He said to him: the Revised Standard Version rendering does not follow the Hebrew text but adopts the reading found in the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions. The Hebrew has “said to me,” and this is adopted by King James Version, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible. Some versions do not express the object pronoun and say simply “answered” or “replied” (New English Bible/Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation). But in some languages an object will be required. In those cases it is probably better to adopt the rendering of the versions and translate “answered him.” Daniel is merely listening in on a dialogue between two heavenly beings. The explanation of the vision to him does not come until the following verses.

Two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings: this can be understood in two ways. It can mean either 2,300 days or 1,150 days, depending on how the mornings and evenings are counted. Evenings and mornings can be counted as pairs, each pair forming one day, the total being 2,300 days; or else they can be counted as separate units of 1,150 each, bringing the total to 2,300 units occurring within 1,150 days. The smaller figure agrees with the three and a half years mentioned in 7.25. It should be made clear that this refers to the number of occasions for offering sacrifices, one in the morning and one in the evening. There will be 2,300 sacrifices (two for each day) that will not be offered. While this interpretation may seem more logical, few modern versions adopt it. It will be noted that earlier editions of Good News Translation had “… for 1,150 days, during which evening and morning sacrifices….” The latest edition of Good News Translation restores the number 2,300 in a way that makes it possible to interpret it as 1,150 days of two sacrifices each, but this may not be clear to the reader without close examination of the wording.

Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state: literally “and the sanctuary will be justified.” The verb form used here is unique in all the Old Testament, and its precise meaning is uncertain. Some take it to mean “purified” or “cleansed” (New Jerusalem Bible). Others have the idea of rededication; New International Version reads “reconsecrated.” Still others have a more general statement: “then shall the wrongs of the sanctuary be righted” (An American Translation) or “… have its rights restored” (New Jerusalem Bible). The term probably contains the ideas of purification from ritual defilement as well as restoration to its former physical state. The ritual side would, however, be more important.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .