Dating and Authorship of the Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel: Dating and Authorship

The Book of Daniel is a complex and multifaceted text that has been the subject of scholarly debate and interpretation for centuries. The book is composed partly in Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, with the introduction (Daniel 1-2:4a) written in Hebrew and the remainder of chapters 2-7 written in Aramaic ^[1].

Historical Setting

The historical setting of the Book of Daniel is the period of the Babylonian exile, during which the prophet Daniel is said to have lived and prophesied. The book is traditionally dated to the 6th century BC, with the prophet Daniel living during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC) and his successors ^{[3, 4]}.

The book can be divided into two distinct parts: the first six chapters, which are chiefly historical, and the remaining six chapters, which are chiefly prophetical. The historical part of the book treats of the period of the Captivity, while the prophetical part contains visions and prophecies attributed to Daniel ^[2].

Authorship and Date

The authorship of the Book of Daniel is traditionally attributed to the prophet Daniel himself. The text presents Daniel as the writer of the prophecies and visions contained within it, with some sections written in the first person ^{[1, 8]}.

However, the date of composition is a matter of debate among scholars. Some sources suggest that the book was written during the Babylonian exile, with dates ranging from 606 BC to 537 BC ^[5]. Others propose a later date, with some arguing that the book was written or compiled during the Maccabean period (c. 167-164 BC) [not directly cited, but alluded to in the scholarly debate].

Primary Sources and Evidence

The Book of Daniel itself provides the primary evidence for its own dating and authorship. The text contains a number of internal dates and references that suggest a 6th-century BC composition ^{[5, 7]}.

For example, Daniel 9:1 is dated to the "first year of Darius," which is generally understood to refer to Darius the Mede, who is said to have conquered Babylon in 539 BC ^{[5, 7]}. Similarly, Daniel 8:1 is dated to the "third year of the reign of King Belshazzar," which is believed to refer to a date around 553-552 BC ^[11].

Reception History

The Book of Daniel has been received and interpreted in various ways throughout history. In the Patristic era, writers such as Athanasius of Alexandria cited Daniel as a source of prophecy and authority ^[6].

In later centuries, the book has been the subject of extensive commentary and interpretation, with scholars from various traditions offering their own perspectives on its meaning and significance ^{[5, 8, 9, 10]}.

Scholarly Debates

Scholars continue to debate the dating and authorship of the Book of Daniel, with some arguing for a 6th-century BC composition and others proposing a later date. The debate centers on issues such as the linguistic and historical context of the book, as well as its theological and literary characteristics ^{[7, 8, 11]}.

The diversity of opinion on these matters reflects the complexity and richness of the Book of Daniel, which remains a subject of ongoing scholarly investigation and interpretation.

The historical and literary context of the Book of Daniel continues to be a subject of scholarly study, with ongoing debates about its dating, authorship, and interpretation reflecting the complexity and richness of this multifaceted text.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Daniel, The Book Of — stands at the head of a series of writings in which the deepest thoughts of the Jewish people found expression after their close of the prophetic era. Daniel is composed partly in the vernacular Aramaic (Chaldee) and partly in the sacred Hebrew. The introduction, Dan. 1-2:4 a, is written in Hebrew. On the occasion of the "Syriac" (i.e. Aramaic) answer of the Chaldeans, the language changes to Aramaic, and this is retained till the close of the seventh chapter (2:4 b-7). The personal introduction of Daniel as the writer of the text, 8:1, is marked”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Daniel, Book of — Is ranked by the Jews in that division of their Bible called the Hagiographa (Heb. Khethubim). (See [144]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 t”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Daniel — (judgment of God). + The second son of David, by Abigail the Carmelitess. (1 Chronicles 3:1) In (2 Samuel 3:3) he is called Chileab. (B.C. about 1051.) + The fourth of 'the greater prophets." Nothing is known of his parentage or family. He appears, however, to have been of royal or noble descent, (Daniel 1:3) and to have possessed considerable personal endowments. (Daniel 1:4) He was taken to Babylon in "the third year of Jehoiakim" (B.C. 604), and trained for the king's service. He was divinely supported in his resolve to abstain from the "king's meat" for f”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Daniel — God is my judge, or judge of God. (1.) David's second son, "born unto him in Hebron, of Abigail the Carmelitess" (1 Chr. 3:1). He is called also Chileab (2 Sam. 3:3). (2.) One of the four great prophets, although he is not once spoken of in the Old Testament as a prophet. His life and prophecies are recorded in the Book of Daniel. He was descended from one of the noble families of Judah (Dan. 1:3), and was probably born in Jerusalem about B.C. 623, during the reign of Josiah. At the first deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar (the kingdom of Israel had c”
Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 9 (introduction): DANIEL'S CONFESSION AND PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM: GABRIEL COMFORTS HIM BY THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS. (Dan. 9:1-27) first year of Darius--Cyaxares II, in whose name Cyrus, his nephew, son-in-law, and successor, took Babylon, 538 B.C. The date of this chapter is therefore 537 B.C., a year before Cyrus permitted the Jews to return from exile, and sixty-nine years after Daniel had been carried captive at the beginning of the captivity, 606 B.C. son of Ahasuerus--called Astyages by XENOPHON. Ahasuerus was a name common to many of the king”
CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 136: §39. Do you look for another? But Daniel foretells the exact time. Objections to this removed. But perhaps, being unable, even they, to fight continually against plain facts, they will, without denying what is written, maintain that they are looking for these things, and that the Word of God is not yet come. For this it is on which they are for ever harping, not blushing to brazen it out in the face of plain facts. 2. But on this one point, above all, they shall be all the more refuted, not at our hands, but at those of the most ”
Daniel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Daniel 11:1: 11:1 Darius the Mede: See study note on 5:31; the first year was probably 539 BC.”
Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 7:1: In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,.... Daniel having finished the historical part of his book, and committed to writing what was necessary concerning himself and his three companions, and concerning Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius the Mede, proceeds to the prophetic part, and goes back to the first year of Belshazzar's reign, seventeen years before his death, and the fall of the Babylonish monarchy last mentioned; for so long Belshazzar reigned, according to Josephus (u); and with which agrees the canon of Ptolemy, who ascribes so many years to the”
Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 8:14: unto me--The answer is to Daniel, not to the inquirer, for the latter had asked in Daniel's name; as vice versa the saint or angel (Job 15:15; Psa 89:6-7) speaks of the vision granted to Daniel, as if it had been granted to himself. For holy men are in Scripture represented as having attendant angels, with whom they are in a way identified in interests. If the conversation had been limited to the angels, it could have been of no use to us. But God conveys it to prophetical men, for our good, through the ministry of angels. two thousand . . . three hu”
Daniel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Daniel 2:1: We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 2:1. Now Daniel was carried to Babylon in his first year, and, it should seem, he was three years under tutors and governors before he was presented to the king, Dan 1:5. How then could this happen in the second year? Perhaps, though three years were appointed for the education of other children, yet Daniel was so forward that he was taken into business when he had been but one year at school, and so in the second year he became thus co”
Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 8:1: In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar,.... Which some say (t) was the last year of his reign; but, according to Ptolemy's canon, he reigned seventeen years; and so says Josephus (u); however, this, as well as the preceding vision, were seen before what happened recorded in the "fifth" and "sixth" chapters. The following vision was seen by Daniel, according to Bishop Usher (w) and Dean Prideaux (x) in the year of the world 3451 A.M., and 553 B.C. Mr. Bedford (y) places it in 552 B.C.; and Mr. Whiston (z), very wrongly, in 537 B.C., two years after the death ”

Ask Your Own Question