[BACK TO 1:21] there. In Babylonia. first year of King Cyrus. Over Babylon (539 BC ; see chart ). Daniel spent about 70 years in Babylonia and was still living in the year 537 ( 10:1 ), so he saw the exiles return to Judah from Babylonian captivity.
[BACK TO 2:1] second year of … Nebuchadnezzar. 604 BC (see 1:1 and note). he could not sleep. See 6:18 ; Est 6:1 and note.
[BACK TO 2:2] magicians , enchanters , sorcerers. See Dt 18:9–14 and note on 18:9 .
[BACK TO 2:4] See NIV text note. Since the astrologers were of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, they communicated in Aramaic, the language everyone understood. From here to the end of ch. 7 the entire narrative is in Aramaic. These six chapters deal with matters of importance to the Gentile nations of the Near East and were written in a language understandable to all. But the last five chapters ( 8–12 ) revert to Hebrew, since they deal with special concerns of the chosen people. your servants. Us.
[BACK TO 2:5] See 3:29 .
[BACK TO 2:10] no one on earth who can do what the king asks. But “God in heaven” can (through Daniel; see vv. 27–28 ).
[BACK TO 2:11] do not live among humans. Are not readily accessible.
[BACK TO 2:14] Arioch. Also the name of a Mesopotamian king who lived centuries earlier ( Ge 14:1 , 9 ). wisdom and tact. See 1:12 , 20 and note on 1:12 .
[BACK TO 2:18] God of heaven. In this chapter this Persian title for a high god (see note on Ezr 1:2 ) is used to refer to Yahweh, the God of Israel. mystery. A key word in Daniel (vv. 19 , 27–30 , 47 ; 4:9 ). It also appears often in the writings (Dead Sea Scrolls) of the Qumran sect (see this essay ). The Greek equivalent is used in the NT to refer to the secret purposes of God that he reveals only to his chosen prophets and apostles (see notes on Ro 11:25 ; Rev 10:7 ).
[BACK TO 2:21] He gives wisdom … to the discerning. See Pr 1:2–5 and note on 1:2 .
[BACK TO 2:22] light dwells with him. See Ps 36:9 and note; cf. 1Jn 1:5 and note.
[BACK TO 2:29] the revealer of mysteries. God (see v. 47 ).
[BACK TO 2:32–43] See map , map ; see also chart . The gold head represents the Neo-Babylonian Empire (v. 38 ; see Jer 51:7 and note; see also map ); the silver chest and arms the Medo-Persian Empire established by Cyrus in 539 BC (the date of the fall of Babylon); the bronze belly and thighs the Greek Empire established by Alexander the Great c. 330; the iron legs and feet the Roman Empire (in the Apocrypha, cf. 2 Esdras 12:11). The toes (v. 41 ) are understood by some to represent a later confederation of states occupying the territory formerly controlled by the Roman Empire. The diminishing value of the metals from gold to silver to bronze to iron represents the decreasing power and grandeur (v. 39 ) of the rulers of the successive empires, from the absolute despotism of Nebuchadnezzar to the democratic system of checks and balances that characterized the Roman senates and assemblies. The metals also symbolize a growing degree of toughness and endurance, with each successive empire lasting longer than the preceding one.
[BACK TO 2:33] partly of iron and partly of baked clay. “Partly strong and partly brittle” (v. 42 ).
[BACK TO 2:35] broken to pieces. See Lk 20:18 and note.
[BACK TO 2:37] king of kings. That is, the greatest king (cf. v. 47 ; Ezr 7:12 and note; 1Ti 6:15 ; Rev 17:14 and note; 19:16 ).
[BACK TO 2:44] The fifth kingdom is the eternal kingdom of God (see Rev 11:15 ), built on the ruins of the sinful empires of the world. Its authority will extend over “the whole earth” (v. 35 ) and ultimately over “a new heaven and a new earth” ( Rev 21:1 ).
[BACK TO 2:46] offering … be presented to him. As to a god (cf. Ac 14:12 and note).
[BACK TO 2:48] Cf. the story of Joseph ( Ge 41:41–43 ).
[BACK TO 2:49] Daniel requests that his administrative authority be shared with his three Jewish friends.
[BACK TO 3:1] image of gold. Large statues of this kind were not made of solid gold but were plated with gold. sixty cubits high. Including the lofty pedestal on which it no doubt stood (see NIV text note; cf. Est 5:14 and note). Dura. Either the name of a place now marked by a series of mounds (located a few miles south of Babylon) or a common noun meaning “walled enclosure.”
[BACK TO 3:2] The seven classifications of government officials were to pledge full allegiance to the newly established empire as they stood before the image. The image perhaps represented the god Nabu, whose name formed the first element in Nebuchadnezzar’s name (see note on 2Ki 24:1 ).
[BACK TO 3:4] every language. Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon had become a cosmopolitan city whose population included people of many national and ethnic origins (see v. 7 ).
[BACK TO 3:5] The words for “zither,” “harp” and “pipe” (or perhaps “small drum”) are Greek loanwords in Daniel. Greek musicians and instruments are mentioned in Assyrian inscriptions written before the time of Nebuchadnezzar. fall down and worship the image. See Ex 20:4–5 and note on 20:4 .
[BACK TO 3:8] Jews. A shortened form of “Judahites” (see Jer 34:9 and note).
[BACK TO 3:12] They neither serve your gods nor worship the image. They obeyed the word of God ( Ex 20:3–5 ) above the word of the king.
[BACK TO 3:15] what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? Such boastful taunts were characteristic of proud Mesopotamian rulers (see Isa 36:18–20 and note).
