Abed-nego delivered out

DANIEL, IV.

of the Fiery Furnace.

of fire-cf. spiritually, 1 Thessalonians, 5. 22. 28. In giving some better traits in Nebuchadnezzar's character, Daniel agrees with Jeremiah, 39. 11; 42, 12. changed the king's word-have made the king's attempt to coerce into obedience vain. Have set aside his word (so "alter... word," Ezra, 6. 11) from regard to God. Nebuchadnezzar now admits that God's law should be obeyed, rather than his (Acts, 5. 29.). yielded... bodies-viz., to the fire. not serve-by sacrificing. nor worship-by prostration of the body. Decision for God at last gains the respect even of the worldly (Proverbs, 16. 7.). 29. This decree promulgated throughout the vast empire of Nebuchadnezzar must have tended much to keep the Jews from idolatry in the captivity and thenceforth (Psalm 76. 10.).

CHAPTER IV.

Ver. 1-37. EDICT OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR, CONTAINING HIS SECOND DREAM, RELATING TO HIMSELF. | Punished with insanity for his haughtiness, he sinks to the level of the beasts (illustrating Psalm 49. 6, 12.1. The opposition between bestial and human life, set forth here, is a key to interpret the symbolism in the 7th chapter, concerning the beasts and the Son of man. After his conquests, and his building in fifteen days a new palace, according to the heathen historian, Abydenus (268 B. C.,), whose account confirms Daniel, he ascended upon his palace-roof (see v. 29, Margin,), whence he could see the surrounding city which he had built, and seized by some deity, he predicted the Persian conquest of Babylon, adding a prayer that the Persian leader might on his return be borne where there is no path of men, and where the wild beasts graze

death awaiting them if they should persevere in their faith, all enhance the grace of God, which carried them through such an ordeal. 19. visage...changed-He had shown forbearance (v. 14, 15) as a favour to them, but now that they despise even his forbearance, anger "fills" him, and is betrayed in his whole countenance. seven times more than it was wont-lit., "than it was (ever) seen to be heated." Seven is the perfect number, i.e., it was made as hot as possible. Passion overdoes and defeats its own end, for the hotter the fire, the sooner were they likely to be put out of pain. 21. coats... hosen... hats - HERODOTUS (1. 195.) says that the Babylonian costume consisted of three parts: 1. wide long pantaloons; 2. a woollen shirt; 3. an outer mantle with a girdle round it. So these are specified, [GESENIUS]" their pantaloons, inner tunics (hosen, or stockings, are not commonly worn in the East), and outer mantles." Their being cast in so hurriedly, with all their garments on, enhanced the miracle in that not even the smell of fire passed on their clothes, though of delicate, inflammable material. 22. flame... slew those men-(ch. 6. 24; Psalm 7. 16.). 23. fell down-not cast down; for those who brought the three youths to the furnace, perished by the flames themselves, and so could not cast them in. Here follows an addition in LXX., Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate Versions, **The prayer of Azarias," and "The song of the Three Holy Children." It is not in the Chaldee: The hymn | was sung throughout the whole church in their liturgies, from the earliest times (Rufinus in Symb. Ap., and Athanasius. The "astonishment" of Nebuchadnezzar in v. 24, is made an argument for its genuineness, as if it explained the cause of his astonish-language evidently derived by tradition from v. 32, 33; ment, viz., "they walked in the midst of the fire prais- though the application is different). In his insanity, ing God, &c., but the angel of the Lord came down his excited mind would naturally think of the coming into the oven" (v. 1. and v. 27, of the apocryphal addi- conquest of Babylon by the Medo-Persians, already tion). But . 25 of English Version explains his foretold to him in ch. 2. 1. Peace-the usual salutation astonishment, without need of any addition. 24. True, in the East "Shalom," whence Salaam. The primiO king- God extorted this confession from His tive revelation of the fall, and man's alienation from enemies' own mouths. 25. four-whereas but three God, made "peace" to be felt as the first and deepest had been cast in. loose-whereas they had been cast want of man. The Orientals (as the East was the cradle in "bound." Nebuchadnezzar's question, in v. 24, is of revelation) retained the word by tradition. 2. I as if he can scarcely trust his own memory as to a thought it good-"It was seemly before me" (Psalm fact so recent, now that he sees through an aperture 107. 2-8.). signs-tokens significant of God's omnipotent in the furnace what seems to contradict it. walking agency. The plural is used, as it comprises the marin... midst of... fire-image of the godly unhurt, vellous dream, the marvellous interpretation of it, and and at large John, 8. 36,), in the midst of trouble" its marvellous issue. 4. I... was at rest-my wars (Psalm 138. 7; cf. Psalm 23, 3, 4.). They walked up and over, my kingdom at peace. flourishing "green." down in the fire, not leaving it, but waiting for God's Image from a tree (Jeremiah, 17. 8.). Prosperous (Job. time to bring them out, just as Jesus waited in the 16. 32.). 6. It may seem strange, that Daniel was not tomb as God's prisoner, till God should let Him out first summoned. But it was ordered by God's provi(Acts, 2. 26, 27.). So Paul (2 Corinthians, 12, 8, 9.). So dence that he should be reserved to the last, in order Noah waited in the ark, after the flood, till God that all mere human means should be proved vain, brought him forth (Genesis, 8. 12-18.). like the Son of before God manifested His power through His servant; God- - unconsciously, like Saul, Caiaphas (John, 11. thus the haughty king was stripped of all fleshly con49-52,), and Pilate, he is made to utter divine truths. fidences. The Chaldees were the king's recognised **Son of God" in his mouth means only an "angel" interpreters of dreams; whereas Daniel's interpretation from heaven, as v. 28 proves. Cf. Job, 1.6; 38. 7; Psalm of the one in ch. 2. had been a peculiar case, and very 34. 7, 8; and the probably-heathen centurion's ex- many years before, nor had he been consulted on such clamation (Matthew, 27. 64.). The Chaldeans believed matters since. 8. Beiteshazzar-called so from the god in families of gods: Bel, the supreme god, accompanied Bel or Belus (see Note, ch. 1. 7.). 9. spirit of the holy by the goddess Mylitta, being the father of the gods; gods- Nebuchadnezzar speaks as a heathen, who yet thus by the expression he meant one sprung from and has imbibed some notions of the true God. Hence he sent by the gods. Really it was the "messenger of the speaks of "gods" in the plural, but gives the epithet covenant," who herein gave a prelude to His incarna-"holy," which applies to Jehovah alone, the heathen tion.

