Daniel 4
DOYLYfeast &c.] This feast was made at a time of publick rejoicing, being an annual festival, when the whole night was spent in revelling: of which season Cyrus took the
advantage to make himself master of the city, as Herodotus and Xenophon relate, and as was foretold by Jeremiah, chap. h. 39. 57. W. Louth.
Daniel 4:2
2 — whiles he tasted the wine.] The expression seems to allude to that part of the libation, in which the wine was tasted at the time of a sacrifice or a festal solemnity. This “impous king,” as he is called by Xenophon, in making the libations, ordered the vessels of Jehovah to
be introduced for these purposes, thus impiously prostituting the most sacred instruments of the temple of
the true God to the idolatrous services of pagan superstition; or, if the impiety was not so gross, at least the
sacred vessels were applied to common uses, and to the purposes of intemperance and excess. Wintle.
— his father Nebuchadnezzar] Rather, his grandfather. Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by his son
Iloarudam, according to Ptolemy, who is the Evil-merodach of Jeremiah: he married a discreet and prudent
woman, called Nitocris, from whom was born Nabonadius or Belshazzar. Wintle. See the notes on Exod. ii.
18; and Jer. xxvii. 7. Before CHRIST about 538. brought forth. The handwriting on the wall. Daniel is brought to explain it. Before CHRIST about 538.
Daniel 4:5
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In the same hour came forth fingers &c.] In the very same hour, while they were offering this affront to the God of heaven, it pleased the just and powerful God to shew, that He took notice of this presumptuous impiety. Bp. Hall. Next to murder, no sin is so remarkably punished in this world as that of sacrilege, as appears by innumerable instances, taken out of the histories of all ages, of heathens and infidels, as well as Jews and Christians. W. Lowth.
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Then the king’s countenance was changed, &c. The very great confusion and uneasiness of Belshazzar at the sight of the hand shews, that nothing is more weak and tumorous than a guilty conscience; and that the Divine judgments overtake the ungodly, when they think themselves most secure. Osterwold.
Daniel 4:7
- — shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold &c.] Gold chains are a mark of dignity in Abyssinia, bestowed by the sovereign on the most merito-
live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
Daniel 4:11
- There is a man in thy kingdom, &c.] Some persons are apt to wonder that Daniel was unknown to Belshazzar, which others have accounted for from the abandoned and indolent character of the king; but there is a farther reason, which Mr. Harmer has hinted from Sir John Chardin; namely, that he was displaced at the death of a prior king; since in the East, when a king dies, the physicians and astrologers are removed, the one for not having driven away death, the other for not having predicted it. But after all Daniel was not perhaps totally unknown, at least by report, to this king; however he was probably of no esteem, or employed in no considerable department in the state, in the early part of his reign, and therefore not readily recollected. Wintle.
Daniel 4:12
- — dissolving of doubts.] Literally, “of knots,” as in the margin. It appears from Sir John Chardin, that this phrase is still in use in Persia: a patent given to him by the king of Persia speaks of “superintendents, who unloose all sorts of knots.” Fragments to Calmet.
Before CHRIST about 538. a Chap. 2. 48. b Chap. 4. 9. knots.
Daniel 4:13
- — a watcher and an holy one] See below the note on ver. 17. 15. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth.] As, when the root of a tree is still alive, there is a possibility of its flourishing again; so there should still be hopes that the king might recover his former state and dignity; see ver. 26. W. Lowth. Though the tree was to be hewn down, &c., “the stump of his roots,” which was to be left in the earth, was to be secured “with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field.” The words of menace which follow are applicable only to a man, and plainly shew, that the whole vision was typical of some dreadful calamity, to fall for a time, but for a time only, on some one of the sons of men. Bp. Horsley.
Daniel 4:16
- Let his heart be changed &c.] Compare ver. 25. The plain interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s case, stripped of the prophetic figurative language, appears to be, that he should be punished with madness, should fancy himself a beast and live like a beast, but after some time should recover his reason and resume the government. Bp. Newton. — let seven times pass over him.] That is, seven years: so the expression is taken, chap. xi. 13, where the Hebrew reads, “the king of the north shall come at the end of times;” that is, years. So the “time, times, and an half,” mentioned chap. vii. 25; xii. 7; signify three years and a half; and are accordingly explained by “forty and two months,” Rev. xi. 2; and by 1260 days, Rev. xii. 6: both which reckonings of time are equivalent to three years and an half. W. Lowth.
