¹ sn The Persian king Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon was 539 B.C. Daniel actually lived beyond the first year of Cyrus, as is clear from 10:1. The purpose of the statement in 1:21 is merely to say that Daniel’s life spanned the entire period of the neo-Babylonian empire. His life span also included the early years of the Persian control of Babylon. However, by that time his age was quite advanced; he probably died sometime in the 530’s B.C.

² tn Various suggestions have been made concerning the plural “we.” It is probably the editorial plural and could be translated here as “I.”

³ tn Aram “his visage altered upon him.” So also in v. 10.

⁴ tn Aram “king of the Chaldeans.”

⁵ sn The year was 539 B.C. At this time Daniel would have been approximately eighty-one years old. The relevant extra-biblical records describing the fall of Babylon include portions of Herodotus, Xenophon, Berossus (cited in Josephus), the Cyrus Cylinder, and the Babylonian Chronicle.

⁶ sn The powerful king mentioned here is Alexander the Great (ca. 336-323 B.C.).