The Book of Daniel

Date: Written approximately 535 BCE

Author: Daniel, an Israelite exile in Babylon

Themes: God’s sovereignty, God’s faithfulness, visions, end times, perseverance

What you should know before reading:

Daniel is written in 2 clear parts, chapters 1-6 & 7-12. Part 1 contains court stories, mostly about Daniel and three friends who remain absolutely loyal to Yahweh even while rising to positions of importance within the Babylonian Empire. Part 2 is a series of apocalyptic visions about the rise and fall of succeeding empires.

Daniel is also written in 2 different languages. Chapters 1, 8-12 are written in Hebrew & 2-7 were written in Aramaic. The Aramaic portion is unique because it forms its own little book with matching chapters: 2 & 7, 3 & 6, 4 & 5.