant since
it was the year when the decree was issued that allowed the Jews to return to their homeland.
Dan. 11:2 Three more kings will arise in Persia after Cyrus, and then a fourth, who
will be richer and more powerful than the others. This fourth king was Xerxes I (486–
464 B.C.), who invaded Greece, only to be defeated at the Battle of Salamis (480).
Fact: Mighty kingThe mighty king mentioned in 11:3 is Alexander the Great, who reigned from
336 to 323 B.C. Alexander created one of the largest empires in ancient history,
stretching from Greece to India. He brought the Greek language and culture to the Middle East, which is why the NT was originally written in Greek.
Dan. 11:3 The prophecy skips over several lesser Persian kings to focus on the mighty
king who will bring down the Persian Empire and rule a vast realm. He is Alexander the
Great (336–323B.C.). See note on 7:6.
Dan. 11:4 as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided
toward the four winds of heaven. See note on 8:8.
Dan. 11:5 Ptolemy I Soter (323–285 B.C.,king of the south) was a very capable general
under Alexander. He became ruler of Egypt. About the same time, Seleucus I Nicator (king of the north) started out as a lesser general under Alexander and was given Babylon to rule. One of the other generals, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, took over Babylon and caused Seleucus to flee (c. 316 B.C.) to Ptolemy I Soter in Egypt to serve under him. Thus for a short time Seleucus I became one of his princes. Then Antigonus was defeated at Gaza in
312 B.C., and Seleucus returned to Babylon to retake his former authority. He increased
significantly in power and took over the areas of Babylon, Syria, and Media, so that he was stronger than Ptolemy I Soter.
Dan. 11:6 the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of
the north to make an agreement. There was constant conflict between the Ptolemaic
(Egyptian) and Seleucid (Syrian) kingdoms. Around 250 B.C. there was an attempt at peace. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (reigned 285–246; “the king of the south”) sent his daughter Berenice to marry Antiochus II Theos (reigned 261–246; “the king of the north”). Antiochus II then planned to divorce his first wife, Laodice, and disinherit her sons so that he could marry Berenice and have a child who would rule over the Seleucid kingdom. But Laodice had Antiochus II and Berenice poisoned, fulfilling the words she shall not retain the
strength of her arm and he and his arm shall not endure.
Dan. 11:7–9 Egypt’s Ptolemy II was succeeded by Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III
Euergetes I (reigned 246–221B.C.), a branch from her roots. In retaliation for the death of
his sister, Ptolemy III invaded the Seleucid kingdom and conquered its capital, Antioch (He
shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north).
He took the Syrian gods and other precious vessels of silver and gold. He even
returned to Egypt some of the sacred idols taken by the Persian monarch Cambyses in
524 B.C.when he had sacked the Egyptian temples. Afterward Ptolemy III made a peace treaty with Seleucus II Callinicus (reigned 246–226 B.C.) and he did refrain from attacking them
so that he could work on expanding his kingdom in the Aegean area. Verse 9 says that Seleucus II shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but there is no
record of such an invasion, and he must have retreated hastily (shall return to his own
land).
Dan. 11:10 After Seleucus II Callinicus’s death in 226 B.C., his sons continued fighting with
the Ptolemies. Seleucus III was murdered after a short reign, but his brother took the disorganized state and made it a strong nation. In 219–218 B.C.Antiochus III advanced through Phoenicia and Palestine as far as the Ptolemies’ fortress in Raphia.
Dan. 11:11–12 Ptolemy IV Philopator (reigned 221–204 B.C., king of the south)
responded quickly to Antiochus III’s advances. Antiochus III was defeated at Raphia. Antiochus III’s losses were very high (Ptolemy IV cast down tens of thousands), yet
Ptolemy IV’s victory was short-lived (he shall not prevail).
