Best Daniel Commentaries | Reviews for Preaching, Teaching, and Bible Study

The best Daniel commentaries are listed below. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. The “Top 10” list is based on aggregate reviews.

This list of commentaries is intended to help the reader understand and apply the author’s message in the book of Daniel. They are not suggested as a replacement for prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the reader’s own diligent study of Scripture.

It is hoped that these books will aid the Christian pastor, preacher, teacher, student, as well as any Bible reader that wants to understand more about Daniel.

May each reader’s aim be to glorify God in Jesus Christ; to strengthen Christ’s bride, the Church; and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.

After browsing the commentaries below, see Best Bible Commentaries: Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.

10 Best Daniel Commentaries

Please read: The “Top 10” list below is a starting point for learning about Daniel commentaries. It is not intended to be the “final word” because of its limitations.

Nevertheless, a list based on aggregate reviews is likely to point many people in the right direction to find the right resource for their purposes.

#1

Daniel
NIV Application Commentary
by Tremper Longman III

Daniel commentary by Tremper Longman

Reviews and Accolades:

• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on Daniel (tied)

• Keith Mathison: #4 ranked commentary on Daniel, “Longman’s strength is in his literary analysis, and this is a strength of this commentary. Highly recommended.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Longman also wrote one of the best Proverbs commentaries based on aggregate reviews.

Purpose: From the General Editor: The primary goal of the NIV Application Commentary Series is to help you with the difficult but vital task of bringing an ancient message into a modern context.

The series not only focuses on application as a finished product but also helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance.”

See more about the NIV Application Commentary series.

Also see the best one-volume bible commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.

#2

Daniel
Tyndale Old Testament Commentary
by Joyce G. Baldwin

Daniel commentary by Joyce Baldwin

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out 5 stars, “contains a wealth of information and careful exegetical insight… solidly conservative”

• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on Daniel (tied)

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Although somewhat brief, a well-researched and fresh conservative treatment of the book.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: This series is “designed to help readers understand what the Bible actually says and what it means… [each commentary] examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes.

Baldwin also wrote one of the best Esther commentaries based on aggregate reviews.

It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. The aim throughout is to get at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.”

See more about the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series.

#3

Daniel
Reformed Expositional Commentary
by Iain M. Duguid

Daniel commentary by Iain Duguid

Reviews and Accolades:

• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on Daniel, “outstanding reference… should be of use to both pastors and general readers”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: The REC series has “four fundamental commitments. First, these commentaries aim to be biblical… Second, these commentaries are unashamedly doctrinal… Third, these commentaries are redemptive-historical… Fourth, these commentaries are practical…” All authors are “pastor-scholars.”

See more about the Reformed Expository Commentary series.

#4

Daniel
New American Commentary
by Stephen R. Miller

Daniel commentary by Stephen Miller

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: “competently in defense of a conservative approach to the book”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The New American Commentary is introduced to bridge the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”

See more about the New American Commentary series.

#5

Daniel
Expositor’s Bible Commentary
by Gleason A. Archer

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Also see the revised edition below

Daniel commentary by Gleason Archer

Reviews and Accolades:

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Conservative and traditional”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Written primarily by expositors for expositors… its stance is that of a scholarly evangelicalism committed to the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible… the chief principle followed in this commentary is the grammatico-historical.”

See more about the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series.

#6

Daniel
Geneva Series of Commentaries
by Edward J. Young

Daniel commentary by Edward Young

Reviews and Accolades:

• Keith Mathison: #1 ranked commentary on Daniel, “usually the first work I look at when I turn to commentaries on Daniel… very highly recommended”

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: “This commentary on Daniel is a serious painstaking work by one of the foremost of contemporary Old Testament scholars. It is ably designed to meet the needs of pastors, students, and all those seeking a better understanding of Scripture.

The author presents a clear, positive exposition of prophecy coupled with an accurate explanation of historical fact based on research and the accumulated authority of other outstanding Biblical scholars.”

#7

Daniel
The Preacher’s Commentary
by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Daniel commentary by Sinclair Ferguson

Reviews and Accolades:

• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on Daniel, “Although aimed specifically at pastors, this commentary is accessible to a general readership as well. Very helpful.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Ferguson also wrote one of the best Jonah commentaries based on aggregate reviews.

Purpose: From the publisher: “The New King James Bible has been chosen for the Preacher’s Commentary because it combines with integrity the beauty of language, underlying Hebrew and Greek textual basis, and thought-flow of the 1611 King James Version.”

See more about The Preacher’s Commentary series.

#8

Daniel
Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised
by Andrew E. Hill

Daniel commentary Expositor's

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out 5 stars, “Hill writes with sensitivity to the theological message of the book”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Written primarily by expositors for expositors…its stance is that of a scholarly evangelicalism committed to the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible… the chief principle followed in this commentary is the grammatico-historical.”

See more about the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series.

#9

Daniel
Apollos Old Testament Commentary
by Ernest C. Lucas

Daniel commentary Ernest Lucas

Reviews and Accolades:

• Keith Mathison: #5 ranked commentary on Daniel, “not so technical that the average reader cannot use it… very good contribution to the literature on Daniel”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Apollos Old Testament Commentary (AOTC) aims to take with equal seriousness the divine and human aspects of Scripture.

It expounds the books of the Old Testament in a scholarly manner accessible to non-experts, and it shows the relevance of the Old Testament to modern readers.”

See more about the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series.

