Daniel 1 Study Notes

1:8 The word determined means literally “set upon his heart,” referring to inner resolve. Daniel decided that he would not defile himself with a diet that included non-kosher meat such as horseflesh and pork, or drink wine that had been offered to Babylonian gods.

1:9-14 Only God’s Spirit could have convinced the official to disobey the king even for ten days.

1:15-16 The fact that Daniel and his friends looked better and healthier is not a biblical endorsement of vegetarianism (Gn 9:3). Rather, God in his providence made them healthy and strong.

1:17-19 The ability of Daniel and his friends to excel intellectually was clearly given by God.

1:20 Throughout the book of Daniel, there are six different expressions for the king’s counselors. The first two, used here, are magicians and mediums. The word for “magicians” comes from a root that means “engraver.” It refers to those who engraved Babylonian religious activities and astrological movements of the stars on clay tablets. The word “mediums” means “conjurers.” It refers to those who used spells and incantations to communicate with the spirit world.

1:21 Daniel saw the end of the exile, living until the first year of King Cyrus (539 BC) and even beyond that time (see 10:1, where “third year” dates to 536).