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Daniel (Hebrew: דָּנִיֵּאל, Modern: Daniyyel, Tiberian: Dāniyyêl ;Persian: دانيال, Dâniyal, also Dani, داني ; Arabic: دانيال, Danyal) is a figure appearing in the Hebrew Bible and the central protagonist of the Book of Daniel. The name "Daniel" means "Judged by God". "Dan" = judge, "i" = a suffix conjugating the verb such that its action applies to the speaker, and "el" = God. Alternatively, it could mean "The Judge of God" (as analogously "Gabriel" means "Man of God" rather than "Overcome by God") or "God is my Judge" (in this case "Dan" is treated as a noun with the "i" suffix indicating a first-person possessive).

Daniel's life

This section describes Daniel as a historical figure within the setting of the the original source of Tanakh.

At the first deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar (the kingdom of Israel had come to an end nearly a century before at the hands of the Assyrians), or immediately after his victory over the Egyptians at the second battle of Carchemish, in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim (BCE 606), Daniel and three other noble youths named Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the Jewish young nobility carried off to Babylon (probably as hostages to ensure the loyalty of Judah's king and advisors), along with some of the vessels of the temple. Daniel and his three Jewish companions were subsequently evaluated and chosen for their intellect and beauty, to be trained as Chaldeans, who constituted the ranks of the advisors to the Babylonian court.^[1]

There Daniel was obliged to enter into the service of the king of Babylon, and in accordance with the custom of the age, received the Chaldean name of Belteshazzar, i.e., prince of Bel, or Bel protect the king! His residence in Babylon was very probably in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, now identified with a mass of mounds called the Kasr, on the right bank of the river. However, Daniel and his three companions remained fiercely loyal to their Jewish religious and cultural identity, an identity which would sooner or later come into conflict with the paganism of the Babylonian court.

Daniel's Answer to the King by Briton Rivière, R.A. (1840-1920), 1890 (Manchester City Art Gallery)

Daniel's training (Daniel 1:4)^[2] was to fit him for service to the empire. Daniel became distinguished during this period for his piety, and for his strict observance of the Torah (1:8-16)^[3], and gained the confidence and esteem of those who were over him.

At the close of his three years of discipline and training in the royal schools, Daniel was distinguished for his knowledge and proficiency in the pagan practices of his day, and was brought out into public life. He soon became known for his skill in the interpretation of dreams (1:17; 2:14)^[4]^[5], and rose to the rank of governor of the province of Babylon, and became "chief of the governors" (Chald. Rab-signin) over all the wise men of Babylon, after passing a dangerous test of the astrologers by the king, which could easily have cost Daniel his life. Daniel made known and also interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream; as well as a later dream preceding the king's descent into animal behaviour, and many years afterwards, when he was now an old man, amid the alarm and consternation of the terrible night of Belshazzar's impious feast (in which Belshazzar and his concubines drank wine out of the royal Jewish ceremonial goblets of the Temple), Daniel was called in at the suggestion of the queen-mother (perhaps Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar) to interpret the mysterious handwriting on the wall. For successfully reading the cryptic handwriting by an angel of God, Daniel was rewarded by the Babylonians with a purple robe and elevation to the rank of "third ruler" of the kingdom. The place of "second ruler" was held by Belshazzar as associated with his father, Nabonidus, on the throne (5:16)^[6]. Daniel interpreted the handwriting, and "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain" by his own sons, who later fled.

After the Persian conquest of Babylon, Daniel held the office of the first of the "three presidents" of the empire under the reign of the obscure figure of Darius the Mede, and was thus practically at the head of state affairs, with the ability to influence the prospects of the captive Jews (Dan. 9)^[7], whom he had at last the happiness of seeing restored to their own land; although he did not return with them, but remained still in Babylon.

Daniel's fidelity to God exposed him to persecution by jealous rivals within the king's administration. The fact that he had just interpreted the emperors' dream had resulted in his promotion and that of his companions. Being favored by the Emperor, he was untouchable. His companions were vulnerable to the accusation that had them thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the Babylonian king as a god; but they were miraculously saved, and Daniel would years later be cast into a den of lions (for continuing to practice his faith in HaShem), but was miraculously delivered; after which Darius issued a decree enjoining reverence for "the God of Daniel" (6:26)^[8]. He "prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian," whom he probably greatly influenced in the matter of the decree which put an end to the Jewish Captivity (BCE 536).

