Notes on the Old and New Testaments

the prepuce, Ex. iv. 25; the head, 1 Sam. j not be his people who shall deny him.

Theodotion (in the Sept.) KUI xpi^a ov* c<Tiv iv ctorw — 'and there is no crime in him.' Syriac, 'And it is not with him.

The Hebrew is, iS j-xv and the interpre tation turns on the meaning of the word px- Hengstenberg maintains that it is midst of the people/ 'from Israel/ 'from never used in the sense of & (not), but that it always conveys the idea of nothing, or non-existence, and that the meaning here is, that, then, 'there was nothing to him;' that is, that he ceased to have au thority and power, as in the cutting off of aprince or ruler whose power comes to an end. Accordingly he renders it, 'and

etroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,

is not to him;' that is, his dominion, au thority, or power over the covenant peo ple as an anointed prince, should cease when he was cut off, and another one would come and desolate the sanctuary,

"bo cut off as the Prince— the Messiah. This interpretation appears to be con firmed by what is immediately said, that another would come and would destroy the city and the sanctuary, or that the and take possession. Bertholdt renders I possession would pass into his hands. It it, Ohne NacJifolger von den Seinigen zu habcn — 'without any successors of his own' — meaning that his family, or that the dynasty would be cut off, or would seems probable to me that this is the fair interpretation. The Messiah would come as a ' prince/ It might be expected that he would come to rule — to set up a king- end with him. Ho maintains that the! dom. But he would be suddenly cut whole phrase denotes * a sudden and an un- ' off by a violent death. The anticiexpected death,' and that it here means • pated dominion over the people as a that he would have no successor of his prince would not be set up. It would own family. He applies it to Alexander | not pertain to him. Thus suddenly the Great. Lengerke renders it, vnd j cut off, the expectations of such a rule nicht ittt vorhanden, der ihm angeJioret — [ would be disappointed and blasted. He and explains the whole to mean 'The an- would in fact set up no such dominnointed one [as the lawful king] shall be j ion as might naturally be expected of an cut off, but it shall not then be one who! anointed prince; he would have no sucbelongs to his family [to wit, upon thelcessor; the dynasty would not remain in throne], but a Prince shall corne to whom his hands or his family, and soon the the crown did not belong, to whom the people of a foreign prince would come, name anointed could not properly belong.' j and would sweep all away. This inter- Maurer explains it, 'there shall be to him pretation does not suppose that the real no successor or lawful heir.' Prof. Stu- j object of his coming would be thwarted, art renders it, " One shall be cut off, and or that he would not set up a kingdom in there shall be none for it" (the people).! accordance with the prediction properly C. B. Michaelis, " and not to be, will be j explained, but that such a kingdom as his lot." Jack, and Hitzig, "and no one j would be expected by the people, would remained to him." Rosch, "and no one j not be setup. He would be out off soon was present for him." Our translation —; after he came, and the anticipated dobut not for himself— was undoubtedly I minion would not pertain to him, orthere adopted from the common view of the would be 'nothing' of it found in him. atonement — that the Messiah did not die j and soon after a foreign prince would come for himself, but that his life was given as j and destroy the city and the sanctuary. a ransom for others. There can be no i This interpretation, indeed, will take doubt of that fact to those who hold the | this passage away as a proof-text of common doctrine of the atonement, and I the doctrine of the atonement, or as yet it may be doubted whether the trans- affirming the design of the death of the lators did not undesignedly allow their Messiah, but it furnishes a meaning as views of the atonement to shape the inter- much in accordance with the general pretation of this passage, and whether it J strain of the prophecy, and with the facts can be fairly made out from the Hebrew, j in the work of the Messiah. For, it was

The ordinary meaning of the Hebrew word — ^X — is undoubtedly nothing, emp tiness — in the sense of there being nothing (See Gesenius, Lex.), and, thus applied, a natural expectation that when he came he would set up a Kingdom — a temporal reign — and this expectation was exten sively cherished among the people. He the sense here would be that, after he was was> how^er, soon cut off, and all such cut off, or in consequence of his being cut! h°Pes at once P««»d ™ the "»nds °f off, that which he before possessed would \ his true followers (comp. Luke xxiv. 21), cease, or there would be 'nothing' to j and in the minds of the multitudes who, him;— that is, either his life would cease, though not his true followers, began to tr hi« dominion would cease, or he would j inquire whether he might not be the pro- dieted Messiah — the prince to sit on the! this clearly refers to one that was to folthrone of David. But of such an antici-; lowj (6) the phrase 'that is to come' — pated dominion or rule, there was 'noth- N2n — would also imply this. It would ing' to him. All these expectations were j naturally suggest the idea that he would blighted by his sudden death, and soon, | come from abroad or that he would be a instead of his delivering the nation from | foreign prince— for he would 'come' for bondage and setting up a visible king- | the purposes of destruction. No one can dom, a foreign prince would cotne with fail to gee the applicability of this to tbo his forces, and would sweep away every- destruction of Jerusalem by the Koman thing. Whether this would be the inter- | powers after the Lord Jegus wag t to pretation affixed to these words before the j deafch< If that wag the design of the advent of the Messiah, cannot now bo de- j propbecy> or jf jt be admitted that the termined. We have few remains of the: prophecy contemplated that the language methods in which the Hebrews inter- | could not haye befin bcfcter chosen> or the preted the ancient prophecies, and we > prediction more exact. No one can rearaay readily suppose that they would not, sonably doubt, that, if the ancient Hebe disposed to embrace an exposition j brewg had understood the former part of which would show them that the reign the prophecy as meaning that the true of the Messiah, as they anticipated it, j Messiah would be pufc to death soon after would not occur, but that almost as soon j hig appearing, they could not fail to an as ho appeared, he would be put to death, ticipate that a foreign prince would soon and the dominion pass away, and the na-, come and lay wftste tbeir dt and ganc. tion be subjected to the ravages of a for- | tu «• Slmil de8troy the city and the eign power, f And the people of the,anctuary. The < boly place'— the temprince that shall come. Marg., ' And they le> Thig is the termination of the pro- (the Jews) shall be no more his people; j phecy> jt begins with the command to or, the Prince's (Messiah's) future peo- 1 <rebuild and restore' the city, and ends pie.' This seems to be rather an expla- j wifch itg destruction. The time is not nation of the meaning, than a translation! fixed> nor ig there in the propbecy any of the Hebrew. The literal rendering | direct intimation wben jt wouid occur) would be, 'and the city, and the sane- 1 unlegg it be found in tbe general declaratuary, the people of a prince that comes, j tion in ven 24, that 'seventy weeks were shall lay waste.' On the general suppo- 1 determined upon the people and the city.' sition that this whole passage refers to j The who]e scope of the prophecy> how. the Messiah and his tune, the language! ever> would lead to the supposition that here used is not difficult of interpretation,!thig wag 80on to OCCur after the Messiah and denotes with undoubted accuracy the sbouid be ' cut off.' The series of events events that soon followed the 'cutting under the Roraans which led to the deoff ' of the Messiah. The word people— i struction of tbe cjty and temple, in fact, Dj? — is a word that may well be applied; began very soon after the death of the to subjects or armies — such a people as \ Lord Jesus, and ceased only when the an invading prince or warrior would lead temple was wholly demolished, and the with him for purposes of conquest. It city was rased to its foundations, f And denotes properly («) people, or tribe, or! the end thereof. Heb., 'its end,' or, 'his race in general; and then (6) the people end' — Tip. It is not certain to what the as opposed to kings, princes, rulers (comp. | word it ^ bere refers. It may be either Xadj the people as opposed to chiefs in, the end of the city> or of the prince, or Homer, II. ii. 365, xiii. 108, xxiv. 28); of tbe prophecy, so far as the grammatiand then as soldiers, Judges v. 2. Hence. caj construction is concerned. As the it may be applied, as it would be under- j principai and immediate subject of the stood to be here, to the soldiers of the j prophecy, however, is the city, it is more prince that should come. f Of the • natural to refer it to that. Hengs'tenberg prince that shall come. The word prince j renders it, ' it will end,' supposing, with bere — -\\^ — is the same which occurs in j Vitringa, that it refers to the subject of ver. 25, 'Messiah the prince.' It is clear, | the discourse: ' the thing— the whole afhowever, that another prince is meant < fair — all that is here predicted in this sehere for (a) it is just said that that prince j ries of events— will end with a flood.' —the Messiah— would be 'cut off,' and! This accords well with the whole design nnnt with many for one -week: and of the prophecy. ^ With a flood. — close. There would be no intermission; 1^3 • That is, it shall be like an over-! no cessation. It is hardly necessary to flowing flood. The word here used means s<?y that this was» in fact, precisely the a gushing, outpouring, as of rain, Job charactei; Of the war which the Romans xxxii. 6, Neh. i. 8. Hence it would ap propriately denote the ravages of an array, sweeping everything away. It would be like a sudden inundation, carrying every- struction of the city and temple; the over throw of the whole Hebrew polity, and the removal of great numbers of the peo ple to a distant and perpetual captivity.

thing away. No one can doubt that this! No War> PerhaPs> has been in its progress language is applicable in every respect to I r?ore marked by desolation; in none has by the Roman armies, f And unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Marg., 'it shall be cut off by desolations.' Hengstenberg renders this, 'and unto the end is war, a decree of ruins.' So Lengerke — und bis aufs Ende krieg und Beschluss der Wiisten. Bertholdt renders it, 'And the great desolations shall continue unto the end of the war.' The Latin Vulgate renders it, et post finem belli statuta desolatio — ' and after the end of the war desolation is determined.' Prof.

the purpose of destruction been more perseveringly manifested to its very close. The language here, indeed, might apply to many wars — in a certain sense to all wars; in none, however, would it be moro appropriate than to the wars of the Ro mans with the Jews.

