Daniel 3

The history of the miraculous deliverance of Daniel’s three friends out of the fiery furnace, into which they were cast, because they refused to worship the golden image which king Nebuchadnezzar had set up. vcr. 6. by twelve hundred and sixty days: which is three years and a half, reckoning three hundred and sixty days to a year. (See the note uponix. 24.) And if we suppose each day to signify a year, which is the prophetical sense of the word day, this period of time denotes twelve hundred and sixty years. (Seo the note upon viii. 14. ix. 24.) And when he shall have accomplished to disperse the poiver of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.] When the Jews’ dispersions shall be ended, then the most remarkable events contained in this prophecy shall be fulfilled. The restoration of the Jewish nation is foretold by the prophets as one of those signal events to be brought to pass in the latter days, or times, of the world. (See Isa. xi. 11. xxvii. 12, 13. lxvi. 10, &c. Jer. iii. 18. xxiii. 5. 8. xxx. 8, &c. xxxi. 1. 1. 4. Ezek. xx. 38. 41. xxviii. 25. xxxiv. 13. xxxvi. 24, &c. xxxvii. 12, &c. Hos. i. 11. iii. 5. Joel iii. 1. Amos ix. 14, 15. Obad. ver. 17, &c. Micah vii. 14, 15. Zeph. iii. 14. Zech. viii. 7. 13. x. 6. xii. 10. xiv. 8, &c.) Mr. Mcdc makes the text before us parallel with those words of Christ, Luke xxi. 24. Jerusalem shall be trodden doiun of the gentiles, until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled: i. e. till the times of the fourth monarchy be expired. (Sec his Works, p. 709. 744. 753.) Of the holy people.’] See viii. 24. Vcr. 8. And J heard, but J understood not.] I did not understand what time was allotted for bringing to pass this event, viz. the restoration of the Jewish nation. Then said I, O my lord, what shall be the end of these things?] See ver. 6. Or, as Mr. Mede translates the words, What are these latter times thou speakest of? (Compare x. 14.)

Daniel 3:1

NEBUCHADNEZZAR made an image of gold, the height whereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth six cubits. This image was set up probably in honour of Bel, whom Nebuchadnezzar worshipped as his tutelar deity; and called Daniel after his name. (See i. 2. iv. 8.) The proportion of this image shews it to have been a very irregular figure, no man’s height being above six times his thickness. • This makes interpreters generally understand these sixty cubits of the height of the image and pedestal taken both together: and suppose the image to have been thirty-six cubits, and the pedestal twenty-four. DiodorusSiculus, giving an account of the plunder Xerxes had taken out of the temple of Belus, mentions a statue of massy gold which was forty feet high, which Dr. Prideaux conjectures to have been this statue: and then the body of the image would hardly have been twenty-seven cubits high. (See his Script, Connex. par. i. p. 100, 101.) The Greek interpreter supposes this remarkable story to have happened in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

Daniel 3:2

Tlien Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the princes, the governors, and the captains, &c. It seems a needless task to undertake an exact description of these several officers and commanders, who cannot be distinguished with any certainty.’ From the first word ahashdarpanaia, princes, the word satrapas is derived, which is commonly taken for a word of Persian original, but was probably first used among the Assyrians or Babylonians, and from thence derived into the Persian language. The treasurers.’] In the Chaldee, ghedabraia, the samo word with ghizbar, translated treasurer, Ezra i. 8. Z being often changed into D, in the Chaldee.

Daniel 3:3

And they came and stood before the image which Nebuchadnezzar hadset up. They made their personal appearance, and shewed themselves ready to perform the worship required of them.

Daniel 3:4

O people, nations, and languages. Whatsoever parts of the empire yo come from, and whatever language you speak, (See ver. 29. and iv. 1.) This form of speech was designed to set forth the largeness and extent of the Babylonish empire, “which had subjects of so many different languages. The same phraso was afterward used under the Medes and Persians. (See vi. 25. Esth. i. 22. iii. 12. viii. 9.)

Daniel 3:5

Tliat at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, harp, &c. Some of the names of these musical instruments have a great affinity with the Greek words of the same signification: as the word karna, the cornet, with Kipag; kithros, the harp, with ictcapa; pesanterin, the psalterijtVtithipdXHipiov; and symphonia, translated dulcimer, with (n>nu)vta. This some account for, by supposing that the traffic managed by the Phoenicians with Greece, (see Ezek. xxvii. 13.) and the transplanting of the Eolian and Ionian colonies into Asiaj which happened about an age after the destruction of Troy, brought these and other Greek words into the eastern parts of the world. But it is more probable that these names should be trans* ferred from the eastern languages into Greece. This is taken for granted in the word sambuca, derived into Greek from the Chaldee sabca, mentioned in the text. In like manner kithros, from whence cithara is derived, is probably taken from citrus, i.e. the citron-wood, of which the instrument is made, the best of which kind grew in Media* This opinion is confirmed by the testimony of Strabo, (lib. x. p. 471.) who saith, " That the names of musical instruments, such as uablia, sambuca, and barbitos, were derived from barbarous languages:” by which the Greeks denote the eastern tongues. The words of Athenaeus are to the same purpose, lib. iv. cap. 23. and lib. xiv. cap. 5. where he saith, " That the Phrygian and Lydian harmony came from the barbarians, i, e. the eastern nations, to the Greeks/ 5 There is but one objection against this opinion, which is, that the word symphonia, here mentioned, is a Greek comr pound. But Isidore, in his Origines, describes that instrument to be hollow, something like our drum, and covered with leather, which they played upon with a stick or a quill: from’ whence we may conclude, that the affinity between this and the Greek word of the same sound is purely accidental.