#10

The Message of Daniel
The Bible Speaks Today
by Ronald S. Wallace

Daniel commentary Ronald Wallace

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out 5 stars, “good, popular exposition from an evangelical perspective”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: The “the three distinctives of The Bible Speaks Today series are (1) “BST authors are committed to a serious study of the text in its own integrity,” (2) that “expositors should not be antiquarians, living only in the remote past” but suggest application for living, and (3) “each book is intended to be both readable in style and manageable in size.” 

See more about the Bible Speaks Today commentary series.

More Book of Daniel Commentaries for Christian Ministry

Please read: Why are the 1 Corinthians commentaries below not in the “Top 10”? It’s not because they have received poor reviews or because people haven’t found them helpful. The reasons vary:

  • Some are relatively new and haven’t been widely reviewed, read, or used yet.
  • Others haven’t been widely distributed, so it is difficult to get enough information to aggregate.
  • Still others may be outdated in relation to biblical scholarship or out of print and difficult to acquire.

The “Top 10” list is reviewed annually. Readers are encouraged to consider the volumes in this section before making a purchase. These 10 are not in any particular order.


Daniel
Word Biblical Commentary
by John E. Goldingay

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Daniel commentary John Collins

Reviews and Accolades:

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Probably the most thorough and up-to-date treatment, though not necessarily conservative.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “WBC series delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation.

Goldingay also wrote one of the best Isaiah commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.

It emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology.” 

See more about the Word Biblical Commentary series.


Daniel
The Forms of the Old Testament Literature
by John J. Collins

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Daniel commentary John Collins

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out 5 stars, “the book is technical and for that reason will only really interest scholars”

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Forms of the Old Testament Literature (FOTL) is a series of volumes that seeks to present, according to a standard outline and methodology, a form-critical analysis of every book or unit of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible).

Fundamentally exegetical, each volume examines the structure, genre, setting, and intention of the biblical literature in question.”


Daniel
Hermeneia
by John J. Collins

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Daniel commentary Hermeneia

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “critical in its approach, but evangelicals can learn much from this volume”

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Hermeneia commentary series seeks to offer authoritative interpretation of the earliest texts of the biblical books…

The name Hermeneia, from the Greek, has a rich background in the history of biblical interpretation as a term for the detailed, systematic exposition of a scriptural work. Hermeneia is designed for the serious student of the Bible…

The editors of Hermeneia impose no systematic-theological perspective upon the series (directly, or indirectly by selection of authors).”

See more about the Hermeneia Bible commentary series.


The Message of Daniel
The Bible Speaks Today
by Dale Ralph Davis

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Daniel commentary Dale Ralph Davis

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Davis also wrote one of the best 1-2 Kings commentaries based on aggregate reviews.

Purpose: From the publisher: The “the three distinctives of The Bible Speaks Today series are (1) “BST authors are committed to a serious study of the text in its own integrity,” (2) that “expositors should not be antiquarians, living only in the remote past” but suggest application for living, and (3) “each book is intended to be both readable in style and manageable in size.”

See more about the Bible Speaks Today commentary series.


Daniel
Understanding the Bible Commentary Series
by William B. Nelson

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Daniel commentary William Nelson

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Each volume in the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series breaks down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers.

They present a careful section-by-section exposition of the biblical books with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated. Notes at the close of each chapter provide additional textual and technical comments for those who want to dig deeper.”

See more about the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series.


Daniel
Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary
by Sharon Pace

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Daniel commentary Sharon Pace

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Written by accomplished scholars with all students of Scripture in mind, this innovative new commentary series is designed to make quality Bible study more accessible.

Pastors, professors and students of Scripture are discovering that this commentary is a wonderful new tool for enhancing interpretation.”

See more about Smyth-Helwys commentaries.


Daniel: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching
by Thomas J. Finley & Brandon Cash

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Daniel commentary Thomas Finley

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: The name of the series “(KAY-rüxs) captures the aim of the series: just as a kerux was one who officially heralded the king, so this forty-four-volume series will enable the preacher or teacher to accurately and authoritatively communicate the message of the divine King. 

Kerux commentaries give the pastor unique tools: the big idea for each passage, preaching strategies, contemporary connections, suggestions for creative presentation, illustrations, and more.

Each volume has an exegetical author and a homiletic author who partner together to provide sound insight and guidance for effective proclamation.”


Daniel
The Old Testament Library
by Carol A. Newsom

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Daniel commentary Carl Newsom

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.”

See more about the Old Testament Library commentary series.


Daniel
Concordia Commentary
by Andrew E. Steinmann

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Daniel commentary Andrew Steinmann

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture is written to enable pastors and teachers of the Word to proclaim the Gospel with greater insight, clarity, and faithfulness to the divine intent of the biblical text.”

See more about the Concordia Commentary series.


Daniel
Brazos Theological Commentary
by George Sumner

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Daniel commentary George Sumner

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible enlists leading theologians to read and interpret Scripture for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other Orthodox Christians did for their times and places.

The commentaries are designed to serve the church — through aid in preaching, teaching, study groups, and so forth — and demonstrate the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible.”

See more about the Brazos Theological Commentary series.


Classic Daniel Commentaries

Ezekiel, Daniel
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
edited by Kenneth Stevenson

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Daniel commentary Ancient Christian

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The vast array of writings from the church fathers — including much that is available only in the ancient languages — have been combed for their comment on Scripture.

From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating, and introducing it to today’s readers.

Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power, and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.”

See more about the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series.


Also see:

Compare 75 different commentary series on the Bible Commentary Series Comparison Chart

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