26. the most high God - he acknowledges Jehovah to be supreme above other gods (not that he ceased to believe in these); so he returns to his original confession, "your God is a God of gods" ch. 2. 47,, from which he had swerved in the interim, perhaps intoxicated by his success in taking Jerusalem, whose God he therefore thought unable to defend it. 27. nor ... an hair-Luke, 12. 7; 21. 18.). fire had no powerfulfilling Isaiah, 43. 2; cf. Hebrews, 11. 34. God alone is consuming fire" (Hebrews, 12. 29.). nor... smell

a

gods making no pretension to purity, even in the opinion of their votaries (Deuteronomy, 32, 31; cf. Isaiah, 63. 11.). "I know" refers to his knowledge of Daniel's skill many years before (ch. 2.): hence he calls him "master of the magicians." troubleth-gives thee difficulty in explaining it. 10. tree-so the Assyrian is compared to a "cedar" (Ezekiel, 31. 3; cf. Ezekiel, 17. 24.). in the midst of the earth - denoting its conspicuous position as the centre whence the imperial authority radiated in all directions. 12. beasts.

...

DANIEL, IV.

Edict of Nebuchadnezzar,

DANIEL, V.

containing his Second Dream.

none..

works. Even translate it so, it can only mean, Repent, Sudden mental derangement often has the effect of and show the reality of thy repentance by works of annihilating the whole interval, so that, when reason justice and charity (cf. Luke, 11. 41;); so God will remit returns, the patient remembers only the event that thy punishment. The trouble will be longer before it immediately preceded his insanity. Nebuchadnezzar's comes, or shorter when it does come. Cf. the case of looking up towards heaven was the first symptom of Hezekiah, Isaiah, 38. 1-5; Nineveh, Jonah, 3. 5-10; Jere- his "understanding" having "returned." Before, like miah, 18. 7, 8. The change is not in God, but in the the beasts, his eyes had been downward to the earth. sinner who repents. As the king had provoked God's Now, like Jonah's (Jonah, 2. 1, 2, 4) out of the fish's judgments by sin, so he might avert it by a return to belly, they are lifted up to heaven in prayer. He turns righteousness cf. Psalm 41. 1, 2; Acts, 8. 22.). Probably, to Him that smiteth him (Isaiah, 9. 13,), with the faint like most Oriental despots, Nebuchadnezzar had glimmer of reason left to him, and owns God's justice oppressed the poor by forcing them to labour in his in punishing him. praised him-praise is a sure great public works without adequate remuneration. sign of a soul spiritually healed (Psalm 116. 12, 14; if.. lengthening of ... tranquillity-if haply thy Mark. 5. 15, 18. 19.). I... honoured him-implying that present prosperity shall be prolonged. 29. twelve the cause of his chastisement was that he had before months-this respite was granted to him to leave him robbed God of His honour. everlasting dominionwithout excuse. So the 120 years granted before the not temporary or mutable, as human kings' dominion. flood (Genesis, 6. 3.). At the first announcement of the 35. all... as nothing-(Isaiah, 40, 15, 17.). according to coming judgment he was alarmed, as Ahab (1 Kings, his will in... heaven-(Psalm 115. 3; 135. 6; Matthew, 21. 27,), but did not thoroughly repent; so when judg- 6. 10; Ephesians, 1. 11.). army the heavenly hosts. ment was not executed at once, he thought it would angels and starry orbs (cf. Isaiah, 24. 21.). never come, and so returned to his former pride stay his hand-lit., strike His hand. Image from strikEcclesiastes, 8. 11.). in the palace-rather, upon the ing the hand of another, to check him in doing any (flat) palace roof, whence he could contemplate the thing (Isaiah, 43. 13; 45. 9.). What doest thou-(Job, 9. splendour of Babylon. So the heathen historian, Aby- 12; Romans, 9. 20.). 36. An inscription in the East denus, records. The palace roof was the scene of the India Company's Museum is read as describing the fall of another king (2 Samuel, 11. 2.). The outer wall period of Nebuchadnezzar's insanity. [G. V. SMITH.] of Nebuchadnezzar's new palace embraced six miles: In the so-called standard inscription read by Sir H. there were two other embattled walls within, and a Rawlinson, Nebuchadnezzar relates that during four great tower, and three brazen gates. 30. Babylon, that (?) years he ceased to lay out buildings, or to furnish I have built-Herodotus ascribes the building of Baby- with victims Merodoch's altar, or to clear out the lon to Semiramis and Nitocris, his informant under canals for irrigation. No other instance in the cuneithe Persian dynasty giving him the Assyrian and form inscriptions occurs of a king recording his own Persian account. Berosus and Abydenus give the inaction. my counsellors. . . songht unto me-desired Babylonian account, viz., that Nebuchadnezzar added to have me, as formerly, to be their head, wearied with much to the old city, built a splendid palace and city the anarchy which prevailed in my absence (cf. Note, walls. Herodotus, the so-called "father of history," v. 33;); the likelihood of a conspiracy of the nobles is does not even mention Nebuchadnezzar. (Nitocris, confirmed by this verse. majesty was added - my to whom he attributes the beautifying of Babylon, authority was greater than even before (Job, 42. 12; seems to have been Nebuchadnezzar's wife.) Hence Proverbs, 22. 4; Matthew, 6. 33, "added"). 37. praise infidels have doubted the Scripture account. But the... extol... honour-He heaps word on word, as if he latter is proved by thousands of bricks on the plain, cannot say enough in praise of God. all whose works the inscriptions of which have been deciphered, each ... truth... judgment-i.e., are true and just (Revelamarked "Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabopolassar." tion, 15. 3; 16. 7.). God has not dealt unjustly or too "Built,” i..., restored and enlarged (2 Chronicles, 11. severely with me: whatever I have suffered, I deserved 5, 6.). It is curious, all the bricks have been found it all. It is a mark of true contrition, to condemn with the stamped face downwards. Scarcely a figure, one's self, and justify God (Psalm 51. 4.). those that in stone, or a tablet, has been dug out of the rubbish walk in pride... abase-exemplified in me. He conheaps of Babylon, whereas Nineveh abounds in them; demns himself before the whole world, in order to fulfilling Jeremiah, 51. 37. "Babylon shall become glorify God. heaps." The "I" is emphatic, by which he puts himself in the place of God; so the "my... my." He impiously opposes his might to God's, as though God's threat, uttered a year before, could never come to pass. He would be more than man; God therefore, justly, makes him less than man. An acting over again of the fall: Adam, once lord of the world and the very beasts (Genesis, 1. 28; so Nebuchadnezzar, ch. 2. 38,, would be a god (Genesis, 3. 5,, therefore he must die like the beasts (Psalm 82. 6; 49. 12.). The second Adam restores the forfeited inheritance (Psalm 8. 4-8.). 31.