Daniel 4:17
- — the watchers, — the holy ones.] It is the opinion of commentators in general, that by these titles are to be understood angelick beings, who are the instruments of God, and messengers to execute God’s judgments. And Stackhouse observes, after Calmet, that from some expressions in this verse it looks as if the Chaldeans had a notion, (for the king, we may suppose, speaks according to the sentiments of the nation,) that these “watchers” or “holy ones” in heaven constituted an assembly of judges, or were an order of blessed spirits, who took under their cognizance and decision the fate of men. Bp. Horsley however has suggested, that these appellations denote the persons in the Godhead; the first describing them by the vigilance of their universal providence; the second, by the transcendent sanctity of their nature: and he observes, that it is not the mere execution of the judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar, but the decree itself, which is ascribed to them; that the whole matter originated in their decree, and at their command the decree was executed; and that in perfect consistency with this exposition we find, in the 24th verse, that this decree of “the watchers” and “the holy ones” is “the decree of the most High” God. Edit. — to the intent that the living may know &c.] The intent of this matter was to give mankind a proof, in the fall and restoration of this mighty monarch, that the fortunes of kings and empires are in the hand of God; that his providence perpetually interposes in the affairs of men, distributing crowns and seeptres always for the good of the faithful primarily, ultimately of his whole creation, but according to his will: by which we must understand a will perfectly independent, and unbiassed by any thing external; yet not an arbitrary will, but a will directed by the governing perfections of the Divine intellect; by God’s own goodness and wisdom; and as justice is included in the idea of goodness, it must be a will governed by God’s justice. Bp. Horsley. — the basest of men.] This regards Nebuchadnezzar, either with respect to his present condition, whose pride and cruelty rendered him as despicable in the sight of God, as his high estate made him appear honourable in the sight of man: and therefore he was justly doomed to so low a degree of abasement; or else it may be understood of his wonderful advancement and restoration, after he had been degraded from his dignity; and sent to herd with the beasts of the field. God thereby asserting that prerogative of his, of “bringing low and lifting up:” and of “raising the beggar from the dunghill, to set him among princes,” I Sam. ii. 8, 9; Ps. cxiii. 7, 8. W. Lowth. Daniel interprete the dream. The story of the event. Before CHRIST about 570. field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Daniel 4:26
26.—thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee.] That a dispensation of judgment should be tempered with such signal mercy to a heathen prince, not, like Cyrus, eminent for his virtues, however distinguished by his talents, is perhaps in some degree to be put to the account of the favour he shewed to many of the Jews his captives, and in particular to his constant patronage of the Prophet Daniel. Bp. Horsley.
Daniel 4:27
27.—break off thy sins by righteousness, &c.] The plain meaning of this counsel given to the king is, that he should “do justly, and love mercy,” should practise those great duties of justice and charity towards mankind, in which he had been hitherto remarkably deficient; then, as it follows, Perhaps there shall be a prolongation to thy tranquillity, or peace; that is, his punishment might be remitted, and his felicity continued for a longer term: not unlike the case of Hezekiah in Isaiah, chap. xxviii; or that of the Ninevites, recorded by the Prophet Jonah. See also Jer. xviii. Wintle.
Daniel 4:28
- All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.] Strange as it must seem, notwithstanding Daniel’s weight and credit with the king; notwithstanding the consternation of mind, into which the dream had thrown him; this warning had no permanent effect. He was not cured of his overweening pride and vanity, till he was overtaken by the threatened judgment. Bp. Horsley.
Daniel 4:29
29.—he walked in the palace] Or, “he was walking upon the palace.” It is well known that the roofs of the buildings in the East were flat or plain, over which the inhabitants used to walk for pleasure. Wintle. See the note on 2 Sam. xi. 2.
Daniel 4:30
30.—great Babylon, that I have built] It is frequently expressed in Scripture that a person has built a city, who has enlarged, repaired, or fortified it. See
Daniel 4:31
- While the word was in the king’s mouth, &c.] So Herod was struck immediately, “because he gave not God the glory,” Acts xii. 23. W. Lowth.
Daniel 4:34
34.—I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes] The first The story of the event. Belshazzar’s impious feast. Before CHRIST about 563. d Chap. 7. 14. Mic. 4. 7. Luke 1. 33. e Job 9. 12. Isa. 45. 9. returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: