Daniel 8

2. Shushan. See note on Neh. i. 1.

the palace. Of the Persian kings.

Elam. “Elam” is often put for Persia. When this book was completed (i. 21), Elam, with its capital Susa, was a “province” of the vast empire of Cyrus.

Ulai. The Eulsus, on the banks of which Susa stood. It is now called Karūn.

3 the higher came up last. The Median kingdom was the older, but the Persian became the more mighty, and swallowed up the other.

4 westward, and northward, and southward. The Persians pushed their conquests chiefly in these directions, comprehending, in the west, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Asia Minor; in the north, Colchis, Armenia, Iberia, and the regions round the Caspian Sea; and in the south, Palestine, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya: cp. vii. 5, and note.

5 a he-goat. The goat is said to have been the national emblem of Macedonia. His “notable (or conspicuous) horn” is Alexander (21).

from the west. That is, from Europe.

and touched not the ground. Alexander’s conquests were both extensive and extraordinarily rapid, being completed within twelve years.

7 he was moved with choir against him. The

Greeks were eager to revenge themselves upon the Persians as their ancient foes.

8 when he was strong, the great horn was broken. Alexander died, 323 B.C., at the very summit of his power, at the age of 32.

four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. After some years of contest among Alexander’s successors, Cassander obtained the western or European provinces; Lysimachus the northern, on the shores of the Euxine; Seleucus the eastern, including Persia, Babylon, Syria, etc.; and Ptolemy, Egypt, and the rest of Africa, with Palestine, which, however, was the subject of frequent warfare between the two kingdoms of Egypt and Syria.

9 a little horn. This “little horn” is thought by the best interpreters to be Antiochus Epiphanes, who sprang from one of the four kingdoms into which Alexander’s empire was divided, being a successor of Seleucus.

toward the south. Antiochus conquered Egypt 170 B.C. (1 Macc. i. 17-20).

toward the east. Persia, whither he went (1 Macc. iii. 29-37) to replenish his treasury.

the pleasant [land]. Rather, “the glorious land,” i.e., Palestine: see xi. 16, 41; Ezek. xx. 6, 15: cp. 1 Macc. i. 21, 24.

10 to the host of heaven. The “host of heaven” and “the stars” probably represent the leaders of the Jews, especially the priests. Antiochus, having gained possession of Jerusalem, committed the most cruel and wanton excesses: see 1 Macc. i. 21-64: 2 Macc. ix. 4.

11 by him. Rather, “from him,” i.e., from the Prince of the host, God Himself.

12. And a host was given, etc. Rather, as R.V., “And the host was given over [to it] together with the continual [burnt offering] through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did [its pleasure] and prospered.”

13 one saint. “A holy one,” i.e., angel: see Job v. 1.

the transgression of desolation. This may mean either, “the desolating wickedness”; or, as both Luther and the French version have it, “the sin which causes the desolation.”

14 days. Heb., “evening morning”: cp. Gen. i. 5.

then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. The sanctuary was cleansed (or vindicated) by Judas Maccabeus, December 25th, 165 B.C. (see 1 Macc. iv. 41-56; 2 Macc. x. 1-5).

15 the appearance of a man. Evidently an angel in human form: see Gen. xviii. 2; and cp. ix. 21; Luke i. 19, where, as in ver. 16, he is named Gabriel, which means “hero of God.”

17. I was afraid. See note on Gen. xv. 12, and cp. v. 18.

at the time of the end [shall be] the vision. Rather, “to the time of the end the vision” reaches or refers. By “the time of the end” may be meant the time of the coming of the Messiah, which was to finish the Jewish dispensation, and to introduce “the last times.” But the words may have had a temporary fulfilment in the cleansing of the sanctuary.

19 at the time appointed the end [shall be]. Or, “for the appointed time there is an end”; these sufferings shall not be perpetual.

21. Grecia. Heb., “Javan”; i.e., the Ionians, by which name the Greeks were mostly known in the East. “King” is put for kingdom: see vii. 17, compared with vii. 23.

22 not in his power. None of Alexander’s successors equalled him in power.

23 dark sentences. Rather, “dissimulation” or “stratagems.” The whole reign of Antiochus was marked by a combination of cruelty and fraud.

24 and practise. i.e., “and do his pleasure,” as in ver. 12.

the mighty and the holy people. Rather, “the mighty ones and the people of the saints”; i.e., the princes and the pious among the Jews.

25 by peace. Rather, “in peace”; i.e., when none suspect him.

against the Prince of princes. Against God; see note on v. 11.

without hand. That is, not by human power, but by God’s stroke. Two different accounts are given of the death of Antiochus (1 Macc. vi. 1-16; 2 Macc. ix. 4-28). It is certain that he died in the East of a mysterious and incurable disease.

26 the evening and the morning. See v. 14, and note.

shut thou up the vision. Having written it, seal it up, that it may be preserved (cp. Jer. xxxii. 14); for the events are yet distant. The R.V. renders the latter part of the verse, “for it belongeth to many days [to come].”

The preceding notes have proceeded upon the supposition that vers. 9-12, 23-28, refer to Antiochus, which is the usual, and appears the most natural interpretation of them; though doubtless he is to be regarded (like Edom in Isa. xxxiv., lxiii.) as a representative of the enemies of the people of God. Jerome, and others of the fathers, considered him to be a type of Antichrist. But some apply this portion of the prophecy to the Roman dominion. Others understand it as referring to Mohammed and his followers, who have triumphed and reigned in the regions which formed the scene of the empire, first of Persia, and then of Alexander and his successors; and they consider this little horn to represent the great Eastern apostasy and spiritual tyranny, as distinguished from the Western, which they suppose to be represented by the little horn of the fourth beast in vii. 8.