Chapters of the Book of Daniel
1: Induction into Babylon 2: Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an image 3: The fiery furnace 4: The madness of Nebuchadnezzar 5: Belshazzar's feast 6: Daniel in the lions' den 7: Daniel's first vision 8: Vision of the ram and goat 9: Prophecy of Seventy Weeks 10: Vision of a man 11: Kings of the North and South 12: Epilogue
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Daniel 11 is a chapter in the Book of Daniel. It describes a series of conflicts between various unidentified combatants typically labeled the King of the North and the King of the South. The narrative begins in Chapter 10 and concludes in Chapter 12.

During the third year of Cyrus king of Persia on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, Daniel was on the banks of the Tigris River. He looked up and saw a man standing there dressed in white linen. Although his friends fled in terror, they saw nothing. Daniel faints and has a dream. The contents of the dream make up the latter part of Chapter 10, and all of chapters 11 and 12.

The angel Gabriel speaks of conflicts first between Persia and Greece and then between fragments of the Grecian empire, most notably between kings of the North and kings of the South. Then at the 'time of the end' comes a final conflict between a king of the North and a king of the South. In Chapter 12, Michael stands up and there is a mighty time of distress, but many will be saved. But Daniel is told to seal up his book until the time of the end. Daniel then sees some beings talking about how long these things will last and then he is told to go his way. He was to rest and then receive his inheritance.

King of the North[link]

Coin of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The reverse shows Zeus(King of the Gods) enthroned carrying the Goddess Nike(Victory). The legend reads: "King Antiochus. God Manifest, Bearing Victory." In turning to Zeus Olympios, Antiochus neglected his ancestral god Tammuz/Adonis(cf Dan. 11:36-38, Eze 8:14)^[1][2]

Critical scholars have asserted that the prophecies in the Book of Daniel reflect the persecutions of the Jews by the Greek Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled the Jews from 175–164 BC, and his desecration of the altar in the temple at Jerusalem, and consequently they date its composition to that period. In particular, the vision in Chapter 11, which focuses on a series of wars between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South", is generally interpreted as a record of Levantine history from the time of Alexander the Great down to the era of Antiochus IV, with the "Kings of the North" being the Seleucid kings of Syria and the "Kings of the South" being the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt.

Scottish theologian John Drane notes that other details of the stories in the early chapters of Daniel are also similar to the prevailing conditions in the era of Antiochus. "Belshazzar for example, falls from power because he defiled the sacred objects taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 5:1-4), in much the same way as Antiochus repeatedly robbed the Temple in Jerusalem. The worship of the great statue set up by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 3:1-18) and the story of the Bel found in the Septuagint highlighted the same issues as Antiochus' action in setting up an image of Zeus in the Temple at Jerusalem. Indeed it may be implied that the images were actual statues of the kings themselves. Even the story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness (Dan. 4:19-33) may have been intended to be reminiscent of the commonly held belief that Antiochus was mad ("epimanes"). The people of a later age would also recognize those apostate Jews who collaborated with the unbelieving Seleucids in the duplicitous figures of the spies and informers who plotted against Daniel and ensured that he was shut up in the den of lions (Dan. 6:1-14). The issue of food, which features so largely in the opening story of Daniel (Dan. 1:3-16), was one of the whole crucial points in the whole argument about Hellenism. Much of the opposition that sparked the Maccabean revolt was concerned with the unwillingness of faithful Jews to eat pork and other unclean foods".^[3]

Even the name Nebuchadnezzar contains a veiled reference to Antiochus Epiphanes to those acquainted with Hebrew numerology. In Hebrew, as in many other ancient languages, names and words often have numerical value (see Gematria). Nebuchadnezzar's name in cuneiform is Nabû-kudurri-uṣur which should be transliterated into Hebrew as נבוכדנאצר or Nebuwkadne'tstsar (as it is in Jer. 46:2, 39:11). It is unlikely to be a coincidence that when the numbers represented by "Nebuwkadne'tstsar" are added up, they come exactly the same figure (423) as the numbers of the name "Antiochus Epiphanes".^[4][5]

