Cursu pedum praevertere ventos, Ilia vel iutacta segetis per surnma volaret Gramma, nee tenerascursu lossisset aristas, Vel inare per medium fluctu suspensa tumenti Ferret Her, celeres nee tingeret sequore plautas.
Nothing would better express the rapid conquests of Alexander the Great, than the language employed by Daniel. He died at the early age of thirty-three, and having been chosen generalissimo of the Greeks against the Persians at the age of twenty-one, the whole period occupied by him in his conquests; and in his pub lic life, was but twelve years, yet in that
7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him,, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and
The margin is, a horn of sight. This corresponds with the Hebrew, the word rendered notable — m;n — meaning pro perly look, appearance, and then some thing conspicuous, or remarkable. Tho literal translation would be, a horn of a*f j appearance; that is, conspicuous, large.
6. And he came to the ram, &c. Rep resenting the Medo-Persian power. ^ A nd ran unto him in the fury of his power. Representing the fierceness and fury with which Alexander attacked the Persians at the Granicus, at Issus, and at Arbela, with which he invaded and overthrew them in their own country. Nothing would better express this than to say that it was done in ' the fury of power.'
7. And I saw him come close unto the ram. The ram standing on the banks of the Ulai, and in the very heart of the em pire. This representation is designed un doubtedly to denote that the Grecian power would attack the Persian in its own dominions. Perhaps the vision was represented at the place which would be time be brought the world in subjection j the capital of the empire in order to de- to his arms. A single glance at his rapid movements will show the propriety of the description here. In the year 334 B. C., he invaded Persia, and defeated the Persians in the battle of the Granicus; in the year 333, ho again defeated them at the battle of Issus, and conquered note this. ^[ And he ivas moved with choler against the ram. With wrath or anger. That is, he acted as if he were
Parthia, Bactria, Hyrcania, Sogdiana, propriety to represent the concentrated and Asia Minor. In the year 332, wrath of all Greece on account of the rehe conquered Tyre and Egypt, and peated Persian invasions. It is true the built Alexandria. In the year 331, j Persians had been defeated at Leuctra, he defeated Darius Codomannus, and in and at Marathon, and at Salamis, and that their hosts had been held in check at Thermopylae, and that they had never
Porus, king of India, and pursued his j succeeded in subduing Greece, and that march to the Ganges. In these few years, the Grecians in defending their country therefore, he had overrun nearly all the I had covered themselves with glory. But then known world, in conquests more j it is true, also, that the wrongs inflicted rapid and more decisive than had ever before been made. ^ And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. Tho goat represented the Macedonian power, and all this power was concentrated in the person of Alexander — undoubtedly de noted by the single horn — as if all the power of Greece was concentrated in him. 29* or attempted on the Greeks had never been forgotten, and it cannot be doubted that the remembrance of these wrongs was a motive that influenced many a Greek at the battle of the Granicus and Is sus, and at Arbela. It would be one of the most powerful motives to which Alexan der could appeal in stimulating his army.
there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon Trim; and there was none that
^[ And brake his two horns. Completely prostrated his power — as Alexander did when he overthrew Darius Codomannus, and subjugated to himself the Medo-Persian empire. That empire ceased at that time, and was merged in that of the son of Philip. ^ And there was no power in the ram to stand before him. To resist him. ^[ But lie cast him doivii to the ground, and ttampcdupon him. An act strikingly ex-
8 Therefore the h«-goat waxed very great: and when he was strong,
pressive of the conduct of Alexander. The empire was crushed beneath hia power, and, as it were, trampled to the earth. ^[ And there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. No aux iliaries that the Persian empire could call to its aid that could save it from the Gre cian conqueror. The following is the usual representation of the head of Alex ander the Great.
ander. Its power did not pine away; it was not enfeebled, as monarchies are of ten, by nge, and luxury, and corruption; it was most flourishing and prosperous just great. The Macedonian power, especially under the reign of Alexander. *[ And when he was strong, the great horn was broken. In the time, or at the period, of at the period when broken by the death its greatest strength. Then an event oc- of Alexander. Never afterwards did it curred which broke the horn in which I recover its vigour; never was it consoliwas concentrated its power. It is ensy dated again. From that time this mighty to see the application of this to the Ma- empire, broken into separate kingdoms,, cedonian power. At no time was the | lost its influence in the world. ^ And empire so strong as at tho death of Alex- | for it came up four notable one». In the the great horn was broken; and for j 9 And b out of one of them came it came up four a notable ones to- 1 forth a little horn, which waxed ex- place of this one horn in which all the power was concentrated, there sprang up four others that were distinguished and remarkable. On the word notable, see
Notes on ver. 5. This representation would lead us to suppose that the power which had thus been concentrated in one buted into four, and that instead of that one | Against him and his usurpations, Pto lemy, Cassander, and Lysinachus, com bined their forces, and the result was his complete overthrow at the battle of Ipsus.
city of Phrygia, was fought between Antigonus and his son Demetrius, on tho one side, and the combined forces of these princes on the other. Antigonus had aimed at universal sovereignty; he had taken and plundered the island of Cy prus; had destroyed the fleet of Ptolemy power there would bo four kingdoms that would fill up about the same space in the world, occupy about the same territory, and have about the same characteristics — so that they might bo regarded as the succession to the one dynasty. The same representation we have of this one power in ch. vii. 6: "And the beast had four heads." See also ch. xi. 4: " His king-
Lengerke, in lac. In this battle, Antigo nus lost all his conquests and his life. In the division of the empire, Seleucus Nicator obtained Syria, Babylonia, Me dia and Susiana, Armenia, a part of Cappadocia, Celicia, and his kingdom, in name dom shall bo broken, and shall be divided j at least, extended from the Hellespont to towards the four winds of heaven." This j the Indies. The kingdom of Lysina chus extended over a part of Thrace, accords with the accounts in history of the effect of Alexander's death, for though the kingdom was not by him divided into four parts, yet, from the confusion and conflicts that arose, power was ultimately concentrated into four dynasties. At his death, his brother Aridjeus was declared king in his stead, and Perdiccas regent. But the unity of the Macedonian power •was gone, and disorder and confusion, and a struggle for empire, immediately succeeded. The author of the books of Maccabees (1 Mac. i. 7, 8, 9,) says: "So
Asia Minor, part of Cappadocia, and the countries within the limits of Mount Taurus. Cassander possessed Macedo nia, Thessaly, and a part of Greece. Ptolemy obtained Egypt, Cyprus, and Gyrene, and ultimately Coelo-Syria, Phoe nicia, Judea, and a part of Asia Minor and Thrace. Lengerke, in loc. ^ To ward the four winds of heaven. Towards the four quarters of the world. Thus tho dominions of Seleucus were in the East; those of Cassander in the West; those of
Alexander reigned twelve years, and then j Ptolemy in the South, and those of Lys- died. And his servants have rule every one in his place. And after his death, they all put crowns upon themselves; so
9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn.
Emblematic of a new power Comp. Notes on and evils were multiplied in the earth." j ch. vii. 8. This little horn sprang up Alexander died B. C. 323; Antipater sue- i out of one of the others; it did not spring ceeded Perdiccas, B. C. 321; Ptolemy I up in the midst of the others as the little Lagus the same year took possession of j horn in ch. vii. 8, did among the ten oth- Egypt; Cassander assumed the govern-: ers. This seemed to grow out of one of ment of Macedon, B. C. 317; Seleucus | the four, and the meaning cannot be mis- Nicator took possession of Syria, B. C. i understood. From one of the four pow- 311; in 305 B. C. the successors of Alex- I ers or kingdoms into which the empire of ander took the title of kings, and in 301 Alexander would be divided, there would B. C. there occurred the battle of Ipsus, spring up this ambitious and persecuting in which Antigonus, who reigned in Asia; power. *[ Which waxed exceeding great. Minor, was killed, and then followed in j Which became exceedingly powerful. It that year a formal division of Alexander's was comparatively small at first, butultiempire between the four victorious princes, mately became mighty. There can be no Ptolemy, Seleucus, Cassander, and Lys- doubt that Antiochus Epiphanes is deinachus. This great battle of Ipsus, a noted here. All the circumstances of ihe prediction find a fulfilment in him, and if it were supposed that this was written after he had lived, and that it was the design of the writer to describe him by these symbols, he could not have found symbols that would have been more striking or appropriate than this. The Syriac version has inserted here, in the Syriac text, the words 'Antiochus Epi phanes/ and almost without exception, expositors have been agreed in the opin ion that he is referred to. For a general account of him, see Notes on ch. vii. 24, seq. The author of the Book of Maccabees, after noticing in the passage above quoted, the death of Alexander, and the distrac tions that followed his death, says, "And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a host age at Rome, and he reigned in the hun dred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks." 1 Mac. i. 10. A few expositors have supposed that this passage refers to Antichrist — what will not expositors of the Bible suppose? But the great body of interpreters have under stood it to refer to Antiochus. This prince was a successor of Seleucus Nicator, who, in the division of the empire of Alexander, obtained Syria, Babylonia, Media, &c., (see above on ver. 8), and whose cnpitol was Antioch. The succession of princes who reigned in Antioch from Seleucus to Antiochus Epiphanes was as follows:
8. Antiochus Epiphnnes, his brother, 176 — 164. Clinton's Fasti Hellenici, vol. III. appendix, ch. iii. The succession of the Syrian kings reigning in Antioch was continued, until Syria was reduced to the form of a Roman province by Pompey, B. C. 63. Seleucus Philopator, the immediate predecessor of Antiochus, hav ing been assassinated by one of his cour- tiers, his brother Antiochus hastened to occupy the vacant throne, although the natural heir, Demetrius, son of Seleucus, was yet alive, but a hostage at Rome. Antiochus assumed the name of Epi phanes, or Illustrious. In Dan. xi. 21, it I is intimated that he gained the kingdom j ly flatteries; and there can be no doubt i that bribery, and the promise of reward to others, was made use of to secure his I power. See Kitto's Cyclo. i. 168— 170. i Of the acts of this prince there will be oc casion for a fuller detail in the Notes on the remainder of this chapter, and ch. xi. ^f Toward the south. Toward the coun try of Egypt, &c. In the year B. C. 171, he declared war against Ptolemy Philometor, and in the year 170 he conquered Egypt, and plundered Jerusalem. 1 Mac. i. 16 — 19: "Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt, that he might have the dominion of two realms. Wherefore he entered Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horse men, and a great navy. And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death. Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt, and he took the spoils thereof." ^f And toward the east. Toward Persia and the ( countries of the east. He went there — | these countries being nominally subject to him — according to the author of the book of Maccabees (1 Mac. iii. 28 — 37), in order to replenish his exhausted treas ury, that he might carry on his wars with the Jews, and that he might keep up the splendour and liberality of his court:
"He saw that the money of his treasures failed, and that the tributes in the coun try were small, because of the dissension and plague which he had brought upon the land, and he feared that he should not be able to bear the charges any longer, nor to have such gifts to give so liberally as he did before, wherefore being greatly perplexed in his mind, he determined to go into Persia, there to take the tributes of the countries, and to gather much money. So the king departed from Anti och, his royal city, the hundred, fifty and seventh year; and having passed the river Euphrates, he went through the high