Daniel's ministry as a prophet began late in life. Whereas his early exploits were a matter of common knowledge within his community, these same events, with his pious reputation, serve as the basis for his prophetic ministry. The recognition for his prophetic message is that of other prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel whose backgrounds are the basis for their revelations. The time and circumstances of Daniel's death have not been recorded. However, Daniel was still alive in the third year of Cyrus according to the Tanakh (Daniel 10:1)^[9]; and he would have been almost 100 years old at that point, having been brought to Babylon when he was in his teens, more than 80 years previously. He possibly died at Susa in Iran , where the tradition holds to be the place of his tomb is also located, the site of which is known as Shush-e Daniyal. Other locations have been claimed as the site of his burial, including Daniel's Tomb in Kirkuk, Iraq, as well as Babylon, Egypt, Tarsus and, notably, Samarkand, which claims a tomb of Daniel (see "The Ruins of Afrasiab" in the Samarkand article), with some traditions suggesting that his remains were removed, perhaps by Tamerlane, from Susa to Samarkand (see, for instance, Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, section 153).

Descent of Daniel

Daniel was descended from one of the noble families of Judah Daniel 1:3^[10], and was probably born in Jerusalem about BCE 620, during the reign of Josiah.^[11]

Name

The pronunciation "Dani'el" ("Judged by God", "God is my Judge" or "Judge of God") is more probable than "Dan'el" (God is a Judge), in consonance with the general structure of Hebrew names.^[12] It is therefore probably correct to vocalize the consonants in the three places thus: The hiatus between the vowels "i" and "e" gave rise to the pronunciation "Daniyel".^[12] In current times, it is a popular name for males in Israel, wherein it is pronounced "Dani'el".

Daniel the Prophet

Judaism does not count Daniel among the prophets. Whereas the Christian Old Testament (apparently following the Septuagint Greek translation [1]) includes Daniel in the Prophets section, the Tanach does not, placing him among the Writings instead. For this, two reasons are given:

Daniel never spoke directly with God. According to the Torah, prophets (nevi'im) speak with God, not to intermediaries like angels. Daniel saw angels and never spoke with God. This is the primary reason Daniel is not considered a prophet.
In Judaism a prophet (navi) speaks to his or her generation, not to future generations. The Prophets in the Tanakh (e.g., Isaiah, Ezekiel) spoke primarily to their generation, but their message was also pertinent to the future. Daniel's visions were for the future, not for his generation. The Men of the Great Assembly (Sanhedrin) who codified the Tanakh argued about which part to include Daniel in, and placed him in Writings, rather then Prophets.

In Rashi's commentary to the Talmud (1st Chapter of Megillah)^[13] he shows that to be qualified as a prophet, one needs to spread the message one hears. Daniel's prophecies are relevant for the future, for they cryptically state what will be in days to come. However, Daniel's prophecies were not spread to the population as implied by the text itself.

Some reasons which may be given for believing that Daniel was a prophet include:

That according to the Talmud and the Hebrew Scriptures, Daniel received and interpreted dreams and visions, similar to many other Jewish prophets; as well as messages from angels or arch-angels.
Daniel recorded his prophetic visions for future, and some believe for the present time; including prophecies about the exact date of the coming of the Jewish Messiah to Jerusalem, and other prophetic events which later transpired in history. Accurate prediction of the future is repeatedly given as a mark of a true prophet as opposed to a false one, both in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the Talmud.

Christians regard Daniel as a prophet, and Jesus is quoted as referring to him as "Daniel the prophet" in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14^[14]. It appears he is also referred to as "Daniel the prophet" in the Dead Sea Scrolls ^[15]. In the context of the books of the Bible, Christians refer to Daniel as one of the "four great prophets";^[11] as the Book of Daniel appears in most Christian editions of the Bible, after the other three "great prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel). Dreams and visions and revelations are known to be prophecy in the Bible, as Joel 2:28 to 32 expands.

Reference in Ezekiel

The prophet Ezekiel, with whom Daniel was a contemporary, describes one Daniel as a "pattern of righteousness (14:14, 20) and wisdom" (28:3).^[11]

Some scholars have identified this person with the Daniel of the Book of Daniel, while others look upon him as another figure who has now been forgotten. Some scholars regard the references in Ezekiel as a "Danel" known from Caananite Ugaritic literature (such as the Epic of Aqhat and Anat), whose reputation for wisdom and righteousness had made him legendary.