Dan. 11:13 After about 15 years, Antiochus III (the Great, reigned 223–187 B.C., the king
of the north) invaded Phoenicia and Syria with a great army. Ptolemy IV had died
(203 B.C.), and Antiochus III intended to use the instability around the young new king, Ptolemy V Epiphanes (reigned 203–180B.C.), to his advantage. It worked, at least initially, and by 201 B.C. the fortress of Gaza had been recaptured.
The Empires of Daniel’s Visions: The Ptolemies and the Seleucids (Late)c. 198–133 B.C.
By the second century B.C., the Seleucid Empire was losing its grip on much of its territory, and the Roman Empire was rapidly expanding throughout the Mediterranean world. In an attempt to unite his empire and shore up his defenses against these pressures, Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposed a strict
policy of Hellenization over his domain, which now included the land of Israel. His policy proved too abhorrent for many Jews, including the Maccabean (also
called Hasmonean) family, and in 167 B.C. they led a revolt that established a new, independent kingdom of Israel.
Dan. 11:14 There was instability in the beginning of Ptolemy V Epiphanes’s reign (many
shall rise against the king of the south). A large number of Jews were tired of the
heavy taxation, and thus preferred to be ruled by the Seleucids. Many Jews revolted (the
violent among your own people) against Egyptian rule. General Scopas of the
Egyptian army, angered at their rebellion, punished the leaders of Jerusalem and Judah.
Dan. 11:15–16 Antiochus III the Great (the king of the north) fought against General
Scopas and the forces of the south at the battle of Panium, a well-fortified city, in
198 B.C. The Egyptian forces were soundly defeated and they fled to Sidon, where General Scopas finally surrendered. Antiochus took control of Phoenicia and Palestine, which remained under Syrian control until Pompey’s invasion in 63 B.C. established Roman rule.
Dan. 11:17–19 After General Scopas’s surrender, Egypt was forced into an alliance with
the Syrians. Antiochus III the Great even gave his daughter, Cleopatra (not the famous one
from a later period), to Ptolemy V in marriage. Antiochus III hoped that her offspring would rule over Egypt to give him further power, but Cleopatra supported Ptolemy V Epiphanes instead of her father (it shall not stand or be to his advantage). Verses 18–19 record
Antiochus III’s initial successes in the region of the coastlands (a reference to Asia Minor
and possibly also mainland Greece). Ultimately he was defeated by Roman and Greek troops. The Romans forced him to sign a treaty at Apanea in 188 B.C. and surrender territory, much of his military force, and 20 hostages (one was his son Antiochus IV Epiphanes). He was also forced to pay a large tribute to Rome. He returned home and was killed by an angry mob (he shall stumble and fall) while he was trying to steal from a temple of Zeus in
Elymais to pay for the heavy tribute to Rome.
Dan. 11:20 Seleucus IV Philopater (reigned 187–175 B.C.) succeeded his father, Antiochus
III the Great. Seleucus IV sent a “tax collector,” Heliodorus, to collect the money to pay Rome their yearly tribute of 1,000 talents. He even tried to steal from the temple in Jerusalem, but decided against it after being terrified by a dream. Seleucus IV was not killed in anger, or in
battle, but was poisoned by Heliodorus.
Dan. 11:21–23 In his place shall arise a contemptible person. Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175–164 B.C.) is the “little horn” of ch. 8. He took the name Antiochus “Epiphanes,” but others called him “Epimanes” (“madman”). Seleucus IV Philopater’s son, Demetrius I Soter, was the rightful heir to the throne. He was imprisoned in Rome, so Antiochus IV Epiphanes took the throne, even though royal majesty had not been given to him. He paid off important people for supporting him (obtain the kingdom by flatteries). Ptolemy VI Philometer (reigned 181–145 B.C.) of Egypt came against Antiochus IV but was defeated and held as a hostage. Later Ptolemy VI (the prince of the covenant) made an alliance with Antiochus IV to regain his throne because his brother (Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon) had taken it while he was imprisoned in Syria. This worked, and he received his throne back. Later he broke this covenant and joined with his brother Ptolemy VIII to force Antiochus IV out of Pelusium, one of Egypt’s fortress cities.