[BACK TO 3:17] See vv. 26–27 ; Heb 11:34 and note. the God we serve is able to deliver us. For what God is “able” to do, see, e.g., 4:37 ; 6:19–22 (cf. Ro 11:23 ; 2Co 9:8 ; Heb 7:25 ; Jude 24–25 and notes).
[BACK TO 3:18] if he does not. Whether God decides to rescue them (v. 17 ) or not, their faith is fully resigned to his will.
[BACK TO 3:19] seven times hotter than usual. Probably figurative for “as hot as possible” (seven signifies completeness).
[BACK TO 3:25] See Ps 91:9–12 . son of the gods. Nebuchadnezzar was speaking as a pagan polytheist and was content to conceive of the fourth figure as a lesser heavenly being (“angel,” v. 28 ) sent by the all-powerful God of the Jews (see also 6:22 ).
[BACK TO 3:26] Most High God. Nebuchadnezzar had earlier acknowledged that Daniel’s God is “the God of gods and the Lord of kings” ( 2:47 ).
[BACK TO 3:28] They trusted in him. See 6:23 and note; Ps 11 ; 16 ; 23 ; 31 ; 52 ; Pr 3:5 and note.
[BACK TO 3:29] See 2:5 . no other god can save. See Isa 40:18–20 ; 41:24 ; 44:17 and notes (cf. Jn 14:6 and note).
[BACK TO 4:1–3] Nebuchadnezzar reached this conclusion after the experiences of vv. 4–33 . The language of his confession may reflect Daniel’s influence.
[BACK TO 4:3] His kingdom … from generation to generation. See v. 34 and note.
[BACK TO 4:7] magicians … diviners. Condemned in Dt 18:9–13 (see note on 18:9 ).
[BACK TO 4:8] after the name of my god. See note on 1:7 . Bel (“lord”) was a title for Marduk, chief god of the Babylonian pantheon and Nebuchadnezzar’s personal god and so his favorite god.
[BACK TO 4:9] chief of the magicians. See 2:48 .
[BACK TO 4:10] tree. Interpreted in v. 22 .
[BACK TO 4:11] grew large and strong. In one of Nebuchadnezzar’s building inscriptions, Babylon is compared to a spreading tree (cf. v. 22 ). its top touched the sky. Hyperbole; a phrase often used of Mesopotamian temple-towers (see Ge 11:4 and note).
[BACK TO 4:13] messenger. Angel (but see NIV text note).
[BACK TO 4:15] let the stump … remain. Implies that the tree will be revived later (see v. 26 ). him. The tree is here personified and later identified (v. 22 ).
[BACK TO 4:16] seven. Signifies completeness (i.e., a full measure). times. See NIV text note; see also 7:25 and NIV text note). Alternatively, “times” can refer to indefinite periods.
[BACK TO 4:17] messengers. The agents of God, who is the ultimate source of the “decision” (see v. 24 ). the Most High is sovereign. See Introduction: Theological Theme .
[BACK TO 4:19] Daniel … was greatly perplexed. Possibly over how to state the interpretation in an appropriate way. My lord , if only … adversaries! Daniel prepared the king to fear the worst.
[BACK TO 4:22] Your Majesty , you are that tree! Cf. 2:37–38 . your dominion extends … the earth. Nebuchadnezzar’s empire was the largest and most powerful in that part of the world up to that time (see map below).
[BACK TO 4:25] eat grass like the ox. Nebuchadnezzar was possibly stricken with a rare mental illness (see v. 34 ) known as boanthropy, which causes its victims to assume the appearance, habits and posture of cattle (v. 33 ). acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign. He will soon learn that lesson (compare v. 30 with v. 37 ).
[BACK TO 4:26] Heaven. A Jewish way of referring to God, later reflected in the NT expression “kingdom of heaven” (compare, e.g., Mt 5:3 with Lk 6:20 ).
[BACK TO 4:28] All this happened. But only because Nebuchadnezzar did not follow Daniel’s “advice” (v. 27 ).
[BACK TO 4:30] great Babylon. Illustrated, e.g., in the city’s ramparts, temples and hanging gardens (see note on Isa 13:19 ; see also map , and photo ).
[BACK TO 4:31] as the words were on his lips. See Lk 12:19–20 .
[BACK TO 4:33] what had been said … was fulfilled. See Pr 11:2 and note; 16:18 . driven away. Possibly into the palace gardens. His counselors, perhaps led by Daniel (see 2:48–49 ), could have administered the kingdom efficiently.
[BACK TO 4:34] At the end of that time. Perhaps as much as seven years (see v. 16 and note). I honored and glorified him. Contrast v. 30 . His dominion … from generation to generation. Nebuchadnezzar returns to the grand theme with which he began (see v. 3 ; see also 6:26 ; 7:14 ).
[BACK TO 4:35] See Ps 115:3 and note.
[BACK TO 4:36] Cf. Job 42:10 , 12 .
[BACK TO 4:37] everything he does is right and … just. See notes on Ps 119:121 ; Eze 18:25 . those who walk in pride he is able to humble. See Pr 3:34 ; Jas 4:6 , 10 ; 1Pe 5:5–6 .
[BACK TO 5:1–4] The orgy of revelry and blasphemy on such occasions is mentioned also by the ancient Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon.
[BACK TO 5:1] King. Belshazzar (meaning “Bel, protect the king!”) was the son and viceroy of Nabonidus (see chart ). He is called the “son” of Nebuchadnezzar (v. 22 ), but the Aramaic term could also mean “grandson” or “descendant” or even “successor” (see NIV text note on v. 22 ). See also note on v. 10 and NIV text note on v. 2 .
[BACK TO 5:2] gold … that Nebuchadnezzar … had taken from the temple. In the eighth year of his reign (597 BC ; see 2Ki 24:12–13 and note on 24:12 ).