The Hebrew spelling itself suggests a person other than the prophet Daniel.^[16] Possibly the intended reading was rather "Danel". Vowel-points were not added to the consonantal Hebrew text before well into the Common Era, and the scribes then slipped in a vowel-point for "i" as a middle syllable. This may not be what the original writer intended. (In the Book of Daniel, the name is spelt with a middle letter suggesting the i of that name -- but this letter is not included in the spelling in Ezekiel, suggesting that the reference there may be to another person.)

Reference to Habakkuk

In the Deuterocanonical portion of Daniel known as Bel and the Dragon, the prophet Habakkuk is miraculously transported by an angel to take a meal to Daniel while he is in the lions' den. In response, Daniel prays, "Thou hast remembered me, O God; neither hast thou forsaken them that seek Thee and love Thee".^[17]

Shrines of Daniel

There is shrine in Susa (Iran) which has been recognized as the shrine of Daniel and is regularly visited by Muslims and Jews on pilgrimage. The city of Tarsus in Turkey also claims to have the shrine of Daniel, which is located 12.5 metres underground.

Liturgical commemorations

On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men, falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers^[18] (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on the Sunday before Nativity^[19].

In the West, the Roman Catholic Church commemorates Daniel on July 21.^[20] He is commemorated as a prophet in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod together with the Three Young Men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), on December 17.^[21]

Daniel in rabbinic literature

Daniel in The Book of the Watchers

Enoch (Book of Enoch) mentions Daniel as the name of one of the leaders of the fallen angels of whose Samyaza (Shemyazaz) was the leader.^[22]

The complete name list of those leaders are given as "Samyaza (Shemyazaz), their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl.". They were 200 fallen angels in total and originated the creation of the Nephilim before the great flood. ^[22]

References

James B. Jordan (1995). "Daniel: Historical & Chronological Comments (II)". Biblical Chronology. 7 (1).
Francis E. Gigot (1889). "Daniel". Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM. New Advent.

^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3
^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3
^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3
^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3
^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#2
^ http://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#5
^ http://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel9.htm
^ http://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel6.htm
^ http://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel10.htm
^ Daniel 1:3
^ ^a ^b ^c This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ^a ^b This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Daniel". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
^ http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/12-11.html
^ Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14
^ http://www.tektonics.org/guest/danielblast.html
^ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Ezekiel%2014-15;%20James%202&version=31;
^ Dixon, Henry Lancelot (1903). "Saying Grace" Historically Considered and Numerous Forms of Grace:Taken from Ancient and Modern Sources; With Appendices. Oxford and London: James Parker and Co. p. 11.
^ http://www.transfigcathedral.org/faith/Bulgakov/0453.pdf
^ http://www.transfigcathedral.org/faith/Bulgakov/0461.pdf
^ Francis E. Gigot (1889). "Daniel". Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM. New Advent.
^ http://chi.lcms.org/history/tih1217.htm
^ ^a ^b http://books.google.com/books?id=Y_5XsUkRI50C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Book+of+Enoch&sig=4i3mKOEaL88sQTIeurtFi8WDX94#PPA34,M1

External links

Daniel in the TaNaKh Detailed authorized Jewish translation of the original.

Daniel at Bible Gateway
Daniel by Rob Bradshaw Detailed dictionary-style article.
Who is Ezekiel's Daniel? : The Ugaritic Danel

[1] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3

[2] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3

[3] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3

[4] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#3

[5] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#2

[6] ttp://www.breslov.com/bible/Daniel1.htm#5

[7] ttp://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel9.htm

[8] ttp://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel6.htm

[9] ttp://www.breslov.com/ref/Daniel10.htm

[10] Daniel 1:3

[eas-11] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[jen-12] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Daniel". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

[13] ttp://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/12-11.html

[14] Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14

[15] ttp://www.tektonics.org/guest/danielblast.html

[16] ttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Ezekiel%2014-15;%20James%202&version=31;

[17] Dixon, Henry Lancelot (1903). "Saying Grace" Historically Considered and Numerous Forms of Grace:Taken from Ancient and Modern Sources; With Appendices. Oxford and London: James Parker and Co. p. 11.

[18] ttp://www.transfigcathedral.org/faith/Bulgakov/0453.pdf

[19] ttp://www.transfigcathedral.org/faith/Bulgakov/0461.pdf

[20] Francis E. Gigot (1889). "Daniel". Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM. New Advent.

[21] ttp://chi.lcms.org/history/tih1217.htm

[eno-22] ttp://books.google.com/books?id=Y_5XsUkRI50C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Book+of+Enoch&sig=4i3mKOEaL88sQTIeurtFi8WDX94#PPA34,M1

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