27. And Jie shall confirm the cove nant. Literally, 'he shall make strong' — •V3,?nv The ideais that of giving strength, or stability; of making firm and sure. The Hebrew word here evidently re fers to the 'covenant* which God is said

Stuart translates it, ''And unto the end I to establish with his people— so often reshall be war, a decreed measure of deso- 1 ferred to in the Scriptures as expressing lations. Ihe literal meaning of the pas- tv>o voiot;™ i^*,,,™™ u,-™ „„,» *i.

sage is, 'And unto the end of the war, desolations are decreed,' or determined. The word rendered 'determined' — pnn — means properly to cut, cut in, engrave;

the relation between Him and them, and hence used, in general, to denote the laws and institutions of the true religion — the laws which God has made for his church; his promises to be their protec- then to decide, to determine, to decree, to tor, <fec., and the institutions which grow pass sentence. See Notes on ver. 24.! out of that relation. The margin reads Here the meaning naturally is, that such i it, more in accordance with the Hebrew, desolations were settled or determined j ' a> meaning that he would confirm or esas by a decree or purpose. There was I tablish 'a covenant' with the many. Acsomething which made them certain; ' cording to this, it is not necessary to supthat is, it was a part of the great plan! pose that it was any existing covenant here referred to in the vision of the sev-! that it referred to, but that he would ratenty weeks, that there should be such desolations extending through the war. The things which would, therefore, be anticipated from this passage would be (a) that there would be war. This is implied also in the assurance that the people of a foreign prince would come ify what was understood by the word 'covenant;' that is, that he would lead many to enter into atrue and real covenant with God. This would be fulfilled if he should perform such a work as would bring the 'many' into a relation to God corresponding to that which was sus- and take the city. ~(b) That this war I tained to him by his ancient people; that would be of a desolating character, or i?> bring them to be his true friends and that it would in a remarkable manner ex tend and spread ruin over the land. All seem that this would do it in a remarka- referred to), would, for 'one week' — purble manner, (c) That these desolations sue such a course as would tend to eswould extend through the war, or to its I tablish the tru« religion; to render it worshippers. The meaning of the expres sion here cannot be mistaken, that during the time specified, 'he' (whoever may bo in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation more stable and firm; to give it higher sanctions in the approbation of- the 'ma ny,' and to bring it to bear more decidedly and powerfully on the heart. Whether' this would be by some law enacted in its favour; or by protection extended over the nation; or by present example; or by instruction; or by some work of a new kind, and new influences which he would set forth, is not mentioned, and before hand perhaps it could not have been well anticipated in what way this would be. There has been a difference of opin ion however, as to the proper nominative to the verb confirm — "P3JH — whether it is the Messiah, or the foreign prince, or the ' one week.' Hengstenberg prefers the latter, and renders it, 'And one week shall confirm the covenant with many.' So also Lengerke renders it. Bertholdt renders it 'he,' that is, 'he shall unite himself firmly with many for one week' — or, a period of seven years, ein Jahrsiebend lang. It seems to me that it is an unnatural construc tion to make the word 'week' the nom inative to the verb, and that the more obvious interpretation is to refer it to some person to whom the whole subject relates. It is not usual to represent time as an agent in accomplishing a work. In poetic and metaphorical language, in deed, we personate time as cutting down men, as a destroyer, &c., but this usage would not justify the expression that 'time would confirm a covenant with many.' That is, evidently, the work of a conscious, intelligent agent; and it is most natural, therefore, to understand this as of one of the two agents who are spoken of in the passage. These two agents are the 'Messiah,' and the 'Prince that should como.' But it is not reasonable to suppose that the latter is referred to, be cause it is said (ver. 26), that the effect and the purpose of his coming would be to 'destroy the city and the sanctuary.' He was to come ' with a flood,' and the effect of his coming would be only deso lation. The more correct interpretation, therefore, is to refer it to the Messiah, who is the principal subject of the pro phecy; and the work which, according to this, he was to perform was, during that ' one week,' to exert such an influence as would tend to establish a covenant bo- Si tween the people and God. The effect of his work during that one week would be to secure their adhesion to the true reli gion; to confirm to them the divine pro mises, and to establish the principles of that religion which would lead them to God. Nothing is said of the mode by which that would be done; and anything, therefore, which would secure this would be a fulfilment of the prophecy. As a matter of fact, if it refers to the Lord Je sus, this was done by his personal instruc tions, his example, his sufferings and death, and the arrangements which he made to secure the proper effect of his work on the minds of the people — all dasigned to procure for them the friendship and favour of God, and to unite them to him in the bonds of an enduring cove nant, f With many. D^nS- Or, for i many; or, unto many. He would per form a work which would pertain to many, or which would bear on many, lead ing them to God. There is nothing in the word here which would indicate who they were, whether his own immediate fol lowers, or those who already were in the covenant. The simple idea is, that this would pertain to many persons, and it would be fulfilled if the effect of his work were to confirm many who were already in the covenant, or if he should bring many others into a covenant relation with God. Nothing could be determined from the meaning of the word used here as to which of these things are designed, and consequently a fair fulfilment would be found if either of them occurred. If it refers to the Messiah, it would be fulfilled if in fact the effect of his coming should be either by statute or by instructions to confirm and establish those who already sustain this relation to God, or if he gathered other followers, and confirmed them in their allegiance to God. <[ For one week. The fair interpretation of this, according to the principles adopted throughout this exposition, is, that this includes the space of seven years. See Notes on ver. 24. This is the one week that makes up the seventy — seven of them, or forty-nine years, embracing the period from the command to rebuild the city and temple to its completion under Nohemiah; sixty-two, or four hundred and thirty-two years, to the public appear- to cease, and for the overspreading | desolate, even until the consummaof abominations he shall make it ', tion, and that determined shall be the battlements shaUbetheidoU of POUred UP0n the "desolate.

ing of the Messiah, and this one week to! complete the whole seventy, or four hun- | dred and ninety years until the ' trans- j gression was finished, and an end was j made of sins, and reconciliation was made j for iniquity, and everlasting righteous-! ness was brought in,' &c. ver. 24. It is i essential, therefore, to find something done, occupying these seven years, that • would go to 'confirm the covenant' in the sense above explained. In the consideration of this, the attention is arrested by; the announcement of an important event! which was to occur 'in the midst of the week,' to wit, in causing the sacrifice; and the oblation to cease, showing that; there was to be an important change occurring during the 'week,' or that! while he would be in fact confirming! the covenant through the week in some j proper sense, the sacrifice and obla tion would cease, and therefore the confirming of the many in the cove nant must depend on something else than the continuation of the sacrifice and oblation. In regard to this language, as in respect to all the rest of the prophecy, there are in fact just two questions: One is, what is fairly to be understood by the words, or what is the proper interpreta tion, independent of anything in the re sult j the other is, whether anything oc curred in that which is regarded as tthe fulfilment which corresponds with the language so interpreted. (1) The first inquiry, then, is, What is the fair mean ing of the language? Or what would one who had a correct knowledge of the proper principles of interpretation under stand by this? Now, in regard to this, while it may be admitted, perhaps, that there would be some liability to a differ ence of view in interpreting it with no reference to the event, or no shaping its meaning?)?/ the event, the following things seem tp be clear: (a) that the ' one wuek' would comprise seven years, immediately succeeding the appearance of the Mes siah, or the sixty-two weeks, and that there was something which he would do in ' confirming the covenant,' or in estab lishing the principles of religion, which would extend through that period of seven years, or that that would be, in some proper sense, A period of time, hav ing a beginning — to wit, his appearing, and some proper close or termination ut the end of the seven years: that is, that there would be some reason why that should be a marked period, or why the whole should terminate there, and not at some other time, (b) That in the middle of that period of seven years, another im portant event would occur, serving to di vide that time into two portions, and es pecially to be known as causing the sacri fice and oblation to cease; in some way affecting the public offering of sacrifice so that from that time there would be in fact a cessation. And (c) that this would be succeeded by the consummation of the whole matter expressed in the words, 'and for the overspreading of abomina tion he shall make it desolate,' <fec. It is not said, however, that this latter would immediately occur, but this would be one of the events that would appertain to the fulfilment of the prophecy. There is no thing, indeed, in the prediction to forbid the expectation that this would occur at once, nor is there anything in the words which makes it imperative that we should so understand it. It may be admitted that this would bo the most natural in terpretation, but it cannot be shown that that is required. It may be added, also, that this may not have appertained to the direct design of the prophecy — which was to foretell the coming of the Messiah, but that this was appended to show the end of the whole thing. When the Mes siah should have come, and should have made an atonement for sin, the great de sign of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple would have been accomplished, and both might pass away. Whether that would occur immediately or not, might be in itself a matter of indifference, but it was important to state here that would occur, for that was properly a com pletion of the design of rebuilding the city, and of the purpose for which it had ever been set apart as a holy city. (2) The other inquiry is, whether there was rh.-jt j in what is regarded as the fulfilment of I |hiS; whicli fairly corresponds with the predietion. I have attempted above (on ver. 25) to show that this refers to the Messiah properly so called — the Lord Jesus Christ. The inquiry now is, there fore, whether we can find in his life and death what is a fair fulfilment of these reasonable expectations. In order to see this, it is proper to review these points in their order: (a) The period, then, which is embraced in the prophecy, is j as ' confirming the covenant;' that is, it seven years, and it is necessary to find would be strengthening the principles of in his life and work something which — '-~- ^ ft_i the things occurred, but still there are a number of circumstances which will show that this interpretation is not only plau sible, but that it has in its very nature strong probability in its favour. They are such as these: (1) The ministry of the Saviour himself was wholly among the Jews, and his work was what would, in their common language, be spoken of would be accomplished during these seven years which could be properly referred to as 'confirming the covenant with many.' The main difficulty in the case is on this point, and I acknowledge that this seems to me to be the most embar rassing portion of the prophecy, and that religion, bringing the divine promises to bear on the mind, and leading men to God, <fcc. (2) This same work was con tinued by the apostles as they laboured among the Jews. They endeavoured to do the same thing that their Lord and Master had done, with all the additional sanctions now derived from his life and the solutions which can be given of this I death. The whole tendency of their are less satisfactory than those that per- | ministry would have been properly extain to any other part. Were it not that j pressed in this language: that they enthe remarkable clause in the midst of the ' deavouredto 'confirm the covenant' with week, he shall cause the sacrifice and ob- 1 the Hebrew people; that is, to bring lation to cease were added, I admit that i them to just views of the character of the natural interpretation would be that their natural covenant with God; to show might look for something which he would siah; to establish the ancient promises; himself accomplish during the whole j and to bring to bear upon them the sane- period of seven years. That clause, how ever, looks as if some remarkable event and ratified, and enlarged through the were to occur in the middle of that Messiah. Had the Saviour himself sucperiod — for the fact that he would cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease — that is, would bring the rites of the temple to a close, shows that what is meant by 'confirming the covenant' is different from the ordinary worship under the an cient economy. No Jew would think of expressing himself thus, or would see ceeded in this, or had his apostles, it would have been in fact only 'confirm ing the ancient covenant' — the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the covenant established under Moses, and ratified by so many laws and customs among the people. The whole bearing of the Saviour's instructions, and of his followers, was to carry out and fulfill the real design of that ancient institution- sacrifices were to cease. The confirming | to show its true nature and meaning, and of the covenant, therefore, during that to impress it on the hearts of men.