While, &c.-In the very act of speaking, so that there could be no doubt as to the connection between the crime and the punishment. So Luke, 12. 19, 20. O king... to thee it is spoken- Notwithstanding thy kingly power, to thee thy doom is now spoken, there is to be no further respite. 33. driven from men-as a maniac fancying himself a wild beast. It is possible, a conspiracy of his nobles may have co-operated towards his having been "driven" forth as an outcast. hairs .. eagles' feathers-matted together, as the hair-like thick plumage of the ossifraga eagle. The "nails," by being left uncut for years, would become like "claws." 34. lifted up mine eyes unto heaven-whence the "voice" had issued (v. 31) at the beginning of his visitation.

CHAPTER V.

Ver. 1-31. BELSHAZZAR'S IMPIOUS FEAST: THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL INTERPRETED BY DANIEL of the DOOM OF BABYLON AND ITS KING. 1. Belshazzar-Rawlinson, from the Assyrian inscriptions, has explained the seeming discrepancy between Daniel and the heathen historians of Babylon, Berosus and Abydenus, who say the last king (Naboneddus) surrendered in Borsippa, after Babylon was taken, and had an honourable abode in Caramania assigned to him. Belshazzar was joint-king with his father (called Minus in the inscriptions), but subordinate to him; hence the Babylonian account suppresses the fact which cast discredit on Babylon, viz., that Belshazzar shut himself up in that city, and fell at its capture; whilst it records the surrender of the principal king in Borsippa (see my Introduction to Daniel). The heathen Xenophon's description of Belshazzar accords with Daniel's; he calls him "impious," and illustrates his cruelty by mentioning that he killed one of his nobles, merely because in hunting the noble struck down the game before him; and unmanned a courtier, Gadates, at a banquet, because one of the king's concubines praised him as handsome. Daniel shows none of the sympathy for him which he had for Nebuchadnezzar. Xenophon

Belshazzar's Impious Feast.

DANIEL, V.

