My Notes on Daniel 9:4b-10

Dan 9:4  And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I made my confession, and said: I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments.

Daniel has been pondering the meaning of the prophecies of Jeremiah that seventy years should be accomplished of the desolation of Jerusalem (verse 2. See also Jer 25:11, Jer 29:10). As he does so, or, perhaps as a consequence of his pondering, he set his face to the Lord,…to pray and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes (verse 3). Although it is often said that Daniel in his prayer was seeking enlightenment regarding the prophecy, there is, in fact, nothing in the text to suggest this. Rather, having engaged in the penitential practices of fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes, he undertakes to acknowledge the guilt of his people.

Daniel’s prayer opens in a fashion similar to that found in Nehemiah 1:5.

O Lord God, great and terrible. Terrible (והנורא), used of a person who (or thing which) should be reverenced, respected, etc., because of position, authority, holiness, etc., used of parents (lev 19:3); Joshua as leader of the people (Josh 4:14); the Sanctuary(Lev 19:30); a solemn oath (1 Sam 14:26). Used often of the Holy God who has the power and authority to avenge and punish wrong (Exodus 1:17; Lev 19:4; Lev 19:32). St Jerome: “That is, Thou art terrible towards those who despise Thine injunctions” (Commentary on Daniel).

who keepest the covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, &c. The foundation upon which we pray is God’s faithfulness. He not only is the one who keepest the covenant-accomplishing both the promised blessings for fidelity and the promised curses for transgression (Deut 28)-but, he is also one who shows mercy towards those who seek to reconcile with him, for this too was a part of his covenant.  To such who seek him he enables them to love him again (Deut 30:1-6).

Daniel’s prayer, like that of Nehemiah’s, is one of repentance on behalf of the people. Thus Daniel prays in verse 9~To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him. And he finishes his prayer with these words: O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name (verses 18-19).

Dan 9:5  We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thy commandments, and thy judgments.

We have sinned. Hebrew,  חטאנו, “missed the target.” The term originally referred to an errant arrow, something both useless and dangerous. Like a faulty, bent arrow (see note on “iniquity”) they have gone astray from the point at which they had been aimed by God.

We have committed iniquity.  ועוינו, to bend, twist, distort.

We have done wickedly. והרשׁענו. The word originally referred to the making of loud, disturbing noises and is-so it appears to me at least-often associated with restlessness and lack of contentment (“we’ve acted like drunken, boorish men whom the bartender has just cut off”).  Perhaps underlying this basic meaning of the word are the thoughts expressed later in the prayer: for we have not hearkened to his voice….we have sinned, we have committed wickedness רשׁענו׃ (Dan 9:14-15). Their cacophony of wickedness has drowned out the voice of the Lord.

And have revolted.  ומרדנו, rebelled. The word appears again in verse 9. The rebellion in question here is probably either false worship of God or outright idolatry (see Josh 22:16-20), or hardness of heart in general (Ezekiel 2:3-8).

And we have gone aside. וסור, “We have turned off from thy commands,” &c. The word often has the sense of turning (or not turning) aside from worship (1 Sam 12:20; 2 Kings 10:29; Ezekiel 6:9). Here, obviously, the people have turned aside from God’s commandments and judgements in general, embracing idolatry, false worship, and many other things besides.

Dan 9:6  We have not hearkened to thy servants, the prophets, that have spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Ultimately, failure to heed the prophets was what led to the downfall and exile of the people, for prophets are usually the last God-given line of defense (2 Chron 36:15-21; Jer 7:25-29; Baruch 1:19-22).

Dan 9:7  To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, to them that are near, and to them that are far off, in all the countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities, by which they have sinned against thee.
Dan 9:8  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our princes, and to our fathers, that have sinned.

To thee, O Lord, Justice.St Jerome: “It is of course just that we suffer what we deserve” (Commentary on Daniel).

God’s dealings with His people, including his punishment by exile, have been acts of justice. In contrast the people are suffering confusion of face (ולנו  בשׁת הפנים), i.e., a look of shame is upon their faces brought about by guilt (Jer 7:19; Ps 44:16) . This shame incorporates all, from the few left behind in Juda and Jerusalem at the time of the exile, to all Israel exiled far and near.

