Wendy L. Widder - Daniel

Getting a story is about more than merely enjoying it. It means hearing it, understanding it, and above all, being impacted by it. This commentary series hopes that its readers not only hear and understand the story, but are impacted by it to live in as Christian a way as possible. The editors and contributors set that table very well and open up the biblical story in ways that move us to act with sensitivity and understanding. That makes hearing the story as these authors tell it well worth the time. Well done.

Darrell L. Bock

Dallas Theological Seminary

The Story of God Bible Commentary series invites readers to probe how the message of the text relates to our situations today. Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations.

Craig S. Keener

Asbury Theological Seminary

I love the Story of God Bible Commentary series. It makes the text sing and helps us hear the story afresh.

John Ortberg

Senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

In this promising new series of commentaries, believing biblical scholars bring not only their expertise but their own commitment to Jesus and insights into todays culture to the Scriptures. The result is a commentary series that is anchored in the text but lives and breathes in the world of todays church with its variegated pattern of socioeconomic, ethnic, and national diversity. Pastors, Bible study leaders, and Christians of all types who are looking for a substantive and practical guide through the Scriptures will find these volumes helpful.

Frank Thielman

Beeson Divinity School

The Story of God Bible Commentary series is unique in its approach to exploring the Bible. Its easy-to-use format and practical guidance brings Gods grand story to modern-day life so anyone can understand how it applies today.

Andy Stanley

North Point Ministries

Im a storyteller. Through writing and speaking I talk and teach about understanding the Story of God throughout Scripture and about letting God reveal more of His story as I live it out. Thus I am thrilled to have a commentary series based on the Story of God a commentary that helps me to Listen to the Story, that Explains the Story, and then encourages me to probe how to Live the Story. A perfect tool for helping every follower of Jesus to walk in the story that God is writing for them.

Judy Douglass

Director of Womens Resources, Cru

The Bible is the story of God and his dealings with humanity from creation to new creation. The Bible is made up more of stories than of any other literary genre. Even the psalms, proverbs, prophecies, letters, and the Apocalypse make complete sense only when set in the context of the grand narrative of the entire Bible. This commentary series breaks new ground by taking all these observations seriously. It asks commentators to listen to the text, to explain the text, and to live the text. Some of the material in these sections overlaps with introduction, detailed textual analysis and application, respectively, but only some. The most riveting and valuable part of the commentaries are the stories that can appear in any of these sections, from any part of the globe and any part of church history, illustrating the text in any of these areas. Ideal for preaching and teaching.

Craig L. Blomberg

Denver Seminary

Pastors and lay people will welcome this new series, which seeks to make the message of the Scriptures clear and to guide readers in appropriating biblical texts for life today.

Daniel I. Block

Wheaton College and Graduate School

An extremely valuable, and long overdue series that includes comment on the cultural context of the text, careful exegesis, and guidance on reading the whole Bible as a unity that testifies to Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Graeme Goldsworthy

author of According to Plan

Editorial Board
of
The Story of God Bible Commentary

Old Testament general editor

Tremper Longman III

Old Testament associate editors

George Athas

Mark J. Boda

Myrto Theocharous

New Testament general editor

Scot McKnight

New Testament associate editors

Lynn H. Cohick

Michael F. Bird

Joel L. Willitts

Zondervan Editors

Senior acquisitions editor

Katya Covrett

Senior production editor

Nancy L. Erickson

ZONDERVAN

Daniel

Copyright 2016 by Wendy L. Widder

ePub Edition October 2016: ISBN 978-0-3104-9130-9

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Widder, Wendy, 1968- author.

Title: Daniel / Wendy L. Widder.

Description: Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 2016. | Series: Story of God commentary ; 20 | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016021170 | ISBN 9780310491293 (hardcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. DanielCommentaries.

Classification: LCC BS1555.53 .W53 2016 | DDC 224/.5077dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016021170

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Ron Huizinga

Cover image: iStockphoto

Interior composition: Matthew Van Zomeren

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 /DHV/ 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Emmylou and Dena
Proverbs 17:17

Old Testament series

1 Genesis Tremper Longman III

2 Exodus Christopher J. H. Wright

3 Leviticus Jerry E. Shepherd

4 Numbers Jay A. Sklar

5 Deuteronomy Myrto Theocharous

6 Joshua Lissa M. Wray Beal

7 Judges Athena E. Gorospe

8 Ruth/Esther Marion Taylor

9 1 2 Samuel Paul S. Evans

10 1 2 Kings David T. Lamb

11 1 2 Chronicles Carol M. Kaminski and Christine Palmer

12 Ezra/Nehemiah Douglas J. Green

13 Job Martin A. Shields

14 Psalms Elizabeth R. Hayes

15 Proverbs Ryan P. ODowd

16 Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs George Athas

17 Isaiah Mark J. Boda

18 Jeremiah/Lamentations Andrew G. Shead

19 Ezekiel D. Nathan Phinney

20 Daniel Wendy L. Widder

21 Minor Prophets I Beth M. Stovell

22 Minor Prophets II Beth M. Stovell

New Testament series