Bible Characters · Exile & Return
Daniel
The young exile who would not defile himself with the king's food, interpreted dreams for the kings of Babylon, read the writing on the wall, and came unharmed out of the lions' den.
The facts, as Scripture gives them
- Lived
- He remained in service until the first year of King Cyrus (Daniel 1:21). Dates not given in Scripture.
- Region
- Jerusalem, from where he was carried to Babylon as a youth; he served in Babylon and saw Shushan in a vision. (Daniel 1:1-6; Daniel 8:2)
- Work
- An official in the courts of Babylon and Persia, set over the wise men of Babylon and made a chief administrator under Darius. (Daniel 2:48; Daniel 6:1-3)
Key verses
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
Daniel 1:17 (BSB)
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.
Daniel 6:22 (BSB)
What they did
- Resolved with his three friends not to defile himself with the king's food, and ate vegetables and water instead. (Daniel 1:8-15)
- Was given knowledge and understanding by God, and insight into visions and dreams. (Daniel 1:17)
- Told Nebuchadnezzar his forgotten dream of the great statue, and its meaning: the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 2:27-45)
- Refused Belshazzar's gifts, read the writing on the wall, Mene, Tekel, Peres, and announced the kingdom given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:17-28)
- Prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem though it was made a capital crime, was thrown into the lions' den, and was found unharmed: my God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths. (Daniel 6:10; Daniel 6:21-22)
- Received visions of the kingdoms of the earth, of one like a son of man, and of the resurrection of the dead. (Daniel 7:13-14; Daniel 12:1-2)
Connected to
- Nebuchadnezzar: The king of Babylon whose dreams he interpreted (Daniel 2:27-45)
- Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: His three friends, renamed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who survived the fiery furnace (Daniel 1:6-7; Daniel 3:16-28)
- Darius: The king who threw him to the lions and then decreed his God be feared (Daniel 6:1; Daniel 6:25-27)
- Gabriel: The angel who explained his visions (Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21)
Mentioned in
Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew, Mark.
Every reference (72)
Ezekiel 14:14 · Ezekiel 14:20 · Ezekiel 28:3 · Daniel 1:6 · Daniel 1:7 · Daniel 1:8 · Daniel 1:9 · Daniel 1:10 · Daniel 1:11 · Daniel 1:17 · Daniel 1:19 · Daniel 1:21 · Daniel 2:13 · Daniel 2:14 · Daniel 2:15 · Daniel 2:16 · Daniel 2:17 · Daniel 2:18 · Daniel 2:19 · Daniel 2:20 · Daniel 2:24 · Daniel 2:25 · Daniel 2:26 · Daniel 2:27 · Daniel 2:46 · Daniel 2:47 · Daniel 2:48 · Daniel 2:49 · Daniel 4:8 · Daniel 4:9 · Daniel 4:18 · Daniel 4:19 · Daniel 5:12 · Daniel 5:13 · Daniel 5:17 · Daniel 5:29 · Daniel 6:2 · Daniel 6:3 · Daniel 6:4 · Daniel 6:5 · Daniel 6:10 · Daniel 6:11 · Daniel 6:13 · Daniel 6:14 · Daniel 6:16 · Daniel 6:17 · Daniel 6:20 · Daniel 6:21 · Daniel 6:23 · Daniel 6:24 · Daniel 6:26 · Daniel 6:27 · Daniel 6:28 · Daniel 7:1 · Daniel 7:2 · Daniel 7:15 · Daniel 7:28 · Daniel 8:1 · Daniel 8:15 · Daniel 8:27 · Daniel 9:2 · Daniel 9:22 · Daniel 10:1 · Daniel 10:2 · Daniel 10:7 · Daniel 10:11 · Daniel 10:12 · Daniel 12:4 · Daniel 12:5 · Daniel 12:9 · Matthew 24:15 · Mark 13:14
Review status: in-theological-review. Every Contend profile passes a human theological review against the Statement of Faith before it is published as approved teaching. This profile is in that queue. Sources: Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain), verified verse by verse. Name and reference data: STEP Bible (TIPNR), Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0.