Daniel in the King James Version

Chapters

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12

About Daniel

From Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary.

Daniel was of noble birth, if not one of the royal family of Judah. He was carried captive to Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiachin, B. C. 606, when a youth. He was there taught the learning of the Chaldeans, and held high offices, both under the Babylonian and Persian empires. He was persecuted for his religion, but was miraculously delivered; and lived to a great age, as he must have been about ninety-four years old at the time of the last of his visions. The book of Daniel is partly historical, relating various circumstances which befel himself and the Jews, at Babylon; but is chiefly prophetical, detailing visions and prophecies which foretell numerous important events relative to the four great empires of the world, the coming and death of the Messiah, the restoration of the Jews, and the conversion of the Gentiles. Though there are considerable difficulties in explaining the prophetical meaning of some passages in this book, we always find encouragement to faith and hope, examples worthy of imitation, and something to direct our thoughts to Christ Jesus upon the cross and on his glorious throne.

Chapter by chapter

Matthew Henry's summary of each chapter.

Daniel 1. The captivity of Daniel and his companions. ( Dn 1:1-7 ) Their refusal to eat the king's meat. ( Dn 1:8-16 ) Their improvement in wisdom. ( Dn 1:17-21 )

Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar's dream. ( Dn 2:1-13 ) It is revealed to Daniel. ( Dn 2:14-23 ) He obtains admission to the king. ( Dn 2:24-30 ) The dream and the interpretation. ( Dn 2:31-45 ) Honours to Daniel and his friends. ( Dn 2:46-49 )

Daniel 3. Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. ( Dn 3:1-7 ) Shadrach and his companions refuse to worship it. ( Dn 3:8-18 ) They are cast into a furnace, but are miraculously preserved. ( Dn 3:19-27 ) Nebuchadnezzar gives glory to Jehovah. ( Dn 3:28-30 )

Daniel 4. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the power of Jehovah. ( Dn 4:1-18 ) Daniel interprets his dream. ( Dn 4:19-27 ) The fulfilment of it. ( Dn 4:28-37 )

Daniel 5. Belshazzar's impious feast; the hand-writing on the wall. ( Dn 5:1-9 ) Daniel is sent for to interpret it. ( Dn 5:10-17 ) Daniel warns the king of his destruction. ( Dn 5:18-31 )

Daniel 6. The malice of Daniel's enemies. ( Dn 6:1-5 ) His constancy in prayer. ( Dn 6:6-10 ) He is cast into the lion's den. ( Dn 6:11-17 ) His miraculous preservation. ( Dn 6:18-24 ) The decree of Darius. ( Dn 6:25-28 )

Daniel 7. Daniel's vision of the four beasts. ( Dn 7:1-8 ) and of Christ's kingdom. ( Dn 7:9-14 ) The interpretation. ( Dn 7:15-28 )

Daniel 8. Daniel's vision of the ram and the he-goat. ( Dn 8:1-14 ) The interpretation of it. ( Dn 8:15-27 )

Daniel 9. Daniel considers the time of the captivity. ( Dn 9:1-3 ) His confession of sin, and prayer. ( Dn 9:4-19 ) The revelation concerning the coming of the Messiah. ( Dn 9:20-27 )

Daniel 10. Daniel's vision near the river Hiddekel. ( Dn 10:1-9 ) He is to expect a discovery of future events. ( Dn 10:10-21 )

Daniel 11. The vision of the Scriptures of truth.

Daniel 12. The conclusion of the vision of the Scriptures of truth. ( Dn 12:1-4 ) The times of the continuance of these events. ( Dn 12:5-13 )