¹ tc Theodotion and the Syriac lack the words “went in and.”

² tn Aram “fell on his face.”

³ tn Aram “in anger and wrath”; NASB “in rage and anger.” The expression is a hendiadys.

⁴ tn The Aramaic infinitive is active.

⁵ tn Aram “these men.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid undue repetition.

⁶ tn Aram “heart.”

⁷ sn The point of describing Nebuchadnezzar as arrogant is that he had usurped divine prerogatives, and because of his immense arrogance God had dealt decisively with him.

⁸ tn The meaning of Aramaic דַּחֲוָה (dakhavah) is a crux interpretum. Suggestions include “music,” “dancing girls,” “concubines,” “table,” “food” – all of which are uncertain. The translation employed here, suggested by earlier scholars, is deliberately vague. A number of recent English versions follow a similar approach with “entertainment” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On this word see further, HALOT 1849-50 s.v.; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 37.

⁹ tn Aram “his sleep fled from him.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “face.”

¹¹ tn The Hebrew phrase translated “Lord God” here is אֲדֹנָי הָאֱלֹהִים (’adonay ha’elohim).

¹² sn When lamenting, ancient Israelites would fast, wear sackcloth, and put ashes on their heads to show their sorrow and contrition.

¹³ sn The king of the south is Ptolemy I Soter (ca. 323-285 B.C.). The following reference to one of his subordinates apparently has in view Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 311-280 B.C.). Throughout the remainder of chap. 11 the expressions “king of the south” and “king of the north” repeatedly occur. It is clear, however, that these terms are being used generically to describe the Ptolemaic king (i.e., “of the south”) or the Seleucid king (i.e., “of the north”) who happens to be in power at any particular time. The specific identity of these kings can be established more or less successfully by a comparison of this chapter with the available extra-biblical records that discuss the history of the intertestamental period. In the following notes the generally accepted identifications are briefly mentioned.

¹⁴ tn Heb “princes.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the subordinate prince mentioned in the previous clause) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁶ tn Heb “be strong against.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “greater than his kingdom.”

¹⁸ tn The preposition מִן (min) is probably temporal here (so BDB 583 s.v. 7.c; cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV), although it could also be understood here as indicating means (so J. Goldingay, Daniel [WBC], 279, n. 23a; cf. TEV, NLT).

¹⁹ tn Heb “nation.”

²⁰ tc The present translation reads יִשָׁטֵף (yishatef, passive) rather than the MT יִשְׁטוֹף (yishtof, active).

²¹ tn Or “Nubians” (NIV, NCV); Heb “Cushites.”

²² tn Heb “Libyans and Cushites [will be] at his footsteps.”

²³ sn Presumably seas refers to the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.