'one week' must be consistent with some work or event that would cause the sacri fice and oblation to cease in the middle of that period, (b) The true fulfilment, it seems to me, is to be found in the bear-

(3) This was continued for about the period here referred to; at least for a period so long that it could properly be represented in round numbers as 'one week,' or seven years. The Saviour's own ing of the work of the Saviour on the \ ministry continued about half that time; Hebrew people — the ancient covenant; and then the apostles prosecuted the same people of God — for about the period of i work, labouring with the Jews, for about seven years after he entered on his work, j the other portion before they turned their Then the particular relation of his work I attention to the Gentiles, and before the to the Jewish people ceased. It may not! purpose to endeavour to bring in the be practicable to make out the exact time! Jewish people was abandoned. They of ' seven years' in reference to this, and j remained in Jerusalem; they preached it may be admitted that this would not; in the synagogues; they observed the bo understood from the prophecy before i rites of the temple service; they directed their first attention everywhere to the Hebrew peopb; they had not yet learned that they were to turn away from the 'covenant people/ and to go to the Gen tiles. It was a slow process by which they were led to tliis. It required a miracle to convince Peter of it, and to show him that it was right to go to Cornelius (Acts x.), as a representative of the Gentile people, and it required another miracle to convert Saul of Tarsus, the ' apostle of the Gen tiles.' and to prepare him for the work of carrying the gospel to the heathen world, and a succession of severe persecutions was demanded to induce the apostles to leave Jerusalem and to go abroad upon the face of the earth to convey the mes sage of salvation. Their first work wns among the Jewish people, and they would have remained among them if they had not been driven away by these persecu tions, and been thus constrained to go to other lands. It is true that it cannot be shown that this was a period of exactly * half a week,' or three years and a half after the ascension of the Saviour, but, in a prophecy of this nature, it was a period that might, in round numbers, be well ex pressed by that; or the whole might be properly described by ' seventy weeks' or four hundred and ninety years, and the last portion after the appearing of the Messiah as one of these weeks. There has been much needless anxiety to make out the exact time to a month or a day in regard to this prophecy — not remember ing its general design, and not reflecting how uncertain are all the questions in ancient chronology. Compare the sensi ble remarks of Calvin on ver. 25. — (4) When this occurred; icJicn the apostles turned away from the Hebrew people, and gave themselves to their labours among the Gentiles, the work of 'confirming the co venant' with those to whom the promises had been made, and to whom the law was given, ceased. They were regarded as ' broken off' and left, and the hope of success was in the Gentile world. See the reasoning of the apostle Paul in Rom. xi. Jerusalem was given up soon after to destruction, and the whole work, as contemplated in this prophecy, ceased. The object for which the city and temple were rebuilt was accomplished, and here was a proper termination of the prophecy. It was not necessary, indeed, that these should be at once destroyed, but they were henceforth regarded as having fulfilled the work designed, and as being now left to ruin. The ruin did not at once occur, but the sacrifices thenceforward offered were without meaning, and the train of events was constantly preparing that would sweep away city and temple to gether. I suppose, therefore, that this last ' one week' embraced the period from the beginning of the ministry of the Sa viour to that when the direct and exclu sive efforts to bring the principles of his religion to bear on the Hebrew people, as carrying out the design of the cove nant made by God with their fathers, and confirmed with so many, promises, ceased, and the great effort was com menced to evangelize the heathen world. Then was the proper close of the seventy weeks; what is added is merely a state ment of the winding up of the whole af fair in the destruction of the city and temple. That occurred, indeed, some years after, but at this period all that was material in regard to that city had taken place, and consequently that was all that was necessary to specify as to the proper termination of the design of re building the city and the temple. ^[ And in the midst of the week. The word here rendered ' in the midst'— ••»xn — mean? properly half, the half part, Ex. xxiv. 6, Num. xii. 12; then, the middle, or the midst, Judges xvi. 3. The Vulgate ren ders it, in dimidio; the Greek, in rw fjftiati. Hengstenberg, 'the half.' So Lengerke, die Hal/te. Luther, mitten. The natural and obvious interpretation is that which is expressed in our translation, and that will convey the essential idea in the original. It refers to something which was to occur at about the middle portion of this time, or when about half of this period was elapsed, or to something which it would require half of the ' one week,' or seven years, to accomplish. The meaning of the passage is fully met by the supposition that it refers to the Lord Jesus and his work, and that the exact thing that was intended by the prophecy was his death, or his being ' cut off,' and thus causing the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Whatever difficulties there may be about the precise time of our Lord's ministry, and whether he celebrated three passovers or four after he entered on his public work, it is agreed on all hands that it lasted about three years and a half— the time referred to here. Though a few have supposed that a longer period was occupied, yet the general belief of the Church has coincided in that, and there are few points in history better settled. On the supposition that this pertains to the death of the Lord Jesus, and that it was the design of the prophecy here to refer to the effects of that death, this is the very language which would have been used. If the period of ' a week' were for any purpose mentioned, then it would be indispensable to suppose that there would be an allusion to the importapt event — in fact, the great event which was to occur in the middle of that period, when the ends of the types and ceremo nies of the Hebrew people would be ac complished, and a sacrifice made for the sins of the whole world, f He shallcause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. The word 'Tie,' in this place, refers to the Messiah, if the interpretation of the former part of the verse is correct, for there can be no doubt that it is the same person which is mentioned in the phrase 'he shall confirm the covenant with ma ny.' The words 'sacrifice' and 'oblation,' refer to the offerings made in the temple. The former word more properly denotes bloody offerings; the latter, offerings of any kind — whether of flour, fruits, grain, <tc. See these words explained in the Notes on Isa. i. 11, 13. The word ren dered "cease" — ns3"ys2 — means properly to rest (whence the word Sabbath), and.

then in Hiphil, to cause to rest, or to tlon of desolation.' The Greek, 'And cause to cease. It conveys the idea of uPon the temple shall be an abomination putting an end to, us, fur example, war, °f desolations/ The Syriac, 'And upon Ps. xlvi. 9, contention, Prov. xviii. 18, j tho extremities of the abomination, shall exultation, Isa, xvi. 10. Gesenius. The I rest desolation/ The Arabic, 'And over literal signification here would be met by | the sanctuary shall tiler* be the abomithe supposition that an end would be I natlon of rum-' Luther renders it, 'And made of these sacrifices, and this would j uPon lhe W1"SS sha11 stand the abominaoccur either by their being made wholly I tlon of desolation/ Lengerke and Ilengx_ A_ i,_.rr j _x iu_i. I- -_ i.__ I stenborL' render it. 'And upon tho sumcomes the destroyer/ tho water shall be over forward"th'ey would "be useless and'wouTd 1 * Jinged fowl of abominations/ These die away. As a matter of fact, so far as I different translations show that there is the divine intention in the appointment! Srcat obscurity in the original, and porof these sacrifices and offerings was con- j haPf exclude the hope of being able enccrned, they ceased at the death of Christ ~**J to free the passage from all difficul- — in the middle of the 'week/ Then the t^es- A" examination of the «?orc?s,howgreat sacrifice, which they had adum- over, may perhaps enable us to form a brated, was offered. Then they ceased to I judgment of its meaning. The literal have any significancy, no reason existing i and obvious sense of the original as I unfor their longer continuance. Then, as derstand it, is, ' And upon the wing of tho they never had any efficacy in themselves j abominations one causing desolation'— 35* they ceased also to have any propriety as types — for the thing which they had pre figured had been accomplished. Then, too, began a series of events and influ ences which led to their abolition, for soon they were interrupted by the Ro mans, and the temple and the altars were swept away to be rebuilt no more. The death of Christ was, in fact, the thing which made them to cease, and the fact that the great atonement tad been made, and that there was now no further need of those offerings, is the only philosophi cal reason which can be given why the Jews have never been able again to re build the temple, and why for eighteen hundred years they have found no place where they could again offer a bloody sacrifice. The 'sacrifice and the obla tion' were made, as the result of the coming of the Messiah, to ' cease' forever, and no power of man will be able to re store them again in Jerusalem. Comp. Gibbons' account of the attempt of Ju lian to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. Dec. and Fall, ii. 35—37. f And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate. The marginal reading here is very different, showing clearly the perplexity of the translators: ' Upon tho battlements shall be the idols of the desolatcr/ There is great variety, also, in tho ancient versions in rendering this passage. The Latin Vulgate is, 'And there shnll be in the temple the abominaoccur either by their being made wholly I tlon,01 ' to cease to be offered at that time, or by stenberg render it, ' the fact that the object of their appoint- mib of abomination c ment was accomplished, and that hence- * rof' otuart, nd tl

