Lexical Summary
Daniyyel or Daniel: Daniel
Original Word:דָנִיֵּאל
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Daniye'l
Pronunciation:dah-nee-YEL
Phonetic Spelling:(daw-nee-yale')
KJV: Daniel
NASB:Daniel
Word Origin:[fromH1835 (דָּן - Dan) andH410 (אֵל - God)]
1. judge of God
2. Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Daniel
In Ezekiel it is: Daniel {daw-nee-ale'}; fromDan and'el; judge of God; Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites -- Daniel.
see HEBREWDan
see HEBREW'el
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
din and
elDefinition"God is my judge," the name of several Isr.
NASB TranslationDaniel (29).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, later (compare Ew
§ 45 d;
El is my judge; on a possible connection with Zend
dânu,
wise, or
wisdom compare Che
OP 107; see Palmyrene Vog
93) —
1 Chronicles 3:1, , but dub, compare CheOP 106; ,L & Manuscripts ; ""2 Samuel 3:3 , ; KloSm proposes , & in Chronicles , but grounds precarious.
, priest of the line of IthamarEzra 8:2;Nehemiah 10:7.
a great sageEzekiel 28:3; classed with Noah and Job as models of righteousnessEzekiel 14:14,20; perhaps the same as
, one of the noble young men taken into captivity by Nebuchadrezzar according toDaniel 1:1-6, the hero of the book of Daniel,Daniel 1:6 22t. (also frequently in Aramaic section).
Topical Lexicon
Biblical Distribution of the NameDaniel appears by name twenty-nine times in the canon. Twenty-six occurrences belong to the Book of Daniel (chapters 1 – 12), while Ezekiel cites him three times (Ezekiel 14:14; 14:20; 28:3). These references span a period from the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign (circa 605 BC) to the early reign of Cyrus the Great (circa 536 BC).
Historical Context
Taken captive during Nebuchadnezzar’s first deportation, Daniel entered Babylon as a youth of royal or noble lineage (Daniel 1:3–4). He lived through the full seventy-year exile, serving under successive empires—Babylonian (Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-merodach, Belshazzar) and Medo-Persian (Darius the Mede, Cyrus the Persian). His lifetime thus bridges the fall of Judah, the duration of the Babylonian Captivity, and the dawning hope of restoration announced by Cyrus’s decree (Ezra 1:1).
Role at the Court of Babylon and Persia
Daniel’s God-given “knowledge and insight into all kinds of literature and wisdom” (Daniel 1:17) elevated him rapidly. After interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream, he was made “ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all its wise men” (Daniel 2:48). Decades later, Belshazzar proclaimed him “third highest ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:29). Under Darius the Mede he was appointed one of three administrators over the empire (Daniel 6:2), and even the lions’ den episode did not diminish his authority.
Hallmarks of Personal Character
1. Purity: “Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s food” (Daniel 1:8).
2. Prayerfulness: “He knelt down three times a day, praying and giving thanks” (Daniel 6:10).
3. Humility: “No wisdom resides in me more than in any other living man” (Daniel 2:30).
4. Faithfulness: When threatened with death, he stood firm, trusting God’s deliverance (Daniel 3:17–18’s theology is echoed inDaniel 6).
5. Integrity in public office: His enemies “could find no ground for complaint or corruption” (Daniel 6:4).
Prayer and Intercession
Daniel 9 records an intercessory prayer rooted in Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11–12). Confessing corporate sin, he pleads, “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive!” (Daniel 9:19). The immediate answer comes through Gabriel, who unveils the Seventy Weeks prophecy, projecting salvation history toward Messiah and ultimate restoration.
Prophetic Revelation
Daniel receives visions that span Gentile dominion from Babylon to the final kingdom of God (Daniel 2; 7; 8). The “stone cut without hands” (Daniel 2:34) and the “Son of Man” receiving everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13-14) anticipate Jesus Christ, whom the New Testament explicitly identifies with Daniel’s prophetic imagery (Matthew 24:30;Revelation 1:13). The precision of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27) undergirds confidence in predictive prophecy, reaching its apex in the first advent and pointing forward to consummation.
Wisdom Tradition and Ezekiel’s Testimony
Ezekiel, Daniel’s contemporary, ranks him among Noah and Job for righteousness (Ezekiel 14:14, 20) and cites his legendary discernment: “Are you wiser than Daniel?” (Ezekiel 28:3). These external attestations confirm Daniel’s reputation even while he yet lived in exile.
Christological Significance
Jesus refers to “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel” (Matthew 24:15), validating both Daniel’s authorship and the ongoing relevance of his prophecies. The title “Son of Man” that Jesus applies to Himself (Mark 14:62) alludes directly toDaniel 7:13-14, anchoring messianic identity in Danielic vision.
Influence on Post-Exilic Community
Daniel’s steadfastness encouraged the returning remnant to maintain covenant fidelity amid Persian and later Hellenistic pressures. His apocalyptic sections furnished hope that “the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever” (Daniel 7:18).
Lessons for Believers Today
• God sovereignly rules over kingdoms and installs or removes rulers (Daniel 2:21; 4:17).
• Personal holiness and public witness are not mutually exclusive; they thrive together in hostile environments.
• Prevailing prayer and Scripture study (Daniel 9:2–3) position believers to understand divine purposes.
• Prophetic Scripture is trustworthy; past fulfillment guarantees future consummation.
Summary
Daniel stands as a model of uncompromising faith, Spirit-imbued wisdom, and prophetic clarity. His life demonstrates that steadfast obedience in exile advances God’s redemptive plan, while his visions assure the eventual triumph of the Kingdom of God through the Messiah.
Forms and Transliterations
דָּ֣נִיֵּ֔אל דָּֽנִיֵּ֔אל דָּנִיֵּ֑אל דָּנִיֵּ֔אל דָּנִיֵּ֕אל דָּנִיֵּ֖אל דָּנִיֵּ֣אל דָּנִיֵּ֥אל דָּנִיֵּאל֙ דָֽנִיֵּ֗אל דָֽנִיֵּאל֙ דָנִיֵּ֔אל דָנִיֵּ֖אל דָנִיֵּ֗אל דָנִיֵּ֤אל דָנִיֵּאל֒ דָּנִיאֵ֣ל דניאל וְדָנִיֵּ֣אל ודניאל כְּדָנִיֵּ֣אל כדניאל לְדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל לְדָֽנִיֵּ֜אל לדניאל מִדָּֽנִיאֵ֑ל מדניאל dā·nî·’êl dā·nî·yêl ḏā·nî·yêl dānî’êl daniEl daniYel dānîyêl ḏānîyêl kə·ḏā·nî·yêl kedaniYel kəḏānîyêl lə·ḏā·nî·yêl ledaniYel ləḏānîyêl mid·dā·nî·’êl middānî’êl middaniEl vedaniYel wə·ḏā·nî·yêl wəḏānîyêl
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