6:10 When Daniel realized 7 that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows 8 in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. 9 Three 10 times daily he was 11 kneeling 12 and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.
“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever. 13
1 tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).
2 tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships.
3 tn Or “taken.”
4 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
5 sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.
6 tn Aram “prays a prayer.”
7 tn Aram “knew.”
8 sn In later rabbinic thought this verse was sometimes cited as a proof text for the notion that one should pray only in a house with windows. See b. Berakhot 34b.
9 map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
10 sn This is apparently the only specific mention in the OT of prayer being regularly offered three times a day. The practice was probably not unique to Daniel, however.
11 tc Read with several medieval Hebrew
12 tn Aram “kneeling on his knees” (so NASB).
sn No specific posture for offering prayers is prescribed in the OT. Kneeling, as here, and standing were both practiced.
13 tn Aram “until the end.”