DANIEL

Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary

General Editors

T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, Andreas J. Köstenberger

Assistant Editors

James M. Hamilton, Kenneth A. Mathews, Terry L. Wilder

Joe M. Sprinkle

Daniel

Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary

Copyright 2020 Joe M. Sprinkle

Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

LexhamPress.com

All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Print ISBN 9781683594246

Library of Congress Control Number 2020941624

General Editors: T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, Andreas J. Köstenberger

Assistant Editors: James M. Hamilton, Kenneth A. Mathews, Terry L. Wilder

Lexham Editorial: Derek Brown, Josh Philpot, Danielle Thevenaz

Cover Design: Brittany Schrock

DEDICATION

In memory of my teachers,

Gleason Archer and Isaac Jerusalmi,

who taught me Aramaic and who in

their distinctive ways contributed

to my understanding of

the book of Daniel

CONTENTS

General Editors’ Preface

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

I. The Story of Daniel

II. Languages and Structure

III. A Bi-Genre Book: Narrative and Apocalyptic Visions

A. The Court Narratives (Daniel 1–6)

B. Autobiographical Apocalyptic Visions (Daniel 7–12)

IV. Authorship and Historicity of Daniel

A. Case for a Maccabean Date and the Fictional Nature of Daniel

B. Case for the Early Date and Historicity of Daniel

C. Conclusion

V. The Additions to Daniel

Exposition

I. Court Narratives (Daniel 1–6)

A. Daniel and friends in Nebuchadnezzar’s court (Daniel 1)

B. Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue (Daniel 2)

C. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3)

D. Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a tree (Daniel 4)

E. Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5)

F. Daniel and the lion’s den (Daniel 6)

II. Visions of Daniel (Daniel 7–12)

First vision: Four beasts and son of man figure (Daniel 7)

Second vision: Ram and male goat (Daniel 8)

Third vision: Seventy weeks (Daniel 9)

Daniel’s prayer of confession (9:1–19)

Gabriel’s answer and seventy week prophecy (9:20–27)

Fourth vision: Kings of North/South, distress/resurrection (Daniel 10–12)

Angels in conflict (10:1–11:2a)

Preview of Persian and Greek kings (11:2b–35)

World kingdoms ended and the righteous established (11:36–12:3)

Vision sealed until the end (12:4–13)

Biblical and Theological Themes

§1 Theological Implications of Introductory Matters

§2 Revelation of God

§3 God

§3.1 God Exists, unlike Pagan Gods

§3.2 Names and Titles of God

§3.3 God Is Living, Immortal, Eternal

§3.4 God Is Transcendent

§3.5 God Is Wise, Omniscient, and Foreknows the Future

§3.6 God Is Morally Good (Holy, Righteous, ...