The Daniel Fast: A Biblical Fasting and Prayer Practice
The "Daniel Fast" refers to a period of abstention from certain foods, inspired by the prophet Daniel's practices described in the Old Testament. Daniel, whose name means "judgment of God" or "God my judge" [5], was a prophet during the time of the Exile and Return [7]. The fast is rooted in Daniel 10:2-3, where Daniel states, "In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks. I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks." This passage describes Daniel afflicting himself by fasting from "pleasant bread, flesh and wine" as a sign of sorrow [9].
Fasting in the biblical tradition is often connected with prayer and a demonstration of need before God [10, 11]. Daniel himself "set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3) [1]. This practice was not unique to Daniel; public fasts were proclaimed in the Old Testament for national humiliation and to seek divine favor, especially in times of public danger [2, 3]. The prophet Joel called for a fast and a solemn assembly in response to God's judgments [3, 6].
While the Mosaic Law only explicitly required one fast, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32) [2, 4], other fasts were observed. During the Babylonian captivity, Jews observed four annual fasts [2, 4]. Fasting was also practiced on occasions of public calamities, afflictions of the Church or others, private afflictions, and approaching danger [6]. It was also associated with the ordination of ministers [6].
The nature of fasting in the Bible varied. Josephus describes fasting "seven days without meat or drink," which is understood to mean fasting until the evening, rather than a complete abstention for the entire period [8]. This suggests that biblical fasting often involved abstaining from food for a portion of the day or from certain types of food, rather than a total cessation of all intake for extended periods.
The New Testament also connects fasting with prayer [11]. Jesus taught about fasting, cautioning against hypocrisy and outward display, emphasizing that fasting should be to God and not for public recognition (Matthew 6:16-18) [6, 12]. While fasting is not presented as an indispensable Christian obligation, it is seen as an outward expression of sorrow and separation from ordinary worldly enjoyments to dedicate oneself to prayer [9]. The "Daniel Fast" specifically, with its focus on abstaining from rich foods, meat, and wine, aligns with this broader biblical understanding of fasting as a spiritual discipline intended to accompany prayer and express devotion or repentance.
Sources
- Daniel “I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. -- Daniel 9:3”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Fasts — + One fast only was appointed by the Mosaic law, that on the day of atonement. There is no mention of any other periodical fast in the Old Testament except in (Zechariah 7:1-7; 8:19) From these passages it appears that the Jews, during their captivity, observed four annual fasts,--in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. + Public fasts were occasionally proclaimed to express national humiliation and to supplicate divine favor. In the case of public danger the proclamation appears to have been accompanied with the blowing of trumpets. (Joel 2:1-15) (See ”
- Joel “Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders, and all the inhabitants of the land, to the house of Yahweh, your God, and cry to Yahweh. -- Joel 1:14”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fast — The sole fast required by the law of Moses was that of the great Day of Atonement (q.v.), Lev. 23:26-32. It is called "the fast" (Acts 27:9). The only other mention of a periodical fast in the Old Testament is in Zech. 7:1-7; 8:19, from which it appears that during their captivity the Jews observed four annual fasts. (1.) The fast of the fourth month, kept on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, the anniversary of the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; to commemorate also the incident recorded Ex. 32:19. (Comp. Jer. 52:6, 7.) (2.) The fast of the fifth month, ke”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Daniel — judgment of God; God my judge”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fasting — Spirit of, explained -- Isa 58:6,7. Not to be made a subject of display -- Mt 6:16-18. Should be to God -- Zec 7:5; Mt 6:18. For the chastening of the soul -- Ps 69:10. For the humbling of the soul -- Ps 35:13. Observed on occasions of Judgments of God. -- Joe 1:14; 2:12. Public calamities. -- 2Sa 1:12. Afflictions of the Church. -- Lu 5:33-35. Afflictions of others. -- Ps 35:13; Da 6:18. Private afflictions. -- 2Sa 12:16. Approaching danger. -- Es 4:16. Ordination of ministers. -- Ac 13:3; 14:23. Accompanied by Prayer. -- Ezr 8:23; Da 9:3. Confession of si”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H1840G — Prophet living at the time of Exile and Return (refs: #A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.14.14; <br>referred to as )”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 18: B. I. ch. 6 sect. 8.] 29 (return) [ This way of speaking in Josephus, of fasting "seven days without meat or drink," is almost like that of St. Paul, Acts 27:33, "This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried, and continued fasting, having taken nothing:" and as the nature of the thing, and the impossibility of strictly fasting so long, require us here to understand both Josephus and the sacred author of this history, 1 Samuel 30:13, from whom he took it, of only fasting fill the evening; so must we understand St. Paul, e”
- Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 10:2: mourning--that is afflicting myself by fasting from "pleasant bread, flesh and wine" (Dan 10:3), as a sign of sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare Mat 9:14, "fast," answering to "mourn" (Dan 10:15). Compare Co1 8:8; Ti1 4:3, which prove that "fasting" is not an indispensable Christian obligation; but merely an outward expression of sorrow, and separation from ordinary worldly enjoyments, in order to give one's self to prayer (Act 13:2). Daniel's mourning was probably for his countrymen, who met with many obstructions to their building of the temple, f”
- Ezra (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezra 8:23: 8:23 fasted . . . prayed: In the Old Testament, fasting often accompanied prayer as a demonstration of need before God (1 Kgs 21:9; 2 Chr 20:3; Neh 1:4; Dan 9:3).”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:16: 6:16 Prayer and fasting are frequently connected (Lev 23:27-32; Neh 9:1-2; Zech 7:3-5; 8:19; Luke 18:12). The practice had been abused before Jesus’ time (Isa 58:3-12).”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 6:16: We are here cautioned against hypocrisy in fasting, as before in almsgiving, and in prayer. I. It is here supposed that religious fasting is a duty required of the disciples of Christ, when God, in his providence, calls to it, and when the case of their own souls upon any account requires it; when the bridegroom is taken away, then shall they fast, Mat 9:15. Fasting is here put last, because it is not so much a duty for its own sake, as a means to dispose us for other duties. Prayer comes in between almsgiving and fasting, as being the life and soul of both. Chri”