10 And it waxed great, even * to | stars to the ground, and stamped the host b of heaven; and it cast | upon them.
down c some of the host and of the! 11 Yea, he d magnified himself *or,against. bis.u. 13. cHe. 12. 4. even <= to the prince of the host, and countries." ^[ And toward the pleasant land. The word here used — -a? — means I properly splendour, beauty. Isa. iv. 2; [ xxiv. 16; xxviii. 1, 4, 5. It is applied in j Isa. xiii. 19, to Babylon — 'the glory of I kingdoms.' Here it evidently denotes the land of the Israelites, or Palestine — so often described as a land of beauty, as flowing with milk and honey, &e. This is such language as a pious Hebrew would naturally use of his own country, and es pecially if he was an exile from it as Dan iel was. Nothing more would be neces sary to designate the land so as to be understood, than such an appellation — as nothing more would be necessary to de signate his country to an exile from China than to speak of ' the flowery land.' j Antiochus, on his return from Egypt,: turned aside and invaded Judea, and ulti mately robbed the temple, destroyed Jeru salem, and spread desolation through the land. See 1 Mac. i.
10. And it waxed great. It became very powerful. This was eminently true of Antiochus, after having subdued Egypt, <fcc. <[ Even to the host of heaven. Marg., against. The Hebrew word — 1£ — means to or unto, and the natural idea would seem to be that he wished to place him self among the stars, or to exalt himself above all that was earthly. Comp. Notes on Isaiah xiv. 13: "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend unto heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." Lengerke supposes that the mean ing here is, that he not only carried his conquests to Egypt and to the East, and to the holy land in general, but that he made war on the holy army of God — the priests and worshippers of Jehovah, here spoken of as the host of heaven. So Maurer understands it. In 2 Mac. ix. 10, Antiochus is described in this lan guage: " And the man that thought a little afore he could reach the stars of heaven," &c. The connection would seem to demand the interpretation proposed by Lengerke and Maurer, for it is immedi ately said that he cast down some of the host and the stars to the ground. And such an interpretation accords with the language elsewhere used of the priests and rulers of the Hebrew people. Thus in Isa. xxiv. 21, they are called "the host of the high ones that are high." See Notes on that passage. This lan guage is by no means uncommon in the Scriptures. It is usual to compare princes and rulers, and especially ecclesiastical rulers, with the sun, moon, and stars. Undoubtedly it is the design here to de scribe the pride and ambition of Antio chus, and to show that he did not think any thing too exalted for his aspiration. None were too high or too sacred to be secure from his attempts to overthrow them, and even those who, by their posi tion and character, seemed to deserve to be spoken of as suns and stars, as "the host of heaven," were not secure. ^[ And it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground. The horn seemed to grow up to the stars, and to wrest them from their places, and to cast them down to the earth. Antiochus, in the fulfilment of this, cast down and trampled on the princes, and rulers, and people, of the holy host or army of God. All that is implied in this was abundantly fulfilled in what he did to the Jewish people. Comp. 1 Mac. i. and 2 Mac. viii. 2. ^ And stamped upon them. With indignation and contempt. Nothing could better ex press the conduct of Antiochus towards the Jews.
11. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host. Grotius, Ephrsem the Syrian, and others, understand this of Onias the high priest, as the chief officer of the holy people. Lengerke supposes that it means God himself. This interpretation is the more probable, and the idea in the phrase ' prince of the host' is, that as God is the ruler of the host of heaven — leading on the constellations^ and marshalling the stars, so he may bd regarded as the ruler of the holy armw here below — the ministers of religion^ and his people. Against him as the Ru ler and Leader of his people Antiochus exalted himself, particularly by attempt ing to change his laws, and to cause his
» by him the daily *> sacrifice was j 12 And ca host was given him taken away, and the place of his j against the daily sacrifice by reason sanctuary was cast down.
j ° or, the host was given aver for the. transgres- *OT)from. ''Ex. 29, 38. sion against the daily sacrifice.
worship to cease. ^ And by him. Marg., 'from him.' The meaning is, that the command or authority to do this pro ceeded from him. ^[ The daily sacrifice teas taken away. The sacrifice that was offered daily in the temple, morning and evening, was suspended. A full account of this may be found in 1 Mac. i. 20—24, 29—32, 44—50. In the execution of the purposes of Antiochus, he " entered the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and tho candlestick, and all the vessels thereof; and the table of shew-bread, the pouring vessels, &c., and stripped the temple of all the ornaments of gold." After two years he again visited the city, and " smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel, and when he had taken the spoils of the city he set it on fire, and pulled down the walls thereof on every side." Everything in Jerusalem was made desolate. " Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into reproach, her honour into contempt." Subsequently, by a solemn edict, and by more decisive acts, he put a period to the worship of God in the temple, arid pol luted and defiled every part of it. 'Tor the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, that they should follow the strange laws of the land, and forbid burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and drink-offerings in the temple; and that they should profane the Sabbaths and festival days; and pollute the sanctuary and holy people; set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts; that they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation; to the end they might forget the laws, and change all the ordinances." 1 Mac. i. 44 — 49. It was undoubtedly to these acts of Anti ochus that the passage before us refers, and the event accords with the words of fhe prediction as clearly as if what is a prediction had been written afterwards, and had been designed to represent what actually occurred as a matter of histo rical record. Tho word which is rendered
'daily sacrifice' — the word 'sacrifice' be ing supplied by the translators — TJ?$ — means properly continuance, perpetuity, and then that which is continuous or con stant — as a sacrifice or service daily oc curring. The word sacrifice, is pro perly inserted here. Gesenius, Lex. The meaning of the word here rendered 'was taken away' — Din — (Hophal from D^> to exalt, to lift up), here is, that it was lifted up, and then was taken away; that is, it was made to cease — as if it had been carried away. Gesenius. ^ And the 2)lace of his sanctuary. Of the sanc tuary or holy place of the ' Prince of tho host/ that is, of God. The reference is to the temple. ^ Was cast down. The temple was not entirely destroyed by Antiochus, but it was robbed and rifled, and its holy vessels were carried away. | The walls indeed remained, but it was i desolate, and the whole service then was abandoned. See the passages quoted above from 1 Mac.
12. And a host icas given him. The Vulgate renders this, 'and strength — robur — was given him,' &c. Theodotion, 'and sin was permitted — itioSr) — against the sacrifice; and this righteousness was i cast on the ground; so he acted and was prospered.' Luther renders it, 'and such might (or power, maclit) was given j him.' The Syriac renders it, ' and ' strength was given him,' &c. Bertholdt renders it, Staff jenes stellte man den Greuel aiif, 'instead of this [the temple] there was set up an abomination.' Dathe, 'and the stars were delivered to him' — tradita ei fuerunt astra, «c populns JudaicuK. Maurer understands it also of the Jewish people, and interprets it, ' and an army — exercitus — the people of the Jews was delivered to destruction, at the same time with the perpetual sacri fice, on account of wickedness, that is, for a wicked thing, or for impure sacri fices/ Lengerke renders it, as in our translation, ' an host — ein Heer — wsis given up to him at the same time with the daily offering, on account of evil.' The word host — N^X — is doubtless to be taken here in the same sense as in ver.
of transgression, and it cast down [ 13 fl Then I heard one saint aspeaktlie truth to the ground; and it | ing, and another saint said unt-» practised and prospered. »1 Pet, i 12.
