Who was Daniel in the Bible?
Daniel was a faithful exile in Babylon who rose to high office under several pagan kings, was delivered from the lions’ den, and received visions of kingdoms culminating in the eternal reign of the Son of Man.
Carried off to Babylon as a youth, Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food and was given wisdom to interpret dreams, rising to serve under Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius.
When a decree forbade prayer to anyone but the king, Daniel kept praying to God and was thrown to the lions — but God shut their mouths and he emerged unharmed.
His later visions of kingdoms and "one like a Son of Man" reaching the Ancient of Days shape how the Bible thinks about history. Jesus claimed that title for himself, declaring himself Daniel’s long-awaited King.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.