In the first six chapters, Daniel is generally spoken of in the third person. This often leads commentators to treat the structure of the book in two parts and has even led some to conclude that the two sections were composed by different authors (see Authorship). VisionĬhapters 1-6 mainly concern historical narrative, whereas chapters 7-12 seem to focus more heavily on visions and their interpretation. (4) The sequence of events: whether to follow the presentation order or chronological order of the events recorded. (3) The written language: whether the material is written in Hebrew or Aramaic.
(2) The voice of the author: whether the author speaks in the first person or third person.
(1) The type of narrative: whether the subject matter is primarily historical narrative or prophetic vision. In Daniel, different aspects of the book could be used as the basis for analyzing its structure. This helps one understand the development and interrelationship of various topics within the book as a whole. When studying a passage within the Bible, it is helpful to look at the structure of the chapter where the passage is found and examine how the chapter fits into the overall presentation of the book.