10, where it is connected with heaven — ' trate. This was fully accomplished by 'the host of heaven.' If it refers there i Antiochus. See 1 Mac. i. f And itpracto the Jewish people, it doubtless does tised. Heb. 'it did/ or it acted. That hero, and the appellation is such an one, is, it undertook a work and was successas would not unnaturally be used. It is; ful. So in Ps. i. 3, where the same exequivalent to saying ' the army of the i pression occurs: "And whatsoever he Lord,' or the people of the Lord, and it j doeth shall prosper." This was fully should have been rendered here, ' and the \ accomplished in Antiochus, who was enhost was given up to him;' that is, the tirely successful in all his enterprises people of God, or the holy people, were \ against Jerusalem. See 1 Mac. i. given into his hands. ^[ Against the daily j 13. Then I heard one saint speaking. sacrifice. This does not convey any clear; One holy one. The vision was now ended, idea. Lengerke renders it, eammt den and the prophet represents himself now bentandigen opfer — ' at the same time j as hearing earnest inquiries as to the with the permanent sacrifice.' He re- | length of time during which this desolamarks that the preposition SjJj —(rendered i tion was to continue. This conversation, in our version agatiut) like the Greek or ^Gse. inquiries, he represents himself i«, may denote a connection with any- | as hearing among those whom he calls thing, or a being with a thing— Zusam- 'saints'— or holy ones— &\ifr This word menseyn — and thus it would denote ft might refer to a saint on earth, or to an union of time, or that the things occurred angel — to any holy being. As one of together. Gen. xxxii. 12; Hos. xiii. 14; j these, however, was able to explain the Amos iii. 15. Comp. Gesenius, Lex. on I vision, and to tell how long the desolathe word "?J. 3. According to this, the tion was to continue, it is more natural meaning is,\bat the 'host,' or the Jewish 1*°^^° a"Sels- So Lengerko un people, were given to him at the same time, ******* it. The representation is, that or in connection with the daily sacrifice. one holy one or angel, was heard by Darnel The conquest over the people, and the peaking on this subject, but nothing is re- A.„.„„«*;„„ »t.Aj.fi-..«:««. corded of what he said. It is implied command respecting the daily sacrifice, were simultaneous. Both passed into his hands, and he exercised jurisdiction over them both. *^By reason of transgression — only that he was conversing about the desolations that were to come upon the holy city and the people of God. To him
I thus speaking, and who is introduced as That is, all this was on account; havin| p()wefer to explain -t another hf)]
of the transgression of the people, or one approaches, and asks how long thii on account of abounding iniquity. God j state of things was to continue. Theanswer gave up the people, and their temple, and their sacrifices, into the hands of Antiochus, on account of the prevailing impiety. Comp. 1 Mac. i. 11—16. The author of that book traces all these to this question (ver. 14) is made, not to the one who made the inquiry, but to Daniel, evidently that it might be re corded. Daniel does not say where this vision occurred — whether in heaven or calamities to the acts of certain wicked j on earth. It was so near to him, how- men, who obtained permission of Anti ochus to introduce heathen customs into Jerusalem, and who actually established many of those customs there, f And it cast down the truth to the ground. The true system of religion, or the true method of worshipping God — represented here as truth in the abstract. So in Isa. lix. 14, it is said: " Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." The ever, that he could hear what was said. ^ And another saint. Another holy one — probably an angel. If so, we may conclude, what is in itself every way pro bable, that one angel has more knowledge than another, or that things are commu nicated to some which are not to oth ers. <| Unto that certain saint which spake. Palmoni, or, the nnmberer of secrets, or, meaning here is, that the institutions of the wonderful numierer. Tho Hebrew the true religion would be utterly pros, word — wfrf — palmoni, occurs nowhere
• that certain saint which spake, j transgression of b desolation, to give How long shall be the vision cow-1 both the sanctuary and the host tc cerning the daily sacrifice, and the be trodden under foot?
Gesenius, means some onet a certain one; in Arabic, one who is distinct or definite,
The simi- holy city and the temple — how long is that to continue? ^[ To give loth the \ sanctuary. The temple: the holy place where God dwelt by a visible symbol, and host. The people of God — the Jewish people, ^f To be trodden underfoot. To utterly despised and prostrated — as any thing which is trodden under our feet.
14. And lie said unto me. Instead of whom one points out as with the finger, i answ'eri the one who mad; the inquiry, and not by name. It is derived from an. made tQ Danjel> doubtleS3 obsolete noun, ff>| —palon, from the verb, I thafc be mjght make a record of it, or comrhs — pala, to distinguish, and is united j municate it to others. If it had been commonly with the word o'cSs — mean-! made to the inquirer, the answer would ing properly one concealed, or unknown. I have remained with him, and could have It is language, therefore, which would be been of no use to the world. For the enproperly addressed to an unknown per- couragement, however, of the Hebrew son with whom we would desire to speak, j people, when their sanctuary and city or whom we would designate by the finger,! would be thus desolate, and in order to or in some such way, without being able j furnish an instance of the clear fulfilment to call the name. Thus applied in the of a prediction, it was important that it passage here, it means that Daniel did should be recorded, and hence it was rmf. know th* nnmns of thfi nprsons thus I made to Daniel. f Unto two thousand not know the names of the persons thus speaking, but simply saw that one was speaking to another. He had no other way of designating or distinguishing them, than by applying a term which was com monly used of a stranger, when one wished to address him, or to point him out, or to call him to him. There is no foundation in the word for the meaning suggested in the margin. Theodotion does not attempt to translate the word, but retains it — <pt\,jioi>\— Phelmoni. The Latin Vulgate well expresses the meaning, dixit unit 9 sanctus alteri nescio cut loquenti. The full sense is undoubtedly conveyed by the two ideas, (a) that the one referred to was unknown by name, and (6) that he wished to designate him in some way, or to point him out. If How long shall be the vision. Concerning the daily sacrifice. How long is that which is designed to be represented by the vision to continue; that is, how long in fact will the offering of the daily sacrifice in the temple be sus pended, ^f And the transgression of deso lation. Marg., making desolate. That is, the act of iniquity on the part of Antiochu« producing such desolation in the morning. So the Hebrew, "V?': 3"ty So the Latin Vulgate, ad vesperam et mane. And so Theodotion — ea>$ iaxcpas KOI jrpa>:' — 'to the evening and morning.' The lan guage here is evidently that which was derived from Gen. i., or which was com mon among the Hebrews, to speak of the ' evening and the morning' as constituting a day. There can be no doubt, however, that a day is intended by this, for this is the fair and obvious interpretation. The Greeks were accustomed to denote the period of a day in the same manner by order more emphatically to designate one complete day. See Prof. Stuart's ' Hints on Prophecy,' pp. 99, 100. The time then specified by this would be six years and an hundred and ten days. Much difficulty has been felt by expositors in reconciling this statement with the other designations of time in the book of Daniel supposed to refer to the same event, and with the ac count furnished by Josephus in regard to the period which elapsed during which the sanctuary was desolate, and the two thousand and three hundred daily sacrifice suspended. The other de- fur by the supposition that separate epochs signations of time which have been sup- j arc referred to at the starting point in tho posed to refer to the same event in Dan-; calculation — the terminus a quo. The iel, are ch. vii. 25, where the time men- j truth was, there were several decisive tioned is three years and a half — or | acts in the history of Antiochus that led twelve hundred and sixty days, and chap- \ to the ultimate desolation of Jerusalem, ter xii. 7, where the same time is men- j and at one time a writer may have contioned, ' a time, times, and an half,' or ' templated one, and at another time an- three years and an half, or, as before, twelve hundred and sixty days, and ch. xii. 14, where the period mentioned is 'a thousand two hundred and ninety days,' and ch. xii. 12, where the time mentioned is ' a thousand three hundred and thirty days.' The time mentioned by Josephus is three years exactly from the time when 'their divine worship was fallen off, and was reduced to a profane and common other. Thus, there was the act by which Jason, made high priest by Antiochus, was permitted to set up a gymnasium in Jerusalem after the manner of the hea then (Prideaux iii. 216; 1 Mac. i. 11 — 15); the act by which he assaulted' and took Jerusalem, entering the most holy place, stripping the temple of its treasures, defiling the temple, and offering a great swine on the altar of burnt offerings, use,' till the time when the lamps were | (Prideaux iii. 230, 231; 1 Mac. i. 20—28); lighted again, and the worship restored, I the act, just two years after this, by for he says that the one event happened which having been defeated in his exppprecisely three years after the other, on dition to Egypt, be resolved to vent all the same day of the month. Ant. B. xii. his wrath on the Jews, and, on his rech. vii. $ 6. In his Jewish wars, however, j turn, sent Apollonius with a great army B. i. ch! i. g 1, he says that Antiochus | to ravage and destroy Jerusalem — when 'spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the i Apollonius, having plundered the city, constant practice of offering a daily sacri- | set it on fire, demolished the houses, lice of expiation for three years and six pulled down the walls, and with the rumonths.' Now, in order to explain the ins of the demolished city built a strong passage before us, and to reconcile the j fortress on Mount Acra which overlooked account?, or to show that there is no con- j the temple, and from which he could attradiction between them, the following tack all who went to the temple to worremarks may be made: (1) We may ship (Prideaux iii. 239, 240; 1 Mac. i. lay out of view the passage in ch. vii. 25. J 29 — 40); and the act by which Antiochus See Notes on that passage. If the rea-! solemnly forbade all burnt offerings, and soning there be sound, then that passage j sacrifices, and drink offerings in the ternhad no reference to Antiochus, and though,! pie. Prideaux iii. 241, 242; 1 Mac. i. 44 according to Josephus, there is a remark- — 51. Now, it is evident, that one writ ing of these calamitous events, and men able coincidence between the time men- *ioned there and the time during which the daily sacrifice was suspended, yet that does not demonstrate that the reference there is to Antiochus. (2) We may lay out of I nus a quo, and at another time, another view, also, for the present, the passages in of these events might be in his eye. ch. xii. 11, 12. Those will bo the subject! Each one of them was a strongly marked of consideration hereafter, and for the; and decisive event, and each one might present ought not to be allowed to embar- be contemplated at a period which, in an rass us in ascertaining the meaning of; important sense, determined the destiny the passage before us. (3) On the as- j of the city, and put an end to the wor sumption, however, that those passages ship of God there. (4) It seems probarefer to Antiochus, and that the accounts j ble that the time mentioned in the pasin Josephus above referred to are correct j sage before us, is designed to take in th<j — though he mentions different times, ' whole series of disastrous events, from nnd though different periods are referred i the first decisive act which led to the to by Daniel, the variety may be accounted i offering the daily sacrifice, or the ter* 3D mination of the worship of God there, to j mother — a demand which was the origin the time when the 'sanctuary was cleans- of the war between Antiochus and the ed.' That this is so, would seem to be ', king of Egypt, and the beginning of all the disturbances. Prideaux iii. 218. In the year 172 B. C., Antiochus bestowed the office of high priest on Menelaus, who was the brother of Jason the high priest.
