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Book of Daniel Summary

Chapter 1: In approximately the year 605 BC Jerusalem is besieged by King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon. Judah is defeated and vessels of the house of God are carried back to the land of Shinar along
with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. As educated youths of noble heritage, in whom was no
blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and understanding
science, and such as had ability to stand in the kings palace.
They are placed under the care of the
master of the eunuchs to be trained in
the way of the Chaldeans, that is, to
interpret oracles for the king. They are
given new names by the master of the
eunuchs, unto Daniel he gave the name
of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of
Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach;
and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
The king decrees that they should
receive a portion of the food and wine
Destruction of Jerusalem under the Babylonian rule.
from his table for three years and then
llustration from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493
they should be brought before him.
Daniel refuses to be defiled by the Kings food and wine and asks the master of the eunuchs if he may
eat only vegetables and water. The master feels kindly towards Daniel but is worried the king will have
his head if the young men do not thrive under his care.
Daniel convinces the master of eunuchs to allow them ten days to prove they will not suffer and indeed
after ten days, they are fairer and fatter of flesh than the other boys who had eaten the kings' food. So
Daniel and his friends are allowed to continue with their meager diet, remaining undefiled.
Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. When the three years had passed and the trainees
were brought before Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were found to be ten
times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm.
Chapter 2: Sometime later, King has dreams that he cannot remember upon waking that are troubling
him and making him unable to sleep. He calls in the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers,
and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. But the interpreters cannot help him if he cannot
remember the dream and protest that what he asks is known only to the gods. The king is furious and
orders them all killed. Daniel convinces the king that if he will give him some time, he will give the
interpretation.

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The King agrees and Daniel shares the problem with his companions. They pray to God to reveal the
secret so they will not be killed. Daniel is given a vision during the night the next morning is brought
before the king to reveal the meaning.
Daniel tells him that none of his wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers could solve this
problem but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets. He tells the king that his dream was of a
giant statue, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,
its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.
He hits the clay and iron feet with a rock and the statue crumbles to dust which is carried away by the
wind. The stone which struck the statue becomes a great mountain which fills the whole earth.
Daniel explains that Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold
and he will be followed by an inferior kingdom, then
another which will rule over the entire earth. This will
be followed by a fourth kingdom which will be as
strong as iron but fractured and broken. During these
times, God will set up a kingdom which shall never be
destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to
another people; but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Daniel assures the King that the dream and it's meaning
are certain. The king is so impressed with Daniel's
revelation that declares your God is the God of gods,
and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets. He
promotes Daniel to be governor of all of Babylon and
chief of all it's wise men. Daniel takes care to see his
companions are given prestigious positions in the city,
but Daniel remains a close confidant of the king.
Chapter 3: King Nebuchadnezzar made a giant statue
of gold and summoned all the officials and rulers of the
provinces to come to the dedication of the statue. He
commanded that everyone should fall down and
worship the statue or be thrown into a fiery furnace.
Most of the people did as he commanded but The
Chaldeans complained to the King that the companions
of Daniel refused to worship their gods or his statue.

Songe Nabuchodonosor statue 15th century - artist unknown

Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego brought before him and asks if he has
them killed for refusing to worship the statue, will their god deliver them from the fiery furnace? The
companions answer that if it is Gods will they will be delivered but they will not worship his gods or
his image either way. The king is furious and orders the furnace to be stoked and the men tossed in.

