The Book of Daniel (Chapters 1–6) by Aubrey E.Buster and John H.Walton, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2025. c + 835 pp. $62.99 (hardback). ISBN: 978‐0‐8028‐7599‐0

One hundred pages of front matter, 162 pages of introductory material and commentary and excurses fill the remainder of this massive volume (aside from author, subject and Scripture indices). The authors provide a fresh, heavily annotated new translation that is both vivid and faithful to the Grundtext. Like other commentaries, exposition follows. And what an exposition. This volume is the most thorough treatment of the first part of Daniel that I have yet read. If the authors' treatment of the ‘apocalyptic’ chapters (7–12) is as insightful as their examination of the first six, then readers are in for a real treat. But beyond the very good and very knowledgeable introduction, translations and expositions, there are also excurses. These are what set the commentary apart from others of the genre. So, for example, after translating anew 2:31–35 and amidst commenting on that segment, our scholars provide excurses on ‘The ideology of images in the ancient world’, on ‘Statues of mixed elements’ and on ‘Iron technology and its history’. These informative mini-essays flesh out the ancient text and permit readers to have a far better understanding of Daniel than a standard commentary might. Take, for example, this passage from the Excursus: Statues of Mixed Elements: Several texts from the ancient world describe statues made of mixed elements. In a mid-second millennium Hittite prayer, Puduhepa, the wife of King Hattusili, invokes the intervention of Liliwani, goddess of the netherworld, on behalf of her husband (339-340). If the story goes on, the goddess will help; the supplicant's husband will construct a statue for her. This statue will make a silver statue as big as the king himself, and its head, hands and feet will be made of gold. But these sorts of statues were usually plated and not solid. The gold and silver would be attached to wood or bronze normally. ‘At Ugarit, some of the images of Baal that were found were made of several different metals. One particular example used for metals: electrum, gold, silver, bronze, and also the mineral steatite’ (340). Returning to the excellent translation of the text, that of Daniel 4:1–3 is fairly representative of the whole in terms of turn of phrase and clarity of expression: Nebuchadnezzar, the king, to all the people and nations and language groups who live in all the world, may your welfare flourish! I am obliged to broadcast the signs and marvels that God Most High performed for me. How momentous are his signs! How impressive are his marvels! His kingdom is an enduring kingdom and his dominion from generation to generation (477-478). Compare this to the standard translations like the NRSV: Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: May your peace abound! It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation. Or the Christian Standard Bible: King Nebuchadnezzar, To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole earth: May your prosperity increase. I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Most High God has done for me. How great are his miracles, and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. To my mind, the translation of the Aramaic offered by Buster and Walton is richer and fuller of expression and more lively than other renditions. For the ambitious who wish to compare the Aramaic to these three translations, I include it here for convenience: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֣ר מַלְכָּ֗א לְֽכָל־עַֽמְמַיָּ֞א אֻמַיָּ֧א וְלִשָּׁנַיָּ֛א דִּֽי־דָאְרִ֥ין בְּכָל־אַרְעָ֖א שְׁלָמְכֹ֥ון יִשְׂגֵּֽא׃ אָֽתַיָּא֙ וְתִמְהַיָּ֔א דִּ֚י עֲבַ֣ד עִמִּ֔י אֱלָהָ֖א עִלָּיאָ֑ שְׁפַ֥ר קָֽדָמַ֖י לְהַחֲוָיָֽה׃ אָתֹ֨והִי֙ כְּמָ֣ה רַבְרְבִ֔ין וְתִמְהֹ֖והִי כְּמָ֣ה תַקִּיפִ֑ין מַלְכוּתֵהּ֙ מַלְכ֣וּת עָלַ֔ם וְשָׁלְטָנֵ֖הּ עִם־דָּ֥ר וְדָֽר׃ Persons engaged in text-critical matters will not be disappointed by the work either, because there is more than ample textual criticism happening herein. Linguists, historians and theologians will all find in these pages helps for their work. Most importantly of all, of course, is the exegesis itself. It is fair, level-headed, judicious and well argued. The text critical, linguistic, historical and theological insights all serve the exegetical goal. Exegesis is the soul of the volume. Good, old-fashioned, language-based exegesis. No one taking the time to read this volume will be able afterwards to say that they do not understand this or that matter in Daniel. Because they will understand.