Dan. 11:24 Without warning, Antiochus IV Epiphanes retaliated and stole from some
of the richest parts of Egypt’s territory. He appeared to divide the goods among his
soldiers, but his grand plans against Egypt’s strongholds lasted only for a time.
Dan. 11:25–27 These verses appear to refer to the events of Antiochus IV Epiphanes’s first
battle with Egypt and explain in more detail why Ptolemy VI Philometer was defeated. Ptolemy VI’s own trusted counselors (those who eat his food) encouraged him to go
against Antiochus IV (his uncle), and he was defeated. Then the two kings, Antiochus IV
and Ptolemy VI (now the former’s prisoner), made a covenant to regain control of Egypt from Ptolemy VI’s brother, Ptolemy VIII. Neither king intended to keep the covenant (they shall
speak lies to each other). Their alliance had initial success capturing Memphis, but it failed
to capture all of Egypt. Ptolemy VIII continued to rule in Alexandria. Later the two brothers, Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VIII, joined forces and ruled together over all of Egypt.
Dan. 11:28 Antiochus IV Epiphanes returned to his land after raiding Egypt in 169 B.C. On
his way home he stopped in Palestine and found a rebellion going on. He dealt viciously with the Jews (his heart shall be set against the holy covenant), killing eighty thousand
men, women, and children and looting the temple. The Jews were furious at the brutality of this ruler and began a full-fledged revolt.
Dan. 11:29–30 In 168 B.C. (that is, thetime appointed by God) Antiochus IV Epiphanes
invaded Egypt again. This time he met with a humiliating defeat. The Romans had joined forces with the Ptolemies, and Antiochus IV was no match for the Roman army. In 167 B.C.he turned his anger toward Palestine (and be enraged and take action against the
holy covenant) and sent his chief tax collector, Apollonius, to Jerusalem. Initially
Apollonius appeared to come in peace, but on the Sabbath he began killing people and looting the city. He also rewarded those Jews who supported the Hellenistic policies.
Dan. 11:31–32 Later in 167 B.C., Syrian forces came back to stop the Jewish religious
practices. They entered the temple. They stopped the regular burnt offering, and on the
fifteenth day of Chislev (December), 167 B.C., they set up an altar or idol devoted to Zeus (Jupiter) in the temple (the abomination that makes desolate; compare 9:27; 12:11).
They then offered up sacrifices (likely swine) on the altar. This act is commonly called the “abomination of desolation,” which comes from the translation of the Greek phrase. This is the background for Jesus’ prediction of “the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel” (Matt. 24:15–16). Antiochus IV’s flattery enticed some of the Jews to turn against
the covenant. But some faithful Jews (those who know their God) chose
to stand strong and die rather than go against God’s laws, and many did die.
Dan. 11:33–35 the wise among the people shall make many understand. This
likely refers to those who truly fear God and who will encourage others to fight and even die rather than offer unclean sacrifices to God. In this time of persecution, the nation will receive
a little help, which probably refers to the small forces that initially rebelled against the
Syrians in Modein, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Jerusalem. They were led by Mattathias, a priest, and later by his third son Judas Maccabeus. The rest of v. 34 probably has in view the many who would join themselves to the Maccabean rebellion out of necessity to save
their lives, though it may more specifically refer to those who joined with the Maccabeans and killed those who were sympathetic to the Seleucids.Some of the wise shall
stumble likely describes true believers who will die in this persecution. Through this
persecution they will be refined, purified, and made white.
Dan. 11:36 Toward the end of the prophecy, the focus of the vision seems to shift. It now
addresses a situation that is greater than the persecution under Antiochus IV. The remainder of the chapter is often thought to deal with the “Antichrist,” which many believe is the figure described in 2 Thess. 2:3–4; Rev. 13:5–8. Though Antiochus IV was powerful, he was able to do as he willsonly up to a point, since the Romans were much more powerful than he.