[BACK TO 5:5] Suddenly. See 4:31 ; see also Pr 29:1 ; 1Th 5:3 and notes; cf. Lk 12:19–20 .
[BACK TO 5:7] third highest ruler in the kingdom. Nabonidus was first, Belshazzar second (see last notation on map ).
[BACK TO 5:10] queen. See NIV text note. She could have been (1) the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, (2) the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and wife of Nabonidus or (3) the wife of Nabonidus but not the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar.
[BACK TO 5:11] the time of your father. Nebuchadnezzar had died in 562 BC ; the year is now 539.
[BACK TO 5:16] third highest ruler. See v. 7 and note.
[BACK TO 5:17] keep your gifts for yourself. See Ge 14:23 ; 2Ki 5:16 and notes.
[BACK TO 5:21] He was … given the mind of an animal. See 4:25 and note. until he acknowledged. See note on 4:25 . the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth. See Introduction: Theological Theme .
[BACK TO 5:22–23] Three charges were brought against Belshazzar: (1) He sinned through disobedience and pride, not through ignorance (v. 22 ); (2) he defied God by desecrating the sacred vessels (v. 23a ); and (3) he praised idols and so did not honor God (v. 23b ).
[BACK TO 5:23] The stark contrast between the false gods of the nations and the one true God is a pervasive theme in the Prophets (see, e.g., 3:29 and note; Isa 41:5–10 ; 44:6–23 ; Jer 10:1–16 ; Eze 8–9 ; Hos 13:1–8 ; Hab 2:18–20 ; see also Ps 115:2–8 ; 135:15–18 ).
[BACK TO 5:24] he sent the hand. Daniel waits until the last moment before informing the king that God himself is the source of the inscription.
[BACK TO 5:26–28] See NIV text notes. Three weights (mina, shekel and half mina/shekel) may be intended, symbolizing three rulers, (respectively): (1) Nebuchadnezzar, (2) either Awel-Marduk (see 2Ki 25:27 and note) or Nabonidus, and (3) Belshazzar.
[BACK TO 5:27] weighed on the scales. Measured in the light of God’s standards (see Job 31:6 and note; Ps 62:9 ).
[BACK TO 5:28] divided … Persians. Daniel employs a telling wordplay (see NIV text note). Medes and Persians. The second kingdom of the series of four predicted in ch. 2 (see Introduction: Author, Date and Authenticity ; see also chart ).
[BACK TO 5:29] gold chain was placed around his neck. As a symbol of authority (see Ge 41:42 and note).
[BACK TO 5:30] That very night. See v. 5 ; Pr 6:15 and notes; Lk 12:20 .
[BACK TO 5:31] Darius the Mede. Perhaps another name for Gubaru, referred to in Babylonian inscriptions as the governor that Cyrus put in charge of the newly conquered Babylonian territories. Or “Darius the Mede” may have been Cyrus’s throne name in Babylon (see NIV text note on 6:28 ; see also 1Ch 5:26 and note). took over the kingdom. In 539 BC. The “head of gold” ( 2:38 ) is now no more, as predicted in 2:39 .
[BACK TO 6:7] The conspirators lied in stating that “all” the royal administrators supported the proposed decree since they knew that Daniel (totally unaware of the proposal) was the foremost of the three administrators. lions’ den. A pit with a relatively small opening at the top (see v. 17 ), making it impossible for a prisoner to escape.
[BACK TO 6:8] , 12 law of the Medes and Persians , which cannot be repealed. See v. 15 ; see also notes on Est 1:19 ; 8:8 .
[BACK TO 6:10] toward Jerusalem. See 2Ch 6:38–39 . Three times a day. Cf. Ps 55:17 . prayed … just as he had done before. Not even the threat of death could keep Daniel from honoring his customary times of prayer to “his God.”
[BACK TO 6:13] pays no attention to you. But see vv. 22 , 24 .
[BACK TO 6:16] serve continually. See 1Co 15:58 and note.
[BACK TO 6:18] he could not sleep. See 2:1 ; Est 6:1 and note.
[BACK TO 6:20] has your God … been able to rescue you … ? See 3:17 and note.
[BACK TO 6:23] no wound was found on him. See 3:27 . he … trusted in his God. That the lions were ravenously hungry (v. 24 ) was no obstacle to the Lord’s rewarding Daniel’s faith by saving his life (see 3:28 and note). See photo .
[BACK TO 6:24] along with their wives and children. In accordance with Persian custom (cf. Jos 7:24 and note).
[BACK TO 6:28] See NIV text note.
[BACK TO 7:1] first year of Belshazzar. Probably 553 BC. The events of ch. 7 preceded those of ch. 5 .
[BACK TO 7:2] the great sea. The world of nations and peoples (see also vv. 3 , 17 ).
[BACK TO 7:4–7] The lion with an eagle’s wings is a cherub symbolizing the Neo-Babylonian Empire (see Ge 3:24 and note). The rest of v. 4 perhaps reflects the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar, as recorded in ch. 4 . The bear (v. 5 ), “raised up on one of its sides,” refers to the superior status of the Persians in the Medo-Persian alliance. The three ribs may represent its three principal conquests: Lydia (546 BC ), Babylon (539) and Egypt (525). The leopard with four wings (v. 6 ) represents the speedy conquests of Alexander the Great (334–330), and the four heads correspond to the four main divisions into which his empire fell after his untimely death in 323 (see 8:22 ): Macedon and Greece (under Antipater and Cassander), Thrace and Asia Minor (under Lysimachus), Syria (under Seleucus I), and the Holy Land and Egypt (under Ptolemy I; see chart ). The fourth beast (v. 7 ), with its irresistible power surpassing all its predecessors, points to the Roman Empire (cf. 11:30 and note; in the Apocrypha, see 2 Esdras 12:11). Its ten horns correspond to the ten toes of 2:41–42 (see note on 2:32–43 ).
