Comparing Daniel and Joseph

One of the fascinating things about the Book of Daniel is how the life of Daniel mirrors that of Joseph in the Book of Genesis. There are three main parallels.

Firstly, both were exiled from home at a young age. Genesis 37 tells the story of how Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers and taken to Egypt. He seems to have been 17 when this happened (Genesis 37:2). Likewise, it appears that Daniel was a teenager when he was taken into exile in Babylon (Daniel 1:3-6).

Secondly, they both have the ability to interpret dreams. In both cases, this comes to the fore when they are able to interpret the king's dream when the other experts fail. Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream of the fat and skinny cows (Genesis 41) when the magicians of Egypt could not:

So in the morning Pharaoh's spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

(Genesis 41:8)

This perfectly mirrors the story of Daniel 2:1-11, where the magicians of Babylon are not able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Both dreams contain a revelation of the future which God gives to the king. Joseph says “God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do” (Genesis 41:25), while Daniel says:

There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

(Daniel 2:28).

In this way, both Joseph and Daniel downplay their own abilities and give God the credit.

Thirdly, both Joseph and Daniel are promoted to a position of political power. Both kings accept the respective interpretations of Joseph and Daniel and recognize that God has revealed things to the young men:

And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the spirit of the gods?”Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.

(Genesis 41:38-40)

Nebuchadnezzar responds in a similar way:

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

(Daniel 2:46-48)

Later on, in Daniel 4:8, Nebuchadnezzar also acknowledges that “the spirit of the holy gods” is in Daniel.

There are a number other parallels, but with these the order varies. Both Joseph and Daniel are given new names, but Daniel is named Belteshazzar on his arrival in Babylon (Daniel 1:7), while Joseph is named Zaphenath-paneah after his promotion (Genesis 41:45). Both Joseph and Daniel have their own dreams, but Joseph's dream of wheat sheaves and stars comes when he is still in Canaan (Genesis 37:1-11), while Daniel's dreams come when he is an old man, starting in the first year of Belshazzar (Daniel 7:1).

Finally, the Bible teaches us similar lessons in the stories of both men. Both focus on God's sovereignty in using these men to preserve his people during their time of exile. At the end of Joseph's story, he gives his brothers his view of their selling him into slavery:

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

(Genesis 50:20)

This is not made as explicit in the Book of Daniel, but Daniel 1:21 says that Daniel “was there until the first year of King Cyrus” – that is, when the decree went out that the temple should be rebuilt (Ezra 1:1-3). In this way, Daniel himself ushers in the return from exile. The theme of God's care for his people comes to the fore in the second half of the Book of Daniel:

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.

(Daniel 7:18)

Thus, there are historical parallels between the lives of Joseph and Daniel, but there are also literary parallels between the accounts: the author of the Book of Daniel is writing it in such a way as to make us think about Joseph.