Daniel, Book of: Is ranked by the Jews in that division of their Bible called the
Hagiographa (Heb. Khethubim).(See BIBLE)
It consists of two distinct parts. The first part, consisting of the
first six chapters, is chiefly historical; and the second part,
consisting of the remaining six chapters, is chiefly prophetical. The
historical part of the book treats of the period of the Captivity.
Daniel is "the historian of the Captivity, the writer who alone
furnishes any series of events for that dark and dismal period during
which the harp of Israel hung on the trees that grew by the
Euphrates. His narrative may be said in general to intervene between
Kings and Chronicles on the one hand and Ezra on the other, or (more
strictly) to fill out the sketch which the author of the Chronicles
gives in a single verse in his last chapter: 'And them that had
escaped from the sword carried he [i.e., Nebuchadnezzar] away to
Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign
of the kingdom of Persia'"
(2 Chronicles 36:20) The prophetical part
consists of three visions and one lengthened prophetical
communication. The genuineness of this book has been much disputed,
but the arguments in its favour fully establish its claims.
1. We have the testimony of Christ
(Matthew 24:15; 25:31; 26:64) and his
apostles
(1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) for its authority; and
2. the important testimony of Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 14:14,20; 28:3)
3. The character and records of the book are also entirely in
harmony with the times and circumstances in which the author
lived.
4. The linguistic character of the book is, moreover, just such as
might be expected. Certain portions
(Daniel 2:4; 7:1)ff are written
in the Chaldee language; and the portions written in Hebrew are
in a style and form having a close affinity with the later books
of the Old Testament, especially with that of Ezra. The writer
is familiar both with the Hebrew and the Chaldee, passing from
the one to the other just as his subject required. This is in
strict accordance with the position of the author and of the
people for whom his book was written. That Daniel is the writer
of this book is also testified to in the book itself
(Daniel 7:1,28)
(Daniel 8:2; 9:2; 10:1,2; 12:4,5)
(See BELSHAZZAR)