This conclusion regarding the date of composition was first drawn by the philosopher Porphyry of Tyros, a 3rd century pagan and Neoplatonist, whose fifteen-volume work Against the Christians is only known to us through Jerome's reply. The identification of Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel, however, is a much older^[6] interpretation which seems to be reflected, for example, in 1 Maccabees 1:54 (c100 BC), where an idol of Zeus set up upon the altar of burnt offering under Antiochus is referred to as an "abomination of desolation" (cf. Dan. 9:27, 11:31).^[7] This identification is made explicit in Josephus' exposition of Daniel chapter eight (Antiquities 10:11, c94 AD) where he almost certainly cites a common Jewish interpretative tradition by identifying the "little horn" as Antiochus. According to British historian Bryan Rennie, the conclusion that the Book of Daniel was written at the time of the profanation of the Temple by Antiochus IV would explain why the author is not very precise about 6th century events, why he is so precise about the time of Antiochus, and why he was never counted among the prophets.^[4] Scholars are virtually unanimous in regarding the Book of Daniel as a message of encouragement to those people(hasidim)^[8] suffering for their faith under the oppression of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Daniel 11 and historic events[link]

The Seleucid Empire in 200 BCE

Daniel 11 begins in the court of Cyrus the Great, the first Zoroastrian Persian emperor and founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty. Under his rule, the empire expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen.

His son, Cambyses II, expanded the empire into Egypt, and was succeeded for a few months by his younger brother Bardiya.

Darius I then attempted to expand the empire into Greece. His first expedition failed. He immediately began planning a second expedition, but died before being able to carry it out, leaving the task to his son Xerxes. Xerxes I of Persia, the fourth king after Cyrus the Great, set out in the spring of 480 BC from Sardis with a fleet and army which Herodotus claimed was more than two million strong with at least 10,000 elite warriors named Persian Immortals. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. However, in spite of his international efforts against Greece, he eventually had to send part of his army to Babylon to prevent a revolt, and those left behind were defeated the following year at Plataea.

The Hellenistic period of Jewish history began in 332 BCE when Alexander the Great defeated the last Persian king Darius III and conquered Persia.^[9] Upon his death in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his generals("Diadochi"). The entire region of Judea was heavily contested between the successor states of Alexander's empire, the satrapies of the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt, during the six Syrian Wars of the 3rd-1st centuries BCE: "After two centuries of peace under the Persians, the Hebrew state found itself once more caught in the middle of power struggles between two great empires: the Seleucid state with its capital in Syria to the north and the Ptolemaic state, with its capital in Egypt to the south...Between 319 and 302 BCE, Jerusalem changed hands seven times."^[10] At first, Judea was ruled by the Egyptian-Hellenic Ptolemies, but in 198 BCE, the Syrian-Hellenic Seleucid Empire, under Antiochus III the Great, seized control of Judea. Generally, the Jews accepted foreign rule when they were only required to pay tribute, and otherwise allowed to govern themselves internally. Nevertheless, Jews were divided between those favoring hellenization and those opposing it, and were divided over allegiance to the Ptolemies or Seleucids. When the High Priest Simon II died in 175 BCE, conflict broke out between supporters of his son Onias III (who opposed hellenization, and favored the Ptolemies) and his son Jason (who favored hellenization, and favored the Seleucids). A period of political intrigue followed, with priests such as Jason and Menelaus bribing the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes to win the high priesthood. In 170 BCE the deposed High Priest Onias III was murdered at the instigation of the high priest Menelaus, whom Antiochus IV had appointed to that position.

In 168 BCE, while Antiochus was in Egypt, Jason led an attack against Menelaus to regain the high priesthood. The result was a brief civil war. Huge numbers of Jews flocked to Jason's side, and in 167 BCE the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Judea, restored Menelaus and sacked the temple in reprisal for rebellion. He put a stop to the daily sacrifices and set up an altar to Zeus ("abomination of desolation") in the Temple. Jason fled to Egypt and Antiochus IV imposed a program of forced hellenization, requiring Jews to abandon their own religion and customs.

At this point Mattathias and his five sons, John, Eleazar, Simon, Jonathan, and Judah Maccabee, priests of the Hasmonean family living in the area of ancient Modi'in, assumed leadership of a bloody revolt against the Seleucids. Following the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Elam, Judah liberated Jerusalem in 164 BCE and restored the Temple sacrifices. In 163 BCE, Antiochus IV's regent Lysias made peace with the Jews and granted them religious freedom.

Interpretations[link]

Just as scholars note parallels between the prophetic chapters of Daniel, so too have historicist interpreters since the Protestant reformation. The following table is based on historicist (Seventh-day Adventist) interpretation. (Names in parenthesis are textually given identification of nations, names in italics are modern, interpreted identification of nations.)