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The furnace was so hot that the men who brought Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to it were killed
by the heat. The companions fell into the flames but Nebuchadnezzar was astonished to see four men
walking in the fire. He asked if they hadn't thrown but three men in. He answered and said, Lo, I see
four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is
like a son of the gods.
The king called to them and they came out of the fire, unharmed. Even their clothing was unscorched.
Nebuchadnezzar declared, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent
his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the kings word, and have
yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
The king decreed that death would be the penalty for anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego because no other god could perform such miracles. The king then promoted
them all.
Chapter 4: Nebuchadnezzar has another troubling dream which his cadre of soothsayers and
magicians cannot interpret. Finally Daniel is brought before the king and he tells him of his dream.
The King sees a huge tree, which seemed to reach as high as heaven and filled the ends of the earth.
Animals and birds made their homes there and the great tree provided food for all. The king sees a
watcher and a holy one come down from heaven and command that the tree be cut down, Nevertheless
leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of
iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be
wet with the dew of heaven.
Daniel is shocked and unable to speak for a moment. Finally
he explains to the king that he is the mighty tree which will
be cut down. He will lose his mind and wander the fields,
eating grass like an oxen with the heart and mind of an
animal. This madness will last until seven times pass over
him (seven years), and he realizes that the Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The tree stump left in the ground means he will be restored
to his kingdom after he has learned his lesson that the
heavens do rule...this is the will of the watchers and the holy
ones.

Songe Nabuchodonosor arbre 15th century - artist unknown

Daniel advises him to behave righteously and show mercy

to the poor in hopes that he may forestall this terrible fate.
But a year later as the king was walking through Babylon,
he bragged that he had built this great city by the might of
my power and for the glory of my majesty. As the words
were in his mouth, God struck him mad and he was driven
from the world of men. He spent seven years eating grass
and wandering with the beasts.

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Finally, his senses returned to him and he raised his eyes to heaven and praised the everlasting God. His
power and kingdom is restored to him and declares, Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and
honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride
he is able to abase.
Chapter 5: King Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar throws a great party for a thousand of his
lords. He commands that the vessels which were taken from the house of God in Jerusalem brought out
and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them and they raised a toast to the
gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
Suddenly a hand appeared and wrote a strange message on the wall of the king's palace. The king was
terrified and called for his soothsayers and enchanters. The king offered wealth and a position third
highest in the kingdom for any who could reveal the meaning. None could interpret the writing on the
wall. The queen told the king of Daniel who had served Nebuchadnezzar, his father. He had been of
high renown as the greatest interpreter of dreams and that the spirit dwelt within him.
Daniel is brought before the king and offered wealth and power if he can explain the meaning of the
words. Daniel says he has no interest in the wealth or power but will read the message for the king. He
reads: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God
hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end; TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and
art found wanting. PERES; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
The king rewarded Daniel as he had promised,
but that night the king was killed and the
kingdom was received by Darius the Mede.
Chapter 6: Darius gave Daniel a high ranking
position in his kingdom and Daniel was
promoted to rule over the whole realm. Some of
the other kings men were jealous of Daniel and
tried to find some fault with him but because of
his faithfulness, no error could be found. But
they knew of his devotion to his god and
devised a plan to use it against him.
Some counselors convinced the king to sign a
decree that for one month, no man could pray to
any god or petition any man but to Darius, the
king. Daniel refused to obey, and with his
windows open wide, prayed three times a day,
facing Jerusalem.

Belshazzar's Feast 1635, by Rembrandt

The conspirators complained to the king that Daniel was breaking the kings law and must be punished.
The king wanted to protect Daniel, but the lords insisted the kings law could not be changed. So,
reluctantly, the king ordered Daniel to be locked into a den of lions overnight. As they rolled a heavy
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stone over the mouth of the den and it was sealed, the king remarked, Thy God whom thou servest
continually, he will deliver thee."
Heavy hearted, the king returned to his palace and passed the troubled night without sleeping. He rose
early and hurried to the lions' den and called out to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy
God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" and Daniel answered, "My
God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions mouths, and they have not hurt me."
Daniel is brought out of the lions den, unharmed and the king ordered that the men who had accused
him, and their families be thrown into the den of lions. They are all killed. Darius writes a letter to all
peoples of the earth saying, I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, And his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth,
and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power
of the lions.
Chapter 7: During king Belshazzar's first year, Daniel had a vision which he wrote down: Daniel sees
the four winds of heaven blow upon the great sea. He sees four beasts rise up from the sea. The first
was like a lion with eagles wings. The wings were plucked and it stood on two feet and became a man
with a man's heart.
The second beast looked like a bear, raised up on one side. In his mouth were three rib bones. It is told,
Arise, devour much flesh. The third beast looked like a leopard which had four wings and four heads
and dominion was given to it. The fourth beast was terrible and powerful with iron teeth that devoured
all and stamped the residue with his feet. It also had ten horns.
Daniel studies the horns and sees a small horn
which forces out three others by the roots. The
small horn had eyes like a man and a mouth
which spoke great things. Thrones were
brought out and an ancient one sat. His clothes
and hair were pure white and his throne was of
flames with wheels of buring fire and
thousands of thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before him: the judgment was set, and the
books were opened.
The beast is slain, it's body destroyed and
burned. The rest of the beasts lost their power
but lived for a season and a time.
Daniel in the Lions Den - Peter Paul Rubens - 1617