his attack on the 'pleasant land' (ver. 9), Jason had sent Menelaus to Antioch to pay the king his tribute money, and while there Menelaus conceived the de- probable from the series of visions pre sented to Daniel in the chapter before us. The acts of the ' little horn' representin{ Antiochus, as seen in vision, began witl and the things which attracted the atten tion of Daniel were, that he 'waxed great,' and made war on 'the host of j sign of supplanting his brother, and by heaven/ and 'cast some of the host and offering for it more than Jason had, he of the stars to the ground' (ver. 10), and l procured the appointment and returned ' magnified himself against the prince of j to Jerusalem. Prideaux iii. 220 — 222. the host' (ver. 11) — acts which refer i Up to this time all the intercourse of Anmanifestly to his attack on the people of j tiochus with the Jews had been of a God, and the priests or ministers of reli- j peaceful character, and nothing of a hosgion, and on God himself as the 'prince! tile nature had occurred. In 171 B. C. of the host' — unless this phrase should be; began the series of events which finally understood as referring rather to the high | resulted in the invasion and destruction priest. "We are then rather to look to the j of the city, and in the cessation of the whole series of events as included within the two thousand and three hundred days, than the period in which literally the daily sacrifice was forbidden by a solemn sta tute. It was practically suspended, and public worship of God. Menelaus, having procured the high-priesthood, refused to p:ty the tribute money which he had pro mised for it, and was summoned to An tioch. Antiochus being then absent, the worship of God interrupted during Menelaus took advantage of his absence, all that time. (5) The terminus ad | and having, by means of Lysimachus, quern — the conclusion of the period, is j whom he had left at Jerusalem, procured marked and settled. This was the ' cleans- j the vessels out of the temple, he sold ing of the sanctuary.' This took place,! them at Tyre, and thus raised money to under Judas Maccabeus, Dec. 25, 165 B. i pay the king. In the meantime, Onias C. Prideaux iii. 265—268. Now, reck- | III., the lawful high-priest, who had fled oning back from this period two thousand j to Antioch, sternly rebuked Menelaus for and three hundred days, we come to Au- his sacrilege, and soon after, at the instigust 5, 171 B. C. The question is, I gation of Menelaus, was allured from his whether there were in this year, and at retreat at Daphne, where he had sought about this time, any events in the series an asylum, and was murdered by Andro- period from which to reckon; events an- the same time, the Jews in Jerusalem, swering to what Daniel saw as the com- i highly indignant at the profanation by mencement of the vision, when 'some of j Menelaus, and the sacrilege in robbing the host and the stars were cast down j the temple, rose in rebellion against Lysiand stamped upon.' Now, as a matter ' machus and the Syrian forces who deof fact, there commenced in the year 171 j fended him, and both cut off this 'sacri- B. C., a series of aggressions upon the ' legions robber' (Prideaux), and the guards priesthood, and temple, and city of the j by whom he was surrounded. This as- Jews on the part of Antiochus, which ter- I sault on the officer of Antiochus, and reminated only with his death. Up to this; bellion against him, was the commenceyear, the relations of Antiochus and the ment of the hostilities which resulted in Jewish people were peaceful and cordial, the ruin of the city, and the closing of In the year 175 B. C., he granted to the: the worship of God. Prideaux iii. 224 — Jewish people, who desired it, permission 226; Stuart's Hints on Prophecy, p. 1 02. to erect a gymnasium in Jerusalem, as Here commenced a series of aggressions above stated. In the year 173 B. C., I upon the priesthood, and the temple. demand was made of Antiochus of the: and the city of the Jews, which, with ocprovinces of Coele- Syria and Palestine by casional interruption continued to the the young Philometor of Egypt, who had death of Antiochus, and which led to all just come to the throne, and by his j that was done in profaning the temple,.
15 fl And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then,
behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
and in suspending the public worship of God, and it is doubtless to this time that the victory. See Bertholdt, pp. 501—503. The reckoning here is from the time of the prophet here refers. This is the nat- founding the kingdom of the Seleucidre, ural period in describing the series of i or the era of the Selucidse. <[ Then shall events which were so disastrous to the the sanctuary be cleansed. Marg. justified. Jewish people; this is the period at which. The Hebrew word pny — means to be right one who should now describe them as j or straight, and then to be just or right- eous; then to vindicate or justify. In be practicable to make out the precise num- the form here used (Niphal),"it means to ber of dayt, for the exact dates are not | be declared just; to be justified or vindi preserved in history, but the calculation | catcd> and> as appijeci to the temple or brings it into the year 171 B. C., the i sanctuary, to be vindicated from violence year which is necessary to be supposed m • or injury; that is, to be cleansed. Seo order that the two thousand and three Qesenius, Lex. There is undoubtedly hundred days should be completed, j reference hero to the act of Judas Mncca- Comp. Lengerke, in loc. p. 388. \anous I beus> in solcmnly purifying the temple, attempts have been made to determine j and repairing it, and re-dedicating it, afthe exact number of the days by historic ter tho p0iiutions brought upon it by Anrecords. Bertholdt, whom Lengerke fol- | tiochus. For a description of this, see lows, determines it m this manner. He j prjdeaux, Connexion, iii. 265—269. Juregards the time referred to as that from} das designated a priesthood again to the command to set up heathen altars to j serve in £ho temple; pulled down the althe victory over Nicanor, and the solemn tars wllich the heathen had erected; boro celebration of that victory, as referred to in 1 Mac. vii. 48, 49. According to this reckoning, the time is as follows: — The command to set up idol altars was issued in the year 145, on the 15th of the month Kisleu. There remained of that year, after the command was given, Half of the month Kisleu, 15 days
This would leave but twenty-nine days of the 2300 to be accounted for, and this would be required to go from the place of the battle — between Beth-Horon and out all the denied stones into an un clean place; built a new altar in place of the old altar of burnt offerings which they had defiled; hallowed the courts; made a new altar of incense, table of shewbread, golden candlestick, &c., and sol emnly re-consecrated the whole to th$ service of God. This act occurred on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, (Kisleu), and the solemnity continued for eight days. This is the festival which is called " the feast of dedication" in the New Testament (John x. 22), and which our Saviour honoured with his presence. See 1 Mac. iv. 41—58, 2 Mac. x. 1—7. Josephus, Ant. B. xii. ch. vii. § 6, 7. j 15. And it came to pass, &c. Daniel! saw the vision, but was unable to explain | it. *j And sought for the meaning. Evi- | dently by meditating on it, or endeavour ing in his own mind to make it out. ^[ There stood before me as the appearance of a man. One having the appearance of a man. This was evidently Gabriel (ver. 16), who now assumed a human form, and who was addressed by the voice from between the banks of the Ulai, and com menced to make known the meaning of the vision.
Adasa (1 Mac. vii. 39, 40) to Jerusalem, 16. And I heard a man's voice leticeen and to make arrangements to celebrate I the banks of Ulai. Notes on vei. 2. The
tween the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, a Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said
unto me, Understand, 0 son of man: for at the time of the end shall bt the vision.
18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep bon my
voice seemed to come from the river — as if guilt of the wicked would be punished, it were that of the Genius of the river, and: and the virtue of the saints would be to address Gabriel, who stood near to Dan- | tried, to wit, the time of Antiochus icl on the shore. This was doubtless the i Epiphanes.' Lengerke supposes that the voice of God. The speaker was invisible,! end of the existing calamities — the sufand this method of explaining the vision ' ferings of the Jews, is referred to, and was adopted, probably to make the whole! that the meaning is, that in the time of scene more impressive. J[ Which called, j the Messiah, to which the vision is exand said, Gabriel. Gabriel is mentioned tended, there would be an end of their in the scripture only in Daniel viii. 16;! sufferings and trials. The design of the ix. 21; Luke i. 19, 26. In Luke i. 19, he! angel, says he, is to support and comfort is mentioned as saying of himself. " I am j the troubled seer, as if he should not Gabriel, that stand in the presence of jbe anxious that these troubles were to God." The word means, properly:" man! occur, since they would have an end, of God." Nothing more is known of him, i or, as Michselis observes, that the seer and be is mentioned only as bearing I should not suppose that the calamities messages to Daniel, to Zacharias the fa- ] indicated by the vision would have no ther of John the Baptist, and to Mary. f Jl/nke this man to understand the vision. Explain it to him so that he will under stand its meaning.
end. Perhaps the meaning may be this: 'The vision is for the time of the end;' that is, it has respect to the closing period of the world, under which the Messiah is to come, and necessarily precedes that, and leads on to that. It pertains to a the distance. He now drew near to Dan- I series of events which is to introduce the iel, that he might communicate with him latter times, when the kingdom of God the more readily. ^[ -^-"^ when he came, shall be set up on the earth. In justifi- / ions a/aid, and fell upon my face. \ cation of this view of the passage, it may Doubtless perceiving that he was a celcs- j he remarked that this is not only the tial being. See Notes on Rev. i. 17. j most obvious view, but is sustained by Comp. Ezek. i. 28, and Dan. x. 8, 9. all those passages which speak of the He was completely overpowered by the j coming of the Messiah as 'the end,' the presence of the celestial stranger, and 'last days,' &c. Thus 1 Cor. x. 11: sank to the ground, ^f But he said vnto\ "upon whom the ends of the world are me, Understand, 0 son of man. Give •• come." Comp. Notes on Isa. ii. 2. Acattention, that you may understand the | cording to this interpretation, the meanvision. On the phrase 'son of man,' j ing is> 'the vision pertains to the end, eee Notes on ch. vii. 13. It is here sirn- j or the closing dispensation of things;' ply an address to him as a man. ^For at\ that is, it has a bearing on the period the time of the end shall be the vision. \ when the end will come, or will introduce The design of this expression is undoubt- that period. It looks on to future times, edly to cheer and comfort the prophet 'even to those times, though now remote with some assurance of what was to oc- 1 (comp. ver. 26), when a new order of cur in future times. In what way this | things will exist, under which the affairs was done, or what was the precise idea j of the world will be wound up. Comp. indicated by these words, interpreters Notes on Heb. i. 2.
have not been agreed. Maurer explains it, ' for this vision looks to the last time; that is, the time which would immediately precede the coming of the Messiah, which would be a time of calamity in which the
18. Now as he was speaking icith me, I teas in a deep sleep on my face toward the around. Overcome and prostrate with the vision. That is, he had sunk down stupefied or senseless. Seo ch. z. 9. Hia
23 And in the latter time of their
face toward the ground: but he king of Grecia: and the great horn touched me, and => set me upright, that is between his eyes is the first make thee know what shall be in the j 22 Now that being broken, wherelast end of the indignation: for at j as four stood up for it, four kingthe time appointed bthe end shall be. doms shall stand up out of the na-
20 The ram c which thou sawest tion, but not in his power, having two horns are the kings of
21 And the rough goat is the
strength had been entirely taken away by the vision. There is nothing impro bable in this, that the sudden appearance of a celestial vision, or a heavenly being, should take away the strength. Comp. Gen. xv. 12; Job iv. 13, seq.; Judg. vi. 22, xiii. 22; Isa. vi. 5; Luke i. 12, 29, ii. 9; Acts ix. 3, 8. <ft But he touched me, and set me upright. Marg., as in Heb., 'made me stand upon my standing.' He raised me up on my feet. So the Saviour addressed Saul of Tarsus, when he had been suddenly smitten to the earth, by his appearing to him on the way to Da mascus: "Rise, and stand upon thy feet," &c. Acts xxvi. 16.
