The book of Ezekiel mentions the name Daniel three times. I
was recently asked if I could clarify the chronology to explain how those to
whom Ezekiel was prophesying would know about Daniel since Daniel is younger
than Ezekiel. I commend the brother for paying such close attention to his
biblical timelines! In this article, I will attempt to briefly examine the major
issues around Ezekiel’s reference and explain why I think this is a reference
to the prophet Daniel.
The question has long been debated by critical scholars. The
traditional view is that Ezekiel’s Daniel is the same person as the prophet
Daniel who was his younger contemporary. Critical scholars, however, often raise
several arguments against the traditional view.[1]
First, they doubt the younger Daniel could have gained a sufficient reputation
to be named by the older prophet, especially along with Job and Noah.
They also point out that the spelling of the name in Ezekiel דנאל (dn'l or Danel) is
different from the spelling used elsewhere to refer to the prophet Daniel דניאל (dny'l or Daniel).
Historically, those who rejected the traditional view often argued that the
reference was to a mythic figure of the same name.[2]
In the 1930’s, however, scholars began translating ancient Canaanite texts and
the argument that Danel was a mythic figure became strengthened because one of
the ancient tales from Ugarit, known as the Tale
of Aqhat features a wise man named Danel. This discovery of an ancient
Canaanite “hero” using the same name led to a general consensus among critical
scholars that this was the probable background for Ezekiel’s reference.
First, let us take a look at the actual references. The
first two occur in the 14th chapter of Ezekiel, both within the
context of the coming judgment of God:
“…even if these three men, Noah, Daniel,
and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their
righteousness, declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 14:14 ESV)
“…even if Noah, Daniel, and Job
were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son
nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.”
(Ezekiel 14:20 ESV)
In both of these cases, Daniel is pointed out for his
righteousness alongside Noah and Job. The point is that even the intercession
of these righteous men would not be enough to restrain God’s judgment. In this
context Daniel is an example of the highest standard of righteousness.
The next reference to Daniel comes in chapter 28 within the
context of God’s oracle of coming judgment against the King of Tyre:
“…you are indeed wiser than Daniel;
no secret is hidden from you;” (Ezekiel 28:3 ESV)
The reference here is God mockingly judging the king for his
pride and arrogance with Daniel as an example of a very wise man.
The first question we will address is the spelling
difference. Spelling variations are common in the Old Testament and are not by
themselves significant. In this case, the un-pointed Hebrew names are exactly the
same and even most critical scholars accept that the names may have both been
pronounced Daniel. The spelling variation is therefore interesting, but
inconclusive. What makes this argument interesting is the reference to the
Canaanite figure of the same name, to which we will return shortly.
Second, we must answer is how likely is it that Ezekiel and
his audience would have known about Daniel as an example of righteousness and
wisdom? This is further complicated by the third reference because in order for
those who received Ezekiel’s prophesy to understand the reference, the fame of
Daniel had to have spread beyond the Jewish community. Would Daniel be famous
enough to be mentioned in the same category as Job and Noah, and to be
considered an example of wisdom at such a young age to both Jews and non-Jews? While
admittedly remarkable, it is not impossible.
Daniel would have likely been no older than his early 30’s
when Ezekiel was called but was already in Babylon for over a decade. Daniel
was taken captive in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim’s reign (Dan. 1:1-6).
Jehoiakim reigned for 11 years, then his son, Jehoiachin replaced him and
reigned for 3 months before being exiled (2 Kings 24:8[3]).
Ezekiel begins his prophetic ministry in the 5th year of
Jehoiachin’s exile. Therefore, Daniel would have been in Babylon for 12 or 13
years when Ezekiel was called. It is possible that another 10 to 20 years may
have passed before this specific prophesy was given.
Therefore, although Daniel is younger than Ezekiel it is
reasonable that his reputation may have spread by the time Ezekiel is active. The
first two chapters of the book of Daniel indicate that Daniel became an
important advisor in the court of Nebuchadnezzar very soon after arriving in
Babylon and may very well have been famous after only being there a couple of
years. The early events of his life, if well known, would have made him
famous for precisely the attributes mentioned by Ezekiel, namely his piety and
his wisdom, specifically the wisdom to see secret or hidden things (Dan.
2:27-28).
Those arguing for a non-biblical Daniel sometimes point out
that neither Noah nor Job are Jewish and argue the inclusion of a famously wise
Canaanite would better fit with the other examples. They also submit that a
Canaanite reference makes more sense in an oracle to Tyre than does a Jewish
prophet. These arguments, however, are not very strong. Although Daniel is
Jewish, he is an example of faithfulness lived out in a pagan context and thus
complements the others because all three are examples of righteous men who did
not live in the Promised Land. It is also not clear that Ezekiel intends any
particular significance to the selection of his examples beyond their
usefulness as examples of righteousness.
The most persuasive argument to my mind, however, is the
overall context of the Ezekiel references. While the Tale of Aqhat depicts the Canaanite Danel as wise, he is not
presented as an outstanding example of righteousness. Noah and Job are not
Jewish but both worship Yahweh. The Canaanite hero Danel is a polytheist and an
idol worshiper. H. H. P. Dressler makes the point clear that it simply makes no
sense for Ezekiel to appeal to an idolater who worships false Gods as an
example to encourage his people to forsake idolatry. Rather, Daniel is a
perfect example of godly wisdom in contrast to the idolatry and false wisdom of
Ezekiel’s audience.
Ezekiel’s references to Daniel are not without some
difficulty but they involve no logical inconsistency. The most natural reading
and the best interpretation, in my opinion, is that by the time Ezekiel is
writing the prophet Daniel is already well known for his righteousness and
wisdom. When we consider the things the Lord did through him, it is not all
that surprising that his reputation would have spread quickly. I suspect the
strongest underlying motive of many critical scholars in rejecting the prophet
Daniel as the reference is because if Ezekiel’s is talking about Daniel he helps
establish the early date of the book of Daniel. That would involve recognizing the
supernatural element in Daniel’s prophecies, something that most critical
scholars are not eager to accept.
[1] The actual critical arguments (and
the responses to them) are rather sophisticated. My goal here is to give the
general idea. For those who are interested in a more thorough review of the
issue I recommend the Bible.org article by Dan Wallace as a good place to
start: https://bible.org/article/who-ezekiels-daniel
[2]
Part of the reason why many were reluctant to accept this as a reference to biblical
Daniel is because they insisted the book of Daniel was actually written much
later.
[3] 2
Kings recounts that Jehoiachin is 18 years old at the time he becomes king but
2 Chronicles records him as being 8 but both confirm that he reigned around 3
months. The discrepancy is possibly a copyist error, the 18 year figure seems
more likely given the events in the text although some have argued that both
are correct based on possible regency years, etc.