The Handwriting on the Wall. confirms Daniel as to Belshazzar's end. WINER ex- titles, victories, and exploits, to remind the spectator plains the "shazzar" in the name as meaning fire. at every point of the regal greatness. It is significant made... feast-heaven-sent infatuation when his city that on the same wall on which the king was accustomed was at the time being besieged by Cyrus. The fortifi- to read the flattering legends of his own magnificence. cations and abundant provisions in the city made the he beholds the mysterious inscription which tells his king to despise the besiegers. It was a solemn festival fall (cf. Proverbs, 16, 18; Acts, 12. 21-23). part of the day among the Babylonians (Xenophon). drank hand-the anterior part, viz., the fingers. 6. counte before the thousand-The king, on this extraordinary nance-lit., brightness, i.e., his bright look. joints of he occasion, departed from his usual way, of feasting apart loins-"the vertebræ of his back." [GESENIUS.] ↑ from his nobles (cf Esther, 1. 3.). 2. whiles he tasted He calls for the magicians, who more than once bas the wine-whilst under the effects of wine, men will do been detected in imposture. He neglects God, and what they dare not do when sober. his father Nebu-Daniel, whose fame as an interpreter was then we chadnezzar-i.e., his forefather. So "Jesus... the son established. The world wishes to be deceived, uni of David, the son of Abrahain." Daniel does not say shuts its eyes against the light. [CALVIN.] The that the other kings mentioned in other writers did not Hebrews think the words were Chaldee, but in the où reign between Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar, viz., | Hebrew character (like that now in the Samaria. Evil-merodach (Jeremiah, 52. 31.), Neriglissar, his Pentateuch). third raler-the first place was given t brother-in-law, and Laborasoarchod (nine months). the king; the second, to the son of the king, or of the Berosus makes Nabonnedus the last king to have been queen; the third, to the chief of the satraps. 8. Th one of the people, raised to the throne by an insurrec-words were in such a character as to be illegible to tion. As the inscriptions show that Belshazzar was Chaldees, God reserving this honour to Daniel. E distinct from, and joint-king with, him, this is not at queen- the queen-mother, or grandmother, Nitocra variance with Daniel, whose statement that Belshazzar had not been present till now. She was wife eith was son (grandson) of Nebuchadnezzar is corroborated of Nebuchadnezzar or of Evil-merodach; hence be by Jeremiah (Jeremiah, 27. 7.). Their joint, yet inde- acquaintance with the services of Daniel. She coapendent, testimony, as contemporaries, and having the pleted the great works which the former had be best means of information, is more trustworthy than Hence HERODOTUS attributes them to her alone. Th that of the heathen historians, if there were a discrep-accounts for the deference paid to her by Belshazzar ancy. Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar (accord- See my Note, ch. 4. 36. Cf. similar rank given to the ing to Berosus) reigned but a short time (one or two queen-mother among the Hebrews, 1 Kings, 15. 13. 11 years), having, in consequence of his bad government, spirit of the holy gods-she remembers and repesta been dethroned by a plot of Neriglissar, his sister's Nebuchadnezzar's language (ch. 4. 8, 9, 18.). As Daniel husband; hence Daniel does not mention him. At was probably, according to Oriental custom, deprive! the elevation of Nabonnedus as supreme king, Bel- of the office to which Nebuchadnezzar had promoted shazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, was doubt him, as "master of the magicians" (ch. 4. 