»r.? *?£> The word rendered overspreading — ^3 — means properly a «>i'H<7 — so called as covering, or because it covers — from e\)3} to cover, to hide. Then it denotes any thing having a resemblance to a wing, as an extremity, a corner, as (a) of a garment, the skirt, or flap, 1 Sam. xxiv. 5, 12, Num. xv. 38, and hence, as the outer garment was used by the Ori entals to wrap themselves in at night, the word is used for the extremity or bor der of a bed-covering. Deut. xxiii. 1; Ruth iii. 9. (6) It is applied to land, or to the earth — as the earth is compared with a garment spread out. Isa. xxiv. 16; Job xxxvii. 3, xxxviii. 13. (c) It is used to denote the highest point, or a battle ment, a pinnacle — as having a resem blance to a wing spread out. So the word itrtpyiov is used in Matt. iv. 5. See Notes on that passage. It would seem most probable that the allusion by the word as applied to a building would not be, as supposed by Gesenius (Lex.), and by Hengstenberg and Lengerke, to the pinnacle or summit, but to some roof, porch, or piazza that had a resemblance to the wings of a bird as spread out — a use of the word that would be very natu ral and obvious. The extended porch that Solomon built on the eastern side of the temple would, not improbably, have, to one standing on the opposite Mount of Olives, much the appearance of the wings of a bird spread out. Nothing certain can be determined about the allusion here from the use of this ivord, but the connec tion would lead us to suppose that the reference was to something pertaining to the city or temple, for the whole pro phecy has a reference to the city and temple, and it is natural to suppose that in its close there would be an allusion to it. The use of the word 'icing' here would lead to the supposition that what is said would pertain to something in con nection with the temple having a resem blance to the wings of a bird, and the word 'upon' — h% — would lead us to sup pose that what was to occur would be somehow upon that. The word rendered abominations — tPJn^& — means abomina ble things, things to be held in detesta tion, as things unclean, filthy garments, Ac., and then idols, as things that are to be held in abhorrence. The word— fiptf

— shik-kootz, is rendered abomination in Deut. xxix. 17, 1 Kings xi. 5, 7, 2 Kinga xxiii. 13, 24, Isa. Ixvi. 3, Jer. iv. 1, vii. 30, xiii. 27, xxxii. 34, Ezek. v. 11, vii. 20, xx. 7, 8, 30, Dan. ix. 27, xi. 31, xii. 11, Hos. ix. 10, Zech. ix. 7; abominable idols, 2 Chron. xv. 8, in the margin abomina tions; detestable, in Jer. xvi. 18, Ezek. xi. 18, 21, xxxvii, 23; an abominable Jilth in Nah. iii. C. It does not occur elsewhere. In most of these places it is applied to idols, and the current usage would lead us so to apply it, if there were nothing in the connection to demand a different inter pretation. It might refer to any thing that was held in abomination, or that was detestable and offensive. The word is one that might be used of an idol god, or of anything that would pollute or defile, or that was from any cause offensive. It is not used in the Old Testament with reference to a banner or military standard, but there can be no doubt that it might be so applied as denoting the standard of a foe — of a heathen — planted on any part of the temple — a thing which would be particularly detestable and abomi nable in the sight of the Jews. The word rendered 'he shall make it de solate' — opt-'p — is 'he making desolate;' that is, a desolater. It is a Poel partici ple from assp to be astonished, to be laid waste; and then, in an active sense, to lay waste, to make desolate. Gesenins. The same word, and the same phrase, occurs in ch. xi. 31: 'And they shall place the abomination that maketh deso late,' or, as it is in the margin, astonisheth. There, also, the expression is used in connection with ' taking away the daily sacrifices.' The word would be more properly rendered in this place de solater, referring to some one who would produce desolation. There is great ab ruptness in the entire expression, and it is evident that it was not the intention to give so clear a prediction in this that it could be fully understood beforehand. The other portions of the prophecy, re specting the building of the city, and the coming of the Messiah, and the work that he would accomplish, are much more clear, and their meaning could have been made out with much more certainty. But, in reference to this, it would seem, perhaps, that all that was designed was to throw out suggestions — frag ments of thought, that would rather hint at the subject than give any continuous I planted in any part of the temple, as idea. Perhaps a much more abrupt me- an abomination; and no word would bet- thod of translation than that which attempts to express it in a continuous grammatical construction capable of being parsed easily, would better express the ter denote the character of tho Roman conqueror than the word desolater — for the effect of his coming was to lay the whole city and temple in ruins, (c) The state of the mind of the speaker, and the language of the Saviour in his reference

of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place," &c.

' He shall cause the sacrifice and the j There can be no reasonable doubt that offering to cease. And — upon the wing — the Saviour refers to this passage in Danthe porch of the temple — abominations! iel (see Notes on Matt. xxiv. 15), or that And a desolater!' That is, after the j events occurred in the attack on Jerusa- ceasing of the sacrifice and the oblation, the mind is fixed upon the temple where they had been offered. The first thing that arrests the eye is some portion of the temple, here denoted by the word winy. The next is something abomina ble or detestable — an object to be hated and loathed in the very temple itself. The next is a desolater — one who had come to carry desolation to that very temple. Whether the ' abomination' is connected with the 'desolater' or not, is not intimated by the language. It might, or might not be. The angel uses lan- lem and the temple that would fully cor respond with the language used here. Josephus, for instance, says, that when the city was taken, the Romans brought their ensigns into the temple, and placed them over the eastern gate, and sacrificed to them there. "And now the Romans," says he, " upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and all the build ings round about it, brought their ensigns into the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there they did offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make guage as these objects strike the eye, and j Titus Liberator with the greatest acclahe expresses himself in this abrupt man- mations of joy." Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. ner as the eye rests on one or the other. | vi. $ 1. This fact fully accords with the The question then arises, what does this! meaning of the language as above exmean? Or what is to be regarded as the plained, and the reference to it was deproper fulfilment? It seems to me that! inanded in order that the purpose of the there can be no doubt that there is a re ference to the Roman standard or ban ners planted on some part of the temple, or to the Roman army, or to some idols set up by the Romans — objects of abom ination to the Jews — as attracting the eye of the angel in the distant future, and as indicating the close of the series of events here referred to in the prophecy. The reasons for this opinion are, summa rily, the following: («) the place or order in which the passage stands in the pro- prophecy should be complete. Its proper termination is the destruction of the city and temple — as its beginning is the order to rebuild them.

summation. Until the completion — "ij?l — nSs. That is, the series of events in the prophecy shall in fact reach to the completion of everything pertaining to the city and temple. The whole purpose in regard to that shall be completed. The design for which it is to be rebuilt phecy. It is after the coming of the sball be consummated,- the sacrifices to Messiah; after the proper cessation of be offer ed *«• sha11 be finished, and the sacrifice and oblation, and at the \ they sha11 be no longer efficacious or proclose of the whole series of events— the Per » tbo whole clvil and religious polity connected with the city and temple shall pass away. ^[ And that determined. — See this word explained in the termination of the whole design about re building the city and the temple, (b) The language is such as would properly re present that. Nothing could be more appropriate in the common estimation of the Jews, than to speak of such an object as a Roman military standard

Notes on vs. 24, 26. See also Notes on Isa. x. 23. There seems to bo an allu sion in the word here to its former use, as denoting that this is the fulfilment of the determination in regard to the city I there are seen abominable things — idolaand temple. The idea is, that that I trous ensigns, and the worship of forwhich was determined, or decided on, to! eigners. A desolr.ter is there, also, come wit, with reference to the closing scenes! to spread destruction — a foreign army or of the city and temple, would be accom- j leader. And this shall continue even to plished. f Shall be 2>oured. ^pn. The the end °f the whole matter — the end of word here used means to pour, to pour the events contemplated by the prophecy out, to overflow— as rain, water, curses, | T«i °nd of the citv and the temple, anger, &c. It may be properly applied! And that which 1S determined on— the to calamity or desolation, as these things destruction decreed— shall be poured out may be represented as poured down upon llke a tempest on the city doomed to de, a people, in the manner of a storm.— solation— desolate as surveyed at the be- Comp. 2 Sam. xxi. 10, Ex. ix. 33, Ps. Smning of the prophecy— desolate at the xi. 6, Ezek. xxxviii. 22, 2 Chron. xxxiv.! close> and therefore appropriately called 21, xii. 7, Jer. vii. 20, xlii. 18, xliv. 6. ' tlie desolate-' fZfee» the desolate. Marg., dcsolater. After thls Protracted examination of though in another form (Kal instead of that this prediction could have been the Peel) which is used in the previous part; result only of inspiration. There is the of the verse, and rendered 'he shall make clearest evidence that the prophecy was it desolate/ but which is proposed above i recorded long before the time of the'Mesto be rendered desolater. The verb apff j siah, and it is manifest that it could not is an intransitive verb, and means, in Kal, have been the result of any natural sagnthe form used here, to be astonished or city. There is not the slightest proof amazed; then 'to be laid waste, to be that it was uttered as late as the coining made desolate' (Gesenius), and the mean- of Christ, and there is nothing better deing in this place, therefore, is, that which ' termined in relation to any ancient matis desolate or laid waste — the wasted, the | ter than that it was recorded long before perishing, the solitary. The reference is! the birth of the Lord Jesus. But it is to Jerusalem viewed as desolate or re- ' equally clear that it could have been the duced to ruins. The angel, perhaps, con templates it, as he is speaking, in ruins or as desolate, and he sees this also as result of no mere natural sagacity. How could such events have been foreseen ex cept by Him who knows all things? — the termination of the entire series of pre- j How could the order have been deterdictions, and, in view of the whole, speaks j mined? How could the time have been of Jerusalem appropriately as the desolate.: fixed? How could it have been antici- Though it would be rebuilt, yet it would j pated that the Messiah, the Prince would be again reduced to desolation, for the I be cut off? How could it have been purpose of the rebuilding — the coming known that he would cause the sacrifice of the Messiah — would be accomplished, and oblation to cease? How could it As the prophecy finds Jerusalem a scene | have been ascertained that the period of ruins, so it leaves it, and the last word in the prophecy, therefore, is appropri ately the word desolate. The interme diate state indeed between the condition of the city as seen at first and at the close is glorious— for it embraces the whole work of the Messiah; but the beginning is a scene of ruins, and so is the close. The sum of the whole in the latter part of the verse, may be expressed in a during which he would be engaged in this would be one week — or about seven years? How could it be predicted that a remarkable event would occur in the middle of that period that would in fact cause the sacrifice and oblation ultimately to cease? And how could it be conjec tured that a foreign prince would come, and plant the standard of abomination in the holy city, and sweep all away — free paraphrase: 'He, the Messiah, shall i laying the city and the temple in ruins, cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, by having fulfilled in his own death the design of the ancient offerings, thus ren dering them now useless, and upon the outspreading — upon tho temple regarded as apread out, or some wing or portico, and bringing the whole polity to an end? These things lie beyond the range of natural sagacity, and if they are fairly implied in this prophecy, they demon strate that this portion of the book is from God.

