Article Index

Names of the Book

DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN- Briton Rivière

English:  Daniel
Hebrew:  דאניאל
Transliterated:  Dani'el
Other names:   

 

whoWho

Wrote the book:  Daniel
Are the key people:  Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Belshazzar, Darius
Is it written to:  The people of Israel in captivity in Babylon

 

whatWhat

Daniel's life, the story of the fiery furnance, and the lion's den (Daniel 1-6)
Daniel's visions of the statue, the beasts, and kingdoms to come (Daniel 7-12)

 

whenWhen

Was it written:  c 535 BCE
Did the events occur:  c 605-535 BCE
Was it canonized:  c 499-100 BCE
(see the Timeline of the Tanakh)

 

whereWhere

Was it written:  Babylon
Did the events occur:  Nebuchadnezzar's palace, the fiery furnace, Belsazzar's banquet, the lion's den

 

whyWhy

Daniel was written to inform us that: 
G-d is in control.
G-d is the purpose of life.
G-d enables us to persevere in the midst of trials.
G-d is faithful to His promises.

 

whyIntroduction

Like Isaiah, and Ezekiel, the book of Daniel provides historical narrative, prophecy, and apocalyptic vision. Daniel writes about the challenges of being a faithful Jew in the midst of the Babylonian court of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel interprets the dreams of the king (much like his ancestor, Joseph), relates the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and shares his own trial in the lions' den. Throughout all of these stories, we find G-d's sovereign hand in the lives of His people. The latter portions of the book deliver Daniel's visions of future kingdoms, judgment, and Messiah.

 

 

Torah Portion

unknown

 

 

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Today is

Yom Sh'lishi, 9 Adar II, 5784

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

 

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