Daniel

The name, which means "God is my judge," seemed to have been a fairly common name, and perhaps as many as five individuals in the Old Testament may be identified by this name.

1. The second of David's sons, born to him by Abigail, the former widow of Nabal of Carmel (1 Chr 3:1). He is also called Kileab in 2 Sam 3:3. He may have died fairly young because nothing else is said about him in the annals of David.

2. The prophet who has left us with the book by his name in the Old Testament. Dan 1:3 suggests that he was born of a noble Judean family, possibly during the time of Josiah. Taken into exile in Babylon along with the royal family in "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah." Daniel was among those selected to for special treatment in preparation for "the king's service" (1:5). The book by his name describes his rise in office in the Babylonian, and eventually Persian, courts, and the visions and dreams that were revealed to him by Yahweh.

3. A wise man mentioned three times by Ezekiel, 14:14; 14:20 & 28:3. Whether Ezekiel had in mind the prophet noted in 2 above or someone else cannot be ascertained. Very like the same individual, mentioned in conjunction with Noah and Job, is intended in 14:14 & 20. Less certain, but likely, the person referred in 28:3 may also be identified with the former individual.

4. An otherwise unknown man, a descendant of Ithamar, the head of a family registered who returned to Judea with Ezra during the reign of King Artaxerxes (Ezr 8:2).

5. An otherwise unknown man, one of princes or Levite or priest, who set their seals to the national covenant that the returnees from exiles made immediately after Ezra's reading of the law (Neh 10:6). Whether this was the same person as 4 above cannot be ascertained.