There are some who view Daniel's vision describing events that occurred in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC concerning the struggle between the Ptolemies (the king of the south, cf 11:7-8) and the Seleucids (the king of the north) for the control of Judea, in which the Seleucids were eventually victorious.^[14] Daniel 11:21-35 is devoted to the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes(the ruler of the Jews from 175-164 BCE), his rise to power, wars against Egypt, and his subsequent actions against Jerusalem, the Temple and the Jewish people. Daniel 11:3-39 is considered very accurate.^[15] All major conflicts are mentioned, and the Sixth Syrian War is described in great detail.^[16]

However, Daniel 11:2,40-45 are considered non-historical by most scholars, who generally agree that the vaticinia ex eventu cease at Daniel 11:39 and that the remaining verses are genuine predictions, and do not accurately describe the events of the time.^[17] After describing the "desecration of the Temple(11:31) and the Maccabean revolt(11:32-35), the author predicts another attack from Egypt in which Antiochus will be victorious and capture the entire territory along with Libya and Ethiopia(11:40-43). There is however no historical evidence for this. Instead, Antiochus went to Armenia, Babylonia, and Susa.^[16] It also claims that Antiochus will die after pitching his tents "between the seas (understood to be the Mediterranean) and the glorious mountain (understood to be Mount Zion)" after conquering Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (v.45). Antiochus died in Elam near Persia in Mesopotamia, not in Judea. Further, Daniel 11:45-12:3 suggests a resurrection of the dead, but this event is not recorded shortly after Antiochus's death. This resurrection was likely metaphorical. Some Christian scholars,^[who?] however, argue that v. 11:40-45 refer to Augustus Caesar, Herod^[18] or to an antichrist yet to come.

Appendix[link]

Over the centuries Bible scholars have identified specific kingdoms as fulfillment of the symbols as illustrated in the following table.

References[link]

1. ^ The Collegeville Bible commentary: based on the New American Bible, p. 568
2. ^ Women in scripture: a dictionary of named and unnamed women in the Hebrew, p. 344
3. ^ Introducing the Old Testament By John William Drane, John Drane, pp. 221-222
4. ^ ^{a b} The Dating of the Book of Daniel, Bryan Rennie
5. ^ Introduction to the Bible By John Haralson Hayes, pp 285-286
6. ^ Casey P.M, Porphyry and the origin of the Book of Daniel, Journal of Theological Studies, 1976, pp. 15-33
7. ^ Horrible abomination: šiqqǔṣ šômēm in the original Hebrew, a contemptuous pun on the title 'baal hashshamayim' (Lord of heaven), title of the Semitic storm god Hadad with whom Zeus Olympius had been identified. cf. e.g., J.A. Montgomery, Daniel, p. 388
8. ^ Interpreting the Bible: a handbook of terms and methods, W. Randolph Tate, [1]
9. ^ A contemporary account of the battle of Gaugamela, Livius.org
10. ^ Hooker, Richard. "Yavan in the House of Shem. Greeks and Jews 332-63 BCE". http://wsu.edu/~dee/HEBREWS/YAVAN.HTM.  World Civilizations Learning Modules. Washington State University, 1999.
11. ^ Smith, U., 1944, Daniel and Revelation, Southern Publishing Association, Nashville, TN
12. ^ Anderson, A., 1975, Pacific PRess Pub. Assoc., Unfolding Daniel's Prophecies, Mountain View, CA
13. ^ Daniel 7:13-27 see verses 13, 14, 22, 27
14. ^ New American Bible
15. ^ H. H. Rowley, The Growth of the Old Testament, Harper: 1950, p. 158))
16. ^ ^{a b} Livius.org:Daniel 11 in Context
17. ^ The Classification, Stages of Growth, and Changing Intentions in the Book of Daniel, John G. Gammie, p. 194, 1976
18. ^ Jordan, James B. (2007). The Handwriting on the Wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. American Vision. pp. 596–614. 
19. ^ After table in Froom 1950, pp. 456–7
20. ^ After table in Froom 1950, pp. 894-75
21. ^ ^{a b} After table in Froom 1948, pp. 528–9
22. ^ After table in Froom 1948, pp. 784–5
23. ^ After table in Froom 1946, pp. 744–5

Daniel
Daniel's Answer to the King by Briton Rivière
Prophet
Born	7th Century B.C
Died	6th Century B.C Babylon (?)
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Catholic Churches Eastern Orthodox Church Lutheranism adventism Islam[1] Armenian Apostolic Church
Major shrine	Tomb of Daniel, Susa, Iran
Feast	July 21 December 17
Attributes	Often depicted in the den of the lions

