Daniel Textual Criticism (Historical Arguments)

Liberal Comment

Conservative Explanation

1

The placement of the book of Daniel in the Hebrew canon. Daniel is not placed among the prophets, but in the miscellaneous writings called the Hagiographa. It is believed that the division called the prophets was formed before the Hagiographa. If the book of Daniel existed at the time of the formation of the "Prophets", Daniel would have been included.

• The Jews did not regard the "Other Writings" as less sacred than the "Prophets."

Jewish Canon

Law (Torah)

Prophets

Other Writings

Former

Latter

• Deuteronomy

• Kings

• "The Twelve"

• Chronicles

2

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim (Da.1:1f). There is no mention of this in the book of Kings.

But 2 kings 24:1 says that in Jehoiakin’s days Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem.

3

Jeremiah, in the following year, in Chapter 25 speaks of the Chaldeans as not yet seen in Judah.

70 years was the duration of "servitude" to Babylon (Je.27:6-17; 28:14; 29:10). Another distinct judgment of 70 years called "desolation" was decreed during Zedekiah’s reign. This second one was foretold in the 4^th year of Jehoiakim which was a year after the servitude began (Je.25:1,11). There were 3 different eras concurrent with each other, and were spoken of as "the captivity."

Servitude

Captivity

Desolation

• Ended by the decree of Cyrus (536 BC).

• Ended

• Ended the 2^nd year of Darius Hystaspes (70 year period, 519 BC).

4

The Apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus ends with Praise to famous men of Israel. This list does not include Daniel (Ecclesiasticus 44; 49:6-16).

• This is simply an argument from silence.

5

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim (Da.1:1f). There is no mention of this in the Book of Kings.

2 Kings 24:1 says that in Jehoiakim’s days Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem.

6

The Book of Daniel was probably written around the time of the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes (167-168 BC).

• If Daniel was written around or after Antiochus Epiphanes, how could it be quoted in the Apocryphal book of Maccabees (1 Macc.2:60, the dying words of old Mattathias; also see 1:54). This statement is simply made because the events described in the Bible are too accurate for the skeptics.

7

Daniel 9:2 says that Daniel understood by "the books" (Jeremiah 25:11-12) the number of years Jerusalem will lie waste. But there was no collection of sacred "books" until later than the supposed date of Daniel.

• The word for "books" simply means a scroll or letter. It could also mean a book. Jeremiah 29:1 is the same word and means a letter. In Jeremiah 36:1-2 reference is made to the prophecies of Jeremiah as a book.

A further note is that Daniel 9:26 predicts the destruction of the temple, hundreds of years before it took place in 70 AD.