19. And he said, Behold, I will make thce know what shall be in the last end of the indignation. In the future time when the divine indignation shall be manifest toward the Hebrew people; to wit, by suf fering the evils to come upon them which Antiochus would inflict. It is every where represented that these calamities would occur as a proof of the divine dis pleasure on account of their sins. Comp. ch. ix. 24, xi. 35; 2 Mac. vii. 33. f For at the time appointed the end shall be. It shall not always continue. There is a definite period marked out in the divine purpose, and when that period shall arrive, the end of all this will take place. See Notes on ver. 17.
20. The ram which thou sawest, &c. See Notes on ver. 3. This is one of the in stances in the Scriptures in which sym bols are explained. There can be no doubt, therefore, as to the meaning.
21. And the rough goat. Notes on ver. 5. In ver. 5, he is called a he-goat. Here the word rough, or hairy — "Vi't? — is applied to it. This appellation is often given to a goat, Lev. iv. 24, xvi. 9; Gen. xxxvii. 31. It would seem that either term — a he-goat, or a hairy-goat, would eorve to designate the animal, and it is probable that the terms were used indis criminately. ^[ Is the king of Grecia. Represents the king of Greece. The word here rendered Grecia — \Vr — Javan, denotes usually and properly Ionia, the western part of Asia Minor, but this name was extended so as to embrace the whole of Greece. See ^Eschyl. Acharn. 504, ibique Schol. Pers. 176, 561. Gesenius, Lex. The Latin Vulgate, and Theodotion, here render it 'the king of the Grecians,' and there can be no doubt I that the royal power among the Greeks is here referred to. See Notes on ver. 5. ^ And the great horn that is between his I eyes is the first king. Alexander the Great. The first that consolidated the whole power, and that was known in the! East as the king of Greece. So he is ex pressly called in 1 Mac. i. 1: ' The first! over Greece.' Philip, his father, was I opposed in his attempts to conquer Greece, [and was defeated. Alexander invaded j Greece, burnt Thebes, compelled the 'Athenians to submit, and was declared • generalissimo of the Grecian forces against the Persians.
| stood up for it. Stood up in its place. j ^f Four kingdoms shall stand up. Ulti- \ mately. It is not necessary to suppose that this would be immediately. If four ' such should in fact spring out of this ono | kingdom, all that is implied in the pro- I phecy would be fulfilled. On the fulfilment of this, see Notes on ver. 8. ^f But not in his power. No one of these four dynas ties had at any time the power which was wielded by Alexander the Great.
23. And in the latter time of their king dom. When it shall bo drawing to an end. All these powers were ultimately absorbed in the Roman power; and the meaning here is, that taking the time
! from the period of their formation — the kingdom, -when the transgressors are » come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power shall be mighty, division of the empire after the battle of Ipsus (Notes on ver. 8), till the time when all would be swallowed up in the Roman dominion, what is here stated — to wit, the rise of Antiochus, would be in the latter portion of that period. The battle of Ipsus was fought 301 B. C., and the Roman power was extended over all those regions gradually from 168 B. C. — the battle of Pydna, when Perseus was defeated, and Macedonia was reduced to a Roman province, to 30 B. C., — when Egypt was subjected — the last of these kingdoms that submitted to the Roman arms. Antiochus began to reign 175 B. C. — so that it was in the latter part of
b but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, arid c shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the people.
held the kingly office, and no one can doubt that it may be applied with strict propriety to Antiochus. ^[ And under standing dark sentences. Gesenius (Lex.) explains the word here rendered ' dark sentences' to mean artifice, trick, strata gem. This will better agree with the character of Antiochus, who was more distinguished for craft and policy than ho was for wisdom, or for explaining enig mas. The meaning seems to be that he would be politic and crafty, seeking to make his way, and to accomplish his purpose, not only by the terror that he inspired, but by deceit and cunning. That this was his character is well known.
this period. <$ When the transgressors j Comp. Notes on ver. 25. ^ Shall stand are come to the full. Marg., accomplished, up. Shall succeed, or there shall be such
That is, when the state of things — the prevalence of wickedness and irreligion in Judea — shall have been allowed to
24. And his poicer shall be mighty. He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not continue as long as it can be — or so that I as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests the cup shall be full — then shall appear J of Egypt and other places show that he this formidable power to inflict deserved j deserved to be numbered among the punishment on the guilty nation. The j mighty kings of the earth. ^ But not btj saored writers often speak of iniquity as j his oicn poicer. That is, it shall not bo being/wW — of the cup of iniquity as be- j by any strength of his own, but by the ing full — as if there was a certain limit j power which God gives him. This is or capacity beyond which it could not be i true of all kings and princes (Comp. John allowed to go. When that arrives, God interposes, and cuts off the guilty by some heavy judgment. Comp. Gen. xv. 16: — xix. 11; Isa. x. 5, seq.), but it seems to be referred to here particularly to show that the calamities which he was about to
" The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet i bring upon the Hebrew people were by full." Matt, xxiii. 32: " Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers." 1 Thess. ii. 16: " to fill up their sins alway." The idea is, that there is a certain measure or amount of sin which can be tolerated, but beyond that the divine compassion can not go, with safety to the universe, or consistently with the honour of God, and that the punishment maybe expected; then punishment must como. This is true, doubtless, of individuals and nations, and this period had arrived in regard to the Jews when Antiochus was permitted to lay their temple, city, and country waste. ^[ A kiny of fierce countenance. otcrn aifJ severe. This expression would be applicable to many who have divine direction and appointment. This great power was given him in order that he might be an instrument in the divine hand of inflicting deserved punishment
And he shall destroy wonderfully. In a wonderful or extraordinary manner shall he spread desolation. This refers particularly to the manner in which he would lay waste the holy city, and the land of Judea. The history in the books of Maccabees shows that this was literally fulfilled. ^f And shall prosper. Antiochus was among the most successful kings in his various expeditions. Particularly was he successful in his enterprises against the holy land, ^f And pract ise. Heb., do.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify Jiimself
up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. 2G And the vision of the evening
in his heart, and by a peace shall and the morning which was told is destroy many: he shall also stand] true: wherefore shut Mhou up the * or, prosperity.
That is, he shall be distinguished not only for forming plans, but for executing them; not merely for purposing, but for doing. ^ And shall destroy the mighty and ' the holy people. The people of God — the Jewish nation. See Notes on vs. 9—12.
25. And through liis policy. The word rendered policy here — Spfr — means, pro perly, intelligence, understanding, wis dom, and then, in a bad sense, craft, cun ning. So it is rendered here by Gesenius, and the meaning is, that, he would owe i his success in a great measure to craft and subtilty. *\\ He shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. He shall owe his success in a great measure to a crafty policy, to intrigue, and to cunning. This was true in an eminent sense of Antiochus. See his history in Prideaux, above referred to, and the books of Mac cabees. Comp. Notes on ch. xi. 21. The same character is given of him by Polybius, Relig. lib. xxxi. c. 5. Tom. iv. p. 501. Ed. Schweighaouser. Appian, de. reb. Syr. xlv. T. 1. p. 604. Ed. Schweigh. Corap. 2 Mac. v. 24 — 26. He came to the kingdom by deceit (Prideaux III. 212), and a great part of his success was owing to craft and policy. 5!" And he shall mag nify himself in his heart. Shall be lifted up with pride, or esteem himself of great consequence, ^f And ly peace shall deitroy many. Marg., prosperity. The He brew word — n^U' — means, properly, tranquillity, security, ease, carelessness. Here the phrase seems to mean < in the midst of security' (Gesenius, Lex.), that is, while they were at ease, and regarded themselves as in a state of safety, he would come suddenly and unexpectedly upon them, and destroy them. He would make sudden war on them, invading their territories, so that they would have no opportunity to make preparation to meet him. Comp. ch. xi. 21, 24. It i would seem to mean that he would en deavour to produce the impression that tie was coming in peace; that he pre tended friendship, and designed to keep those whom he meant to invade and de stroy in a state of false security, so that he might descend upon them unawares. This was his policy rather than to declare war openly, and so give his enemies fair warning of what he intended to do. Thia description agrees every way with the character of Antiochus, a leading part of whose policy always was to preserve the appearance of friendship, that he might accomplish his purpose while his enemies were off their guard. ^[ He shall also stand tip against the Prince of princes. Notes ver. 11. Against God, the Ruler over the kings of the earth, f JJnt he shall be broken ivithont hand. That is, without the hand of man, or by no visi ble cause. He shall be overcome by a divine, invisible power. According to the author of the first book of Maccabees (ch. vi. 8 — 16), he died of grief and re morse in Babylon. He was on an expe dition to Persia, and there laid siege to Elymais, and was defeated, and fled to Babylon, when learning that his forces in Palestine had been repulsed, pene trated with grief and remorse, ho sick ened and died. According to the account in the second book of Maccabees (ix.), his death was most distressing and horrible. Comp. Prideaux III. 272—275. All the statements given of his death, by the au thors of the books of Maccabees, by Josephus, by Polybius, by Q. Curtius, and by Arrian (see the quotations in Prideaux), agree in representing it as attended with every circumstance of horror that can be well supposed to accompany a departure from this world, and as having every mark of the just judgment of God. The divine prediction in Daniel was fully ac complished, that his death would be ' with out hnnd,' in the sense that it would not be by human instrumentality, but that it would be by a direct divine infliction. When Antiochus died, the opposition to the Jews ceased, and their land again had peace and rest.
