Daniel 3:1

"Daniel."

Key Reflection

In first-century AD, when this text was likely read aloud to a Jewish community, the opening of Daniel 3 might have caused some confusion, as it begins without the typical introductory phrase that names the book or introduces its content. The audience would recognize "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold" as the start of a narrative about Nebuchadnezzar and his golden statue, but the sudden shift in perspective might have been jarring, drawing attention to the seamless integration of this account into the broader narrative of Daniel.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold -The time when he did this is not mentioned; nor is it stated in whose honor, or for what design, this colossal image was erected. In the Greek and Arabic translationns, this is said to have occurred in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. This is not, however, in the original text, nor is it known on what authority it is asserted. Dean Prideaux (Consex. I. 222) supposes that it was at first some marginal comment on the Greek version that at last crept into the text, and that there was probably some good authority for it.

More from Daniel 3

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