x Gen. xli. 46; ver. 5.-y 1 Kings x. 1. - Heb. wisdom of rious time of the return of his people from the Babylonian captivity, understanding. a Chap. vi. 28; x. I. He lived to see that glo-though he did not die then; so till is used, Psa. cx. 1; cxii. 8.

order and consequences of the things be preserved in them, from beginning to end, then we may presume they are supernatural. In such dreams Daniel had understanding.

Verse 18. Now at the end of the days] That is, at the end of three years, ver. 5..

Therefore stood they before the king.] It appears that only four were wanting.

Verse 20. Magicians and astrologers] Probably the same as philosophers and astronomers among us. Verse 21. The first year of king Cyrus.] That is, to the end of the Chaldean empire. And we find Verse 19. And among them all] All the young Daniel alive in, the third year of Cyrus, see chap, noble captives from different nations.

x. 1.

CHAPTER II.

Nebuchadnezzar, in the second year of his reign, (or in the fourth, according to the Jewish account, which takes in the first two years in which he reigned conjointly with his father,) had a dream which greatly troubled him; but of which nothing remained in the morning but the uneasy impression. Hence the divinérs, when brought in before the king, could give no interpretation, as they were not in possession of the dream, 1-13. Daniel then, having obtained favour from God, is made acquainted with the dream, and its interpretation, 14–19; for which he blesses God in a lofty and beautiful ode, 20-23; and reveals both unto the king, telling him first the particulars of the dream, 24–35, and then interpreting it of the four great monarchies. The then existing Chaldean empire, represented by the head of gold, is the first; the next is the Medo-Persian; the third, the Macedonian or Grecian; the fourth, the Roman, which should break every other kingdom in pieces, but which, in its last stage, should be divided into ten kingdoms, represented by the ten toes of the image, as they are in another visión (chap. vii.) by the ten horns of the fourth beast. He likewise informs the king that in the time of this last monarchy, viz., the Roman, God would set up the kingdom of the Messiah; which, though small in its commencement, should ultimately be extended over the whole earth, 36-45. Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (named by the prince of the eunuchs, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,) are then promoted by the king to great honour, 46-49.

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the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, him.

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2 Then the king commanded

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NOTES ON CHAP. II. Verse 1. The second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar] That is, the second year of his reigning alone, for he was king two years before his father's death. See the notes on chap. i. 1. This was therefore the fifth year of his reign, and the fourth of the captivity of Daniel,

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c Gen. xli. 8, Exod. vii. 11; chap. v. 7.. The astrologers] O'DUN ashshaphim. Perhaps from nashaph, to breathe, because they laid claim to Divine inspiration; but probably the persons in question were the philosophers and astronomers among the Babylonians.

The sorcerers] D'O mechashshephim. See the note on Deut. xviii. 10, and on Exod. xxii. 18, and Lev. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams wherewith his xix. 31, where several of these arts are explained. spirit was troubled] The dream had made a deep and The Chaldeans] Who these were is difficult to be solemn impression upon his mind; and, having for- ascertained. They might be a college of learned gotten all but general circumstances, his mind was dis-men, where all arts and sciences were professed and tressed. taught. The Chaldeans were the most ancient philo

Verse 2. The magicians] D'Dom chartummim. See sophers of the world; they might have been origithe note on Gen. xli. 8. nally inhabitants of the Babylonian Irak; and still

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astrologers, and the sorcerers, 9 But if ye will not make and the Chaldeans, for to show known unto me the dream, there the king his dreams. So they is but one decree for you: for ye Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., 14. came and stood before the king. have prepared lying and corrupt R. Roman., 14. 3 And the king said unto them, I have words to speak before me, till the time be dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled changed therefore tell me the dream, and I to know the dream. shall know that ye can show me the interpreta

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

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6 But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation the wise men of Babylon. thereof.

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all

7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it..

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8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

41 Kings i. 31; chap. iii. 9; v. 10; vi. 6, 21.- Le Ezra vi. 11'; 2 Kings x. 27; chap. iii. 29.- Chald. made pieces. Chap. v. 16.- Or, fee; chap. v. 17; ver. 48.- -i Chald. buy; Eph. v. 16.

have preserved to themselves exclusively the name of Chaldeans, to distinguish themselves from other nations and peoples who inhabited the one hundred and twenty provinces of which the Babylonish government was composed.

Verse 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac] aramith, the language of Aram or Syria. What has been generally called the Chaldee.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

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14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

Esth. iii. 15; iv. 11; ix. 14.- Prov. vi. 17; xii. 19; xxi. 6, xxvi. 28. Ver. 28; chap. v. 11.- n Chald. returned. Or, chief marshal.—P Chald. chief of the executioners, or slaughtermen; Gen. xxxvii. 36.

means either that they wished to prolong the time that he might recollect it, or get indifferent about it; or that they might invent something in the place of it; or make their escape to save their lives, after having packed up their valuables. See ver. 9.