27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose
the morning. That is, of the two thou sand three hundred days. See ver. 14, meaning here is, ' the vision pertaining to that succession of evenings and morn ings.' Perhaps this appellation was given to it particularly because it pertained so much to the evening and morning sacri fice. ^[ Is true. Shall be certainly ac complished. This was said by the angel, giving thus to Daniel the assurance that what he had seen (vs. 9 — 14,) was no illusion, but would certainly come to pass. ^[ Wherefore shut thou up the vision Seal it up. Make a record of it, that it may be preserved, and that its fulfilment may be marked. See Notes on Isa. viii. 16. ^[ For it shall be for many days. That is,
up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
The exact time is not specified. The na tural interpretation is, that it was for
, and did the king's business. Comp. Notes on ver. 2. From this it would ap pear that he had been sent to Shushan on some business pertaining to the govern ment. What it was we are not informed. As a matter of fact, he was sent there for a more important purpose than any which pertained to the government at Babylon — to receive a disclosure of most momen tous events that were to occur in distant times. Yet this did not prevent him from attending faithfully to the business en trusted to him — as no views which we take of heavenly things, and no disclo sures made to our souls, and no absorp- ruany days will elapse before it will be | tion in the duties and enjoyments of reaccomplished. Let a fair record, there- j ligion, should prevent us from attending fore, be made of it, and let it be sealed up,; with fidelity to whatever secular duties that it may be preserved to prepare the \ may be entrusted to us. Sickness justipeople for these events. When these j fies us, of course, in not attending to them; things would come thus fearfully upon the the highest views which we may have of people of Judea, they would be the better able to bear these trials, knowing the pe-
27. And I Daniel fainted. Heb., < I country, and in all the relations of life, was' — \7ivnj. Comp. Dan. ii. 1. The He who has been favoured with the clear- meaning, according to Gesenius (Lex.} is, <I was done up and was sick;' — I was done over, &c. Perhaps the reason of est views of divine things, will be nono the less prepared to discharge with faith fulness the duties of this life; he who is his using this verb here is, that he repre- Permitted and enabled to look far into sents himself as having been sick, and j ffl ^.ure Wl11 be none the less llkely to then as fainting away, as if his life had be dlllgent> faithful, and laborious in departed. The Latin Vulgate renders it, meetinS the responsibilities of the present langui. Theodotion, ewrfSfiv—' was laid moment. If a man could see all that in my bed.' The general idea is plain, i there 1S ™*<*ven,,t would only serve to that he was overcome and prostrate at|LW"! h™ ™th a deeper conviction of the effect of the vision. He had been; hls,f hSatl°nti "? 1 *"**. *! '' -'f,5° permitted to look into the future, and the I cou d B.ee a * tbatf ther,e.is *? com«m tho scenes were so appalling— the changes 7ast ^nuty before him, it would only that were to occur were s? great-the ca-;mPress hira Wlth a profounder sense of lamities were so fearful in their charac- ^e consequences which may follow from ter, and, above all, his mind was so af-! the discharge of present duty ^ And I fected that the daily sacrifice was to cease, I tca* a»io™hed <** the «i«o«. He was stuand the worship of God be suspended! P^ed-he wasovercome-at the splendid that he was entirely overcome. And who | appearance, and the momentous natura of us, probably, could bear a revelation of the disclosures. Comp. Notes on ch. of what is to occur hereafter? Where is 1 1V- 19' V But none understood it. It there strength that could endure the dis closure of what may happen even in a would seem probable from this, that he communicated it to others, but no one tures were plain, but no one could follow out the details, and tell precisely what would occur, before the vision was ful filled. This is the general nature of prophecy; and if neither Daniel nor any of his friends could explain this vision iy detail, are we to hope that we shall be successful in disclosing the full meaning of those which are not yet fulfilled? The truth is, that in all such revelations of the future, there must be much in detail which is not now fully understood. The general features may bo plain — as, in this case, it was clear that a mighty king would rise; that he would be a tyrant; that he would oppress the people of God; that he would invade the holy land; that he would for a time put a period to the offering of the daily sacrifice; and that this would continue for a definite period; and that then he would bo cutoff without human instrumentality; but who from this would have been able to draw out, in detail, all the events which in fact oc curred? Who could have told pre cisely how these things would come to pass? Who could have ventured on a biography of Antiochus Epiphanes? Yet these three things are true in regard to this: (1) that no one by human sagacity could have foreseen these events so as to have been able to furnish these sketches of what was to be; (2) that these were sufficient to apprise those who were in terested particularly, of what would oc cur; and (3) that when these events oc curred, it was plain to all persons that the prophecy had reference to them. So plain is this — so clear is the application of the predictions in this Book, that Por phyry maintained that it was written after the events had occurred, and that the book must have been forged.
I. The inquiry of Daniel into the time that the desolations of Jerusalem were to continue, and his determination to seek the Lord to pray that his purpose in regard to the restoration of the city and temple might be speedily accomplished, vs. 1 — 3. Daniel says (ver. 1), that thii occurred in the first year of Darius of the seed of the Medes. He was engaged in the study of the books of Jeremiah. He learned from these books that seventy years were to elapse during which the temple, the city, and the land were to be desolate. By a calculation as to the time when this commenced, he was enabled to ascertain the period when it would close, and he found that that period was near, and that, according to the prediction, it might be expected that the time of the restoration was at hand. His mind was, of course, filled with the deepest solicitude. It would seem not improbable that he did not perceive any preparation for this, or any ten dency to it, and it could not but be that he would be filled with anxiety in regard to it. He does not appear to have entertained any doubt that the predictions would be fulfilled, and the fact that they were so clear and so positive, was a strong reason why he should pray, and was the reason why he prayed so earnestly at this time. The prayer which he offered is an illustration of the truth that men will pray more earnestly when they have reason to suppose that God in tends to impart a blessing, and that an assurance that an event is to occur is one of the strongest encouragements and incitements to prayer. So men will pray with more faith when they see that God is blessing the means of restoration to health, or when they see indications of an abundant harvest; so they will pray with the more fervour for God to bles* his word when they see evidences of a revival of religion, or that the time has come when God is about to display his power in the conversion of sinners; and so undoubtedly they will pray with the more earn estness as the proofs shall be multiplied that God is about to fulfil all his ancient predictions in the conversion of the whole world to himself. A belief that God intends to do a thing is never any hindrance to real prayer; a belief that he is in fact about to do it does more than anything else can do to arouse the soul to call with earnestness on his name.
II. The prayer of Daniel, vs. 4 — 19. This prayer is remarkable for its simplicity, its fervour, its appropriateness, its earnestness. It is a frank confession that the Hebrew people, in whose name it was offered, had deserved all the calamities which had come upon them, accompanied with earnest intercession that God would now hear this prayer, and remove the judgments from th<» people, and accomplish his purpose of mercy towards the city and temple. The long cap tivity of nearly seventy years; the utter desolation of the city and temple during that tim«;
the numberless privations and evils to which during that period they had been exposed, had demonstrated the greatness of the sins for which these calamities had come upon the nation, and Daniel now, in the name, and uttering the sentiments, of the captive people, confessed their guilt, and the justness of the divine dealings with them. Never has there been an in stance in which punishment has had more of its designed and appropriate effect than in prompt ing to the sentiments which are uttered in this prayer: and the prayer, therefore, is just the expression of what we should feel when the hand of the Lord has been long and severely laid upon us on account of our sins. The burden of the prayer is confession; the object which ho who offers it seeks is, that God would cause the severity of his judgments to cease, and the city and tcini,i<* to be restored. The particular points in the prayer will be more appropriately eluci dated in the exposition of this part of the chapter.
111. The answer to the prayer, vs. 20 — 27. The principal difficulty in the exposition of the chapter is in this portion; and indeed there is perhaps no part of the prophecies of the Old Testament that is, on some accounts, more difficult of exposition, as there is, in some respects, none more clear, and none more important. It is remarkable, among other things, as not being a direct answer to the prayer, and as seeming to have no bearing on the subject of the petition — that the city of Jerusalem might be rebuilt, and the temple restored, but it directs the mind onward to another and more important event — the coming of the Messiah, and the final closing of sacrifice and oblation, and a more entire and enduring destruction of the temple and city, after it should have been rebuilt, than had yet occurred. To give this information, an angel — the same one whom Daniel had seen before, was sent forth from heaven, and came near to him and touched him, and said that he was commissioned to impart to him skill and understanding, •vs. 20 — 23. " The speediness of his coming indicates a joyful messenger. The substance of that message is as follows: As a compensation for the seventy years in which the people, the city, and the temple had been entirely prostrate, seventy weeks of years, seven times seventy years cf a renewed existence would be secured to them by the Lord; and the end of this period, far from bringing the mercies of God to a close, would for the first time bestow on them the Theo cracy in their complete and full measure." Ilengstenberg, Chistology, I. 293. The points of information which the angel gives in regard to the future condition of the city are these:
(a) That the whole period determined in respect to the holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for the people, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy, was seventy weeks — evidently seventy prophetic weeks, that is, regarding each day as a year, four hundred and ninety years, ver. 24. The time when this period would commence — terminus a quo — is not indeed distinctly specified, but the fair interpretation is, from that time when the vision appeared to Daniel, the first year of Darius, ver. 1. The literal meaning of the phrase ' seventy weeks,' according to Prof. Stuart (Hints on the Interpretation of Prophecy, p. 82), is seventy sevens, that is, seventy sevens of years, or four hundred and ninety years. "Daniel," says he, <; had been meditating on the accomplishment of the seventy years of exile for the Jews, which Jeremiah had predicted. At the close of the fervent supplication for the people which he makes, in connection with his meditation, Gabriel appears, and announces to him that ' seventy sevens are appointed for his people,' as it respects the time then future, in which very serious and very important events are to take place. Daniel had been meditating on the close of the seventy years of Hebrew exile, and the angel now discloses to him a new period of seventy times seven, in which still more important events are to take place."