THIS chapter introduces the last revelation made to Daniel, and is merely introductory to the disclosures made in the two following chapters. The whole extends to the time of the coming of the Messiah, embracing a detail of the principal historical events that \vould occur, and closes with some fearful allusions to the ultimate results of human conduct in the day of judgment, and to the great principles on which God governs the world. The contents of this introductory chapter are as follows: (a) the statement of the time when the revelation occurred, ver. 1. This was in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, subsequently, therefore, to the visions in tho previous chapters, and after the order had been given by Cyrus for the restoration of the Jews, Ezra i. 1. (b) The particular period when this occurred was when Daniel was observing a fast that continued through three weeks, vs. 2, 3. This was at the Passover, the first month in their ecclesiastical year, and the fast was observed by Daniel, evidently, on account of the sins and the calamities of his people, (c) The place where this occurred, ver. 3. He was by the side of the river of Iliddekel, or Tigris. Why he was there, he does not say. But it is to be remem bered that he seems to have been employed on some occasions in other parts of the empire than Babylon, and one of his former visions occurred on the banks of a river that flowed into the Tigris — the river Ulai. See Notes on ch. viii. 2. Indeed, it would appear that the banks of rivers were not unfrequently the places to which the prophets resorted, or where they were favored with their visions. They were retired places, and were on many accounts favourable for devo tion. Comp. Ezek. i. 1; Acts xvi. 12. See also Rev. xxii. 1, 2. (a") While there, engaged in 1m devotions, Daniel saw a man, who suddenly appeared to him, clothed in linen, and girded with a belt of gold. Those who Avere with him fled astonished and left him alone to contemplate the vision, and to receive the communication which this glorious stranger had to make to him. The effect of this vision on himself, however, was wholly to overcome hims ^o prostrate him to the earth, and to render him insensible, until the angel touched him, and raised him up, vs. 4 — 10. In all this there is nothing unnatural. The effect is such as would be produced in any case in similar circumstances, and it has a striking resemblance to what occurred to Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus, Acts ix. 3, 4; xxii. 7 — 9, and to John in the visions of Patinos, Rev. i. 10 — 17. (e) He who had thus appeared to Daniel, proceeded to state to him the design for which he had come, vs. 11—14. The prayer of Daniel, he said, had been heard the first day in which he had given himself to these solemn acts of devotion. He had himself been commis sioned at that time to come to Daniel, and to disclose the events which were to occur. During a period of twenty-one days, however, in which Daniel had been engaged in this season of de votion, he had been withstood by ' the prince of the kingdom of Persia,' and had been detained until Michael, one of the chief princes, had interposed to release him, and he had now come, at last, to make known to Daniel what would occur to his people in the latter days. The nature of this detention will, of course, be considered in the Notes on ver. 13. (/) Daniel then (vs. 15 — 17), describes the effect which this vision had on him, rendering him unable to converse with him who had thus appeared to him. (.17) The heavenly messenger then touched him, and bade him he of good courage and be strong (vs. 18, 19), and then said that he would return and fight with the prince of Persia, after having stated that which was ' noted in the Scripture of truth,' vs. 20, 21.

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto

1. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia. In regard to Cyrus, see Notes on Isa. xli. 2. In ch. i. 21, it is said that ' Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.' But it is not neces sarily implied in that passage that ho died there. It may mean only that he continued in authority, and was em ployed, in various ways, as a public offi cer, until that time. See Notes on that passage. For anything that appears, he may have lived several years after, though, for causes now unknown, he may have retired from the coast after toe accession of Cyrus. This vision may

Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true,

have occurred when he was no longer a public officer, though the whole narrative leads us to suppose that he had not lost his interest in the affairs of the Jewish people. He may have retired on account of age, though his declining years would be naturally devoted to the welfare of his people, and he would embrace any oppor tunity which ho might have of doing them good. ^[ A thing was revealed unto Daniel. A revelation was made to him. The occasion on which it was done is stated in the next verse. It was when he wa,a earnestly engaged in prayer for his peo ple, and when his mind was deeply anx- but the time appointed was along:| 2 And in those days I Daniel was and he understood the thing, and I mourning three b full weeks, had understanding of the vision. * great. b weeks of days.

Sous in regard to their condition. ^[ Whose name was called Belteshazzar. See Notes on ch. i. 7. The name Belteshazzar was probably that by which he was known in Babylon, and as this prophecy was per haps published in his own time, the use of this name would serve to identify the author. The name Daniel would have been sufficient to give it currency and au thority among his own countrymen. ^[ And the thing was true. That is, it would be certainly accomplished. This expresses the deep conviction of the wri ter that what was revealed in this vision would certainly come to pass. In his own mind there was no doubt that it would be so, though the time extended through many years, and though it could not be expected that it would bo com plete until long after his own death. Perhaps the declaration here is designed to bring the weight of his own authority and his well-known character; to pledge his own word, that what is here said would be accomplished: or, as we should say, to stake his veracity as a prophet and a man, on the fulfilment of what he had affirmed. Such an assertion might be of great use in consoling the minds of the Jews in the troubles that were to come upon their na tion. ^[ But the time appointed was long. Marg., great. There is considerable va riety in the translation and interpretation of this passage. The Latin Vulgate ren ders it fortitude magna. The Greek, 'And the power was great/ The Syriac, ' And the discourse was apprehended with great effort, but he understood the vis ion.' Luther, ' And it was of great mat ters.' Lengerke, 'And the misery (Elend) is great j' that is, the distress of the people. Bertholdt renders it, ' Whose contents pertained to great wars.' This variety of interpretation arises from the word rendered in our version 'the time appointed' — N3ST- This word properly means an army, host, as going forth to war; then the host of angels, of the stars, and hence God is so often called 'Jeho vah of hosts.' Then the Avord means warfare, military service, a hard service, a season of affliction or calamity. See Notes on Job vii. 1. It seems to me that this is the meaning here, and that Gesenius (Lex.) has correctly expressed the idea: "And true is the edict, and relates to long warfare; that is, to many calami ties to be endured." It was not a thing to be soon accomplished, nor did it per tain to peaceful and easy times, but it had reference to the calamities, the evils, and the hardships of wars: — wars at tended with the evils to which they are usually incident, and which were to be conducted on a great scale. This inter pretation will accord with the details in the following chapters. ^[ And he under stood the thing, &c. This seems to be said in contradistinction to what had occurred on some other occasions when the mean ing of the vision which he saw was con cealed from him. Of this he says he had full understanding. The prophecy was, in fact, more clearly expressed than had been usual in the revelations made to Daniel, for this is almost entirely a his torical narrative, and there could be littledoubt as to its meaning.

2. In those days I Daniel was mourning. I was afflicting myself; that is, he had set apart this time as an extraordinary fast. He was sad and troubled. He does not say on what account he was thus troubled, but there can be little doubt that it was on account of his people. This was two years after the order had been given by Cyrus for the restora tion of the Hebrew people to their coun try, but it is not improbable that they met with many embarrassments in their efforts to return, and possibly there may have sprung up in Babylon some diffi culties on the subject that greatly affected the mind of Daniel. The difficulties at tending such an enterprise as that of re storing a captured people to their country, when the march lay across a vast desert, would at any time have been such as to have made an extraordinary season of prayer and fasting proper, f Three full weeks. Marg., weeks of days. Heb., ' Three sevens of days.' He does not say whether ho had designedly set apart that time to be occupied as a season of fasting, or whether he had, under the influence of deep feeling, continued his fast from day to day until it reached that period. Either supposition will accord with the

3 I ate no * pleasant bread, nei ther came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold b a certain man

circumstances of the case, and either dinary views of what would occur to them would have justified such an act at any in future days. It may be added, thattime, for it would be undoubtedly proper | we shall be more likely to receive divine to designate a time of extraordinary de- I communications to our souls at the close votion, or, under the influence of deep j of seasons of sincere and prolonged devofeeling, of domestic trouble, of national; tion than at other times, and that, though affliction, to continue such religious ex- i we may set apart such seasons for differ-

3. I ate no pleasant bread. Marg., bread of desires. So the Hebrew. The mean ing is, that he abstained from ordinary food, and partook of that only which was ent purposes, the Spirit of God may take occasion from them to impart to us clear and elevated views of divine truth, and of the divine government. A man is in a better state to obtain such views, and is coarse and disagreeable. ^ Neither came j more likely to obtain them, in such cirjiesJt nor icine in my mouth. That is, he j cumstances than he is in others, and he lived on bread or vegetables. It is not | who desires to understand God and his to be inferred from this that Daniel ordi- ways should wait upon him with intense narily made use of wine, for it would and prolonged devotion. The time here Seem from chapter i. that that was not his | specified is the ' first month' — the month custom. What would appear from this j Nisan, answering to a part of our month passage would be, that he practised on! April. This was the month in which the this occasion the most rigid abstinence, j Passover was celebrated, and was a time, ^[ Neither did I anoint myself. The use j therefore, which a Jew would be likely of unguents was common in the East, ' to select as a season of extraordinary de- (See Notes on Matt. vi. 17), and Daniel j votion. It was, for some reason, very here says that he abstained during these j common for the prophets to record the three weeks from that which he ordina- very day on which the visions which they rily observed as promoting his personal saw appeared to them, or on which divine comfort. He gave himself up to a course I communications were made to them, of life which would be expressive of deep This was often of importance, because it grief. Nature prompts to this when the I served to determine the time when a promind is overwhelmed with sorrow. Not j phecy was fulfilled. ^[ / was by the side only do we become indifferent to our food, jo/ the great river, which is Hiddekel. but it requires an effort not to be indiffer- | That is, the Tigris. The Syriac renders ent to our dress, and to our personal ap- it the Euphrates. The name in the

At the close of his sea- Though he had not set apart this season of fasting with any view or expectation that it would be fol lowed by such a result, yet there was a propriety that an occasion like this should bo selected as that on which the communication which follows should be made to his mind; for (a) his mind was in a prepared state by this extraordinary season of devotion, for such a communi cation; and (6) his attention during that period had been turned towards the con dition of his people, and it was a fit op portunity to impart to him these extraor-

Scriptures, however, denotes the Tigris. Why Daniel was there he does not say. He was often away from Babylon (Comp. Notes on ch. vii. 2), and he may have been now among some of his people who resided near the Tigris. Possibly he may at that time have ceased to reside at the court in Babylon, and have taken up his residence in some place on the Tigris. See Notes on verse 1.

5. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, &c. While ho was engaged ic devotion. What is here said would lead us to suppose that he had been occupied in deep thought and meditation, perhaps with his eyes fixed on the ground. ^ Be hold a certain man clothed in linen. One

clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz.

who had the form and appearance of a man. The subsequent disclosures showed that he was an angel, but when angels have appeared on earth they have com monly assumed the human form. The margin is, 'one.' So also is the Hebrew 'one man.' From ch. xii. 6, it would seem that two other such beings appeared ance of lightning, and his eyes aa lamps of fire, and his arms and hia feet like in colour to polished brass, green six sided prisms. It is identical with the emerald, except that the latter has a purer and richer colour." Dana, in Webster's Die. The Hebrew word here used is £">Lv")ri — Tarshish — Tartessua, and properly refers to a country, sup posed to be on the south of Spain, a place where this mineral was probably in the course of the vision, but either one j found> This was situated between the only was manifest now to Daniel, or his j mOuth of the river Bjetis, or Guadalattention was particularly directed to quiver, and was a flourishing mart of tho ger is not given, but all the circumstances j xxiii. ^ c, 10, &c. Gesenius. The name of the case jead^to suppose that it was j was given to this gem because it was the same who had appeared to him on tho banks of the Ulai, (ch. viii. 16), and the same who had made the revelation of the seventy weeks, ch. ix. 21, scq. Linen was the common raiment of priests, because it was supposed to be more pure than wool, Ex. xxviii. 42; Lev. vi. 10; xvi. 4, 23; 1 Sam. ii. 18. It was also worn by prophets, Jer. xiii. 1, and is re presented as the raiment of angels, Rev. xv. 6. The nature of the raiment would suggest the idea at once that this person

one sustaining a Whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz, With a

brought from that place. The true mean ing of the word, as applied to a gem, is supposed to be the chrysolite, that is, the topaz of the moderns. " Tarshish, the Chrysolith," says Rosenmiiller (Miner alogy and Botany of the Bible, pp. 38, 39,) "is a chrystalline precious stone of the quartz kind, of a glassy fracture. The prevailing colour is yellowish green, and pistachiogreen of every variety and degree of shade, but always with a. yel low and gold lustre. It is completely diaphonous, and has a strong double re fraction. Most commonly the chrysolite is found solid and in grains, or in arigu- girdle made of line gold; that is, proba- iar pieces. The Hebrew word Tarshish bly, it was made of something in which j denotes the south of Spain, the Tartessus fine gold was interwoven so as to give it j Of the Greeks and Romans, a place to the appearance of pure gold. It was cus tomary at the East, as it is now, to wear a girdle around the loins. See Notes

Matt. v. 38. These girdles are often made of rich material, and are highly ornamented. Comp. Notes on Rev. i. 13. Nothing is known of Uphaz, unless, as Gesenius supposes, the word is a corrup- which the Phoenicians traded even in the earliest ages. Probably the Phoenicians first brought the chrysolith from Spain to Syria, and it was on that account called Tarshish Stone." ^ And his face as the appearance of lightning. Bright, shining. In Rev. i. 16, it is, "and his tion of Ophir, made by a change of a I his single letter — j for «v Ophir was cele brated for its gold, but its situation is unknown. See Notes on Job xxii. 24.

6. His lody also was like the beryl. There is a very striking resemblance be tween the description here given and trength." See Notes on that pas sage. If And his eyes as lamps of fire. Keen, penetrating. So Rev. i. 14: " His eyes were as a flame of fire." IT And his arms and his feet like in colour to pol ished brass. So in Rev. i. 15: "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned that of the Saviour as he appeared to j in a furnace." See Notes on that pas- John in Patmos, Rev. i. 13—1(5. See! sage. The meaning is, that they wero Notes on that passage. It contains, how- j bright— like burnished metal. The Heever, no description of the appearance of! brew here is, 'like the eye of brass;' the body. Beryl is "a mineral of great then, as the word eye comes to denoto nardnoes, occurring in green, and bluish- J tho face or countenance, tho meaning is, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

7 And I Daniel alone saw the vi sion: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there re mained no strength in me: for my

9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voico of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face to wards the ground.

'like the face or appearance of brass.' Comp. Ex. x. 5, 15; Num. xxii. 5, 11. It is easy to conceive of the appearance which one would make whose arms and feet resembled burnished brass. ^ And the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. A multitude of people — loud and strong. So in Rev. i. 15: " And his voice as the sound of many waters."

7. And I Daniel alone saw the vision. That is, ho only saw it distinctly. The others who were with him, appear to have seen or heard something which alarmed them, and they fled. Who those men were, or why they were with him, he does not say. They may have been his own countrymen, engaged with him in the act of devotion, or they may have been Babylonians occupied in the public service; but whoever they were, or what ever was the reason why they were there, they became alarmed and fled. The case was somewhat different with the com panions of Saul of Tarsus when the Sa viour appeared to him on his way to Damascus. These saw the light; they all fell to the earth together, but Saul only heard the voice of him that spake, Acts xxii. 9.

8. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision. That is, I distinctly saw it, or contemplated it. He perceived doubtless that it was a heavenly vision, and as he had often been favoured with | similar manifestations, he remained to receive the communication which proba-! bly he understood was to be made. ^[ And j (.here remained no strength in me. He: was completely overcome. A similar j effect was produced on John when he was j in Patmos: "And when I saw him, I: fell at his feet as dead," Rev. i. 17. That j he should be overcome, and his strength:aken away, was not an unnatural effect;,md what occurred to Daniel and John •nay demonstrate that there may be such i views of the divine character and glory now as to prostrate our physical powers. It is certain that such visions as those which appeared to Daniel and John would have this effect; and, though we are not to expect that they will now be vouch safed to men, no one can doubt that there may be such views of God, and heaven, and eternal realities presented to the eye of faith and hope; such joy in the evi dence of pardoned sin; such a change from a sense of condemnation to the peace resulting from forgiveness, that the pow ers of the body may be prostrated, and sink from exhaustion. Indeed, it is not much of the revelation of the divine cha racter that in our present state we can bear. ^[ For my comeliness. Marg., vigour. Heb. TJH — hodh. The word means, properly, majesty, or splendour; then beauty or brightness, as of the com plexion. The meaning here is, that his ' bright complexion' (Gesenius, Lex.), was changed upon him; that is, that he turned pale. ^[ Into corruption. The phrase hero used means literally 'into destruc tion.' The sense is, that by the change that came over him, his beauty — his bright or florid complexion was com pletely destroyed. He became deadly pale.

9. Yet heard I the voice of his words. What the angel said when he appeared to him, Daniel has not recorded. He says (ver. 6) that the voice of his words was 'as the voice of a multitude.' It is probable that those who were with him had heard that voice, and hearing it, and being struck with the remarkable charac ter of the vision, they had suddenly fled in alarm. Daniel heard more distinctly what he said, though it does not yet ap pear that he had heard anything more than the sound of his voice, ^f And when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face. Comp. Kotos

10 f And behold, a hand touched me, which > set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

11 And he said unto me, 0 Dan iel, a man b greatly beloved, under stand the words that I speak unto

had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to un derstand, and to chasten thyself bc-

thee am I now sent. And when he

on ch. viii. 18. Lengerke renders this, 'I sank into a deep sleep,' &o. This is undoubtedly the meaning, that when he heard this voice he was overcome, and sank prostrate and senseless upon the earth. The sense of the Hebrew may be thus expressed: <I became — >n«n — op pressed with sleep,' Ac.

10. And behold, a hand touched me. The hand of the angel. Comp. ch. viii. 18. ^[ Which set me upon my knees, and and 1 am come fur thy words.

what was his own dutj^ in the present circumstances, or what methods he might use to secure the return of his country men to their own land. The circum stances of the case were such as to make cither of these inquiries proper, and the angel now affirms that from the first day when he entered on these investigations, he was despatched to come to him, and to assure him that his prayer was heard. The reason why he had not sooner ar- upon the palms of my hands. Not ' up-,. right/ as in ch. viii. 18. That is, he had tmu° hls not strength given him at once to stand erect, but he was partially raised up, and enabled to move, though in a feeble and tottering manner. The word here used — J?ij — means to move to and fro; to waver;

thy God. That is, by fasting and liation. Literally, to afflict thyself. ^ Thy words were heard. In heaven. Another to vacillate; — and the sense here, as ex- | proof that prayer is at once heard, though pressed by Gesenius (Lex.) is, 'lo, a hand i the answer maybe long delayed. The touched me, and caused me to reel (i. e. I instance before us shows that the answer to stand reeling and trembling,) upon my to prayer may seem to be delayed, from causes unknown to us, though the prayer ascends at once to heaven, and God de signs to answer it. In this case, it was deferred by the detention of the messen-

