The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Ancient of Days

(`attiq yomin, = Aramaic): On `attiq, see ANCIENT (4). The expression is used in reference to God in Da 7:9,13,22 and is not intended to suggest the existence of God from eternity. It was the venerable appearance of old age that was uppermost in the writer's mind. "What Daniel sees is not the eternal God Himself, but an aged man, in whose dignified and impressive form God reveals Himself (compare Eze 1:26)" (Keil).

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr (1915). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.