Daniel (Hebrew: דָּנִיֵּאל, Modern Daniyyel Tiberian Dāniyyêl ; Arabic: دانيال, meaning in Hebrew "God is my Judge") is the protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Hebrew Bible. In the narrative, when Daniel was a young man, he was taken into Babylonian captivity where he was educated in Chaldean thought. However, he never converted to Neo-Babylonian ways. By Divine Wisdom from his God, Yahweh, he interpreted dreams and visions of kings, thus becoming a prominent figure in the court of Babylon. Eventually, he had apocalyptic visions of his own that have been interpreted as the Four monarchies. Some of the most famous tales of Daniel are: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, The writing on the wall and Daniel in the lions' den.

Narrative of Daniel[link]

Induction into Babylon[link]

Daniel refusing to eat at the King's table, early 1900s Bible illustration

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (BC 606), Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon. The four were chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained as advisors to the Babylonian court,(Daniel 1) Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar, i.e., prince of Bel, or Bel protect the king!(not to be confused with the neo-Babylonian king, Belshazzar). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were given the Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, respectively.^[2]

Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar[link]

In the narrative of Daniel chapter 2, it is the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and the king is distressed by his dreams.^[v.1] Thus he summons his interpreters,^[v.2] however, they are unable to relay or interpret the dreams.^[v.10-11] The King acts in fury and demands the execution of all the wise men in Babylon.^[v.12] When Daniel discovers the King's executive order, he requests from the captain of the guard, Arioch, to see the King.^[v.13-16] Daniel prays for God’s mercy to receive a revelation from the King’s dream.^[v.15-18] God then reveals the mystery to Daniel in a vision that night.^[v.19] Daniel praises his God with a doxology.^[v.20-23] After meeting with Arioch again, Daniel is granted access to the king^[v.24-30] and relays the description of the dream,^[v.31-36] followed by its interpretation.^[v.37-45] With Daniel's successful interpretation of the dream, the king expresses homage,^[v.46] followed by his own doxology that affirms that Daniel's God is God of gods for revealing this mystery of his dream.^[v.47] Daniel is then promoted as chief governor over the whole province of Babylon.^[v.48] At Daniel’s request, his companions are also promoted, thus they remain at the king’s court.^[v.49][3]

Nebuchadnezzar's madness[link]

Nebuchadnezzar recounts a dream of a huge tree which is suddenly cut down at the command of a heavenly messenger. Daniel is summoned and interprets the dream. The tree is Nebuchadnezzar himself, who for seven years will lose his mind and become like a wild beast. All of this comes to pass until, at the end of the specified time, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that "heaven rules" and his kingdom and sanity are restored and his kingdom is restored to him.

Daniel and Belshazzar[link]

In Daniel's later years, king Belshazzar holds a great feast for all his nobles. In a drunken state, the king calls for the sacred vessels captured from the Jerusalem temple and blasphemously drinks from them. Suddenly, the fingers of a man's hand appear before the king and write on the wall of the palace. When none of his wise men are able to interpret the message, Daniel is called in at the suggestion of the queen-mother. After reprimanding the king for his impiety, Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall to mean that Belzhazzar is about to lose his kingdom to the Medes and the Persians. For successfully reading the cryptic handwriting, Daniel is rewarded with a purple robe and elevated to the rank of "third ruler" of the kingdom. "That very night", we are told, "Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain" and his successor was King Darius the Mede, aged 62.

Daniel in the Lion's den protected by an angel by François Verdier

Daniel and Darius the Mede[link]

After the Persian conquest of Babylon, Daniel is depicted as one of three senior administrators of the empire in the reign of Darius the Mede. When the king decides to set Daniel over the whole kingdom, the other officials plot his downfall. Unable to uncover any corruption, they use Daniel's religious devotion to defeat him. The officials trick the king into issuing an irrevocable decree that no god is to be worshiped for a thirty day period. When Daniel continues to pray three times a day towards Jerusalem, he is thrown into a den of lions, much to the distress of Darius. After an angel shuts the lions' mouths, Daniel is delivered and his opponents thrown into the den where they are devoured instantly.

Daniel's visions[link]

Daniel's ministry as a prophet began late in life. Whereas his early exploits were a matter of common knowledge within his community, these same events, with his pious reputation, serve as the basis for his prophetic ministry. The recognition for his prophetic message is that of other prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel whose backgrounds are the basis for their revelations.