9), at the less suffered to be subordinate king and successor, in king's death, Belshazzar might easily be ignorant of his order to conciliate the legitimate party. Thus the services. the king... thy father the king... thy fathe seeming discrepancy becomes a confirmation of genuine--The repetition marks with emphatic gravity both the ness when cleared up, for the real harmony must have excellencies of Daniel, and the fact that Nebuchad been undesigned. wives.. concubines-not usually nezzar, whom Belshazzar is bound to reverence as hat present at feasts in the East, where females of the father, had sought counsel from him in similar circumharem are kept in strict seclusion. Hence Vashti's stances. 13. the captivity of Judah-the captive Jess refusal to appear at Ahasuerus' feast (Esther, 1.). But residing in Babylon. 17. Not inconsistent with r. S the Babylonian court, in its reckless excesses, seems For here he declares his interpretation of the words a not to have been so strict as the Persian. Xenophon not from the desire of reward. The honours in 1.5 (Cyrop. 5. 2, 28) confirms Daniel, representing a feast were doubtless urged on him, without his wish, in ga of Belshazzar where the concubines are present. At away that he could not with propriety refuse the the beginning "the lords" (v. 1,, for whom the feast Had he refused them after announcing the doom of the was made, alone seem to have been present; but as kingdom, he might have been suspected of coward the revelry advanced, the females were introduced. or treason. 18. God gave-It was not his own birth or Two classes of them are mentioned, those to whom talents which gave him the vast empire, as he though belonged the privileges of "wives," and those strictly To make him unlearn his proud thought was the concubines (2 Samuel, 5. 13; 1 Kings, 11. 3; Song of object of God's visitation on him. majesty—in the eyes Solomon, 6. 8.). 3. This act was not one of necessity, of his subjects. glory-from his victories. homeor for honour's sake, but in reckless profanity. 4. from the enlargement and decoration of the city. 19. & praised-sang and shouted praises to "gods," which purely absolute monarchy (Jeremiah, 27.7.. 21. bes being of gold, "are their own witnesses" (Isaiah, 44. was made like... beasts-lit.." he made his heart hat 9,), confuting the folly of those who fancy such to be the beasts," i.e., he desired to dwell with them. E gods. 5. In the same hour-That the cause of God's Thou hast erred not through ignorance, but throsk visitation might be palpable, viz., the profanation of deliberate contempt of God, notwithstanding that th His vessels and His holy name. fingers of hand hadst before thine eyes the striking warning given a God admonishes him, not by a dream (as Nebuchad- thy grandfather's case. 23. whose are all thy waysnezzar had been warned), or by a voice, but by "fingers (Jeremiah, 10. 23.). 24. Then-When thou liftedst up coming forth," the invisibility of Him who moved thyself against the Lord. the part of the hand-the them heightening the awful impressiveness of the scene, fore part, the fingers. was...sent from him-46, fre the hand of the Unseen One attesting his doom before God. 25. Mene, Tekel, Upharsin lit., number the eyes of himself and his guilty fellow-revellers. weighed, and dividers. 26. God hath fixed the pumba against the candlestick - the candelabra; where the of years of thine empire, and that number is noW CUL mystic characters would be best seen. BARNES makes plete. 27. weighed in the balances The Egypt it the candlestick taken from the temple of Jerusalem, thought that Osiris weighed the actions of the dead in the nearness of the writing to it intimating that the a literal balance. The Babylonians may have had the rebuke was directed against the sacrilege. upon the same notion, which would give a peculiar appropriate plaster of the wall of the king's palace-written in cunei- ness to the image here used. found wanting too form letters on slabs on the walls, and on the very before God, the weigher of actions (1 Samuel, 2 bricks, are found the perpetually recurring recital of Psalm 62, 9.). Like spurious gold or silver JerdunA.

