10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house and the queen spake and said, king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O thou king, m the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar, thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed d Chald. knots. q Verse 11. Nebuchadnezzar thy father] See the note on ver. 1. Verse 16. Dissolve doubts] Untie knots-unbind what is bound. An expression used in the east to signify a judge of eminent wisdom and skill. Verse 10. The queen-came] This is generally allowed to have been the widow of Nebuchadnezzar; if so, she was the queen Amiyt, daughter of Astyages, Verse 17. Let thy gifts be to thyself] They could sister of Darius the Mede, and aunt of Cyrus, accord-be of little use to any, as the city was in a few hours ing to Polyhistor, cited by Cedrenus. See Calmet. to be taken and pillaged. Others think that Nitocris was the person who is said Verse 18. Nebuchadnezzar thy father.] Or grandto be queen when Cyrus took the city; and is stated father, as the margin reads, ver. 2. See the notes to have been a lady of eminent wisdom and discretion, on ver. 1. and to have had the chief direction of the public affairs. She was the mother of Labynithus; and, if this be the same as Belshazzar, she must be the person here introduced. Verse 19. Whom he would he slew] The genuine character of a despot, whose will is the only rule of his conduct. Verse 20. He was deposed from his kingly throne] A. M. cir. 3466, from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: B. C. cir. 538. Ol. cir. LX. 3. Servii Tullii, R. Roman., cir. annum 41. t 21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house, before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand, thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Chap. iv. 32, &c. Or, he made his heart equal, &c. t Ch. iv. 17, 25.2 Chron. xxxiii. 23; xxxvi. 12.————✔ Ver. 3, 4. w Psa. cxv. 5, 6.- x Jer. x: 23. -y Job xxxi. 6; Psa. lxii. 9; Became insane; and the reins of government were taken out of his hands. Verse 22, Hast not humbled thine heart] These judgments and mercies have had no good effect upon thee. Verse 23. But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord] And the highest evidence of this rebellion was, the profaning the sacred vessels of the Lord's house. Verse 24. Then was the part of the hand sent] This was the filling up of the cup of thy iniquity; this last act made thee ripe for destruction. Verse 25. And this is the writing] Had the words been written in the Chaldean character, every wise man there, every one that could read the alphabet of his own language, could have read and interpreted them. Let it be observed,-1. That the character which we now call Hebrew is the Chaldean character. 2. That the true Hebrew character is that which we call the Samaritan. 3. Daniel could easily read this, for it was the character used by the Jews previously to the Babylonish captivity. 4. It appears that it was simply on account of the strangeness of the character that the Chaldeans could not read it. I shall set down the words in both characters, by which the least learned reader may see that it was quite possible that one might be well known, while the other might be unintelligible. Hebrew. מנא מנא תקל ופרסין Samaritan. AM3933 ZPA AY AYYY of the hand writing. 24 Then was the part of the A. hand sent from him; and this writing was written. M. cir. 3466. B. C. cir. 538. Ol. eir. LX. 3. Servii Tullii, R. Roman., 25 And this is the writing that cir. annum 41. was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; › Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting, 28 PERES Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians... 29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. b 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. Jer. vi. 30.————z Foretold, vi. 28. Ver. 7. 25, 28; ix. 1, 2 ; xi. 1. e Isa. xxi. 2; ver. 31; chap. ix. 1.- a Ch. In ancient times, no doubt, these letters differed more from each other than they appear to do now; for we know that the Samaritan on ancient coins, though radically the same, differs very much from that now used in printing. It should be observed, that each word stands for a short sentence; ND mene signifies NUMERATION; p tekel, WEIGHING; and D peres, DIVISION. And so the Arabic translates them. mokeeson, mea sured; mewzonon, weighed; mokesoomon, divided. All the ancient Versions, except the Syriac, read the words simply Mene, Tekel, Phares, as they are explained in the following verses; without the repetition of Mene, and without the conjunction 1 vau, and plural termination, \* in, in Peres. arge Verse 29. Clothed Daniel with scarlet] vana, more probably with purple. The gold chain about the neck was an emblem of magisterial authority. It is often thus mentioned in Scripture. Verse 30. In that night was Belshazzar—slain.] Xenophon says, he was despatched by two lords, Gadatas and Gobrias, who