From Chapter 7 to the end of the book of Daniel, an apocalyptic vision is being described, supposedly from the perspective of Daniel.^[2] This marks a change in the narrative from Daniel interpreting to messengers of God interpreting for Daniel. Daniel dreams of four beasts that come out of the sea: a lion with eagles wings, a bear with three tusks, a leopard with four wings and four heads, and a beast with iron teeth, ten horns and one little horn and human eyes.(Daniel 7:4-8) These beasts are all present at a convening of the divine counsel. Presiding over the counsel is the Ancient of Days, which may, in fact, be the Israelite God.^[2] The Ancient One proceeds to put to death the beast with the one little horn. (Daniel 7:9-11) Daniel also describes the fates of the other beasts saying that while their dominion was taken away, their lives were prolonged. (Daniel 7:12) This introduction leads into a series of dreams and visions where these events are expressed in greater detail.

Scholars argue that each of these beasts represent an emperor or kingdom that ruled over the Israelites. The first being Babylon, then Media, then Persia, and finally the Greeks. The horns of the last beast may be symbolic of the rulers that replaced Alexander the Great upon his death, culminating with the little horn, or Antiochus IV.^[2] There are additional details in the text that allude to Antiochus IV, including some form of desecration to the temple (Daniel 11:31) and persecution (Daniel 11:23).^[2] The final message of the second half of Daniel is that God will deliver the people from oppression, the latest of which is Antiochus IV.^[2]

Daniel's final days[link]

The time and circumstances of Daniel's death have not been recorded. However, tradition maintains that Daniel was still alive in the third year of Cyrus according to the Tanakh (Daniel 10:1). He would have been almost 100 years old at that point, having been brought to Babylon when he was in his teens, more than 80 years previously. Many^[who?] posit that he possibly died at Susa in Iran. Tradition holds that his tomb is located in Susa at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. Other locations have been claimed as the site of his burial, including Daniel's Tomb in Kirkuk, Iraq, as well as Babylon, Egypt, Tarsus and, notably, Samarkand, which claims a tomb of Daniel (see "The Ruins of Afrasiab" in the Samarkand article), with some traditions suggesting that his remains were removed, perhaps by Tamerlane, from Susa to Samarkand (see, for instance, Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, section 153).

References to Daniel[link]

Tomb of Daniel at Susa, Iran.

Book of Ezekiel[link]

The prophet Ezekiel, with whom Daniel was a contemporary, describes a Daniel as a "pattern of righteousness" in the Book of Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and "wisdom" (28:3).^[4] In the Book of Daniel, the name is spelled with a middle letter suggesting the i of that name — but this letter is not included in Ezekiel,^[5] suggesting that the reference there may be to another person, possibly the "Danel" ("Judgement of God") known from Caananite Ugaritic literature (such as the Epic of Aqhat and Anat), whose reputation for wisdom and righteousness had made him legendary. (Vowel-points were not added to the consonantal Hebrew text before well into the Common Era, and the scribes may then have slipped in a vowel-point for "i" as a middle syllable.)

Bel and the Dragon[link]

In the Deuterocanonical portion of Daniel known as Bel and the Dragon, the prophet Habakkuk is miraculously transported by an angel to take a meal to Daniel while he is in the lions' den. In response, Daniel prays, "Thou hast remembered me, O God; neither hast thou forsaken them that seek Thee and love Thee".^[6]

Six tombs of Daniel[link]

There are six different locations claiming to be the site of the tomb of the biblical figure Daniel: Babylon, Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq, Susa and Malamir in Iran, and Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

Religious perspectives[link]

Rabbinic literature[link]

According to Rabbinical tradition, Daniel was of royal descent; and his fate, together with that of his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, was foretold by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah in these words, "and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon".^{Isaiah 39:7[7][8]}

According to this view, Daniel and his friends were eunuchs, and were consequently able to prove the groundlessness of charges of immorality brought against them, which had almost caused their death at the hands of the king.^[8]

Daniel on the window in the church of St Daniel in Celje (Slovenia)

Islamic views[link]