Marg., as in Heb., of desire. See Notes ger on the way (ver. 13); in other cases on ch. ix. 23. ^Understand the rcords \ it may be from a different cause; but it that I spenk unto thee. That is, attend should never be set down as a proof that to them, implying that he would be able j prayer is not hoard, and that it will not to understand them. ^ And stand up- j be answered, because the answer is not right. Marg., as in Heb., upon thy stand- \ granted at once. Weeks, or months, or ing. That is, stand erect. See Notes on years may elapse before the divine purpose shall be made known, though, so to

Be not alarmed at my presence; do not | to us. Something may prevent the anfear that your devotions are not accepted, j swer being borne to us; some 'prince of and that your prayers are not heard, j the kingdom of Persia' may withstand

^[ For from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand. That is, by a the messenger; some cause which we may not know may hinder the immediate season of extraordinary devotion. Daniel i answer of our prayer either in our own had devoted three full weeks to such a \ hearts, or in outward events which canservice (vs. 2, 3), and it would seem from j not at once be controlled without a mirathis that one object which he had in I cle, or in the feelings and views of our view was to make inquiry about the fu ture condition of his people, or to learn

13 But the

j prince of the kingdom ithstood me one and prayer may have been simultaneous with \ ^ar states, this language would properly its being offered, and a train of measures express that fact. Gesenius (Lex.) exmay have been commenced at once to pWw it in this passage as denoting the bring about the result, though many weeks ' chiefs, princes and angels; i. e. the archor months of delay, of anxiety, of tears, angels acting as patrons and advocates may elapse before we attain the object we °f particular nations before God.' That desired. Daniel would have been cheered this is the proper meaning here as de-:n his days of fasting and service if he duced from the words, is apparent, for had known that an angel was on his way. (°) it is an angel that is speaking, and it to him to comfort him, and to comrauni-; would seem most natural to suppose that cate to him an answer from God, often — i he had encountered one of his own rank; why not always — in our days of deepest ($) the mention of Michael who came to anxiety and trouble; when our prayers his aid —.1 name which, as we shall see, seem not to penetrate the skies; when properly denotes an angel, leads to the we meet with no response; when the [ same conclusion; (c) it accords, also, with thing for which we pray seems to be j the prevailing belief on the subject. Unwithheld; when our friends remain un- | doubtedly one who takes into view all converted; when irreligion abounds and i the circumstances referred to in this pasprevails; when we seem to be doing no sage, would most naturally understand good, and when calamity presses upon this of an angelic being, having some us, if we saw the arrangement which God kind of jurisdiction over the kingdom was already making to answer the prayer, °f Persia. What was the character of and could see the messenger on the way, this 'prince,' however; whether he was our hearts would exult, and our tears a good or bad angel, is not intimated by would cease to flow. And why, in our i the language. It is only implied that he days of trouble and anxiety, should we! had a chieftainship, or some species of not believe that it is so, and that God, j guardian care, over that kingdom- even though the delay may seem to be long, will yet show himself to be a hearer and an answerer of prayer?

prince of the kingdom of Persia. In explaining this very difficult verse, it may be proper I. to consider the literal sense of the words; II. to deduce the fair meaning of the passage as thus watching over its interests, and directing its affairs. As he offered resistance, how ever, to this heavenly messenger on his way to Daniel, and as it was necessary to counteract his plans, and as the aid of Michael was required to overcome his opposition, the fair construction is, that he belonged to the class of evil angels.

explained; and III. to notice the practi- j f Withstood me. Heb., ' stood over cal truths taught. The word rendered j against me.' Vulgate, restitit mihi. The prince — Ti-* — sdr, means properly a leader, • fair meaning is, that he resisted or opcommander, chief, as of troops, Gen. xxi. I £?sed hjl";, thaj Th.e stood over against 22 j of a king's body-guard, Gen. xxxvii. i. ™> and d.elayed him on his way to Dan- 36; of cup-bearers, Gen. xlix. 9; of a I ieL,In ^at man"er he did this is not prison, Gen. xxxix. 21, 22; of a flock,?taj«d; The most obvious interpretation Gen. xlvii. 6. Then it means a prince, a 1S; 5afc'.11n. order to ansLwer the Payers noble, a chief in the state, Gen. xii. 15.! of Damel V1 resPect to hls P60?1^ it was In Dan. yiii. 25, in the phrase 'Prince of! necessaiT that some arrangement should princes,' it refers to God. So far as the ' ^e made in reference to the kingdom of word is concerned in the phrase 'prince Persia— influencing the government to of the kingdom of Persia,' it might refer be favourable to the restoration of the to a prince ruling over that kingdom, or! Jews *° their own Iand > or "moving to a prime minister of the state, but the i so,ine obstacles to such return— obstacles language also is such that it is applicable I whlch h.ad Slven Daniel s»ch disquietude to an angelic being supposed to preside and which had been thrown in his way over a state, or to influence its councils, i bv the presiding angel of that kingdom. If this idea is admitted; if it be believed If One and twenty days. During the Miat angels do thus preside over particu- whole time in which Daniel was engaged of the chief princes, came to help I me; and I remained there \vith the kings of Persia.

in fasting and prayer, vs. 2, 3. The an- Comp. Notes on Jude 9. Tho word j/,-. gel had been sent forth to make arrange- ' chaeif as a proper name, occurs several ments to secure the answer to his prayer times jn tho Scriptures, Num. xiiu 13, when be began to pray, but had been ele-, i Chron. v. 13, vi. 46, vii. 3, viii. 16, layed during all that time by the opposi- I xij. 20, xxvii. 18, 2 Chron. xxi. 2, Ezra tion which he had met with in Persia. viii< 8> It is uscd as appiicable to an an- Thnt is, it required all that time to over- gel> or archangel, in the following places: come the obstacles existing there to the! j)an. x 13> 2], xii. 1, Jude 9, Rev. xii. 7. accomplishment of these purposes, and to i Little more is known of him, than (a) that make these arrangements which were ne- | he occupies the rank which entitled him to be called an archangel; and (6) that he sustained, in the time of Daniel the re- ments were in a process of completion, or j iation of patron of Israel before God, that an angel was employed to secure the J Deut. x. 21. That an angel is referred to answer to his prayers, yet strong in faith, | here is manifest, for (1) it occurs in the acwas suffered to continue his supplications i count of transactions conducted by an anwith no intimation that his prayers were j gel. (2) the use of the word elsewhere heard, or that he would be answered, j leads to this supposition j (3) what is said How many arrangements may there be! to have been done is the appropriate in progress designed to answer our pray- j work of an angeL This is apparent be ers of which we know nothing! How j cause Gabriel, the speaker, savs that what many agents may be employed to bring i was done was beyond his power to acabout an answer! What mighty obsta- 1 compHsh. He was effectually resisted cles may be in a process of removal, and and thwarted by the counsels of Persia, what changes may be made, and what I until one of higher wisdom and rank influences exerted, while we are suffered j than himself came to his aid. He could, to pray, and fast, and weep, amidst many; therefore, have been no less than an andiscouragements, and many trials of our j gel> and was cieariy a being of a higher faith and patience! For a much longer rank than Gabriel himself. (4) Tho period than Daniel was engaged in his j phrase 'one of the chief princes,' susdevotions, may we be required often now, tains thjs interpretation. It implies that to pray before the arrangements in the he was one of thoso who hcld an exalted course of Providence shall be so far com- | rank among those who are called 'princes,' plete that we shall receive an answer to and if this word in this connection deour supplications, for the things to be! notes an(jds then Michael was an angel, done may extend far into future months or j and one of the most exa]ted of the anyears. «[ But lo, Michael, one of the chief I ge]s> This accords with the appellation pnncet. Marg., the first. That is, the given to him by jude_<the archangel/ first in rank of the 'princes/ or the an- «• Came to }iefp m€m He does not gtatc in gels. In other words, Michael the arch- j what way this was done> but it is fairl angel. The proper meaning of this name— | implied that it was by securing better 7g3»9 — is, 'Who as God/ and is a name j counsels at the court of Persia — counsels given, undoubtedly, from some resem- j more favourable to the Hebrews, and difblance to God. The exact reason why i ferent from those which would have been it is given is not anywhere stated; but carried out under the auspices of him who may it not be this: — that one looking on is called ' the prince of Persia/ There is tho majesty and glory of the chief of the nothing in the passage to forbid the supangels, would instinctively ask, ' Who, position that it was by so influencing the after all, is like God? Even this lofty, mind of the king and his ministers as to angel, with all his glory, cannot be com- j dispose them to favour the return of tho pared to the high and lofty One/ What- Jews, or to afford them facilities to rebuild ever may have been the reason of the ap- their temple, or to remove some of the pellation, however, the name in the Scrip- obstacles which would tend to prevent tures, has a definite application, and is | their restoration. ^[ And I remained there given to the chief one of the angels, with the kings of J ersia. Tho kings of