went over to Cyrus, to avenge themselves of certain wrongs which Belshazzar had done them. We have already seen that Cyrus entered the city by the bed of the Euphrates, which he had emptied, by cutting a channel for the waters, and directing them into the marshy country. Verse 31. Darius the Median took the kingdom] This is supposed to be the same as Cyaxares, son of Astyages and maternal uncle of Cyrus, to whom he gave the throne of Babylon, after himself had had the honour of taking the city. Daniel is invested CHAP. VI. with great power Daniel speaks nothing of the war that raged between | Medes and Persians were confederates in the war; the the Babylonians and the Medes; but Isaiah speaks former under Darius, the latter under Cyrus. Both particularly of it, chap. xiii., xiv., xlv., xlvi., xlvii.; princes are supposed to have been present at the takand so does Jeremiah, chap. 1., li. I need not add, ing of this city. Mandane, daughter of Astyages that it is largely spoken of by profane authors. The was mother of Cyrus, and sister to Cyaxares CHAPTER VI. Darius the Median, who succeeded Belshazzar in the kingdom of Babylon, having heard of Daniel's extraordinary wisdom and understanding, constitutes him the chief of the three presidents who were over the whole empire, and purposed also to make him prime minister or viceroy, 1–3. This great partiality of the king towards a stranger of Jewish extraction, and who had been carried captive into Chaldea, raised up a great many enemies to Daniel; and a scheme was even contrived by the presidents and princes to ruin him, 4-15; which succeeded so far that he was cast into a den of lions, but was miraculously delivered, 16–23. Darius, who was greatly displeased with himself for having been entrapped by the governors of the provinces to the prejudice of his faithful minister, is pleased and astonished at this deliverance; punished Daniel's enemies with the same kind of death which they had designed for the prophet; and made a decree that, throughout his dominions, the God of Daniel should be had in the greatest veneration, 24-38, object of the envy of the other presidents, and the grandees of the kingdom. Verse 4. Sought to find occasion against Daniel] But they found no blemish in his administration, for he was faithful to his king: this was a virtue. But he was also faithful to his God: this they hoped to construe into a crime, and make it the cause of his ruin. Verse 7. Whosoever shall ask a petition] What pretence could they urge for so silly an ordinance? Probably to flatter the ambition of the king, they pretend to make him a god for thirty days; so that the whole empire should make prayer and supplication to him, and pay him Divine honours! This was the bait; but their real object was to destroy Daniel. Verse 8. According to the law of the Medes and Persians] I do not think that this is to be understood so as to imply that whatever laws or ordinances the Medes or Persians once enacted, they never changed 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast and the decree. them. This would argue extreme folly in legislators in any country. Nothing more appears to be meant than that the decree should be enacted; written, and registered, according to the legal forms among the Medes and Persians; and this one to be made absolute for thirty days. The laws were such among this people, that, when once passed with the usual formalities, the king could not change them at his own will. This is the utmost that can be meant by the law of the Medes and Persians that could not be changed. Verse 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed] He saw what was designed, and he knew whom he served. His windows being open] He would not shut them to conceal himself, but "kneeled down with his face turned toward Jerusalem, and prayed thrice each day, giving thanks to God as usual." When the Jews were in distant countries, in prayer they turned their faces towards Jerusalem; and when in Jerusalem, they turned their faces towards the temple.. Solomon, in his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 1 Kings viii. 48, had entreated God to hear the prayers of those who might be in strange lands, or in captivity, when they should turn their faces towards their own land, which God gave unto their fathers; and towards he city which he had chosen, and the house which was dedicated to his name. It was in reference to this that Daniel turned his face towards Jerusalem when he prayed. Verse 12. Shall be cast into the den of lions] Either this was the royal menagerie, like that place in the signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, Pwas sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed." 16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his 1Chap. iii. 8.- - Ver. 8.- -n Chap. i. 6; v. 13.- Chap. iii. 12. P. So Mark vi. 26. Ver. 8. Lam. iii. 53. s So Matt. xxvii. 