Muslims traditionally consider Daniel (Arabic: دانيال, Danyal) as an Islamic prophet, alongside the other major prophets of the Old Testament. Although Daniel is not mentioned in the Qur'an, there are accounts of Daniel's life which feature in later Muslim literature. There are debates, however, that go on about Daniel's time of preaching and some Muslims believe that he was not a prophet but a saintly man. Daniel is listed as a prophet in all major versions of Stories of the Prophets.^[9] When the Muslims conquered Alexandria in 641 C.E, a mosque was immediately built dedicated to Daniel.^[10]

Muslim literature[link]

Muslim exegesis, including Tabari's History of the Prophets and Kings narrates that Daniel was carried off to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar's attack on Jerusalem. It goes onto state that there he was thrown into the den of the lions, but was later rescued. In one such account, Daniel is aided by Jeremiah, who comes to Babylon to help Daniel in the lions den.^[11] In the apocryphal Bel and the Dragon, however, there is a very similar tale which states that the Hebrew prophet Habbakuk was miraculously transported to the den of the lions, to give a meal to Daniel.

All sources, classical and modern, describe Daniel as a saintly and spiritual man. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, in his Qur'anic commentary says:

Daniel was a righteous man of princely lineage and lived about 506-538 B.C. He was carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian, but was still living when Assyria was overthrown by the Medes and Persians. In spite of the "captivity" of the Jews, Daniel enjoyed the highest offices of state at Babylon, but he was ever true to Jerusalem. His enemies (under the Persian monarch) got a penal law passed against any one who "asked a petition of any god or man for 30 days" except the Persian King. But Daniel continued true to Jerusalem. "His windows being open in his chambers towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime."

—Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary^[12]

Commemorations[link]

Eastern Orthodox commemorations[link]

On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men, falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers^[13] (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on the Sunday before Nativity.^[14] Daniel's prophesy regarding the stone which smashed the idol (Daniel 2:34-35) is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation: the "stone cut out" being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut "without hands" being symbolic of the virgin birth. Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the "uncut mountain"

Roman Catholic Commemorations[link]

The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. Daniel in the Roman Martyrology on July 21.^[15] However, his commemoration at Mass occurs only on local calendars of particular dioceses, sometimes on July 21 and sometimes on another day. For example, the archdiocese of Gorizia celebrates the feast of St. Daniel, prophet and confessor, on September 11. The reading of the Mass is taken from the Book of Daniel, chapter 14; the Gradual from Psalm 91; the Alleluia verse from the Epistle of James 1; and the Gospel from Matthew 24.^[16]

Coptic Church Commemoration[link]

The prophet is commemorated in the Coptic Church on the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramhat.^[17]

Protestant Commemorations[link]

He is commemorated as a prophet in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod together with the Three Young Men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), on December 17.^[18]

Chapters of the Book of Daniel
1: Induction into Babylon 2: Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an image 3: The fiery furnace 4: The madness of Nebuchadnezzar 5: Belshazzar's feast 6: Daniel in the lions' den 7: Daniel's first vision 8: Vision of the ram and goat 9: Prophecy of Seventy Weeks 10: Vision of a man 11: Kings of the North and South 12: Epilogue
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See also[link]

Saints portal

• Book of Daniel
• List of names referring to El
• Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Neo-Babylon
• Arioch, Captain of the guard
• Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Daniel's narrative companions
• Belshazzar, possible last King of Neo-Babylon
• Darius the Mede
• Cyrus the Persian, King of Achaemenid Empire
• Ezekiel, Daniel's narrative contemporary
• Persian Jews
• Apocalypse of Daniel

References[link]

• James B. Jordan (1995). "Daniel: Historical & Chronological Comments (II)" (– ^{Scholar search}). Biblical Chronology 7 (1). http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/ch/ch7_01.htm. ^{[dead link]}
• Francis E. Gigot (1889). "Daniel". Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM. New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04620a.htm. 
• T. E. Gaston (2009). Historical Issues in the Book of Daniel. Taanathshiloh. 

External links[link]

• Book of Daniel (Biblical Passage)
• Daniel by Rob Bradshaw Detailed dictionary-style article.
• Daniel in the TaNaKh Detailed authorized Jewish translation of the original

Wikisource has original 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary text related to:

Daniel

• Who is Ezekiel's Daniel? : The Ugaritic Danel
• Daniel 11 in Context Overview of the allusions to the Syrian Wars in Daniel 11

Charles "Chuck" Missler is an author, evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, former businessman and US Naval officer. He is the founder of the Koinonia House ministry based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Biography[link]