050

Darius' Decree.

DANIEL, VI.

Daniel's Disobedience. excellent spirit was in him." king thought to set him over the whole realm-agreeing with Darius' character, weak and averse to business, which he preferred to delegate to favourites. God overruled this to the good both of Daniel, and, through him, of His people. 4. occasion... concerning the kingdom-pretext for accusation in his administration (Ecclesiastes, 4. 4.). 5. It is the highest testimony to a godly man's walk, when his most watchful enemies can find no ground of censure save in that he walks according to the law of God even where it opposes the ways of the world. 6. assembled together-lit., "assembled hastily and tumultuously." Had they come more deliberately, the king might have refused their grant; but they gave him no time for reflection, representing that their test-decree was neces sary for the safety of the king. live for ever-Arrian (4) records that Cyrus was the first before whom pro|stration was practised. It is an undesigned mark of genuineness that Daniel should mention no prostration before Nebuchadnezzar or Darius (see Note, ch. 3. 9.). 7. The Persian king was regarded as representative of the chief god, Ormuzd; the seven princes near him represented the seven Amshaspands before the throne of Ormuzd; hence Mordecai (Esther, 3. 4) refused such homage to Haman, the king's prime minister, as inconsistent with what is due to God alone. A weak despot, like Darius, much under the control of his princes, might easily be persuaded that such a decree would test the obedience of the Chaldeans just conquered, and tame their proud spirits. So absolute is the king in the East, that he is regarded not merely as the ruler, but the owner, of the people. All. governors... counsellors, &c.-several functionaries are here specified, not mentioned in v. 4, 6. They evidently exaggerate the case to the weak king, as if their request was that of all the officers in the empire. den of lions an underground cave or pit, covered with a stone. It is an undesigned proof of genuineness, that the "fiery furnace" is not made the means of punishment here, as in ch. 3; for the Persians were fire-worshippers, which the Babylonians were not. 8. decree-or, interdict. that it be not changed(Esther, 1. 19; 8. 8.). This immutability of the king's commands was peculiar to the Medes and Persians: it was due to their regarding him infallible as the representative of Ormuzd; it was not so among the Babylonians. Medes and Persians-the order of the names is an undesigned mark of genuineness. Cyrus the Persian reigned subordinate to Darius the Mede as to dignity, though exercising more real power. After Darius' death, the order is