(6) This period of seventy sevens, or four hundred and ninety years, is divided by the angel into smaller portions, each of them determining some important event in the future. He says, therefore, (ver. 25,) that from the going forth of the command to rebuild the temple, until the time when the Messiah should appear, the whole period might be divided into two portions — one of seven sevens, or forty nine years, and the other of threescore and two sevens — sixtytwo sevens, or four hundred and thirty-four years, making together four hundred and eightythree years. This statement is accompanied with the assurance that the " street would be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." Of these periods of seven weeks, sixty-two weeks, and one week, the close of the first is distinguished by the completion of the rebuilding of the city; that of the second by the appearing of the Anointed One, or the Messiah, the Prince; that of the third by the finished confirmation of the covenant with the many for whom the saving blessings designated in ver. 24, as belonging to the end of the whole period, are designed. The last period of one week is again divided into two halves. While the confirmation of the cove nant extends through it, from beginning to end, the cessation of the sacrifice and meat-offer ing, and the death of the Anointed One, on which this depends, take place in the middle of it.
(c) The Messiah would appear after the seven weeks — reaching to the time of completing the rebuilding of the city, and the sixty-two weeks following that— that is, sixty-nine weeks alto gether, would have been finished. Throughout half of the other week, after his appearing, he would labour to confirm the covenant with many, and then die a violent death, by which tho sacrifices would be made to cease, while the confirmation of the covenant would continue even after his death.
(d) A people of a foreign prince would come and destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of all would be a ' flood' — an overflowing calamity, till the end of the desolations should be determined, vs. 26, 27. This fearful desolation is all that the prophet sees in the end, except that there is an obscure intimation that there would be a termination of that. But the design of the vision evidently did not reach thus far. It was to show the series of events after th» rebuilding of the city and temple up to the time when the Messiah would come; when the great atonement would be made for.sin, and when the oblations and sacrifices of the templo would finally cease: cease, in fact and naturally, for the one great sacrifice, superseding them all, had been offered, and because the people of a foreign prince would come and sweep the temple and the altar away.
The design of the whole annunciation is, evidently, to produce consolation in the mind of the prophet,. lie was engaged in profound meditation on the present state, and the long-continued desolations of the city and temple. He gave his mind to the study of the prophecies to learn whether these desolations were not soon to end. He ascertained beyond adoubt that the period arew near. He devoted himself to earnest prayer that the desolation might not longer continue; that God, provoked by the sins of the nation, would no longer execute his fearful judgments, but would graciously interpose, and restore the city and temple. He confessed ingenuously and humbly the sins of his people; acknowledged that the judgments of God were just, but plead earnestly, in view of his former mercies to the same people, that he would now have compas sion, and fulfil his promises that the city and temple should be restored. An answer is not given directly, and in the exact form in which it might have been hoped for, but an answer is given in which it is implied that these blessings so earnestly sought would be bestowed, and in which it is promised that there would be far greater blessings. It is assumed in the answer (ver. 25). that the city would be rebuilt, and then the mind is directed onward to the assurance that it would stand through seven times seventy years — seven times as long as it had now been desolate, and that then that which had been the object of the desire of the people of God would be accomplished; that for which the city and temple had been built would be fulfilled — the Messiah would come, the great sacrifice for sin would be made, and all the typical arrange ments of the temple would come to an end. Thus, in fact, though not in form, the communi cation of the angel was an answer to prayer, and that occurred to Daniel which often occurs to those who pray — that the direct prayer which is offered receives a gracious answer, and that there accompanies the answer numberless other mercies which are drawn along in the train; or, in other words, that God gives us many more blessings than we ask of him.
1 In the first year of a Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the
Medes, b which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans.
2 In the first year of his reign I
1. In the first year of Darius. See; Babylon was taken by Cyrus, acting un- Notos on ch. v. 31, and Intro, to eh. vi. I der the authority of Cyaxares, B. C. 538,
2. The king here referred to under this and, of course, the reign of Cyaxares, or name was Cyaxares II., who lived be- Darius, over Babylon commenced at that tween Astyages and Cyrus, and in whom Point' ancUhat would be reckoned as the was the title of king. He was the imme-! ^st y*&* of his reiSn- Ho died B-?• diate successor of Bolshazzar, and was!^6, and Cyrus succeeded him; and as the the predecessor of Cyrus, and was the i °rder to reJuJLld the temple was in the first of the foreign princes that reigned! first year of Cyrus, the time referred to over Babylon. On the reasons why he | ™ this chapter, when Daniel represents is called in Daniel Darius, and not Cy- i himself as meditating on the close of the axares, see the Intro, to ch. vi.? 2. Of ', Captivity and offering this prayer, cancourse, as he preceded Cyrus, who gave i°oti lon& have preceded that order. He the order to rebuild the temple (Ezra i. 1), i had ascertained that the period of the this occurred before the close of the sev- captivity was near its close, and he naenty years of the captivity, f The son, turally inquired in what way the restoraof Ahasuerus. Or the son of Astyages. j tl°" of *he Jews to their own land was See Intro, to ch. vi. 0 2. It was no unu- to b* effected, and by what means the to be rebuilt.
eeveral names, and one writer might refer! 2- 7 Da™1 understood by booh. By to them under one name, and another un- i the sacred books> and especially by the f Of the seed of the Medea, writings of Jeremiah. It has been made
^ Which, was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. By conquest. He suc ceeded Belshazzar, and was the immedi ate predecessor of Cyrus. Cyaxares II. ascended the throne of Media, according to th« common chronology, B. C. 561.
a ground of objection to the genuineness of Daniel that he mentions 'books' in this place — anp'D — as if there were at that time a collection of the sacred books, or as if they had been enrolled together in
Daniel understood by books the num ber of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a the prophet, that he would accomplish was completed, or that he uses such language as the Hebrews did when the seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 fl And b I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and
tions and the captivity — the terminus a quo — and according as one or another of canon of the Scriptures was finished, them was fixed on the close would be reand thus betrays himself. See Bertholdt,! garded as nearer or more remote. Daniel,
Comm. p. 78. Comp. De Wette, Einl. § 13. This objection has been examined by Hengstenberg, Beitrag. pp. 32 — 35. It is sufficient to reply to it, that there is every probability that the Jews in Baby lon would be in possession of the sacred books of their nation, and that, though the canon of the Scriptures was not yet completed, there would exist private col lections of those writings. The word here used by Daniel is just such as he would employ on the supposition that he referred to a private collection of the writings of the prophets. Comp. Lengerke, in loc. See the Intro., where the objection is examined. ^The number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. The number of the years in respect to which the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah; that is, which he had revealed to Jeremiah. The books referred to, therefore, were evidently a collection of the writings of Jeremiah, or a collection which embraced his writings. would accomplish seventy y solations of Jerusalem. That Jerusalem would so long lie waste. This was ex pressly declared by Jeremiah (ch. xxv. 11, 12): " And the whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Ba bylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accom plished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity," &c. So also Jer. xxix. 10: " For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place." The time of the desolation and of the captivity, therefore, it seems, by close study, had satisfied his own mind on that subject, and had been able to fix upon some period that was undoubtedly the proper beginning, and hence the time when it would close. The result showed that his calculation was correct, for at the time he expected, the order was given by Cyrus to rebuild the city and temple. When he instituted this inquiry, and engaged in this solemn act of prayer, it would have been impos sible to have conjectured in what way this could be brought about. The reign ing monarch was Cyaxares II., or, as he is here called, Darius, and there was nothing in his character, or in anything that he had done, that could have been a basis of calculation that he would favour the return of the Jews, and the rebuild ing of the city, and there was then no probability that Cyrus would so soon come to the throne, and nothing in hi» character, as known, that could be a ground of hope that he would voluntarily interpose, and accomplish the divine pur poses and promises -in regard to the holy city. It was probably such circumstances as these which produced the anxiety in the mind of Daniel, and which led him to offer this fervent prayer; and his fervent supplications should lead us to trust in God that he will accomplish his purposes, and should induce us to pray with fer vour and with faith when we see no way in which he will do it. In all cases he can as easily devise a way in answer to prayer, as he could remove Cyaxares from the throne, and incline the heart of Cy rus to undertake the rebuilding of Jeru salem and the temple.
3. And I set my face unto the L ord God. Probably the meaning is, that he turned was fixed and positive, and the only dif- his face toward Jerusalem, the place ficulty in determining when it would j where G-od had dwelt; the place of his holy close, was in ascertaining the exact year abode on earth. See Notes on ch. vi. 10. when it commenced. There were several I The language, however, would not be inoccurrences which might, perhaps, be re- I appropriate to denote prayer without such garded aa the beginning of the desola-J a supposition. We turn to one whom w* supplications, uith fasting, and sack- 4 And I prayed unto the Lord cloth, and ashes. my God, and made ni}^ confession, address, and so prayer may be described i courageraent to pray except in the purby 'setting the face toward God.' The I Poses and promises of God, for we have no essential idea here is, that he engaged in power ourselves to accomplish the things a set and formal prayer; he engaged in i for wbidl we PrnJ. nnd all must depend earnest devotion. He evidently set apart! on his will. When that will is known it a time for this, for he prepared himself | is the very thing to encourage us in our by fasting, and by putting on sackcloth approaches to him, and is all the assurand ashes. «f To seek by prayer and sup- i ance that we need to induce us to pray. plication. To seek his favour; to pray l 4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God. that he would accomplish his purposes.; Evidently a set and formal prayer. It The words 'prayer and supplication,' j would seem probable that he offered this which are often found united, would \ prayer, and then recorded the substance of seem to denote earnest prayer, or prayer I ifc afterwards. We have no reason to supwhen mercy was implored— the notion! Pose that we have the whole of it, but we of mercy or favour implored entering j have doubtless its principal topics. ^ And into the meaning of the Hebrew word! ntads my confession. Not as an Individrendered Application. «| With fast- I "al> °r not ot' hi* own sins only, but a coning. In view of the desolations of! fession in behalf of the people, and in their the city and temple; the calamities i name. There is no reason to suppose that had come upon the people; their | that what he here says did not express sins, Ac.; and in order also that the i their feelings. They had been long in mind might be prepared for earnest and! captivity— far away from their desolate fervent prayer. The occasion was one! city and temple. They could not but be of great importance, and it was proper i sensible that these calamities had come that the mind should be prepared for it • uPon them on account of their sins; and by fasting. It was the purpose of Dan- | they could not but feel tbat the calamitie3 iel to humble himself before God, and to j could not be expected to be removed but recall the sins of the nation for which j bJ confession of their sins, and by acthey now suffered, and fasting was an knowledging the justice of the divine appropriate means of doing that, f" And! dealings towards them. When we have sackcloth. Sackcloth was a coarse kind: been afflicted— when we are called to pass of cloth, usually made of hair, and em- j through severe trials— and when borne ployed for the purpose of making sacks, i down b? trial> we S° to God> and PraJ bags, Ac. As it was dark, and coarse, j that the evil may be removed, the first and rough, it was regarded as a proper i thing that is demanded is, that we should badge of mourning and humiliation, and! confess our sins and acknowledge the juswas worn as such usually by passing or I tice of God in tho judgments that have girding it around the loins. See Notes i come uPon us- If we attempt to vindion Isa. iii. 24; Job xvi. 15. f And ashes. I cate and Justif> ourselves, we can have It was customary to cast ashes on the I no h°Pe that the Judgment will be averted, head in a time of great grief and sorrow, j Daniel, therefore, in the name of the peo- The principles on which this was done 1 Ple« beSa.n bis prayer with tho humble seem to have been, (a) that the external i and penitent acknowledgment that all appearance should correspond with the t_bat rthej bad suffered was deserved, state of the mind and the heart, and ^\ 0 Lord, tl>e great and dreadful God. A
(b) that such external circumstances would have a tendency to produce a state of heart corresponding to them — or would produce true humiliation and repentance
God great, and to be feared or venerated. — Nniirv This does not mean dreacffulin tho sense that there is anything stern or unamiable in his character, but mainly for sin. Corap. Notes on Job ii. 8. The j that he is to be regarded with veneration, practical truth taught in this verse, in; f[ Keeping the covenant and mercy. Keepconiiection with the preceding is, that the i ing his covenant and showing mercy, fact that a thing is certainly predicted,! This is often ascribed to God, that he is and that God means to accomplish it, is faithful to his covenant; that is, that he is faithful to his promises to his people, or to those who sustain a certain relation to and said, 0 Lord, the » great and dreadful God, keeping bthe covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his command ments;
5 We c have sinned and have com mitted iniquity, and have done wick edly, and have rebelled, even by de-
6 Neither d have we hearkened! unto thy servants the prophets,
which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers,; and to all the people of the land.