Then, Daniel sees coming with the clouds of

heaven, one like the son of man, as in the
ancient days, And there was given him

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dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his
dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not
be destroyed.
Daniel is troubled and asks the truth concerning all he has seen. He is told the four beasts are four kings
which shall arise out of the earth. But they will lose their kingdoms to the Saints of the Most High who
will possess the kingdom forever and ever.
Daniel asks about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. Which had the iron teeth
and nails of brass. He asked about the little horn with eyes and mouth which spoke great things and
which three horns fell out before it.
Daniel is told that the fourth beast is a fourth kingdom on the earth which is different from the other
kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth and tread it down and break it into pieces. The ten horns
represent ten kings which will rise from this kingdom and another will rise after them, different from
the rest and will establish three kings. He will speak against God and wear out the saints. He will seek
to change the times and the laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half
a time (three and a half years). But in the end, his kingdom will be destroyed and he will be judged.
and the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be
given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey him.
Daniel is changed after this vision and though troubled, keeps the matter in his heart.
Chapter 8: Daniel has another vision in the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar. He sees himself
in the palace of Shushan, in the province of Elam near the river of Ulai. Beside the river stood a ram
with two horns, but another, higher horn rose. The ram pushes west, north and south and conquors all
other beasts before him. He does as he will and his power and arrogance grows.
Suddenly, a he-goat comes from the west. He seems to cover the whole earth and his feet do not touch
the ground. This goat had a horn between his eyes and approached the ram which stood near the river.
He attacks the ram and breaks his two horns. He ram is powerless against the goat and he is trampled
under his feet.
The goat grows strong and the great horn is broken. In it's place grew four horns toward the four winds
of heaven. Out of one of the four grows another small horn which grows exceedingly great toward the
south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
It grew so large it cast down some stars and host of heaven to the ground and trampled them. It
continued to grow until it overwhelmed the prince of the host and knocked over the burnt offerings and
cast down the sanctuary. Even truth is cast down to the ground. The holy ones wonder how long this
can go on, And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

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Gabriel speaks to Daniel to help
him understand what he has seen.
He tells him these are visions the
end times. He says that the ram
with two horns are the kings of
Media and Persia. The he-goat is
the king of Greece. The great
horn between his eyes is the first
king. The broken horn which
four grew back represents four
kingdoms shall stand up out of
the nation, but not with his
power.
Toward the end of the kingdoms
days a king of fierce
countenance, and understanding
dark sentences, shall stand up.
Sunset on Babylon by Raphael-Lacoste
This king will be a destroyer of
the mighty and the holy. His arrogance will kill many and he will attempt to stand against the Prince of
Princes but will finally be broken.
Daniel knows these visions are of some future time. He faints and is sick for a several days, but
recovers and returns to doing the kings business. I wondered at the vision, but none understood it.
Chapter 9: In the first year of Darius's reign over the Chaldeans, Daniel is familiar with the prophecy
of Jeremiah and knows the Hebrews' seventy year period of exile is coming to an end. He is fasting and
praying for the forgiveness for the sins of Israel and a return to Jerusalem. While he prays, Gabriel
returns to him to bring wisdom and understanding.
He tells him that seventy weeks of exile will be required to atone for the transgressions of Israel and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
He reveals that the length of time from the commandment to build and restore Jerusalem until the
arrival of the anointed one, the Prince, would be seven weeks and the city would be rebuilt in sixty-two
weeks, even in troublesome times. After sixty two weeks the anointed one be cut off, and shall have
nothing. The people will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Wars will rage until the end comes with a
flood.
He will make a firm promise to many which will last one week. During that week, there will be no
sacrifices or obligations and on the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and
even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.

