Dict: smith - DANIEL

smith:

DANIEL - D>@ - (judgment of God). The second son of David, by Abigail the Carmelitess. ( kjv@1Chronicles:3:1) In (2 Samuel kjv@3:3) he is called Chileab. (B.C. about 1051.) The fourth of ’the greater prophets." Nothing is known of his parentage or family. He appears, however, to have been of royal or noble descent, kjv@Daniel:1:3) and to have possessed considerable personal endowments. kjv@Daniel:1:4) He was taken to Babylon in "the third year of Jehoiakim" (B.C. 604), and trained for the king’s service. He was divinely supported in his resolve to abstain from the "king’s meat" for fear of defilement. kjv@Daniel:1:8-16) At the close of his three years discipline, kjv@Daniel:1:5 kjv@Daniel:1:18) Daniel had an opportunity of exercising his peculiar gift, kjv@Daniel:1:17) of interpreting dreams, on the occasion of Nebuchadnezzar’s decree against the Magi. kjv@Daniel:2:14) ff. In consequence of his success he was made "ruler of the whole province of Babylon." kjv@Daniel:2:48) He afterwards interpreted the second dream of Nebuchadnezzar, kjv@Daniel:4:8-27) and the handwriting on the wall which disturbed the feast of Belshazzar. kjv@Daniel:5:10-28) At the accession of Darius he was made first of the "three presidents" of the empire, kjv@Daniel:6:2) and was delivered from the lion’s den, into which he had been cast for his faithfulness to the rites of his faith. kjv@Daniel:6:10-23) cf. Bel and Dr. 29-42. At the accession of Cyrus he still retained his prosperity, kjv@Daniel:6:28) cf. Dani 1:21 Though he does not appear to have remained at Babylon, cf. kjv@Daniel:1:21) and in "the third year of Cyrus" (B.C. 534) he saw his last recorded vision, on the banks of the Tigris. kjv@Daniel:10:1 kjv@Daniel:10:4) In the prophecies of Ezekiel mention is made of Daniel as a pattern of righteousness, kjv@Ezekiel:14:14 kjv@Ezekiel:14:20) and wisdom. kjv@Ezekiel:28:3) The narrative in kjv@Daniel:1:11) implies that Daniel was conspicuously distinguished for purity and knowledge at a very early age. A descendant of Ithamar, who returned with Ezra. kjv@Ezra:8:2) A priest who sealed the covenant drawn up by Nehemiah, B.C. 445. kjv@Nehemiah:10:6) He is perhaps the same as No. 3.

DANIEL, THE BOOK OF - D>@ - stands at the head of a series of writings in which the deepest thoughts of the Jewish people found expression after their close of the prophetic era. Daniel is composed partly in the vernacular Aramaic (Chaldee) and partly in the sacred Hebrew. The introduction, Daniel:1-2:4 a, is written in Hebrew. On the occasion of the "Syriac" (i.e. Aramaic) answer of the Chaldeans, the language changes to Aramaic, and this is retained till the close of the seventh chapter (2:4 b-7). The personal introduction of Daniel as the writer of the text, kjv@8:1, is marked by the resumption of the Hebrew, which continues to the close of the book. ch. 8-12. The book may be divided into three parts. The first chapter forms an introduction. The next six chapters, 2-7, give a general view of the progressive history of the powers of the world, and of the principles of the divine government as seen in the events of the life of Daniel. The remainder of the book, chs. 8-12, traces in minuter detail the fortunes of the people of God, as typical of the fortunes of the Church in all ages. In the first seven chapters Daniel is spoken of historically ; int he last five he appears personally as the writer. The cause of the difference of person is commonly supposed to lie int he nature of the case. It is, however, more probable that the peculiarity arose from the manner in which the book assumed its final shape. The book exercised a great influence upon the Christian Church. The New Testament incidentally acknowledges each of the characteristic elements of the book, its miracles, kjv@Hebrews:11:33-34) its predictions, kjv@Matthew:24:15) and its doctrine of angels. kjv@Luke:1:19 kjv@Luke:1:26) The authenticity of the book has been attacked in modern times. (But the evidence, both external and internal, is conclusive as to its genuineness. Rawlinson, in his "Historical Evidences," shows how some historical difficulties that had been brought against the book are solved by the inscription on a cylinder lately found among the ruins of Ur in Chaldea.
ED.)

DANIEL, APOCRYPHAL ADDITIONS TO - D>@ - The Greek translations of Daniel contain several pieces which are not found int he original text. The most important are contained in the Apocrypha of the English Bible under the titles of The Son of the Three Holy Children, The History of Susannah, and The History of...Bel and the Dragon. The first of these is supposed to be the triumphal song of the three confessors in the furnace, kjv@Daniel:3:23) praising God for their deliverance, of which a chief part (35-66) has been used as a hymn in the Christian Church since the fourth century. The second, called also The Judgment of Daniel , relates the story of the clearing of Susannah from a charge of adultery; and the third gives an exaggerated account of Daniel’s deliverance.