Dan 9:9  But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have departed from thee:

But to thee, the Lord our God, (belongeth) mercy and forgiveness. Obviously connects with the previous two verses. The prayer began in verse 4 with a reference to God’s mercy and forgiveness, and the focus was on confession and acknowledgement of sin. But beginning in verse 11 the prayer is going to turn and focus more upon the divine punishment the sin has merited, and so it is fitting that as the first part concludes and the second part begins, the author would turn once again to the mercy and forgiveness of God.

Dan 9:10  And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, our God, to walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants, the prophets.

See above on verse 6. In what follows there is going to be an emphasis on God’s voice and speech as it manifested itself in the law (verses 11 and 13) and the prophets (verse 12, calling to mind verse 6)

 

St Jerome’s Commentary on Daniel 2:31-45

Text in red are my notations.

Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood before thee, and the look thereof was terrible.

Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue. (B) Instead of “statue,” that is a sculptured effigy, the only rendering used by Symmachus, others have translated it as “image,” intending by this term to indicate a resemblance to future events. Let us go through the prophetic interpretation, and as we translate Daniel’s words (C), let us explain at some length the matters which he briefly states.

The Hebrew word  צלם, and the Greek εἰκών (statue) can also refer to something transitory, a “shadow” or “phantom”. In Psalm 39:6 the RSV reads: Surely man goes about as a shadow, and the NAB, which verse numbering differs slightly from the RSV reads: Man goes about as a mere phantom. In Psalm 73:20 the word usage is reversed, with the RSV employing “phantom,” and the NAB using “shadow.” Perhaps this second meaning which can be given to the word statue hints at the ease with which it will be destroyed.

Dan 2:32  The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass.
Dan 2:33  And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay.

Many ancient people believed that world history could be divided up into four different periods, each less glorious than the former. It was common to associate  these periods with metals of decreasing value. Daniel appears to be taking advantage of that symbolism here. Hhe metals symbolize four kingdoms, each new one being inferior to its predecessor: For the fashion of this world passeth away (1 Cor 7:31).  

Part of iron, part of clay. Inherently weak. It would be better to render “clay” as tile. Probably the feet had been formed with baked clay (tile) and then covered with iron (see Daniel 14:7).

Dan 2:34  Thus thou sawest, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer’s threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Dan 2:36  This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof before thee, O king.
Dan 2:37  Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory:
Dan 2:38  And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head of gold.

The high, tall, terrible (better, “frightful”) looking statue of verse 31 is seen to be nothing when a stone cut out of a mountain without hands strikes its feet (vs 34), effectively bring it down and destroying the other parts of it. So devastating is the effect that the various metals become like chaff on a threshing floor, blown about by the wind (vs 35). An image of divine judgment (chaff~see Hosea 13:2-3; Matt 3:12. Wind~Psalm 18:42; Psalm 48:7; Hosea 13:15).

After telling the king what his dream was, Daniel goes on to tell him that he will interpret it form him (vs 36).  At the outset it is made clear that all that the King of Babylon has is the result of its being received from God (vs 37).

“Thou, therefore, art the head of gold” (vs 38).  “The head of gold,” he says “is thou, O king.” By this statement it is clear that the first empire, the Babylonian, is compared to the most precious metal, gold. |32

Dan 2:39  And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.

Verse 39. “And after thee shall rise up another kingdom inferior to thee, of silver.”  That is to say, the empire of the Medes and Persians, which bears a resemblance to silver, being inferior to the preceding empire, and superior to that which is to follow.

“And a third empire of brass, which shall rule over all the world.” This signifies the Alexandrian empire, and that of (p. 504) the Macedonians, and of Alexander’s successors. Now this is properly termed brazen, for among all the metals bronze possesses an outstanding resonance and a clear ring, and the blast of a brazen trumpet is heard far and wide, (634) so that it signifies not only the fame and power of the empire but also the eloquence of the Greek language.

Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all these.
Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all these.
Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay.
Dan 2:42  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.

Now the fourth empire, which clearly refers to the Romans, is the iron empire which breaks in pieces and overcomes all others. But its feet and toes are partly of iron and partly of earthenware, a fact most clearly demonstrated at the present time. For just as there was at the first nothing stronger or hardier than the Roman realm, so also in these last days there is nothing more feeble (D), since we require the assistance of barbarian tribes both in our civil wars and against foreign nations. However, at the final period of all these empires of gold and silver and bronze and iron, a rock (namely, the Lord and Savior) was cut off without hands, that is, without copulation or human seed and by birth from a virgin’s womb; and after all the empires had been crushed, He became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This last the Jews and the impious Porphyry apply to the people of Israel, who they insist will be the strongest power at the end of the ages, and will crush all realms and will rule forever.

Almost no modern scholar accepts Jerome’s interpretation of the fourth kingdom as Rome. Most scholars think the kingdoms are as follows: 1. Babylonian (gold); 2. Median (silver); 3. Persian (bronze, sometimes translated as “brass”); 4. Hellenistic, i.e., Greek (iron and clay). This view is not without its problems. One should consult various commentaries.

Dan 2:44  But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never by destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever.

See Matt 21:43-44 and Luke 20:18.

Dan 2:45  According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof is faithful.

Daniel again asserts that the revelation of the dream is not a matter of personal merit, but has been granted for the purpose of making the interpretation manifest to the king and of teaching the king that God alone is to be worshipped. (source)

Pope John Paul II’s Commentary/Meditation on Daniel 3:52-57

Canticle of the Three Young Men, Daniel 3,52-57
Canticle uses language of Love

1. The canticle we have just heard is the first part of a long and beautiful hymn that is found in the Greek version of the Book of Daniel. It is sung by three young Hebrew men who were thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the statue of the Babylonian King Nabuchodonosor. Another part of the same hymn is found in the Liturgy of the Hours for Sunday Lauds in the first and third weeks of the liturgical psalter.

As is known, the Book of Daniel reflects the ferments, hopes and apocalyptic expectations of the Chosen People, who in the era of the Maccabeans (2nd century B.C.) were struggling to live according to the Law given by God.

From the furnace, the three young men, miraculously preserved from the flames, sing a hymn of praise addressed to God. The hymn is like a litany, at once repetitive in the form of the verses and new with each verse:  the invocations rise to God like billowing incense that glides through the air in similar but unique clouds. Prayer does not eschew repetition, just as the lover, who wants to express his love repeats his love over and over again. To emphasize the same things conveys the intensity and multiple nuances of one’s interior feelings and affections.

2. We heard the beginning of the cosmic hymn of the third chapter of Daniel, in verses 52-57. It is the introduction that precedes the grandiose parade of the creatures engaged in the work of praise. An overall view of the entire canticle, as an extended litany, makes us discover a succession of components that make up the theme of the hymn. It begins with six invocations spoken directly to God; they contain a universal appeal to “all you works of the Lord” to open their lips so ideal for praising God (cf. verse 57).

This is the part that we consider today and that the Liturgy proposes for Lauds of Sunday of the second week. Later on, the canticle will be prolonged by summoning all the creatures of heaven and earth to praise and magnify their Lord.

3. Our initial passage will be taken up again by the Liturgy at Lauds of the Sunday of the fourth week. We will now choose only a few elements for our reflection. The first is the invitation to blessing:  “Blessed are you…” that at the end will become “Bless the Lord…!”.

In the Bible there are two forms of blessing, which are intertwined. There is, first of all, the blessing that comes down from God:  the Lord blesses his people (cf. Nm 6,24-27). It is an effective blessing, source of fruitfulness, happiness and prosperity. Then there is the blessing that earth lifts towards heaven. The human person who receives so many blessings from the divine generosity, blesses God, praising, thanking and exalting him:  “Bless the Lord, my soul!” (Ps 102 [103],1;103 [104],1).

