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The Book of Daniel. Chaps 1-6 stories; chaps 7-12 visions Chaps 1, 8-12 Hebrew; chaps 2-7 Aramaic Three parts of Old Testament canon: Law 400, Prophets 200, Writings end of 1st c. Daniel is in the Writings in the Hebrew Bible; in Prophets in English Bibles.
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The Book of Daniel • Chaps 1-6 stories; chaps 7-12 visions • Chaps 1, 8-12 Hebrew; chaps 2-7 Aramaic • Three parts of Old Testament canon: Law 400, Prophets 200, Writings end of 1st c. Daniel is in the Writings in the Hebrew Bible; in Prophets in English Bibles. • Story world = Babylonian exile in 6th c.
History of Israel I • 586 BC Jerusalem falls to Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar (605-562) • 539 Last king of Babylon Nabonidus (556-539) loses to Cyrus the Persian • 323 Alexander the Great Dies • 323-ca 200 Palestine ruled by Ptolemies from Egypt
History of Israel II • 200 BC -- 63 BC--Palestine ruled by Seleucids from Syria • 167 Antiochus IV ordered swine sacrificed on altar in Jerusalem; forbade observance of sabbath and circumcision • Revolt against Antiochus led by Maccabees--Judas, Jonathan, Simon--with rededication (Hannukah) of temple in 164
Information about 6th century inDaniel • Belshazzar the son of Nebuchadnezzar; actually they were not related. Belshazzar son of Nabonidus • Belshazzar the last king of Babylon; last Babylonian king was a man named Nabonidus • Babylonia fell to Darius the Mede; actually fell to Cyrus the Persian. Darius followed Cyrus • Nebuchadnezzar very sick in chap 4; no ancient record of this. Nabonidus was universally disliked in antiquity; thought to be crazy
Information about Second Century in Daniel • Alexander hardly on throne when kingdom divided Dan 11:3-4 • Dan 11:31 description of persecution by Antiochus IV • Dan 11:40 predicts that Antiochus IV would die in Palestine; he actually died in Mesopotamia • Temple not yet restored = pre 164 BCE
Options in time of Persecution • Go along to get along • Join a guerrilla outfit--”little help” in 11:34 = Maccabees. 1 Maccabees; cf. 2 Maccabees • Trust in God to deliver you from the enemy.
Daniel 1 • The Jews Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), Azariah (Abednego) were taught literature and language of Babylon • They refused royal food; ate only vegetables and water. They were fatter and better • Ten times smarter than local bureaucrats
Daniel 2 • Daniel interprets dream of Nebuchadnezzar • Gigantic statue • Head of gold = Nebuchadnezzar • arms of chest of silver = Medes • belly and thighs of bronze = Persians • legs of iron Alexander • feet = iron and clay = Ptolemies and Seleucids • crushed by stone not made with human hands • Daniel exalted
Daniel 3--Daniel not a player • Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to worship gigantic statue. • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse • Thrown into fiery furnace • King sees four men in furnace; men freed without any damage • God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego praised; Nebuchadnezzar converts
Daniel 4 • Tree falls = Nebuchadnezzar • King driven away to live with wild animals; ate grass like animals, hair grew long as eagles’ feathers, nails became like birds’ claws • Nebuchadnezzar restored to throne • Nabonidus stayed a long time in desert; prayer of Nabonidus in Dead Sea Scrolls
Daniel 5 • Belshazzar king; only regent while Nabonidus in desert • Handwriting on wall • Daniel interprets • Mene God has numbered your days; tekel weighed and found wanting; peres = your kingdom given to Medes and Persians; • Belshazzar killed; Darius reigns
Daniel 6 • Everyone must pray to king; Daniel refuses • Daniel thrown into den of lions, much to regret of king Darius • king has insomnia; rushes to lions’ den • God sent an angel to shut lions’ mouths • Daniel’s accusers thrown into lions’ den-eaten before they hit the bottom