The Historical Background of Dani’el
The book of Dani’el contains eight important dates (1:1 and 21; 2:1; 5:30; 7:1; 8:1; 9:1; 10:1). The earlies date refers to the third year of Jehoiakim (see the commentary on Jeremiah Ca – Jehoiakim Ruled For 11 Years from 609/608 to 598 BC), and reports the first Babylonian invasion of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar (1:1). This means Dani’el was among the first of the Hebrews taken captive by the Babylonians and deported to Mesopotamia, a fact that has significance for his later prayer (9:2-3). The latest date places Dani’el in the Persian royal court during the third year of the Persian king Cyrus (10:1). This means the historical setting for Dani’el is the Babylonian exile in the royal courts of Babylon, Median, and Persian kings between 605 and 536 BC.
The dated portions of Dani’el are as follows:
1:1 the third year of King Jehoiakim of Judah 609/608 BC
1:21 the first year of King Cyrus of Persia 539 BC
2:1 the second year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia 604 or 603 BC
5:30 the last year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia/first year of Darius the Mede 539 BC
7:1 the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia 553 BC
8:1 the third year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia 551 BC
9:1 the first year of Darius the Mede 539 BC
10:1 the third year of King Cyrus of Persia 537 or 536 BC
King Josiah of Judah died in battle near Megiddo (see Jeremiah Ai – Josiah Ruled For 31 Years from 640 to 609 BC). Perhaps obligations to the Babylonians motivated his attempt to intercept the Egyptian forces of Pharaoh Neco en route to Carchemish (Second Kings 23:29). Josiah was the last reformer and “good” king of Judah, and his death triggered the rapid decline of the southern Hebrew monarchy. The last twenty-plus years of the southern kingdom of Judah saw four kings ascend to the throne.
Jehoahaz Ruled For 3 Months in 609 BC
Jehoiakim Ruled For 11 Years from 609 to 598 BC
Jehoiachin Ruled For 3 Months in 598 BC
Zedekiah Ruled For 11 Years from 597 to 586 BC
After Josiah died in battle, the people then chose Jehoahaz, Josiah’s fourth son, who was only 23 years old, as the new king of Judah (see Jeremiah Bm – Jehoahaz Ruled For 3 Months in 609 BC). When Pharaoh Neco II of Egypt assumed control of the Israelite territories, he set up headquarters at Riblah. Necho II then called Jehoahaz to meet him there, but removed him from the throne and sent him in chains back to Egypt (Second Kings 23:31-35; Second Chronicles 36:1-4). Then, Jehoiakim was installed by Pharaoh Neco II (Second Kings 23:34). He later surrendered to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, but rebelled three years later (see Jeremiah Ca – Jehoiakim Ruled For 11 Years from 609/608 to 598 BC). Nebuchadnezzar was unable to resume his military campaigns in Isra’el until 598 BC, but then moved swiftly to punish the disloyal king. By the time Nebuchadnezzar reached Jerusalem, Jehoiakim had died and Jehoiachin succeeded him as king of Judah (see Jeremiah Du – Jehoiachin Ruled For 3 Months in 598 BC). As a result of the second Babylonian invasion of Judah, Jehoiachin was deposed and exiled along with ten thousand of the best and brightest of Jerusalem, including Ezeki’el (see Jeremiah Gt – In the 37th Year, Jehoiachin Released from Prison).
Zedekiah was installed by Nebuchadnezzar as a puppet king of Babylonia after the exile of Jehoiachin (see Jeremiah Dz – Zedekiah Ruled For 11 Years from 598/597 to 586 BC). Zedekiah foolishly rebelled against the Babylonian overlord and allied Judah with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt in 589 BC. The third Babylonian invasion of Judah was swift and decisive. Nebuchadnezzar surrounded Jerusalem in 588 BC, and after a lengthy siege the city was sacked, ADONAI’s Temple was destroyed (see Jeremiah Gb – The Destruction of Solomon’s Temple on Tisha B’Av in 586 BC), and the Davidic kingship ceased, awaiting the return of the Messiah (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah).7
Suggested Timeline for Dani’el:
605 BC Jerusalem taken by Nebuchadnezzar,
Dani’el and his three friends taken to Babylon
602 BC Dani’el and his friends complete their three years of training,
Nebuchadnezzar has his dream and Dani’el interprets it (Dani’el 2)
586 BC Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed by the Babylonians
(see the commentary on Jeremiah Ga – The Fall of Jerusalem)
539 BC Belshazzar’s feast (Dani’el 5)
Cyrus, king of Persia, conquers Babylon and reigns until 530 BC
538 BC Cyrus decrees that the Jews can return to Judah and rebuild the Temple
(see Ezra-Nehemiah Ah – Cyrus Decrees: Rebuild the Temple)
537 BC About 50,000 Jews returned, led by Sheshbatzar and Zerubbabel
(see Ezra-Nehemiah Ag – The First Return)
Dani’el had his prophetic vision about the end times (10:1 to 12:13)
458 BC About 2,000 Jews returned, led by Ezra the teacher of Isra’el,
purifying of the people by the reading of Deuteronomy
(see Ezra-Nehemiah Bf – The Second Return)
445 BC A small group returned, led by Nehemiah
(see Ezra-Nehemiah Bt – The Third Return)
The walls around Jerusalem were completed.
432 BC Nehemiah returned to Tziyon and final enacted his final reforms.
Leave A Comment