[BACK TO 7:7] iron. See 2:40–43 and note on 2:32–43 . ten horns. Indicative of the comprehensiveness of the beast’s sphere of authority (see note on 1:12 ).
[BACK TO 7:8] another horn , a little one. The antichrist, or a world power sharing in the characteristics of the antichrist. mouth that spoke boastfully. See 11:36 ; 2Th 2:4 and notes; Rev 13:5–6 .
[BACK TO 7:9] Ancient of Days. God. hair of his head was white like wool. See Rev 1:14 and note. throne … wheels. See Eze 1:15–21 , 26–27 .
[BACK TO 7:10] Thousands … ten thousand. See 1Sa 18:7 and note. court was seated … books were opened. John echoes the language of this judgment scene in Rev 20:12 .
[BACK TO 7:13] like a son of man. See Mk 8:31 and note; Rev 1:13 . This is the first reference to the Messiah as the Son of Man, a title that Jesus applied to himself. He will be enthroned as ruler over the whole earth (previously misruled by the four kingdoms that oppose God’s kingdom), and his kingdom “will never be destroyed” (v. 14 ), whether on earth or in heaven (see v. 27 and note). coming with the clouds of heaven. See Mk 14:62 and note; Rev 1:7 .
[BACK TO 7:16] one of those standing there. An angel.
[BACK TO 7:17] four kings. See 2:38–40 and note on 2:32–43 . the earth. The world of nations and peoples—referred to as “the (great) sea” in vv. 2–3 .
[BACK TO 7:18] holy people. Exalted privileges will be enjoyed by Christ’s followers in the Messianic kingdom (see Mt 19:28–29 ; see also Lk 22:29–30 ; Rev 1:6 ; 20:2–6 and notes). will receive the kingdom. See vv. 22 , 27 and note on v. 27 .
[BACK TO 7:24] ten kings. All the political powers (see note on 1:12 ; see also Rev 17:12–14 ) that will arise out of the fourth kingdom—not necessarily simultaneously (but see 2:44 [“In the time of those kings”] and note). three kings. Some of the ten. Three often signified a small, indefinite number (see Ex 3:18 and note).
[BACK TO 7:25] He. See v. 8 and note. a time , times and half a time. See NIV text note.
[BACK TO 7:27] handed over to the holy people. For their benefit. God and the Messiah will rule, as the last sentence in the verse makes clear (see v. 14 and note on v. 13 ; see also Rev 19–22 ).
[BACK TO 8:1–12:13] These chapters are written in Hebrew (see note on 2:4 ).
[BACK TO 8:1] third year. About 551 BC. The events of ch. 8 preceded those of ch. 5 . after the one that had already appeared to me. Two years earlier (see 7:1 and note).
[BACK TO 8:2] citadel of Susa … Elam. See notes on Ezr 4:9 ; Est 1:2 ; see also map .
[BACK TO 8:3] The ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire (v. 20 ). The longer of his two horns reflects the predominant position of Persia (see 7:5 and note on 7:4–7 ).
[BACK TO 8:5] The rapidly charging goat is Greece, and the “prominent horn” is Alexander the Great, “the first king” (v. 21 ; see chart ).
[BACK TO 8:7] shattering its two horns. Greece crushes Medo-Persia.
[BACK TO 8:8] large horn was broken off. The death of Alexander the Great at the height of his power (323 BC ). four prominent horns. Equivalent to the “four heads” of 7:6 (see note on 7:4–7 ).
[BACK TO 8:9–12] “Another horn” (v. 9 ) emerges not from the ten horns belonging to the fourth kingdom (as in 7:8 ) but rather from one of the four horns belonging to the third kingdom. The horn that “started small” is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who during the last few years of his reign (168–164 BC ) made a determined effort to destroy the Jewish faith. He in turn served as a type of the even more ruthless beast of the last days (the antichrist), who is also referred to in 7:8 as a “little” horn. Antiochus was to extend his power over Israel, “the Beautiful Land” (v. 9 ; see Jer 3:19 and note), and defeat the godly believers there (referred to as “the host of the heavens,” v. 10 ; see also v. 12 ), many of whom died for their faith. Then he set himself up to be the equal of “the commander of the army of the L ORD ” (v. 11 ) and ordered the daily sacrifices to end. Eventually the army of Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the temple (v. 14 ) to the Lord (December, 165)—the origin of the Festival of Hanukkah (see Jn 10:22 and note), still celebrated by Jews today (in the Apocrypha, see 1 Maccabees 1–4; see also bottom of chart ).
[BACK TO 8:13] a holy one. An angel.
[BACK TO 8:14] There were two daily sacrifices for the continual burnt offering (see 9:21 ; Ex 29:38–39 and note), representing the atonement required for Israel as a whole. The “2,300 evenings and mornings” probably refer to the number of sacrifices consecutively offered on 1,150 days, the interval between the desecration of the Lord’s altar by Antiochus Epiphanes and its reconsecration by Judas Maccabeus on Kislev 25, 165 BC.
[BACK TO 8:16] Gabriel. An angel (see Lk 1:19 and note).
[BACK TO 8:17] Son of man. Not to be confused with the “one like a son of man” in 7:13 (see note there; see also note on Eze 2:1 ).
[BACK TO 8:21] See v. 5 and note.
[BACK TO 8:22] See v. 8 and note.
