Bible Dictionary: the Book Of Daniel

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

the Book Of Daniel

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, Dan. 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, 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, (Hebrews 11:33,34) its predictions, (Matthew 24:15) and its doctrine of angels. (Luke 1:19,26) 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.)

Library

Title and Position.
... A the subscription mentioned above, marking it as the "end of Daniel the prophet,"
distinctly attaches it to the Book of Daniel, and precludes further additions ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/title and position 3.htm

Authorship.
... defend the canonicity of the book. Origen in his Epistle to Africanus maintains
the solidarity of the piece with the book of Daniel. ...
/.../daubney/the three additions to daniel a study/authorship.htm

The Recovery and Revival of the Blessed Hope Itself.
... As is well known, the book of Daniel is largely composed of prophecies, prophecies
which refer frequently to the closing days of the Times of the Gentiles. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/1 the recovery and revival.htm

The History of the Prophetic Sermons, Epistles, and Apocalypses
... [Sidenote: The historical background of the book of Daniel]. To the mind
of one who has carefully studied the book of Daniel in the ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/vii the history of the.htm

Elucidations.
... oracles paint, should have a superhuman king, seems only a natural and necessary
inference....If, as certain modern critics contend, the book of Daniel is not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lactantius/the divine institutes/elucidations.htm

Daniel.
... I say this to show you how hard it is to master the book of Daniel, which in Hebrew
contains neither the history of Susanna, nor the hymn of the three youths ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jerome/the principal works of st jerome/daniel.htm

It is a Ground for Thanksgiving that During the Last Three or Four ...
... outlines the governmental history of the earth as it relates to Palestine, further
details being supplied in the other visions found in the book of Daniel. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/it is a ground for.htm

Daniel
... to a cursory inspection of the contents of Daniel (1), that certain statements about
the exilic period, during which, according to the book, Daniel 54ed, are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/daniel.htm

Place of Jesus in the History of the World.
... The first apocalypse, "The Book of Daniel," appeared. ... The Book of Daniel gave,
in a manner, the last expression to the Messianic hopes. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/renan/the life of jesus/chapter i place of jesus.htm

The Son of Man
... The name has been often supposed to be taken from the remarkable prophecy in the
Book of Daniel, of one 'like a son of man,' who receives from the Ancient of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the son of man.htm