Death And Burial Of Prophet Daniel
The death and burial of Prophet Daniel are not explicitly recorded in the biblical text. The book of Daniel itself ends with Daniel's visions and does not provide information about his death or burial [3].
Tradition provides some insight into Daniel's later life and death. According to patristic sources, Daniel was considered a righteous and wise man, and his prophetic role was highly regarded [4]. Some traditions suggest that Daniel lived into the reign of Cyrus, the Persian king who conquered Babylon [3].
The exact location of Daniel's tomb is unknown, and various traditions have emerged over time. Some sources suggest that Daniel's tomb is in Susa, Persia (modern-day Iran), while others propose alternative locations [5].
The biblical account of other prophets' deaths and burials provides some context. For example, Samuel's death and burial are recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1, where it is written that he was buried in his house at Ramah [1, 2]. Similarly, the death and burial of Moses are described in Deuteronomy 34:6, where it is noted that his sepulchre was unknown "unto this day" to prevent idolatrous veneration [6].
In the case of Daniel, the lack of information about his death and burial has led to various interpretations and traditions. Some commentators, such as Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, note that the concealment of a prophet's tomb was not uncommon, as seen in the case of Moses [6].
The significance of Daniel's life and prophecies is not diminished by the lack of information about his death and burial. His book remains an important part of the biblical canon, and his prophecies continue to be studied and interpreted by scholars and theologians [3, 7].
In the broader Christian tradition, the death and burial of prophets like Daniel are seen as part of a larger narrative of faithfulness and obedience. As Lactantius writes, the prophets foretold the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and their own experiences of persecution and death were part of a larger story of redemption [4].
The varied traditions surrounding Daniel's death and burial reflect the complexity and richness of the biblical narrative, as well as the ongoing efforts of interpreters to understand and contextualize the lives and experiences of the prophets.
Sources
- I Samuel “I Samuel 25:1 (Geneva1599) — Then Samuel dyed, and all Israel assembled, and mourned for him, and buried him in his owne house at Ramah. And Dauid arose and went downe to the wildernes of Paran.”
- 1 Samuel “Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. -- 1 Samuel 25:1”
- 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”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — CHAP. XLVII.--OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SENDING OF THE APOSTLES, AND THE ASCENSION OF THE SAVIOUR INTO HEAVEN.: After these things they took His body down from the cross, and buried it in a tomb. But on the third day, before daybreak, there was an earthquake, and the stone with which they had closed the sepulchre was removed, and He arose. But nothing was found in the sepulchre except the clothes in which the body had been wrapped. (9) But that He would rise again on the third day, the prophets had long ago fore”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 6:16: And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den,.... Not a heap of stones, but a single one, a very large one, sufficient to stop up the mouth of the den, that nothing might enter in at it, or be cast into it: this stone was brought by proper persons, and a sufficient number of them, according the order of the king, or his princes, or both; for what Jarchi says, of there being no stones in Babylon, only bricks, and of the angels bringing this stone out of the land of Israel, is all fabulous: but for what end it should be brought and laid is not easy to say”
- Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 34:6: he buried him--or, "he was buried in a valley," that is, a ravine or gorge of the Pisgah. Some think that he entered a cave and there died, being, according to an ancient tradition of Jews and Christians, buried by angels (Jde 1:9; Num 21:20). no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day--This concealment seems to have been owing to a special and wise arrangement of Providence, to prevent its being ranked among "holy places," and made the resort of superstitious pilgrims or idolatrous veneration, in after ages.”
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 9 (introduction): Daniel, understanding from the prophecies of Jeremiah that the seventy years' captivity was now terminating, pours out his soul in fervent prayer to God, and earnestly supplicates pardon and restoration for his captive people, Dan 9:1-12. When thus supplicating God in behalf of Israel, the angel Gabriel is sent to inform him of the seventy prophetic weeks, or four hundred and ninety natural years, which should elapse from the date of the edict to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple to the death of the Messiah, Dan 9:20-27; a prophecy most exactly fulfilled ”