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Chapter 10: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia
Daniel has another vision during a time of mourning
and fasting. On the twenty fourth day he is beside the
river Hiddekel and saw a man clothed in linen,
whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz:
his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the
appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming
torches, and his arms and his feet like unto
burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the
voice of a multitude.
Then men with Daniel did not see the vision, but
they were afraid so they ran away, leaving Daniel
alone. He is told he will fight the prince of Persia and
after he leaves, the prince of Greece will come. The
archangel Michael will help them prevail.
Chapter 11: Daniel is told there will be three more
kings of Persia. The fourth will be far richer than the
others and grow strong and stir up trouble against
Greece. A later king will rule with great dominion.
His kingdom will be broken but not his family and
Susanna and the Elders
they will return to power. The daughter of the king of
1610-Artemisia Gentileschi
the south will marry the king of the north. She and
her family will perish, but from her, a son will be born who will rise up and prevail against the king of
the north and carry away their gods and vessels to Egypt.
Generations of kings of the north and south wage war. Kingdoms earned through battle, flattery and
corruption rise and fall. And as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall
speak lies at one table: but it shall not prosper. The king of the north defeats the south and forsakes the
holy covenant. He profanes the sanctuary, removes the offerings and sets up a false god. Despite his
wickedness, the people know their God is strong and will perform miracles.
There is a long period of trial and cleansing until the appointed time. The kings of the north and south
gather their great armies for battle. The north will arrive like a whirlwind and conquer many countries,
including Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia and the glorious land. But he will not prevail against Edom, Moab or
Ammon.
This mighty northern king hears rumors from the east and north that trouble him so he sets out with his
armies. His plan fails however, And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the
glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Chapter 12: During that time there will be great trouble, such as never seen before, but His people,
who are written in the book, will be delivered. Many of the dead will rise. Some to everlasting life,
others to everlasting shame and contempt.
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Daniel is told to shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. He sees two men
on either sides of the river. One man, clothed in linen, asks the other how long shall it be before the end
of these wonders? The other raises his hands to heaven and swears it shall be for a time, times, and a
half, and after they have finished breaking up the power of the holy people.
Daniel asks "What shall be the issue
of these things?" He is told to go his
way for the words are shut up and
sealed till the time of the end. The
godly will continue to purify
themselves and the wicked will be
wicked. He is told that from the time
the burnt-offerings are removed and
the false god installed in the
sanctuary, there shall be a thousand
and two hundred and ninety
days...But go thou thy way till the end
be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand
in thy lot, at the end of the days.

Daniel and King Cyrus in Bel's Temple

Stephan Kessler approximately 1650

Chapter 13: In Babylon there lived a

man named Joakim, who married a
very beautiful and God-fearing
woman, Susanna, the daughter of
Hilkiah; her parents were righteous

and had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses.

Two newly appointed judges frequented the home of Joakim and they greatly desired his beautiful wife,
Susanna. They didn't mention their lust for her, but one day when they both were spying on her, they
discovered each other and decided to work together to get her alone.
One day Susanna decided to bathe in the garden, unknown to her, the two elders were hiding there. She
sent her servants to fetch soap and oil and after they shut the garden doors, the two men revealed
themselves. They demanded that Susanna lie with them or they would accuse her of meeting a man in
the garden after she sent her servants away. She screams and the household rushes out to see what is
wrong.
The two elders accused Susanna of adultery and the next day she was brought before them and the
other judges. The two elders say that after she sent the servants away and shut the gates, they saw her
lover was hidden there. They said the man was too strong and escaped. They said Susanna refused to
reveal who the man was and she was sentenced to death.

