Daniel

What we know — and how we know it

Where in scripture

Daniel

In their own words — 24 recorded sayings

“Put your servants to the test for ten days; let them give us grain for our food and water for our drink. Then take a look at our faces and the faces of the young men who have food from the king's table; and, having seen them, do to your servants as it seems right to you.” — Daniel 1:12-13

“He made answer and said to Arioch, O captain of the king, why is the king's order so cruel? Then Arioch gave Daniel an account of the business.” — Daniel 2:15

“And Daniel said in answer, May the name of God be praised for ever and ever: for wisdom and strength are his: By him times and years are changed: by him kings are taken away and kings are lifted up: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those whose minds are awake: He is the unveiler of deep and secret things: he has knowledge of what is in the dark, and the light has its living-place with him. I give you praise and worship, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and strength, and have now made clear to me what we were requesting from you: for you have given us knowledge of the…” — Daniel 2:20-24

“Then Daniel said in answer to the king, No wise men, or users of secret arts, or wonder-workers, or readers of signs, are able to make clear to the king the secret he is searching for; But there is a God in heaven, the unveiler of secrets, and he has given to King Nebuchadnezzar knowledge of what will take place in the last days. Your dreams and the visions of your head on your bed are these: As for you, O King, the thoughts which came to you on your bed were of what will come about after this: and the unveiler of secrets has made clear to you what is to come. As for me, this secret is not…” — Daniel 2:27-45

“Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was at a loss for a time, his thoughts troubling him. The king made answer and said, Belteshazzar, do not be troubled by the dream or by the sense of it. Belteshazzar, answering, said, My lord, may the dream be about your haters, and its sense about those who are against you. The tree which you saw, which became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven and seen from the ends of the earth;” — Daniel 4:19-20

“Which had fair leaves and much fruit, and had in it food for all; under which the beasts of the field were living, and in the branches of which the birds of heaven had their resting-places:” — Daniel 4:21

“It is you, O King, who have become great and strong: for your power is increased and stretching up to heaven, and your rule to the end of the earth.” — Daniel 4:22

“And as for the vision which the king saw of a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, saying, Let the tree be cut down and given to destruction;” — Daniel 4:23

…and 16 more recorded sayings.

Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).

Journeys

Daniel: carried to Babylon ▶ Play

Taken as a youth from Jerusalem to serve in the courts of Babylon and Persia through the whole span of the exile.

1. Jerusalem · c. 605 BC — Taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar
2. Babylon · c. 605–539 BC — Serves in the royal court; the lions' den
3. Susa · c. 550s BC — A vision by the river Ulai in Persia

Places in their life

In art