[BACK TO 8:23–25] A description of Antiochus IV and his rise to power by intrigue and deceit (he was not the rightful successor to the Seleucid throne).
[BACK TO 8:25] consider himself superior. Antiochus IV called himself Epiphanes (“God manifest”). Others, however, referred to him as Epimanes (“madman”) because of his erratic behavior (Polybius, Histories , 26.1–14). Prince of princes. God. destroyed , but not by human power. Antiochus died in 164 BC at Tabae in Persia through illness or accident; God “destroyed” him.
[BACK TO 8:26] vision of the evenings and mornings. See v. 14 and note.
[BACK TO 9:1] first year. 539–538 BC. Darius … a Mede. See 5:31 and note. Xerxes. See NIV text note; not the later Xerxes of the book of Esther.
[BACK TO 9:2] Jeremiah … seventy years. See note on Jer 25:11–12 .
[BACK TO 9:3–19] Daniel’s prayer contains expressions of humility (v. 3 ), worship (v. 4 ), confession (vv. 5–15 ) and petition (vv. 16–19 ). See similar prayers in Ezr 9:5–15 ; Ne 9:5–37 (see note there).
[BACK TO 9:3] sackcloth and ashes. See notes on Ge 37:34 ; Rev 11:3 .
[BACK TO 9:4] who keeps his covenant of love. See Dt 7:9 , 12 and note. who love him and keep his commandments. See Ne 1:5 ; cf. Ex 20:6 and note.
[BACK TO 9:6] your servants the prophets. See v. 10 ; see also Jer 7:25 ; Zec 1:6 and notes.
[BACK TO 9:7] scattered us because of our unfaithfulness. See 2Ki 17:7–23 and note; 2Ch 36:15–20 .
[BACK TO 9:11] curses … written in the Law. See Lev 26:33 ; Dt 28:64 and note.
[BACK TO 9:14] the L ORD our God is righteous. See Ps 4:1 ; Jer 12:1 and notes.
[BACK TO 9:18] city that bears your Name. Jerusalem ( 1Ki 11:36 ; cf. Ps 132:13 and note; see Jer 25:29 and note). Name. See Dt 12:5 and note. because of your great mercy. God answers prayer because of his grace, not because of our works.
[BACK TO 9:20] While I was speaking. See Isa 65:24 . holy hill. Zion (see Ps 2:6 and note).
[BACK TO 9:21] Gabriel. See 8:16 and note. evening sacrifice. See note on Ps 141:2 .
[BACK TO 9:24] “sevens.” Probably seven-year periods of time, making a total of 490 years, but some take the numbers as symbolic. Of the six purposes mentioned (all to be fulfilled through the Messiah), some believe that the last three were not achieved by the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ but await his further action: the establishment of everlasting righteousness (on earth), the complete fulfillment of vision and prophecy and the anointing of the “Most Holy Place” (see NIV text note).
[BACK TO 9:25–27] The time between the decree authorizing the rebuilding of Jerusalem (v. 25 ) and the coming of the Messiah (“the Anointed One”) was to be 69 (7 plus 62) “sevens,” or 483 years (see note on Ezr 7:11 ). The “seven ‘sevens’” may refer to the period of the complete restoration of Jerusalem (partially narrated in Ezra and Nehemiah), and the “sixty-two ‘sevens’” may refer to the period between that restoration and the Messiah’s coming to Israel. The final (70th) “seven” is not mentioned specifically until v. 27 , following the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by “the people of the ruler who will come” (Titus in AD 70). Therefore, while many hold that the 70th “seven” was fulfilled during Christ’s earthly ministry and the years immediately following, others conclude that there is an indeterminate interval between the 69th and the 70th “seven”—a period of “war” and “desolations” (v. 26 ). According to this latter opinion, in the 70th “seven” the little horn or beast (the antichrist) of the last days (referred to here as the one who sets up an “abomination that causes desolation” and who is the antitype of the Roman Titus; see Rev 13:1–8 and notes) will establish a covenant for seven years with the Jews (the “many”) but will violate the covenant halfway through that period (but see also note on v. 27 ). The death of the Anointed One (v. 26 ) refers to the crucifixion of Christ.
[BACK TO 9:27] He will confirm a covenant … will put an end to sacrifice. According to some, a reference to the Messiah’s (“the Anointed One,” v. 26 ) instituting the new covenant and putting “an end” to the OT sacrificial system; according to others, a reference to the antichrist’s (“the [ultimate] ruler who will come,” v. 26 ) making a treaty with the Jews in the future and then disrupting their system of worship. abomination that causes desolation. See note on 11:31 .
[BACK TO 10:1] third year of Cyrus. 537 BC. This is the third year after his conquest of Babylon in 539 (see note on 1:1 ).
[BACK TO 10:3] See 1:8–16 and note on 1:8 .
[BACK TO 10:5–6] See 7:9 ; Rev 1:12–16 and notes.
[BACK TO 10:7] Cf. Ac 9:7 .
[BACK TO 10:13] prince of the Persian kingdom. Apparently a demon exercising influence over the Persian realm (see also v. 20 and note). His resistance was finally overcome by the archangel Michael, “the great prince who protects” the people of God ( 12:1 ).
[BACK TO 10:14] what will happen to your people in the future. See chs. 11–12 .
[BACK TO 10:16] touched my lips , and I … began to speak. See Isa 6:7 ; Jer 1:9 and notes.
[BACK TO 10:20] prince of Greece. See note on v. 13 . This spiritual power will also have to be opposed.
[BACK TO 10:21] Book of Truth. See 12:1 ; perhaps a reference to God’s book of the destinies of all human beings (see Ex 32:32 ; Ps 69:28 and notes).
[BACK TO 11:1] Darius the Mede. See note on 5:31 .