Priests often mediate the divine blessing (cf. Num 6,22-23.27; Sir 50,20-21) through the imposition of hands; human blessing is expressed in the liturgical hymn that rises to the Lord from the congregation of the faithful.

4. The antiphon is another element we should consider in the passage that we are reflecting on. We can imagine the soloist, in the crowded temple, intoning the blessing:  “Blessed are you, Lord…”, recounting God’s wonderful deeds while the congregation of the faithful continuously repeats the formula:  “praiseworthy and glorious above all forever”. It is what happened with Psalm 135 [136], the “great Hallel“, the great praise, where the people repeat “His mercy endures forever”, while a soloist enumerated the various acts of salvation that the Lord wrought in favour of his people.

In our Psalm, the object of praise is above all the “glorious and holy” name of God, whose proclamation resounds in the temple, which is also “holy and glorious”. When they contemplate in faith God who is seated on “the throne of his kingdom” the priests and the people are conscious of being the object of his gaze which “penetrates the abysses” and this awareness calls forth from their hearts the praise:  “Blessed … blessed …”. God, who “sits upon the cherubim” and has for his dwelling the “firmament of the heavens”, is also close to his people who, for this reason, feel protected and safe.

5. When proposing this canticle afresh for use on Sunday morning, the weekly Easter of Christians, the Church is inviting us to open our eyes to the new creation which has its beginning with the resurrection of Jesus. Gregory of Nyssa, a fourth century Greek Father of the Church, explains that with the Passover [Easter] of the Lord a “new heavens and new earth are created … a different, renewed man comes into being in the image of his Creator by means of the birth from on high” (cf. Jn 3,3-7). And he continues:  “As the one who looks toward the sensible world deduces from visible things the invisible beauty … so the one who looks toward this new world of the ecclesial creation sees in it him who became everything in everyone, leading the mind by the hand, by means of the things that are understandable for our rational nature, toward that which goes beyond human comprehension” (Langerbeck H., Gregorii Nysseni Opera, VI, 1-22 passim, p. 385).

Thus in singing this canticle, the Christian believer is invited to contemplate the world of the first creation, intuiting the outline of the second, inaugurated with the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And this contemplation leads all by the hand to enter into the one Church of Christ almost dancing with joy.

My Notes on Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20

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I’ve included a brief suggested reading list at the end of this post.

These notes are accompanied by the text of the Revised Standard Version. Links to texts in my notes are to the New Revised Standard Version. Both are under copyright. My use of the RSV is in accord with the copyright holders policy: The [New] Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows:

“Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

The opening chapter of Daniel sets the stage for much of the book, especially the the stories of chapters 2-6. We learn of his relation to the three young men (1:6-7) and of his importance and standing in the royal court.

 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

See 2 Kings 23:36-24:2.

2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.

And the Lord Gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. The reason for this is given in 2 Kings 2:24:3-4~Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon.  Concerning the reign of Manasseh see 2 Kings 21:1-18. Johoikim himself, like Manasseh, did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done (2 Kings 23:37).

And (Nebuchadnezzar) placed the vessels (from the Jerusalem Temple) in the treasury of his god. The vessels were used in  the worship of the Lord which took place in the Jerusalem Temple. By placing them in the temple of his own god, Nebuchadnezzar is indicating that his god was victorious over the Lord. A similar situation took place when the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant and placed it in the temple of Dagon, their god. Just as that event would have dire consequences for the Philistines (1 Sam 5:1-12), so too the desecration of these vessels would have dire consequences for the Babylonians (Dan 5:1-30). Both the Philistines and the Babylonians were  instruments of punishment God used to chastise his people. Their victories were given them by the God of Israel, not by their own gods, and, as a consequence, their arrogance in attributing these victories to their own deities is punished. A similar fate also befell the Assyrians (Isaiah 10:5-27)

3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,
4 youths without blemish, handsome and skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to serve in the king’s palace, and to teach them the letters and language of the Chaldeans.
5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the rich food which the king ate, and of the wine which he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.
 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

These verses introduce us to Daniel and the three youths who will figure prominently in chapter 3. They, along with others from royal and noble families, were to be brought into the service of the Babylonian king. The Prophet Jeremiah had told the people to serve the King of Babylon as God had decreed (Jer 27); he even sent a letter to the first exiles with this exhortation: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jer 29:4-7). But this raised some obvious issues, such as how one could maintain fidelity to the Mosaic dietary laws if one was being fed food and wine from the table of a pagan king (verse 5).