6. 30.). 28. Peres-the explanation of "dividers" (v. 25,), the active participle plural there being used for the passive participle singular, "dividers" for "divided." The word " Peres" alludes to the similar word Persia, divided-viz., among the Medes and Persians [MAURER]; or, severed from thee. [GROTIUS.] 29. Belshazzar clothed Daniel with scarlet-To come from the presence of a prince in a dress presented to the wearer as a distinction is still held a great honour in the East. Daniel was thus restored to a similar rank to what he had held under Nebuchadnezzar (ch. 2. 48.). Godly fidelity, which might be expected to bring down vengeance, as in this case, is often rewarded even in this life. The king, having promised, was ashamed before his courtiers to break his word. He perhaps also affected to despise the prophecy of his doom, as an idle threat. As to Daniel's reasons for now accepting what at first he had declined, cf. Note, v. 17. The insignia of honour would be witnesses for God's glory to the world of his having by God's aid interpreted the mystic characters. The cause of his elevation too would secure the favour of the new dynasty (ch. 6 2) for both himself and his captive countrymen. As the capture of the city by Cyrus was not till near daylight, there was no want of time in that eventful night for accomplishing all that is here recorded. The capture of the city so immediately after the prophecy of it (following Belshazzar's sacrilege), marked most emphatically to the whole world the connection between Babylon's sin and its punishment. 30. Herodotus and Xenophon confirm Daniel as to the suddenness of the event. Cyrus diverted the Euphrates into a new channel, and, guided by two deserters, marched by the dry bed into the city, whilst the Babylonians were carousing at an annual feast to the gods. So also Isaiah, 21. 5; 44. 27; and Jeremiah, 50. 38, 39; and 51. 36. As to Belshazzar's being slain, cf. Isaiah, 14. 18-20; 21. 2-9; Jeremiah, 50. 29-35; 61. 67. 31. Darius the Median-i.e., Cyaxares II., the son and successor of Astyages, B.C. 569-536. Though Koresh, or Cyrus, was leader of the assault, yet all was done in the name of Darius; therefore, he alone is mentioned here; but ch. 6. 2, shows Daniel was not ignorant of Cyrus' share in the capture of Babylon. Isaiah, 13. 17; 21. 2, confirm Daniel in making the Medes the leading nation in destroying Babylon. So also Jeremiah, 51. 11, 28. Herodotus, on the other hand, omits mentioning Darius, as that king, being weak and sensual, gave up all the authority to his energetic nephew, Cyrus (Xenophon, Cyrop. 1. 5; 8. 7.). threescore and two years old-This agrees with Xenophon, Cyrop."the Persians and Medes" (Esther, 1. 14, 19, &c.). 9. 8. 5, 19, as to Cyaxares II.

CHAPTER VI.

Ver. 1-28. DARIUS' DECREE: DANIEL'S DISOBEDIENCE, AND CONSEQUENT EXPOSURE TO THE LIONS: HIS DELIVERANCE BY GOD, AND DARIUS' DECREE. 1. Darius-GROTEFEND has read it in the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis, as Darheush, i.e., Lord-king, a name applied to many of the Medo-Persian kings in common. Three of the name occur: Darius Hystaspis, B.C. 521, in whose reign the decree was carried into effect for rebuilding the temple (Ezra, 4. 5; Haggai, 1. 1; Darius Codomanus, B.C. 336, whom Alexander overcame, called "the Persian" (Nehemiah, 12. 22,), an expression used after the rule of Macedon was set up; and Darius Cyaxares II., between Astyages and Cyrus (Eschylus, Pers. 762, 763). hundred and twenty-satraps; set over the conquered provinces (including Babylon) by Cyrus (Xenophon, Cyrop. 8. 6. 1.). No doubt Cyrus acted under Darius, as in the capture of Babylon; so that Daniel rightly attributes the appointment to Darius. 3. Daniel was preferred-probably because of his having so wonderfully foretold the fall of Babylon. Hence the very expression used by the queen-mother on that occasion (ch, 5, 12 is here used, because an

Such a despotic decree is quite explicable by remembering that the king, as the incarnation of Ormuzd, might demand such an act of religious obedience as a test of loyalty. Persecuting laws are always made on false pretences. Instead of bitter complaints against men, Daniel prays to God. Though having vast business as a ruler of the empire, he finds time to pray thrice a day. Daniel's three companions (ch. 3.) are not alluded to here, nor any other Jew who conscientiously may have disregarded the edict, as the couspirators aimed at Daniel alone (v. 5.). 10. when Daniel knew... writing... signed-and that, therefore, the power of advising the king against it was taken from him. went into his house-withdrawing from the Gou dishonouring court. windows. . . open-not ia vain glory, but that there might be no obstruction to his view of the direction in which Jerusalem, the earthly seat of Jehovah under the Old Testament, lay; and that the sight of heaven might draw off his mind from earthly thoughts. To Christ in the heavenly temple let us turn our eyes in prayer, from this land of our captivity (1 Kings, 8. 44, 48; 2 Chronicles, 6. 29, 34, 38; Psalm 6. 7.). chamber-the upper room, where prayer was generally offered by the Jews (Acts, 1. 13.). Not