Daniel 1

— Belteshazzar;] “According to the name of his god,” as Nebuchadnezzar himself derives the word, chap. iv. 8. So the name was derived from Bel, the chief idol of Babylon, as Nebuchadnezzar had his own name from Nebo, another of their idols, mentioned Isa. xivi. 1; and Evil-merodach, his successor, was named from their idol, Merodach, Jer. 1. 2. W. Lowth.

Ver. 1.—In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar] The second year, according to the Babylonian

account, or the fourth, according to the Jewish; that is, in the second year of his reigning alone, or the fourth of his reigning jointly with his father. Bp. Newton. Daniel, writing the following history in Chaldea for the use of the Chaldeans, follows the computation of time in use among them. W. Lowth. —dreams] Though it was but one continued dream, it contained a succession of various events. W. Lowth, Wintle.

Ver. 1. — in the days of Uzziah, — and in the days of Jeroboam] Jeroboam, the son of Joash, the second king of Israel of that name, and contemporary with Uzziah, is here mentioned, because this prophecy very nearly concerns the kingdom of Israel. There was no need of enumerating any of the succeeding kings of Israel, because, from the Prophet’s mention of his prophesying from the times of Uzziah to those of Hezekiah, it follows that he prophesied all the reigns of Jeroboam’s successors; the reign of Hezekiah bearing date from the third year of Hoshea, the last of the kings of Israel. W. Lowth.

Daniel 1:2

2. — by Hosea.] To speak “to Hosea,” ver. 1, and “by Hosea,” in this verse are phrases of different import. To speak to expresses, that to him the discourse was immediately addressed. To speak by, that through him it was addressed to others: and that the speech, so addressed to others, was not the Prophet’s own, but God’s; God using the Prophet as his organ of speech to the people. Bp. Horsley.

— Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms; That is, Marry a wife, who will afterwards, namely, after the birth of her first child, prove unfaithful to thy bed, and bear children begotten by others; for hereby will be most fitly, and even sensibly represented to the people of Israel their like base dealing with me; inasmuch as the people of the land

have committed the like spiritual whoredom, departing from the Lord and worshipping idols. Dr. Wells, W. Lowth.

Some commentators understand by “a wife of whoredoms” a wife, that had heretofore been noted for unchastity, howsoever now reclaimed. Bp. Hall, Junius.

Daniel 1:3

3. So he went and took Gomer—which conceived, &c.] After the marriage the Prophet’s wife bore three children. These children represent certain distinct parts or descriptions of the Jewish nation, of the whole of which the mother was the emblem. Of the three children, the eldest and the youngest were sons; the intermediate child was a daughter. The eldest appears to have been the Prophet’s son; but the two last were illegitimate. Bp. Horsley.

Daniel 1:4

4. — Call his name Jezreel;] The names, imposed upon the children by God’s direction, sufficiently declare what particular parts of the Jewish nation were severally represented by them. The name of the first was Jezreel, importing “seed of God;” and the persons, represented by the Prophet’s proper son, to whom the name is given, were all those true servants of God, scattered among all the twelve tribes of Israel, who, in the times of the nation’s greatest depravity, worshipped the everlasting God, in the hope of the Redeemer to come. These were a holy seed; the genuine sons of God; begotten of Him to a lively hope, and the early seed of that Church, which shall at last embrace all the families of the earth. These are Jezreel, typified by the Prophet’s own son and rightful heir, as the children of God, and heirs of the promises. Bp. Horsley.

— I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu.] That is, the blood of the holy seed, the faithful servants of God, shed by the idolatrous princes of Jehu’s family in persecution, and the blood of children shed in

Daniel 1:8

8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself &c.] The defilement here alluded to might arise, either from the food being prohibited in the law of Moses, or else from its being what was offered to the idols of the Chaldees, or at least intreated to be blessed in their name: see 1 Cor. viii. 10, and Ezek. iv. 13. Wintle.

Daniel 1:9

9. Now God had brought Daniel into favour &c.] See Gen. xxxix. 21; and compare Ps. cvi. 46. W. Lowth.

10. — of your sort? Or, “of your age.” W. Lowth. Probably it may include the condition also. Wintle.

Daniel 1:12

12. — pulse] Various sorts of grain were dried and prepared for food by the people of the East, as wheat, barley, rice, and pulse. Of some of these was the parched corn mentioned in Scripture, and the chief food of the labourers and poorer sort of people. Wintle.

Daniel 1:15

15. — their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh &c.] Abstinence from wine and from rich food is no injury, but rather an improvement, to the health and

Daniel 1:17

17. in all visions and dreams.] Not fortuitous or casual dreams, but such as were sent from Heaven. Wintle. See the note on Gen. xx. 3.

Daniel 1:19

19. — among them all] That is, among all the young men alluded to at ver. 4. Wintle.

— therefore stood they before the king.] They were in continual attendance in the king’s court. So Joseph “stood before Pharaoh,” Gen. xli. 46. Compare 1 Kings xvii. 1; Jer. xv. 19; Numb. xvi. 9. W. Lowth.

Daniel 1:20

20. — the magicians and astrologers] These words seem to comprehend the persons in general, who were distinguished in the several kinds of learning cultivated among the Chaldees. Of the like character were the Magi in Egypt and Persia, and the other countries of the East, and those “wise men,” that came to our Saviour at his birth, Matt. ii. 1. Wintle.

Daniel 1:21

21. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.] And so witnessed the accomplishment of Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the seventy years, Ezra i. 1. This being so remarkable a year, the text takes notice that Daniel lived so long: not but that he lived

Before CHRIST about 606. Daniel understand. 603. sixdom of understanding. 603. Nebuchadnezzar forgetteth his dream. Before CHRIST 603. niel obtaining some respite findeth the dream.