The Exile
[Daniel 1-6]
Daniel and his friends taken captive
[Dan 1]
During
the
first
captivity
of
Jews
from
Jerusalem,
when
Jehoiakim
had
rebelled
and
Nebuchadnezzar
besieged
the
city,
among
those
taken
captive
with
the
sole
purpose
of
being
trained
for
service
to
the
king
are
Daniel
and
three
of
his
companions,
Hananiah,
Mishael
and
Azariah.
The
four
are
given
the
names
Belteshazzar,
Shadrach,
Meshach
and
Abednego
by
the
prince
of
eunuchs
in
whose
charge
they
have
been
placed.
The
trainees
are
provided
with
a
daily
portion
of
the
king’s
meat
and
wine.
In
fear
of
defiling
himself,
Daniel
abstains
from
the
king’s
provision
but,
to
gain
approval
and
prove
himself
and
his
companions,
agrees
they
should
live
on
water
and
pulse
for
ten
days.
When
the
ten
days
are
up,
the
four
young
men
appear
in
better
health
than
those
eating
the
king’s
meat.
Their
abstinence
then
accepted,
they
continue
their
training
and
grow
in
wisdom
and
understanding,
to
the
extent
that
the
king
judges
them
to be ten times more knowledgeable than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
[Dan 2]
After
the
young
men’s
three
years
of
training,
Nebuchadnezzar
has
a
dream
that
troubles
him,
yet
he
appears
to
forget
its
content.
He
calls
on
his
wise
men
to
tell
him
what
the
dream
was
and
then
to
interpret
it,
threatening
death
if
they
do
not,
but
great
rewards
if
they
do.
They
naturally
say
the
demand
is
unreasonable,
which
angers
the
king
and
he
orders
their
execution.
As
they
are
numbered
amongst
the
wise,
this
puts
Daniel
and
his
companions
in
danger,
so
Daniel
approaches
the
king
to
ask
to
be
given
time
to
divulge
and
interpret
the
dream.
Following
prayer,
Daniel
is
shown
the
dream
in
the
night
and
is
able
to
relate
it
to
the
king
the
next
day,
and
its
interpretation
concerning
the
four
kingdoms,
or
empires,
and
God’s
everlasting
kingdom.
Daniel
rightly
gives
credit
to
God
for
the
interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar
rewards
him
with
gifts
and
promotes
him
to
rule
over
the
whole
province
of
Babylon,
and
chief
of
the
governors over all the wise men of Babylon. At Daniel’s request, his three companions are made his deputies.
The fiery furnace
[Dan 3]
Nebuchadnezzar
has
an
image
made
of
gold
having
a
height
of
60
cubits
(approximately
90
ft
or
27
m)
and
a
breadth
of
six
cubits
(approximately
18
ft
or
5.4
m).
He
convenes
a
large
assembly
for
the
dedication
of
the
image,
led
by
all
his
princes,
governors
and
officers,
and
gives
a
proclamation
that
every
person
must
fall
down
and
worship
the
image
when
they
hear
the
sound
of
music,
under
pain
of
death
by
fire.
Shadrach,
Meschach
and
Abednego
are
seen
disobeying
this
command
and
are
reported
to
the
king
who
summons
them
for
questioning.
They
admit
their
disobedience
and
refuse
to
comply,
putting
their
trust
in
God.
In
anger,
the
king
orders
the
furnace
to
be
heated
to
seven
tines
hotter
than
usual,
and
for
the
three
to
be
cast
into
it.
The
heat
is
such
that
it
kills
the
men
casting
them
into
the
furnace,
but
the
king
is
then
astonished
to
see
the
three
men
with
a
fourth
walking
around
in
the
fire.
Nebuchadnezzar
says
“
the
form
of
the
fourth
is
like
the
Son
of
God
.”
He
calls
the
men
from
the
furnace
and
they
emerge
completely
unscathed,
leading
Nebuchadnezzar
to
give
praise
to
God
and
decree
that
no
person
is
to
speak
against
the
God
of
Shadrach,
Meshach
and
Abednego.
If
they
do,
then
they
will
be
executed
and
their
property
destroyed.
The
three
are
then
restored
to
the
positions
held
before they were accused and given more responsibilities.
Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony
[Dan 4]
Nebuchadnezzar
is
the
author
of
this
chapter,
which
in
his
words
is
a
testimony
of
the
signs
and
wonders
that
the
high
God
hath
wrought toward me
.
Nebuchadnezzar
has
another
dream,
this
one
troubles
him
and
even
makes
him
afraid.
His
wise
men
are
unable
to
interpret
it,
so
he
calls
on
Daniel
and
relates
the
dream
to
him.
Daniel
is
astonished
by
the
dream,
as
the
interpretation
is
that
Nebuchadnezzar
will
lose
his
mind
for
seven
years
in
order
that
he
will
come
to
know
that
God
is
all
powerful.
He
will
then
be
restored
to
his
position
as
king
of
Babylon.
After
a
year
during
which
nothing
happens,
and
while
the
king
is
reflecting
on
his
achievements,
he
is
struck
down
just
as
the
dream
foretold,
and
is
reduced
to
behaving
like
an
animal.
After
seven
years
in
this
mental
state,
Nebuchadnezzar’s
mind
is
healed
and
he
gives
praise
to
God.
His
position
is
restored
with
more
honour
than
before,
and
in
his
praise
of
God,
he
recognises
that
God
will
deal
with the proud.
The writing on the wall
[Dan 5]
Many
years
later
Belshazzar
holds
a
great
feast
for
a
thousand
of
his
lords,
during
which
he
calls
for
and
uses
the
gold
and
silver
vessels
that
had
been
taken
from
the
temple
by
his
father.
While
they
are
praising
the
gods
of
gold,
silver,
brass,
iron
and
wood,
a
hand
is
seen
writing
a
message
on
the
wall.
This
terrifies
the
king
and
he
sends
for
his
wise
men,
but
they
are
unable
to
interpret
the
message.
His
distress
grows
and
is
visible
to
all,
so
much
so
that
his
mother
recommends
he
consults
Daniel,
who
is
then
sent
for.
Daniel
is
promised
a
great
reward
if
he
can
interpret
the
writing,
but
he
declines
the
offer,
praises
the
king’s
father
but
charges
the
king
with
pride,
idolatry
and
profaning
the
vessels
from
the
temple.
Daniel
then
interprets
the
writing
which
is
a
short
condemnation
of
Belshazzar
and
an
announcement
that
he
is
to
lose
his
kingdom.
Daniel
is
given
the
rewards
promised
and
is
made
third
ruler
in
the
kingdom. That night the city is invaded and Darius the Mede takes the kingdom.
Daniel and the lions’ den
[Dan 6]
Because
of
the
excellent
spirit
that
was
in
Daniel,
Darius
promotes
him
to
be
over
all
the
presidents
and
princes
in
his
kingdom.
Daniel’s
high
position
causes
envy
amongst
Darius’
officials
and
they
seek
to
be
rid
of
him,
but
can
find
no
fault.
Their
only
means
would
be
through
his
faithfulness
to
God,
so
a
plot
is
hatched
to
bring
about
his
death.
They
approached
Darius
with
a
decree
that
whosoever
shall
ask
a
petition
of
any
god
or
man
for
thirty
days,
save
of
thee,
O
king,
he
shall
be
cast
into
the
den
of
lions.
Darius
agrees
to
sign
this
decree
and
having
done
so,
under
the
Mede
and
Perisan
law,
it
cannot
be
revoked,
even
by
the
king.
Daniel,
despite
knowing
of
this
decree,
continues
with
his
daily
prayers
at
his
window
which
faces
east
towards
Jerusalem.
His
praying
is
seen
and
reported
with
the
intended
consequence
that
Daniel
has
to
be
thrown
in
the
lions’
den.
Precautions
are
put
in
place
to
prevent
Daniel
being
helped
or
rescued,
and
the
king
spends
a
sleepless
night
worrying
about
Daniel’s
fate.
In
the
morning
he
goes
straight
to
the
den
and
finds
Daniel
safe.
He
then
orders
Daniel’s
accusers
and
their
families
to
be
cast
into
the
den,
and
makes
a
decree
that
all
are
to
fear the God of Daniel.
Daniel
continues
to
prosper
throughout
the
reigns
of
Darius
and
Cyrus,
and
sees
some
of
his
people
being
returned
to
Jerusalem
by
the decree of Cyrus.
Daniel is not known to have returned to Jerusalem and the timing and nature of his death is not recorded.
Hierarchical Précis