him, and who are faithful to their cove- every way possible. The mind, in a state nant vows. If there is alienation and es- I of true repentance, dwells on its sins, and trangement, and want of faithfulness on recounts the various forms in which inieither side, it does not begin with him. quity has been done, and multiplies ex- He is faithful to all his promises, and his j pressions of regret and sorrow on account fidelity may always be assumed as a basis! of transgression. ^[ from thy precepts.
of calculation in all our intercourse with him. See the word covenant in Cruden's Concordance. The word mercy seems to
Thy commands; thy laws. ^[ Thy judg ments. Thy laws — the word judgments in the Scripture denoting what God judges be added here to denote that mercy enters j to be right for us to do, as well as what it into his dealings with us even in keeping I is right for him to inflict.
the covenant. We are so sinful, and so unfaithful ourselves, that if he is faithful to his covenant, it must be by showing mercy to us. ^[ To them that love him, &c. The conditions of the covenant extend no farther than this, since, in a compact of any kind, one is bound to bo faithful only while the terms are maintained by the other party. So God binds himself to show favour only while we are obedient, and we can plead his covenant only when we are obedient, when we confess our sins, and plead his promises in this sense — that he has assured us that he will re store and receive us if we are penitent. It was this which Daniel plead on this occasion. He could not plead that his people had been obedient, and had thus any claims to the divine favour, but he could cast himself and them on the mercy of a covenant-keeping God, who would remember his covenant with them if they were penitent, and who would graciously pardon.
5. We have sinned. Though Daniel was alone, ho spake in the name of the people in general — doubtless recounting the long series of crimes in the nation which had preceded the captivity, and which were the cause of the ruin of the city and temple. IT And have com mitted iniquity, &c. These varied forms of expression are designed to give in tensity to what he says. It is equiva lent to saying that they had sinned in
6. Neither have we hearkened nnto th$ servants the prophets. Who called upon us to turn from our sins; who made known the will of God, and who proclaimed that these judgments would come upon us if we did not repent. ^ Which spake in thy name to our kings, &c. To all classes of the people, calling on kings and rulers to turn from their idolatry, and the peo ple to forsake their sins, and to seek the Lord. It was a characteristic of the prophets that they spared no classes of the nation, but faithfully uttered all the word of God. Their admonitions had been un heeded, and the people now saw clearly that these calamities had come upon them be cause they had not hearkened to their voice.
7. 0 Lord, righteousness belongeth nnto thee. Marg., ' or, thou hast.' The He brew is, ' to thee is righteousness, to us shame,' <fec. The state of mind in him who makes the prayer is that of ascribing righteousness or justice to God. Daniel feels and admits that God has been right in his dealings. He is not disposed to blame him, but to take all the shame and blame to the people. There is no mur muring or complaining on his part as if God had done wrong in any way, but there is the utmost confidence in him, and in his government. This is the true feeling with which to come before God when we are afflicted, and when we plead for his mercy and favour. God should be regarded as righteous in all that he has done, and of faces, as at this day; to the men j 8 0 Lord, to us belongeth b confuofJudah, and to the inhabitants of sion of face, to our kings, to our Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, thai ' princes, and to our fathers, because are near, and that are far off, through we have sinned against thee. all the countries whither a thou hast | 9 To the Lord our God ^belong driven them, because of their tres- mercies and forgiveness, though we pass that they have trespassed have rebelled against him;
holy in all his judgments and claims, and | Judah properly so called, but all who apthere should be a willingness to address! pertain to the nation. They were all of him as holy, and just, and true, and to! one blood. They had had a common take shame and confusion of face to our- j country. They hud all revolted, and a selves. Comp. Ps. li. 4. f But unto us \ succession of heavy judgments had come confusion of faces. Heb., 'shame of j upon the nation as such, and all had ocfaces;' that is, that kind of shame which | casion for shame and confusion of face, we have when we feel that we are guilty, | ^[ That are near, and that are far off. and which commonly shows itself in the j Whether in Babylon, in Assyria, or in countenance, ^f As at this day. As we i more remote countries. The ten tribes actually are at this time. That is, he felt j had been carried away some two hundred that at that time they were a down-trod- I years before this prayer was offered by den, an humbled, a contemned people, j Daniel, and they were scattered in far Their country was in ruins; they were | distant lands. ^[ Through all the councaptives in a far-distant land, and all on; tries whither thou hast driven them, <fec. which they had prided themselves was j In Babylonia, in Assyria, in Egypt, or in laid waste. All these judgments and hu- other lands. They were scattered every where, and wherever they were they had common cause for humiliation and shame. 0 Lord, to us belongeth confusion, To all of us; to the whole people, miliating things he says they had de served, for they had grievously sinned, To the men of Judah. j the kingdom of that name. After the re- j high and low, rich and poor, the rulers volt of the ten tribes — which became j and the ruled. All had been partakers of known as the kingdom of Ephraim — be- \ the guilt; all were involved in the cacause Ephraim was the largest tribe, or j lamities consequent on the guilt. As all the kingdom of Israel, the other portion of the people — the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, were known as the kingdom of Judah, since Judah was by far the largest tribe of the two. This kingdom had sinned, the judgments had come upon all, and it was proper that the con fession should be made in the name of all. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses. Not only does right eousness belong to him in the sense that is referred to here, because Daniel be longed to it, and because the ten tribes i he has done right, and that he cannot be had been carried away long before, and I blamed for what he has done, but mercy scattered in the countries of the East, and forgiveness belong to him in the sense
The ten tribes had been carried to As syria. Jerusalem always remained as the capitol of the kingdom of Judah, and it is to this portion of the Hebrew people that the prayer of Daniel more especially appertains. ^[ And to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Particularly to them, as the heaviest calamities had come upon them, that he only can pardon, and that these are attributes of his nature. ^[ Though we have rebelled against him. The word here used and rendered though — >3 — may mean either though, or for. That is, the passage may mean that mercy belongs to God, and we may hope that he will show it, although we have been so evil and reand as they had been prominent in the j bellious; or it may mean that it belongs sins for which these judgments had come upon the people. ^ And unto all Israel. All the people who are descendants of Is rael or Jacob, wherever they may be, em bracing not only those of the kingdom of to him, and he only can show it, for we have rebelled against him; that is, our only hope now is in his mercy, for we have sin ned, and forfeited all claims to his favour. Either of these interpretations make good
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all * Israel have trans gressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
sense, but the latter would seem to be most in accordance with the general strain of this part of the prayer, which is to make humble and penitent confession. So the Latin Vulgate — qm'a. So Theodotion, on. So Luther and Lengerke, denn. In the same way, the passage in Ps. xxv. 11, is rendered, " For thy name's sake, 0 Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for — o — it is great," — though this passage will admit of the other interpretation, ' although it is great.'
10. Neither have we obeyed the voice of the L ord. The commands of God as made known by the prophets, ver. 6.
11. Yea, all Israel have transgressed, <fcc. Embracing not only the tribe and the kingdom of Judah, but the whole nation. The calamity, therefore, had corno upon them all. ^ Even by departinq. By de parting from thy commandments; or by rebellion against thee. ^ That they might not obey thy voice. By refusing to obey thy voice, or thy commands, ^f Therefore the curse is poured upon us. As rain de scends, or as water is poured out. The curse here refers to that which was so sol emnly threatened by Moses in case the nation did not obey God. See Deut. xxviii. 15-68. f And the oath that is written in the law of Moses, <fcc. The word here rendered oath — n^'ur — means properly a swearing, or an oath, and hence, either an oath of promise or in a covenant, or an oath of cursing or imprecation; that is, a curse. It is evidently used in the latter sense here. See Gesenius, Lex. Daniel saw clearly that the evils which had been threatened by Moses (Deut. xxviii.), had actually come upon the na tion, and he as clearly saw that the cause of all these calamities was that which Moses had specified. He, therefore, frank-
12 And he hath confirmed hm words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written bin the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet c made we not our prayer
ly and penitently confessed these sins in the name of the whole people, and earn estly supplicated for mercy.