Persia here, in the plural, must mean the | pretation — its real meanfhg — the exact rulers. There was properly but one king | truth taught in it, the following remarks of that nation, though the name may have; may be made: (1) There was early a prebeen given to subordinate rulers, or per- | vailing opinion that special angels had haps to those who had been kings in their j the charge of individuals, as their guarown country, and whose countries had | dians; and the same idea existed respectbeen subdued by the Persian arms, and j ing nations, that their affairs were aswho now resided, with more or less j signed to particular celestial beings. This authority, at the Persian court. The j notion among the Hebrews was found in phrase 'I remained there' has been vari- i this form — that they were angels, or creously translated. The Vulgate renders j ated beings of exalted rank who thus preit as in our version. The Greek, 'And I sided over the affairs of men. Among left him [to wit, Michael] there with the the Greeks, and other heathen nations" prince of the kingdom of Persia/ The j the form which it took was, that they were Syriac, 'And I was hindered there against | gods or tutelary divinities, and hence, tho prince of the Persians.' Luther,! each people, each class, each family, each ' Then obtained I the victory with the! house, had its own God. The Hebrews kings in Persia.' Lengerke, * Then ob- never approximated this opinion so far as tained I the ascendency ( Vorrang) among to suppose that these beings were divine, the kings of Persia.' That is, as he ex- I or that they occupied the place of the suplains it, ' I obtained the victory; I se- j preme God — JEHOVAH — who was pecucured this result that my counsel in be- | liarly their covenant God and who was half of the Jewish people prevailed.' p. | the only true God. They did admit tho 503. The same explanation is given i supposition, however, that there might by Geyer, Gesenius, De Wette, Haver- be guardian angels of their own nation, Dick. The word — ~n; — Yathar, prop- j and the same idea seems to have prevailed crly means to hang out and over; to be! among them in regard to other nations, redundant; to remain or be left; to be Th,ls 1S Dearly the idea in the passage over and above, to excel, <fcc. Hence the notion in Niphal, of excelling others, of before us, that, while Michael was, in peculiar sense, entrusted with the affairs getting the ascendency, of obtaining a j of the Hebrew people, there were intellivictory. This is undoubtedly the mean- ' Sent invisible beings of angelic rank, in* here, for he was not left with the who Presided over other nations, and who kin^s of Persia; he did not remain there, i influenced their counsels. It does not The° true idea is, that, by the help of Mi- 1 appear by any means that it was supposed chael, who came to his aid, he was enabled j t,hafcin a11 cases these were (Jood beings, for so far to influence the Persian counsels i the counsels of the nations were too often against the purposes of him who is called the * prince of Persia,' as to secure the malignant and evil to admit of this sup position. In the case before us, it is evi- favours for the Hebrew people which | dcntlv supposed that the influence of tho Daniel sought by prayer, and having I Presiding angel of Persia was adverse to done this, ho came at once to him. The j ^hat whlch was nSht> and such as should only delay in the case was that which I £e counteracted by one who came from was caused by the purposes of the Persian I h0eaXcn' ComP' Notes on EPh' »• 2- court, and by the difficulty of securing \ (2) No °™ can demonstrate that this ia such arrangements there as to favour the I lwt so' The. existence of wicked angels Hebrew people, and to facilitate their re- | 1S no more incredible in itself than tho turn to their own country. Having done! existence of wicked men, and that they this, he came at once to Daniel to an-! shoujd mfluence nations and rulers is in nounce the long series of events which \ ^sclf. "° raore improbable than that dis would follow, pertaining to his people, i tmguished statesmen should. There may and in reference to which his mind had \ Jji» indeed, no foundation for the opinion that particular angels are assigned to par- ticular individuals or nations as peculiar guardians, but it may be true notwith standing that some one of these fallen spi rits — for if there are any such beings at all, in reference to tho second point sug- j they are numerous— may have special in gested as necessary to itg proper inter- j fluence over a par ticular individual or na- 36* tion. If it be snid that we know too little about this to enable us to make any posi tive statements in favour of this opinion, it should also be said that we know too little to enable us to make any positive statements against it; and for aught any one can prove, it may be so. No one has a right to assume that it is not so; no one can demonstrate that it is not so. It may be said further, that things look as?/*this were so. There are many influences on nations and individuals, many things that occur that can be most easily accounted for on the supposition that there is such an agency from some invisible quarter. If we admit the reality of such influence, and such interpositions, the things which occur are more easily explained than if we deny it. There are measures taken; plans proposed; influences exerted; schemes adopted — there are things from an un seen quarter to give prosperity, or to thwart the best laid plans, that cannot be well explained without the supposition of such an interference; things which perplex all philosophers and all histo rians in accounting for them; things which cannot be anticipated or explained \ on any known principles of human na- j ture. If we admit the reality of the in- j fluence of invisible beings, as in the case | before us, the solution becomes compara- j tively easy; at least we find phenomena just such as we should expect on such a supposition. (3) It may be added, also, in regard to the particular case before us, (a) that the counsels against the Jews to prevent their return to their own land, and to embarrass them, were such as we should anticipate on the supposition that an evil angel — an enemy of God and his people — had influenced the Persian ru lers; and (b) that the changes wrought in those counsels in favour of the Jews, facilitating their return to their own land, were such as we should expect to find on the supposition that those coun sels and plans were overruled and changed by the interposition say of Ga- j briel and Michael. And similar events | often happen. There are such changes in the counsels of nations, and in the minds of rulers, as would occur on the supposition that superior beings were en gaged in thwarting evil plans, and influ encing those who have the power to do right. In reference to the Jews in their exile, there had been a long series of acts of opposition and oppression pursued by the governments of the East, as if under the direction of some malignant spirit; then a series of acts in their favour followed, as if the change had been brought about by the interposition of some benignant angel. These facts are the historical basis on which the repre sentation is here made.

In reference to the third point sug gested pertaining to this passage — the practical truths taught that may be of use to us — it may be remarked that the great truth is, that the answer to prayer is often delayed, not by any indisposition on the part of God to answer it, and not by any purpose not to answer it, and not by the mere intention of trying our faith, but by the necessary arrangements to bring it about. It is of such a nature that it cannot be answered at once. It requires time to make important changes; to in fluence the minds of men; to remove obstacles; to raise up friends; to put in operation agencies that shall secure the thing desired. There is some obstacle to be overcome. There is some plan of evil to be checked and stayed. There is some agency to be used which is not now in existence, and which is to be cre ated. The opposition of the ' prince of Persia' could not be overcome at once, and it was necessary to bring in the agency of a higher power- — that of Mi chael — to effect the change. This could not be done in a moment, a day, or a week, and hence the long delay of three 'full weeks' before Daniel had an assur ance that his prayers would be answered. So it often happens now. We pray for the conversion of a child. Yet there may be obstacles to his conversion, un seen by us, which are to be patiently re moved, and perhaps by a foreign influ ence, before it can be done. Satan may have already secured a control over his heart which is to be broken gradually, before the prayer shall be answered. Wo pray for the removal of the evils of in temperance, of slavery, of superstition, of idolatry. Yet these may be so inter locked with the customs of a country, with the interests of men, and with the laws, that they cannot be at once eradi cated except by miracle, and the answer to the prayer seems to be long delayed. We pray for the universal spread of the gospel of Christ. Yet how many obsta cles are to be overcome, and how many arrangements made before this prayer

14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter a days: for b yet the vision is for many days.

15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face to ward the ground, and I became dumb.

16 And, behold, one like the simi litude of the sons of men touched cmy lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, 0 my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no d strength

tered, and lives sacrificed, before the found silence if a heavenly messenger prayer of the church shall be fully an-! should stand before us to disclose what swered, and the earth shall be filled with! was to occur to us, to our families, to the knowledge of the Lord. The duty, \ our friends, to our country, in far distant then, which is taught, is that of patience,! years?

of perseverance, of faith in God, of a i 16. And, behold, one like the similitude. firm belief that he is true to all his pro- of the sons of men touched my lips. In mises, and that he is a hearer of prayer — the form of a man. The reference here though the blessing seems long delayed, is undoubtedly to Gabriel, appearing to 14. Now I am come to make thee under- Daniel in human form. Why he does stand, Ac. After these long delays, and not name him is unknown; nor is there after the arrangements have been made | *"? intimation whether he changed his necessary to bring about the objects form as he now approached the prophet, sought by your prayers, f /* the latter Ifc would secm not improbable that, seodays. In future times— extending down in° the e?ect of his presence and his to the last period of the world. See Notes on Isa. ii. 2. ^[ For yet the vision is for many days. Extends far into fu- words on Daniel, he laid aside some of the manifestations of awe and majesty in which he had at first appeared to him, ture time. It is probable that the prayer and approached him as a man, and placed of Daniel referred more particularly to! hls hands on his l«ps— as a sign that he what he desired should soon occur— the I should speak, or as imparting power to restoration of the people to their own J™ to sPeak- See Notes on Isa- V1- 6» 7- land; the angel informs him that the Hi 7 °PC)^d ™V mouth, and spake. His disclosures which he was to make covered fear was removed, and he was now able to a much more extended period, and em braced more important events. So it is often. The answer to prayer often in cludes much more than we asked for, and the abundant blessings that are con ferred, beyond what we supplicate, are vastly beyond a compensation for the he had spoken such words, &c. Daniel was naturally over come by the communication which had been made to him. The manner in which the prayer was answered seems to have been entirely he had expected.

different from what The presence of a heavenly being; the majesty of his ap pearance; the assurance that he gave that ho had come to answer his prayer, and the fact that he had important reve lations to make respecting the future, overcame him, and he laid his face upon address the heavenly messenger. my Lord. A title of respectful address, but without indicating the rank of him to whom it is applied. ^ By the vision my sorrows are turned upon me. The word rendered sorrows — on>X — means properly writhing*, throes, pains, as of a woman in travail, Isa. xiii. 8; xxi. 3; 1 Sam. iv. 13; and then any deep pain or anguish. Here it refers to terror or fright, as so great as to prostrate the strength of Daniel. The word rendered are turned — issru — from 7|5n> means, in Niphal, to turn oneself about, to turn back, &c. The same phrase which is here used occurs also in 1 Sam. iv. 19, ' her pains turned upon her;' thatis, came upon her. Perhaps we should express the idea by saying that they rolled upon us, or over us — like the surges of the

17 For how can a the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there re mained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.

17. For how can the servant of this my lord. Acknowledging his humble and

| loved, fear not: peace be unto thee, ibe strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for b thou hast strengthened me.

20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the

poses the question here, and as the silence of Daniel seems to have been construed lowly condition and rank in the presence as a declaration that he did understand of an angel — a messenger now sent from i the purpose of the visit, he proceeds to heaven. ^ Neither is there breath left in \ unfold fully the purport of his message. me. That is, he was utterly overcome and j ^f And now will I return. That is, evi- prostrate. He felt that he was incapable of speaking in the presence of one who had descended from God.

clently, after he had made known to him the message which he came to deliver. He cannot mean that he would then leave Daniel, and return immediately to Per- me, <fcc. The same one is here referred j sia, for he proceeds at length (chs. xi. to doubtless who is mentioned in ver. 16 j xii.) to deliver his message to him, and — the angel. He came to him again in! to state what would occur in the world in this condescending and familiar manner j future times, \ To fght with the prince in order to allay his fears, and to prepare; of Persia. In ver. 13, he says that he him to receive his communications with: had had a contest with that ' prince,' and that in consequence of that he had been