[BACK TO 11:2] Three more kings. Cambyses (530–522 BC ), Pseudo-Smerdis or Gaumata (522) and Darius I (522–486). fourth. Xerxes I (486–465; see note on Est 1:1 ), who attempted to conquer Greece in 480.
[BACK TO 11:3] mighty king. Alexander the Great (336–323).
[BACK TO 11:4] four winds. See 7:2–3 and note on 7:4–7 (four heads).
[BACK TO 11:5] king of the South. Ptolemy I Soter (323–285 BC ) of Egypt (see chart and map ). one of his commanders. Seleucus I Nicator (311–280). his own kingdom. Initially Babylonia, to which he then added extensive territories both east and west.
[BACK TO 11:6] daughter of the king of the South. Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BC ) of Egypt. king of the North. Antiochus II Theos (261–246) of Syria. alliance. A treaty cemented by the marriage of Berenice to Antiochus. she will not retain her power , and he … will not last. Antiochus’s former wife, Laodice, conspired to have Berenice and Antiochus put to death. her father. Berenice’s father, Ptolemy, died at about the same time.
[BACK TO 11:7] One from her family line. Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221 BC ) of Egypt, who did away with Laodice. king of the North. Seleucus II Callinicus (246–226) of Syria. his fortress. Either (1) Seleucia (see Ac 13:4 and note), which was the port of Antioch, or (2) Antioch itself.
[BACK TO 11:8] their gods. Images of Syrian deities, and also of Egyptian gods that the Persian Cambyses had carried off after conquering Egypt in 525 BC.
[BACK TO 11:10] His sons. Seleucus III Ceraunus (226–223 BC ) and Antiochus III (the Great) (223–187), sons of Seleucus II. his fortress. Ptolemy’s fortress at Raphia (southwest of Gaza).
[BACK TO 11:11] king of the South. Ptolemy IV Philopator (221–203 BC ) of Egypt. king of the North. Antiochus III. defeated. At Raphia in 217.
[BACK TO 11:12] slaughter many thousands. The Greek historian Polybius records that Antiochus lost nearly 10,000 infantrymen at Raphia.
[BACK TO 11:14] king of the South. Ptolemy V Epiphanes (203–181 BC ) of Egypt. Those who are violent among your own people. Jews who joined the forces of Antiochus. without success. The Ptolemaic general Scopas crushed the rebellion in 200.
[BACK TO 11:15] fortified city. The Mediterranean port of Sidon.
[BACK TO 11:16] The invader. Antiochus, who was in control of the Holy Land by 197 BC. Beautiful Land. See note on 8:9–12 .
[BACK TO 11:17] he will give him a daughter in marriage. Antiochus gave his daughter Cleopatra I in marriage to Ptolemy V in 194 BC.
[BACK TO 11:18] he. Antiochus. coastlands. Asia Minor and perhaps also mainland Greece. commander. The Roman consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, who defeated Antiochus at Magnesia in Asia Minor in 190 BC.
[BACK TO 11:19] stumble and fall. Antiochus died in 187 BC while attempting to plunder a temple in the province of Elymais.
[BACK TO 11:20] His successor. Seleucus IV Philopator (187–175 BC ), son and successor of Antiochus the Great. tax collector. Seleucus’s finance minister, Heliodorus. he will be destroyed. Seleucus was the victim of a conspiracy engineered by Heliodorus.
[BACK TO 11:21] contemptible person. Seleucus’s younger brother, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 BC ). not been given the honor of royalty. Antiochus seized power while the rightful heir to the throne, the son of Seleucus (later to become Demetrius I), was still very young. kingdom. Syro-Palestine.
[BACK TO 11:22] prince of the covenant. Either the high priest Onias III, who was murdered in 170 BC , or, if the Hebrew for this phrase is translated “confederate prince,” Ptolemy VI Philometor (181–146) of Egypt.
[BACK TO 11:23] he. Antiochus.
[BACK TO 11:24] richest provinces. Either of the Holy Land or of Egypt. fortresses. In Egypt.
[BACK TO 11:25] king of the South. Ptolemy VI.
[BACK TO 11:26] his army. Ptolemy’s.
[BACK TO 11:27] two kings. Antiochus and Ptolemy, who was living in Antiochus’s custody.
[BACK TO 11:28] against the holy covenant. In 169 BC Antiochus plundered the temple in Jerusalem, set up a garrison there and massacred many Jews in the city.
[BACK TO 11:30] Ships of the western coastlands. Roman vessels under the command of Popilius Laenas. those who forsake the holy covenant. Apostate Jews (see also v. 32 ).
[BACK TO 11:31] abomination that causes desolation. See 9:27 ; 12:11 ; the altar to the pagan god Zeus Olympius, set up in 168 BC by Antiochus Epiphanes and prefiguring a similar abomination that Jesus predicted would be erected in the future (see Mt 24:15 ; Lk 21:20 and notes).
[BACK TO 11:33] Those who are wise. The godly leaders of the Jewish resistance movement, also called the Hasidim. fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. See Heb 11:36–38 .
[BACK TO 11:34] a little help. The early successes of the guerrilla uprising (168 BC ) that originated in Modein, 17 miles northwest of Jerusalem, under the leadership of Mattathias and his son Judas Maccabeus. In December, 165, the altar of the temple was rededicated.
[BACK TO 11:35] time of the end. See v. 40 ; 12:4 , 9 . Daniel concludes his predictions about Antiochus Epiphanes and begins to prophesy concerning the more distant future.
[BACK TO 11:36] From here to the end of ch. 11 the antichrist (see notes on 7:8 ; 9:27 ) is in view. The details of this section do not fit what is known of Antiochus Epiphanes. See 2Th 2:3–4 and notes; cf. Rev 13:5–8 .