Dan. 11:37–38 Antiochus IV viewed himself as a god, as his nickname “Epiphanes” (“[god]
manifest”) made clear. But it is doubtful that he fulfilled the prophecy that he shall magnify
himself above all. He abandoned the gods of his fathers, including Apollo, and
showed no regard for the one beloved by women, probably the god Adonis or Dionysius.
Instead, he worshiped Zeus, a god who embodied military strength. All these were Greek gods, so there is some question as to whether Antiochus IV abandoned “the gods of his fathers.” Instead, the person being described will worship the god of fortresses and will
spend lavishly to support this strength.
Dan. 11:39 The passage probably speaks of a future king, one who will truly “do as he
wills,” will deal with the strongest fortresses, and will make his followers rulers
over many. Many interpreters see here another prediction of the Antichrist, whom they
connect to the “little horn” of ch. 7 and the ruler of9:26 who is to come.
Dan. 11:40–41 At the time of the end there will be a major battle where armies will
come from the north and the south to attack this powerful ruler in the land of Israel (the
glorious land). Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites will
escape from him, possibly because of their connection with Israel or because they are out of his way.
The Maccabean Kingdomc. 167–63 B.C.
The Maccabean kingdom of Israel had its beginnings when the priest Mattathias and his family refused to obey the Seleucid rulers’ order to sacrifice to the pagan god Zeus at Modein. They led a revolt that initially controlled only the territory of Judea in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Over the next hundred years, however, the Maccabean rulers slowly added portions of territory to the kingdom until it resembled the borders of the territory allotted to the Israelite tribes by Joshua.
Dan. 11:44–45 One striking difference between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Antichrist
lies in the events surrounding the king’s death. Antiochus IV died during a relatively minor campaign against Persia in 164 B.C., not between the sea and Jerusalem after a grand
and successful assault on Egypt. When compared to the precision of fulfillment of the early verses of ch. 11, these later verses may be looking for a greater fulfillment that is yet to come at the time of the end. the glorious holy mountain. This is the Temple Mount in
Dan. 12:1–4 A time of trouble unlike any other is a desperate time. Sometime afterward
there will be a resurrection of the dead. Those who were faithful in life,everyone whose
name shall be found written in the book, will rise to everlasting life in glory, while the
others will rise to shame and everlasting contempt. The faithful will shine brightly like the
stars forever and ever. However, in the meantime, Daniel was instructed to shut up the
words and seal the book. He was to do this because the message of the book was not fully
understandable, and also to keep the message safe for future generations of God’s people to
read.
Dan. 12:5–13 Daniel and his angelic companion ask the divine messenger two related
questions: How long shall it be till the end of these wonders? And what shall be the
outcome of these things? The answer to the question “How long?” has two parts: “for a
time, times, and half a time” and for “1,290 days.” Revelation 11:3 and 12:6apparently look
back to this idea, though the number in those two verses is 1,260 days. “A time, times, and
half a time” (probably three and a half times) focuses on the limited nature of this period as
half of a complete period of judgment.
Dan. 12:10 Those who are wise will be able to determine specifically when the three
and a half years of the tribulation start, namely, “from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away.”
Dan. 12:11 The specification of 1,290 days emphasizes the precision with which the
period is measured, predetermined by God to the very day. In this time many will purify themselves, and their enemies will shatter the Jewish nation. Then God will step in to defend them.
Dan. 12:12–13 The additional figure of 1,335 days, 45 days longer than the 1,290-day
period, heightens the sense of mystery that surrounds the Lord’s timing and emphasizes the need for the saints to persevere under suffering. God’s people are to go on living faithfully in this corrupt world, confident of the inheritance that is stored up for them at the end of the
days.
ESV Bible text with cross references from biblestudytools.comStudy Bible notes from ESVBible.org