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s rich food, or with the wine which he drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs;
10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So you would endanger my head with the king.”

Daniel’s dilemma is caused by the fact that the meat and drink on the king’s table might first have been offered to his gods, or, the meat could have been prepared on wood taken from groves dedicated to the gods. See Tobit 1:10-12; Hosea 9:3-4). Note that in verse 9 God is said to give Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs (i.e., Ashpenaz, named in verse 3), and that this is closely associated with his refusal to eat from the king’s table in verse 8.

11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s rich food be observed by you, and according to what you see deal with your servants.”
14 So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s rich food.
16 So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

Unable to convince Ashpenaz to allow him not to be defiled by eating the king’s food, Daniel approaches the steward whom Ashpenaz, the chief of the eunuchs, had appointed over Daniel and his companions. To this man he proposes a test of ten days duration, asking that he and his companions be given only vegetables and water for sustenance. The man concedes to this request and, after the ten day test period, the young men are found to be in better physical condition than those fed on the king’s fare. Thus the steward takes away the king’s food (i.e., no longer bringing it to the table of the youths).

A period of ten day’s spiritual testing is common in apocalyptic literature (Rev 2:10; Book of Jubilees 19:8; the Joseph section of the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs).

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood before the king. 

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom (vs 17). This recalls verse 9 where God gave Daniel (and, by implication, his companions) favor. The effect of this favor of learning and skill in all letters and wisdom is seen in verse 19: the king spoke with them (all the youths mentioned in verse 3), and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood before the king.

20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

Sets the stage for chapters 2-6, especially in relation to the interpretation of the king’s dreams by Daniel.

Suggested Resources on Daniel: Not to be construed as an endorsement of any authors’ interpretation or opinions. The first two resources are available online for free. The rest are books which can be ordered online.

Free. Jerome’s Commentary on Daniel. Links below. A paperback volume can be ordered online (see the last resource).

• Preface to the online edition
• Introduction, Preface
• Commentary on Daniel
• Migne’s notes

Free. The Church and the Mystery of Pentecost. Audio lecture by Dr. Brant Pitre.  Goes into the text of Daniel in some detail.

The Navarre Bible: The Major Prophets.  Text and commentary on Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. Both informative and devotional.

New Collegeville Bible Commentary: Ezekiel and Daniel. Very basic.

Daniel (Forms of Old Testament Literature Series). By John J. Collins. A brief volume of slightly more than one hundred pages. Not a commentary, rather, it presents a form-critical analysis of the book and includes an introduction to apocalyptic literature. If you don’t know what for-critical analysis means, this is not the book for you.

Daniel (Hermeneia Commentary Series). By John J. Collins. I have yet to read this volume. Hermeneia is a commentary series whose contributors come from a variety of confessions. The author of this volume is Catholic. I am familiar with some books in the series and they are somewhat technical.

Daniel, 1 & 2 Maccabees, With an Excursus on the Apocalyptic Genre (Old Testament Message Series). By John J. Collins. Non-Technical.

The Book of Daniel (The Anchor Yale Bible Commentary Series). By Louis F. Hartman and Alexander A. Di Lella. The authors are Catholic, the series itself is multi-confessional. I’ve not read this volume. I have read others in the series and they range from very simple (e.g., Matthew Peter and Jude) to very complex and technical (Luke, John).

Theodoret of Cyrus’ Commentary on Daniel (Writings from the Greco-Roman World Series). Greek text with English translation by Robert C. Hill.

St Jerome’s Commentary on Daniel. In English, translated by Dr. Gleason Archer from the Migne edition of the Patrologia Latina. Archer was an Evangelical. An free, online edition of the work can be found at the top of this list.