Daniel.
Daniel.
§ 155. Daniel, 
, “the judgment of God” or “judged by God.” If what the rabbinic scholars say here and there about Daniel’s prophecy is true, it was taken into the canon after the Babylonian captivity but not without some hesitation. After it could not be excluded, however, it was thrown back into the last class of writings of the Old Testament. The Hebrews put Daniel among the 
, or holy writings, and they argue at great length whether one ought to include his prophecy among the immediate works of the Holy Spirit or ascribe it to the common and ordinary gift of prophecy. Regarding this matter, one can look at Rabbi Samuel Valerius (introduction to his commentary on Daniel) and Rabbi Joseph Albo (Fundam., bk. 3, c. 10). On the other hand, Galatinus (De arcan., bk. 4, c. 14) correctly advises that we must consider him a prophet. In Dan. 9:23 and 10:11 he is called 
, “a man of desirable things,” so to him may be attributed a name in proportion to the subject matter that was revealed in him. He is also called “a man most desired,” to show that he is especially dear to God. Jerome (Epistle ad Paulin.) calls him “the polyhistor [“very learned man”] of the whole world.” Epiphanius mentions that his father was called Sabaea (Haeres. 55).
** The first part of the book—that is, from the beginning to those words of c. 2: “The Chaldeans said to the king of Syria,” etc.—is told in Hebrew. The second part, which runs from there to the vision of Belshazzar’s third year (that is, to the end of c. 7), is written in Hebrew letters but is written in Syriac, that is, in Chaldaic. The third part, to the end of c. 12, is again written in Hebrew. **
It consists of twelve chapters, the first six of which contain historical material; the latter six, prophetic.