66. Tower of London, where wild beasts are kept for the king's pleasure, and the public amusement; or they were kept for the purpose of devouring certain criminals, which the laws might consign to that kind of death. This is most likely, from the case before us. Verse 14. The king-was sore displeased with himself] And well he might, when through his excessive folly he passed a law that, for its ostensible object, would have been a disgrace almost to an idiot. And set his heart on Daniel] He strove by every means to get the law annulled. He had no doubt spoken to several of his lords in private, and had gone from one to another till the going down of the sun. Verse 15. Then these men assembled]. Having got favourable answers, as we may presume, from many individuals, he called a parliament; but they now collectively joined to urge the execution of the law, not its repeal. Verse 16. Then the king commanded] With a heavy heart he was obliged to warrant this murderous conspiracy. But when passing sentence his last words were affecting: "Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." He is thy God; thou servest him, not occasionally, but continually; therefore "he will deliver thee." Daniel had now the same kind of opportunity of showing his fidelity to God, as his three Hebrew companions before. The lions were not less terrible than the fiery furnace. Verse 17. A stone was brought] All this precaution served the purposes of the Divine Providence. There could be no trick nor collusion here; if Daniel be Daniel is miraculously CHAP. VI. delivered from the den of lions. A. M. cir. 3467.. lords; that the purpose might hurt was found upon him, be B. C. cir. 537. Ol. cir. LX. 4. not be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him. t A. M. cir. 3467. B. C. cir. 537. Ol. cir. LX. 4. Servii Tulli R. Roman., cir. annum 42. cause he believed in his God. in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. е 19. Then the king arose very early in the morn-mastery of them, and brake all their bones ing, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel : and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? V 25 Then king Darius wrote untò all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, king, live for ever. and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath y shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O King, have I done no hurt. 23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of с Chap. iv. 1. - Chap. ifi. 29.- ePsa. xcix. 1.- - Chap. iv. 34.- Chap. ii. 44; iv. 3, 34; vii. 14, 27; Luke i. 33. Chap. iv. 3.- iHeb. hand. Chap. i. 21.- -Ezra i. 1, 2. And why? Because he believed in his God. How mighty is faith? It interests that power in the behalf of the believer by which the sea is dried, up, the mountains removed, the dead raised to life, sin forgiven, the heart purified, Satan vanquished, death conquered, and God himself delighted and glorified! See Heb. xi. Verse 24. They brought those men] It was perfectly just that they should suffer that death to which they had endeavoured to subject the innocent; but it was savage cruelty to destroy the women and children who had no part in the transgression. -` Verse 18. Passed the night fasting] He neither ate nor drank, had no music to solace, nor sweet odours burnt or brought before him, and he passed the night without sleep. All this points out his great sincerity; and when it is considered that Darius could not be less than sixty-two or sixty-three years of age at this time, it shows more fully the depth of his concern. Verse 19. The king arose very early] By the break stance of this decree, which was made by a heathen of day. Verse 20. He cried with a lamentable voice] His and the fidelity of his devoted servant. heart, full of grief, affected his speech. Servant of the living God] · The king was convinced that, unless his God saved him, his destruction was inevitable. Verse 22. My God hath sent his angel] Such a one as that who attended Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the fiery furnace, and blew aside the flames, so that they could not hurt them. Verse 25. Then king Darius wrote] And the sub king, was to point out the perfections of the true God, Verse 26. I make a decree that men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel] As in the case of the three Hebrews, chap. iii. 29. The true God was known by his servants, and by the deliverances he wrought for them. See his characters in this decree. 1. He is the living God, the Author and Giver of life; all others are dead gods. 2. He is steadfast for ever. All things change; but he is unchangeable. 3. He has a kingdom; for as he made all things, so he governs all things. 4. His kingdom shall not be destroyed. No human power can prevail against it, Verse 23. No manner of hurt was found upon him] because it is upheld by his omnipotence. 5. His do Before him innocency was found in me] Because I was innocent God has preserved me; and now that I am preserved, my innocence is fully proved. |