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She calls to God for justice and as they were leading her to be executed, Daniel cries out,"I am
innocent of this womans blood...Are you such fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel
without investigation and without clear evidence?"
The people returned to court and the two judges were questioned separately. Daniel asks the first what
tree he saw the lovers under, and he answered "under a mastic tree". The second was questioned and
said he had seen them together under an oak tree. So their lie was exposed and they were put to death.
And from that day onward Daniel was greatly esteemed by the people.
Chapter 14: Following the death of King Astyages, Cyrus the Persian became king. He held Daniel in
great esteem and was a companion of the king.
The Babylonians worshiped an idol called Bel and every day they provided it with piles of fine flour,
sheep and wine. The king greatly revered Bel and worshiped it every day. One day he asked Daniel
why he did not worship Bel and Daniel replied, "Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but
only the living God who made heaven and earth and has dominion over all flesh."
The king insisted that Bel too was a living god and he pointed out how much he eats and drinks every
day. Daniel laughs at this and tells the king that it is only clay and bronze and has never eaten or drunk
anything. The king is furious and calls in his priests. He demands to know who is eating and drinking
the offerings to Bel. The king decrees that the unless they can show that Bel is consuming the
provisions they will die. If they prove Daniel is wrong, then he will be put to death for blaspheming
Bel. Daniel agrees.
The priests left the king to put out the
offerings and seal the door, impressed
with the king's ring. The priests were
not worried because they had made a
secret entrance under the table which
they used to enter and eat the food at
night.
After the priests left, the king set out the
food and wine and Daniel ordered his
servants to bring some ashes which they
scattered on the floor throughout the
temple. Then they sealed the door and
left. The priests entered that night as
usual, with their wives and children,
and they ate and drank everything.

Daniel in the Lions Den: Briton Rivire (1890)

When the king and Daniel returned the next morning the seals were unbroken and the food had been
consumed. At first the king believes Bel has taken the offerings, until Daniel shows him the footprints
of the priests, their wives and children in the ashes.

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The king was furious and brought in his priests. They admitted they had been eating the food and
showed him the secret door under the table. The king put them all to death and handed the idol Bel over
to Daniel who destroyed it and its temple.
There was a great dragon which the Babylonians revered. The king asks Daniel to worship it as it is
obviously a living god. Daniel asks permission to kill the dragon without sword or club. The king gives
permission and Daniel made some cakes out of pitch, fat and hair. He fed them to the dragon, which
causes him to burst.
The Babylonians were very angry and said the king had become a Jew. He has destroyed Bel, killed
the dragon, and put the priests to death. They demanded the king hand Daniel over to them and the
king was afraid, so he did as they asked.
Daniel was thrown into a lions den with seven lions. He remained there for six days. The lions were
given nothing to eat so they would devour Daniel.
Far away in Judea, the prophet Habakkuk was making some food for the reapers in the fields.
Suddenly, an angel appeared to him and instructed him to take the food he had prepared to Daniel in the
lions den in Babylon. But Habakkuk answered, Sir, I have never seen Babylon, and I do not know the
den! The angel of the Lord seized him by the crown of his head and carried him by the hair; with the
speed of the wind, he set him down in Babylon above the den. Habakkuk delivers the meal to Daniel
and the angel returns him to his home.
On the seventh day the king comes to the lions den to mourn Daniel but finds him alive and well. The
king cried aloud, You are great, O Lord, the God of Daniel, and there is no other besides you! Those
who had tried to destroy Daniel were thrown into the lions den and quickly devoured by the hungry
lions.

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