Missler was for several years the chairman, the chief executive, and the largest shareholder of Western Digital. In 1983 he became the chairman and chief executive of Helionetics Inc., another technology company.^[1] After teaching for many years at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, Missler moved to Coeur d'Alene in 1992 and founded Koinonia House. Through this organization, Missler distributes a monthly newsletter, Bible study tapes, and a radio show, and speaks at conferences.^[2]

Missler is a prominent speaker on the subject of bible prophecy.^[3] Missler has had numerous programs aired on the Christian television station GOD TV, namely the DVD versions of his biblical studies "Learn the Bible in 24 Hours", "The Book of Revelation", "The Book of Genesis", and "The Book of Daniel".^{[citation needed]} A Los Angeles Times article reported that Missler and co-author Hal Lindsey had plagiarized a portion of Miami University Professor Edwin Yamauchi's 1982 book Foes From the Northern Frontier in their own 1992 book The Magog Factor.^[4] A YouTube video in which Missler uses a jar of peanut butter to attempt to disprove evolution attracted media attention in 2007-2008.^[5][6]

Books[link]

• 2002 Learn the Bible in 24 Hours Pub: Nelson Books ISBN 0-7852-6429-9
• 2006 Prophecy 20/20: Profiling the Future Through the Lens of Scripture Pub: Thomas Nelson ISBN 0-7852-1889-0
• Alien Encounters: The Secret Behind the UFO Phenomenon. Koinonia House. 2003. ISBN 1-57821-205-7. 
• Eastman, Mark, & Missler, Chuck (1995). The Creator: Beyond Time & Space. Word For Today. ISBN 0-936728-61-2. 
• Cosmic Codes: Hidden Messages From the Edge of Eternity. Koinonia House. 2004. ISBN 1-57821-255-3. 
• Hidden Treasures in the Biblical Text. Koinonia House. 2000. ISBN 1-57821-127-1. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Koinonia House – Official website

Daniel Gibson

No. 1 – Cleveland Cavaliers
Guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-02-27) February 27, 1986 (age 26) Houston, Texas
Nationality	American
High school	Jesse H. Jones
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College	Texas (2004–2006)
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 42nd overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career	2006–present
Career history
Cleveland Cavaliers (2006-present)
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge MVP (2008)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Daniel Hiram Gibson^[1] (born February 27, 1986) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. His nickname, "Boobie," was given to him by his mother.^[2] He has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers ever since 2006 when he was drafted in the second round. He stands 6'2 and weighs 200 lbs.

High school[link]

Gibson averaged 25.5 points per game and 9.3 assists per game while leading Jones High School in Houston, Texas to a 31-4 record and the Texas Class 4A state title as a senior. It marked the school's first state championship since 1965. Gibson graduated sixth out of 212 students in his high school class, and was a member of the National Honor Society.^[3]

College[link]

Gibson starred as a guard in college basketball for the University of Texas at Austin. In his two seasons with the Longhorns, he scored 935 points, including 175 three-point field goals. Gibson made 101 threes during the 2005-2006 season, including 9 of 12 against the Baylor Bears on January 21, 2006. It was one short of the Texas record of 10 set by Al Coleman against Kansas State in January 1997.^[4] He scored a personal-high 37 points in that same game.^[4]

Gibson played two seasons at Texas and averaged 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 68 games (all starts). He was named Honorable Mention All-America by The Associated Press following his sophomore season. Gibson averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game as a sophomore. He earned First-Team NABC All-District 9 honors and was named All-Big 12 Third Team. He set a school record for most three-point field goals made in a season (101). He was one of 16 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard. He sank at least four three-pointers in a game on 10 occasions. Gibson was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after his first season, averaging 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He was also named All-Big 12 Third Team and became the first freshman in school history to lead Texas in scoring.^[1]

On June 7, 2006, Gibson announced his decision to forgo his two remaining years of college eligibility and enter the NBA Draft.

NBA[link]

2006-07[link]

On June 29, 2006, Gibson was drafted in the second round with the 42nd overall pick of the NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a May 2006 pre-draft workout with the Cavs, Gibson canceled his remaining workouts with other teams and refused to work out for any other team before the draft. It is believed this was the reason Gibson fell to the second round after some thought he might be drafted in the first round.^[5] He joined a Cavaliers backcourt that was worst in the league in scoring the previous season.