Verse 10. There is not a man upon the earth] The thing is utterly impossible to man. This was their decision and when Daniel gave the dream, with its interpretation, they knew that the spirit of the holy gods was in him. So, even according to their own theology, he was immeasurably greater than the wisest in Babylon or in the world.

O king, live for ever] “n johyb xɔ Malca leolmin cheyi. With these words the Chaldee part of Daniel commences; and continues to the end of the seventh chapter. These kinds of compliments are still in use in the East Indies. A superior gives a blessing Verse 13. They sought Daniel and his fellows] As to an inferior by saying to him, when the latter is in the decree stated that all the wise men of Babylon the act of doing him reverence," Long life to thee." should be slain, the four young Hebrews, being reA poor man, going into the presence of a king to soli-puted among the wisest, were considered as sentenced cit a favour, uses the same kind of address: O father, thou art the support of the destitute; mayest thou live to old age!-WARD'S Customs.

Verse 5. Ye shall be cut in pieces] This was arbitrary and tyrannical in the extreme; but, in the order of God's providence, it was overruled to serve the most important purpose.

Verse 8. That ye would gain the time] The king

CHAP. II.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, " Blessed be pretation. the name of God for ever and ever: V for wisdom and might are his :

22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;

Matt. xvii. 12. Chald. from before God.- Or, that they should not destroy Daniel, &c.- Num. xii. 6; Job xxxiii.

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DANIEL:

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28 But there is a God in 35 Then was the iron, the clay, heaven that revealeth secrets, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that "no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known unto thee what shall come to pass..

to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, "and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy

heart.

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36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 z And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and 31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a hath made thee ruler over them all. a Thou great image. This great image, whose bright-art this head of gold. ness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces, part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

f Gen. xl. 8; xli. 16; ver. 18, 47; Amos iv. 13.- - Chald. hath made known. Gen. xlix. 1. Chald. came up.- Ver. 22, 28. So Gen. xli. 16; Acts iii. 12. Or, but for the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king. Ver. 47.- 0 Chald. wast seeing.- -P See ver. 38, &c.- - Or, sides. Or, which was not in hands; as ver. 45.

Verse 28. There is a God in heaven] To distinguish him from those idols, the works of men's hands; and from the false gods in which the Chaldeans trusted.

In the latter days.] A phrase which, in the prophets, generally means the times of the Messiah. God is about to show what shall take place from this time to the latest ages of the world. And the vision most certainly contains a very extensive and consecutive prophecy; which I shall treat more largely at the close of the chapter, giving in the mean time a short exposition.

Verse 31. A great image] Representing the four great monarchies.

Verse 32. Head was of fine gold] The Babylonish empire, the first and greatest.

Breast and his arms of silver] The Medo-Persian empire, under Cyrus, &c.

His belly and his thighs of brass] The Macedonian empire, under Alexander the Great, and his succes

sors.

and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron,

Chap. viii. 25; Zech. iv. 6; 2 Cor. v. 1; Heb. ix. 24. Psa. i. 4; Hos. xiii. 3.-u Psa. xxxvii. 10, 36.- - Isa. ii. 2, 3. Psa. lxxx. 9.- Ezra vii. 12; Isa. xlvii. 5; Jer. xxvii. 6, 7; Ezek. xxvi. 7; Hos. viii. 10.-y Ezra í. 2. Chap. iv. 21, 22; Jer. xxvii. 6, a Ver. 32. Chap. v. 28, 31. c Ver. 32. d1 Mac. i. 3.- Chap. vii. 7, 23. Ver. 33. Verse 33. His legs of iron] The Roman govern

ment.

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His feet part of iron and part of clay.] The same, mixed with the barbaric nations, and divided into ten kingdoms. See at the end of the chapter.

Verse 34. A stone was cut out] The fifth monarchy; the spiritual kingdom of the Lord Jesus, which is to last for ever, and diffuse itself over the whole earth.

Verse 35. The stone-became a great mountain] There is the kingdom s eben, of the stone, and the kingdom of the mountain. See at the end of the chapter.

Verse 37. The God of heaven] Not given by thy own gods, nor acquired by thy own skill and prowess; it is a Divine gift.

Power] To rule this kingdom.

And strength] To defend it against all foes.

And glory.] Great honour and dignity.

Verse 38. Thou art this head of gold] See on ver. 31-34, and at the end.

CHAP. II.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, 1 which 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, shall never be destroyed and the m kingdom" and gave him many great gifts, and made shall not be left to other people, "but it shall him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, break in pieces and consume all these king- chief of the governors over all the wise doms, and it shall stand for ever. men of Babylon.