[BACK TO 11:37] the one desired by women. Usually interpreted as either Tammuz (see Eze 8:14 and note) or the Messiah (see Hag 2:7 and note).
[BACK TO 11:40–45] Many feel that these verses speak of conflicts to be waged between the antichrist and his political enemies. He will meet his end “at the beautiful holy mountain” (v. 45 ), Jerusalem’s temple mount, perhaps in connection with the battle of Armageddon (cf. note on v. 36 ; cf. also 9:27b ; Rev 16:13–16 ).
[BACK TO 11:41] Beautiful Land. See note on 8:9–12 .
[BACK TO 12:1] Michael. See note on 10:13 . time of distress. See Jer 30:7 ; Mt 24:21 and notes; cf. Rev 16:18 . book. See 10:21 ; Ps 9:5 ; 51:1 ; 69:28 and notes.
[BACK TO 12:2] Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake. They will rise from the dead (see Isa 26:19 and note). some to everlasting life , others to shame. The first clear reference to a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. See Jn 5:24–29 and notes. everlasting life. The phrase occurs only here in the OT.
[BACK TO 12:5] two others. Two was the minimum number of witnesses to an oath (see v. 7 ; Dt 17:6 and note; 19:15 ).
[BACK TO 12:7] time , times and half a time. See NIV text note; cf. 7:25 .
[BACK TO 12:11–12] Apparently representing either (1) further calculations relating to the persecutions by Antiochus Epiphanes (see 8:14 ; 11:28 and notes) or (2) further end-time calculations.
[BACK TO 12:11] daily sacrifice is abolished … abomination that causes desolation is set up. See 11:31 and note.
[BACK TO 12:13] rest. Die (see Job 3:17 ).
The Book of the Twelve, or the Minor Prophets
In Ecclesiasticus (an Apocryphal book written c. 190 BC ), Jesus ben Sira spoke of “the twelve prophets” (Ecclesiasticus 49:10) as a unit parallel to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. He thus indicated that these 12 prophecies were at that time thought of as a unit and were probably already written together on one scroll, as is the case in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Josephus (Against Apion, 1.8) also was aware of this grouping. Augustine (The City of God, 18.25) called them the “Minor Prophets,” referring to the small size of these books by comparison with the major prophetic books and not at all suggesting that they are of minor importance.
In the traditional Jewish canon these works are arranged in what was thought to be their chronological order: (1) the books that came from the period of Assyrian power (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah), (2) those written about the time of the decline of Assyria (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah) and (3) those dating from the postexilic era (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). On the other hand, their order in the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) is: Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (the order of the first six was probably determined by length, except for Jonah, which is placed last among them because of its different character).
In any event, it appears that within a century after the composition of Malachi the Jews had brought together the 12 shorter prophecies to form a book (scroll) of prophetic writing, which was received as canonical and paralleled the three major prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The great Greek manuscripts Alexandrinus and Vaticanus place the Twelve before the Major Prophets, but in the traditional Jewish canon and in all modern versions they appear after them.
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The Habakkuk Commentary (1QpHab). Dead Sea Scroll containing the text and accompanying commentary on Habakkuk 1 and 2 . The scroll was found in Cave 1 at Qumran.
Habakkuk Commentary, columns 5–8, Qumran Cave 1, first century BC / Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel / The Bridgeman Art Library
JERUSALEM DURING THE TIME OF THE PROPHETS
c. 750–586 BCRefugees arrived in Jerusalem about the time of the fall of the northern kingdom (722 BC). Settlement spread to the western hill, and a new wall was added for protection. King Hezekiah’s engineers carved an underground aqueduct out of solid rock to bring an ample water supply inside the city walls, enabling Jerusalem to survive the siege of Sennacherib in 701.
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Hosea![]()
a quick look
Author:Hosea
Audience:Primarily the northern kingdom of Israel
Date:Probably after the fall of the northern capital, Samaria (722–721 BC)
Theme:Hosea proclaims God’s compassion and covenant love that cannot let Israel go.
Author and Date
Hosea, son of Beeri, prophesied about the middle of the eighth century
BC,
his ministry beginning during or shortly after that of Amos. Amos threatened God’s judgment on Israel at the hands of an unnamed enemy; Hosea identifies that enemy as Assyria (
7:11
;
8:9
;
10:6
;
11:11
). Judging from the kings mentioned in
1:1
, Hosea must have prophesied for at least 38 years, though almost nothing is known about him from sources outside his book. He was the only one of the writing prophets to come from the northern kingdom (Israel), and his prophecy is primarily directed to that kingdom. But since his prophetic activity is dated by reference to kings of Judah, the book was probably written in Judah after the fall of the northern capital, Samaria (722–721
BC
)—an idea suggested by references to Judah throughout the book (
1:7
,
11
;
4:15
;
5:5
,
10
,
12–13
;
6:4
,
11
;
10:11
;
11:12
;
12:2
). Whether Hosea himself authored the book that preserves his prophecies is not known. The book of Hosea stands first in the division of the Bible called the Book of the Twelve (in the Apocrypha, cf. Ecclesiasticus 49:10; see
essay
) or the Minor Prophets (a name referring to the brevity of these books as compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel).