In his rookie season, Gibson averaged 4.6 points per game and led all rookies in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 41.9%. Daniel contributed in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers reach the NBA playoffs. Cavs coach Mike Brown gave Gibson his first place in the starting line-up on December 6, 2006, against the Toronto Raptors.^[6] He finished the game with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Overall, Gibson started 16 games and averaged 8.8 points on 53.9% shooting in his starts.

Gibson had his first big playoff opportunity in Game 3 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. He scored 9 points, including two three-pointers. He also grabbed 2 rebounds, blocked 1 shot, and had an important steal from Tayshaun Prince late in the fourth quarter. He followed this in Game 4, scoring 21 points, which came from only 6 field goal attempts. Gibson was also 10 of 12 from the free throw line.

Gibson was the star of Game 6 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals against the Pistons. His performance included a career-high 31 points (19 in the 4th quarter) on 7 of 9 field goals, 5 of 5 from the three point range, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Gibson's 31 points were the most by a rookie in a series-clinching win since Magic Johnson led the Lakers with 42 points to win the championship in the 1980 NBA Finals. After a 98-82 victory, Gibson and the Cavs moved on to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Gibson was mentored in defensive skills by veteran teammate Eric Snow in the 2006-07 season.

His first start in the playoffs came in the third game of the 2007 NBA Finals, after an injury to Larry Hughes. He started the following game as well, in which the Cavaliers lost the championship.

2007-2008[link]

Gibson played in 58 games, starting 26, averaging 10.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. He scored a season high 26 points on November 20, 2007 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gibson had a career-high six three-pointers against the New York Knicks on November 2, 2007, and a career-high eight assists against the Washington Wizards on December 5, 2007. Gibson ranked 5th in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage making 44.0% of his three-point attempts.^[7] Gibson missed 18 games in February and March due to an ankle injury suffered when he and the Indiana Pacers' Travis Diener dove in the lane for a loose ball in the second quarter of a Cavs win over the Pacers.^[8] He returned to action on March 29, 2008 against the Detroit Pistons, scoring only 1 point in 18 minutes.^[9]

In Game 5 against the Boston Celtics, in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Gibson separated his shoulder and missed the final two games;^[10][11] the Cavaliers lost 4-3 in the series. Gibson said missing Game 7 of the Boston series still haunts him: "I've had a lot of sleepless nights just wondering where I could have helped the team."^[11]

Gibson was selected to participate in the Rookie Challenge (Sophomore team)^[12] and the Three-point Shootout during the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

During the first half of the Rookie Challenge, Gibson tied the record for total three-pointers made, despite not being a starter in the game. He later set the record in the second half with eleven total three-pointers, finishing the game shooting 11-20 from beyond the arc. Gibson was named MVP of the game, finishing with 33 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.^[13]

Gibson finished in second place in the Three-point Shootout. He advanced to the final round by scoring 17 points in the first round, which tied him with Dirk Nowitzki for second place. In the final round, Gibson again scored 17 points, but it was not enough. Defending champion Jason Kapono tied the 22-year shootout record of 25 points for the victory.^[14]

2008-2009[link]

On June 10, 2008, Gibson had surgery on his ankle in Houston.^[10] On July 16, 2008, the Cavaliers signed Gibson to a five-year, $21 million contract.^[15]

On November 26, 2008, Gibson scored his 1,000th career point in the Cavs' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.^[16]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Career highs[link]

• Points: 29 vs. Utah 12/20/10
• Rebounds: 8 2 times
• Assists: 9 vs. Portland 02/05/11
• Steals: 4 3 times
• Blocks: 3 vs. Pistons 02/21/12

Personal[link]

Daniel Gibson's parents are Byron and Cheryl Gibson.^[1] His father Byron played basketball at the University of Houston. On March 2, 2010, Daniel and Keyshia Cole welcomed their first child, a boy named Daniel Hiram Gibson Jr. One of Keyshia's close friends, R&B singer Monica, confirmed the birth via her official Twitter page.^{[citation needed]} On May 21, 2011, American recording artist Keyshia Cole and Daniel Gibson flew to Cleveland, Ohio and got married.^[17]

The couple also married a second time in Hawaii just 4 months later.^[18]

“My husband wanted me to have my dream wedding so he flew all of our family members here. He’s giving (me) something I will never forget! Amazing,” Cole said.

The entire wedding weekend was filmed by a camera crew for Cole's reality TV series Family First.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Daniel Gibson

• Daniel Gibson at NBA.com
• Daniel Gibson at Basketball-Reference.com
• Daniel Gibson profile at Texas Sports
• Daniel Gibson interview audio clip