Daniel 3:6

Shall the same hour. This is the first place in the Old Testament where we meet with the division of time into hours. The Greeks ascribe the invention of hours to Anaximander or Anaximenes; who probably learned it from the Chaldeans. (See Herodotus, lib. ii. cap. 109.) Be cast into the midst of a burning-fiery furnace.] Burning offenders alive was a punishment used among the Babylonians, (see Jer. xxix. 22.) and it may be in other eastern countries. (See Psal. xxi. 9.)

Daniel 3:7

All the people— fell down and worshipped’ the golden image, &c. Paying Divine honours to the images of deified men was a piece of worship generally practised among the Chaldeans, as well as other heathens. * (See Isa. xlvi. 1. Jer. x. 2. 11. 11)

Daniel 3:9

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for thy words are closed up, and sealed till the time of the end. Be content with what has been made known to thee: (see ver. 13.) for the fuller explication of this prophecy is deferred till the time of its accomplishment draws near. (See ver. 4.)

Daniel 3:10

Many shall be purified, and made ivhite, and tried. The persecutions of the faithful are designed for the trial of their faith, and purifying their lives. (See xi. 35.) But the wicked shall do wickedly.] And for those that are obstinately bent upon following the corrupt practices to which they have been accustomed, neither the exhortations nor threatenings of God’s word, nor the judgments they see overtake others, will prevail with them to forsake their evil practices. (See Rev. ix. 20. xxii. 10.) And none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.] The holy writers often repeat this maxim: That an honest and gQpd heart is a necessary qualification for the receiving and understanding Divine truths. (See Isa. vi. 9, &c. Hos. xiv, 9. John viii. 47. x. 27. xviii. 37.) Vcr. 11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination tfiat maketh desolate shall be set tip.] The same expressions made use of to describe Antiochus’s persecution, xi. 31. are here applied to the desolations made by antichrist, of which the former yvas a figure. (See the note upon viii. 14. 23, 24. xi. 26.) Ibid, aad

Daniel 3:12

They serve not thy gods. Or rather, Thy god: for the image represented but one single object of worship: so the word is rendered i. 2. and so it should be translated Exod. xxxii. 4. This is thy God, O Israel; as the same words are rendered Nehem. ix. 18. For Aaron certainly designed to worship the true God by the emblem of the golden calf, and accordingly proclaimed a feast to the Lord, Exod. xxxii. 5. There shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred andfive-and-thirty days.] Here the time allotted for the persecutions of antichrist, till the church be entirely cleansed and purified, is enlarged from one thousand two hundred and sixty days, denoted by time, times, and a half ver. 7. to one thousand two hundred and ninety days; and then to one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Mr. Mede wisely forbears giving an interpretation of these particulars, telling us that time would make them manifest. (See his Works, p. G74.) However, we may venture to say, in general, that there may be a considerable space of time between the fall of antichrist, and the last judgments which shall be inflicted upon him. Some learned men, who have compared the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation together, suppose the interval of time between the one thousand two hundred and sixty days, and the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days, to be included within the times of the seventh trumpet, during which the seven last plagues will be fulfilled. (See Rev. xi.,15. 18. and xv. 1. 7, 8.) Vcr. 12. Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh, &c] Some expositors suppose St. John to allude to these words, Rev. xx. 4. where he saith, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: in like manner the prophet here pronounceth those blessed, who, after a patient expectation of the fulfilling of God’s promises, come to have a share in the enjoyment of them. (Compare ver. 1 — 3. of this chapter.)

Daniel 3:13

But go thou thy way, Daniel, till the end be. Be content with that state and condition which God shall appoint thee, till the finishing of all these wonderful events, (ver. 4. G. 8.) For thou shall rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.] The prophet was now ninety years of age, at least: (see the note upon x. 1.) so he could not expect to live much longer; and the angel here tells him, that after his life was ended, he should rest in peace with the souls of the righteous, (compare Isa. lvii. 2. Rev. xiv. 13.) and at the resurrection, foretold ver. 2. of this chapter, he should obtain a share of that happiness which is reserved for the faithful servants of God, and shall be actually conferred upon theni at the conclusion of the times here specified, ver. 12., The righteous are said to stand in the judgment of the last day, (Psal. i. 5.) and to have boldness in the day of judgment, (1 John ii. 28. iv. 17.) whereas the wicked are described as hiding themselves for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when the great day ofJiis wrath is come, (Isa. ii. 10. Rev. vi. 15—17.) The word lot signifies a state or condition of life, Jer. xiii. 25. and is often used for an inheritance, because the land of Canaan was divided by lot among the Israelites; as the promised land was a figure of that better and heavenly country, which all the good men among the Jews expected, so here it signifies that heavenly inheritance which belongs to the heirs of salvation.

Daniel 3:14

Jsit true, O Shadrach? &c. Or, Is it on purpose? so the word is used, Exod. xxi. 13.

Daniel 3:15

Now if ye be ready, &c. The sentence is imperfect in the original, and is rightly supplied by our translators with the word well; see a like instance, Luke xiii. 9. And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?] Thus Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself above God Almighty, as Sennacherib had done before him; (2 Kings xviii. 3G.) notwithstanding that he had before made an ample confession of the true God, (ii. 47.)

Daniel 3:16

We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. In so plain a case there is no room for deliberation: wc