How long did Daniel live in Jerusalem?

Answer 1

• He was likely part of the first deportation during the Babylonian exile (606 - 605 B.C.) He was likely a young teenager at the time
• Daniel's career as an advisor to the king, beginning under Nebuchadnezzar spanned about 65 years (601 to 536 B.C.)
• He likely died in Suza in 530 B.C. six years after Cyrus' decree allowing the exiles to return.
• He was probably in his 80's when he died
• The book of Daniel was likely completed in 532 B.C.

A:

The Bible briefly mentions more than one Daniel, but the Daniel in question is only mentioned in the Book of Daniel. Biblical scholars, for example Leonard J Greenspoon (The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Between Alexandria and Antioch: Jews and Judaism in the Hellenistic Period), say that the Book of Daniel is a Jewish novel from the second century BCE.

The Book of Daniel places the birth of Daniel somwhere around 598 BCE. Chapter 9 appears to talk of Daniel in the reign of King Darius, son of Xerxes (Ahasuerus), but this is impossible as Darius II only became king in 423 BCE and Daniel would have lived almost two hundred years. Although he confuses much of the history, the author intended Daniel to live during the sixth century BCE.

Another Answer:

Daniel became a captive under King Nebuchadnezzar in circa 604 B.C.. He was of the age where he became a eunuch. Some have dated his birth to circa 622 B.C.. He lived through Cyrus taking the city over and giving it to his father-in-law, Darius - King of the Medes - whom he served. It is believed he saw the return of the Jews to Israel as Isaiah had written before hand (Isaiah 44 and 45). He is believe to have died in circa 530 B.C. being in his late 80s to late 90s.

Please note that Daniel was indeed a real person: See Jesus words in Matthew 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)," If Jesus called Daniel a prophet, and quoted Him, then this certianly establishes the authenticity of Daniel.

Answer 2

The Book of Daniel says that Daniel was captured in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, or approximately 603 BCE, since the Babylonian Exile has been dated absolutely to 597 BCE by secular historians. This would suggest that he was born around 610 BCE. The book becomes a little confused about history, but does say that as well as being the second most important person in the entire Babylonian Empire, he quickly became the second most important person in the Persian Empire that conquered the Babylonians. Ignoring the book's errors on Persian kingship, that would mean that Daniel was alive well after 560 BCE. On this evidence, Daniel lived around 610 to perhaps 540 years before Jesus.

However, the consensus of scholars is that the Book of Daniel is a novel written during the Maccabean period and has been dated to 167 BCE in its completed form.On this view, Daniel did not actually live, since he was not a historical person.

Answer 3

That is not known. However, it is stated that he was taken out of Jerusalem as a young lad (Daniel ch.1), so the answer is probably around 10 years, more or less.