Background
Hosea lived in the tragic final days of the northern kingdom, during which six kings (following Jeroboam II) reigned within 25 years ( 2Ki 15:8–17:6 ). Four (Zechariah, Shallum, Pekahiah, Pekah) were murdered by their successors while in office, and one (Hoshea) was captured in battle; only one (Menahem) was succeeded on the throne by his son. These kings, given to Israel by God “in my anger” and taken away “in my wrath” ( 13:11 ), floated away “like a twig on the surface of the waters” ( 10:7 ). “Bloodshed” followed “bloodshed” ( 4:2 ). Assyria was expanding westward, and Menahem accepted that world power as overlord and paid tribute ( 2Ki 15:19–20 ). But shortly afterward, in 733 BC, Israel was dismembered by Assyria because of the intrigue of Pekah (who had gained Israel’s throne by killing Pekahiah, Menahem’s son and successor). Only the territories of Ephraim and western Manasseh were left to the king of Israel. Then, because of the disloyalty of Hoshea (Pekah’s successor), Samaria was captured and its people exiled in 722–721, bringing the northern kingdom to an end.
The subordinate status of a wife in the ancient Near East is depicted here in a statue of Rameses II and a miniature version of his wife.
© 1995 Phoenix Data Systems
Theological Theme and Message
The first part of the book (chs.
1–3
) narrates the family life of Hosea as a symbol (similar to the symbolism in the lives of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) to convey the message the prophet had from the Lord for his people. God ordered Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman, Gomer, and their three children were each given a symbolic name representing part of the ominous message. Ch.
2
alternates between Hosea’s relation to Gomer and its symbolic representation of God’s relation to Israel. The children are told to drive the unfaithful mother out of the house, but it was her reform, not her riddance, that was sought. The prophet was ordered to continue loving her, and he took her back and kept her in isolation for a while (ch.
3
). The affair graphically represents the Lord’s relation to the Israelites (cf.
2:4
,
9
,
18
), who had been disloyal to him by worshiping Canaanite deities as the source of their abundance. Israel was to go through a period of exile (cf.
7:16
;
9:3
,
6
,
17
;
11:5
). Just as Hosea took back his wife, Gomer, so the Lord loves his covenant people and longs to take them back. This return is described with imagery recalling the exodus from Egypt and settlement in Canaan (cf.
1:11
;
2:14–23
;
3:5
;
11:10–11
;
14:4–7
). Hosea saw Israel’s past experiences with the Lord as the fundamental pattern, or type, of God’s future dealings with his people.
The second part of the book (chs.
4–14
) gives the details of Israel’s involvement in Canaanite religion, but a systematic outline of the material is difficult. Like other prophetic books, Hosea issued a call to repentance. Israel’s alternative to destruction was to forsake her idols and return to the Lord (chs.
6
;
14
). Information gleaned from materials discovered at Ugarit (dating from the fifteenth century
BC;
see
chart
) enables us to know more clearly the religious practices against which Hosea protested.
Just as Hosea took back his wife, Gomer, so the Lord loves his covenant people and longs to take them back.
Hosea saw the failure to acknowledge God ( 4:1 , 6 ; 8:2–3 ; 13:4 ) as Israel’s basic problem. God’s relation to Israel was that of love ( 2:19 ; 4:1 ; 6:6 ; 10:12 ; 12:6 ). The intimacy of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, illustrated in the first part of the book by the husband-wife relationship, is later amplified by the father-child relationship ( 11:1–4 ). Disloyalty to God was spiritual adultery ( 4:13–14 ; 5:4 ; 9:1 ; cf. Jer 3 ; see note on Ex 34:15 ). Israel had turned to Baal worship and had sacrificed at the pagan high places, which included associating with the sacred prostitutes at the sanctuaries ( 4:14 ) and worshiping the calf images at Samaria ( 8:5 ; 10:5–6 ; 13:2 ). There were also international intrigue ( 5:13 ; 7:8–11 ) and materialism. Yet despite God’s condemnation and the harshness of language with which the unavoidable judgment was announced, the major purpose of the book is to proclaim God’s compassion and covenant love that cannot—finally—let Israel go.
Special Problems
The book of Hosea has at least two perplexing problems. The first concerns the nature of the story told in chs. 1–3 and the character of Gomer. While some interpreters have thought the story to be merely an allegory of the relation between God and Israel, others claim, more plausibly, that it is to be taken literally. Among the latter, some insist that Gomer was faithful at first and later became unfaithful, others that she was unfaithful even before the marriage.
The second problem of the book is the relation of ch. 3 to ch. 1 . Despite the fact that no children are mentioned in ch. 3 , some interpreters claim that the two chapters are different accounts of the same episode. The traditional interpretation, however, is more likely, namely, that ch. 3 is a sequel to ch. 1 —i.e., after Gomer proved unfaithful, Hosea was instructed to take her back.
Outline
I. Superscription ( 1:1 )
II. The Unfaithful Wife and the Faithful Husband ( 1:2–3:5 )
A. The Children as Signs ( 1:2–2:1 )
B. The Unfaithful Wife ( 2:2–23 )
1. The Lord’s judgment on Israel ( 2:2–13 )2. The Lord’s restoration of Israel ( 2:14–23 )C. The Faithful Husband (ch. 3 )
III. The Unfaithful Nation and the Faithful God (chs. 4–14 )
A. Israel’s Unfaithfulness ( 4:1–6:3 )
1. The general indictment ( 4:1–3 )2. The cause declared and the results described ( 4:4–19 )3. A special message to the people and leaders (ch. 5 )4. The people’s sorrowful plea ( 6:1–3 )B. Israel’s Punishment ( 6:4–10:15 )
1. The case stated ( 6:4–7:16 )2. The judgment pronounced (chs. 8–9 )3. Summary and appeal (ch. 10 )C. The Lord’s Faithful Love (chs. 11–14 )
1. The Lord’s fatherly love ( 11:1–11 )2. Israel’s punishment for unfaithfulness ( 11:12–13:16 )3. Israel’s restoration after repentance (ch. 14 )