_Year, from the death of his father, Nabopolassar; for he had reigned before as partner with his father, in the empire. (Challoner) --- In that quality he conquered Syria, (A. 3397 [in the year of the world 3397 or 607 B.C.]) took Daniel, &c. in 3399 [or 605 B.C.]. He succeeded his father. (Usher) ... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Chaldeans. That is, the astrologers, that pretended to divine by stars. (Challoner) --- They dwelt on the banks of the Euphrates, and were highly esteemed. (Diodorus Sic. i.) --- They were the most ancient philosophers. (Civ. Div. i.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_I know. Hebrew also, "to know or understand what," &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Syriac. It was originally the same as the Chaldee. Daniel understood this language, as well as Hebrew and writes in it what concerned the Chaldees, to Chap. viii. This shews his accuracy, as he makes his speakers use their own tongue. Spinosa ignorantly asserts, that all the seven first Chapter s a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Put. Chaldee: "torn to pieces, and your house become infamous places;" (Calmet) Protestant, "a dunghill" (Haydock) --- Such cruel punishments were not uncommon. (1 Esdras vi. 11.) (Calmet) --- Bessus was torn in pieces by the relations of Darius; (Diodorus xvii.) and the Persians generally cut off... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gain. Literally, "redeem" (Haydock) --- St. Paul uses a similar expression, exhorting us to save our souls even at the expense of our temporal interest. (Calmet) --- The diviners wished to give the king's fury time to abate, (Haydock) and to save their lives; (Calmet) or delay punishment, at least,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thereof. It is indeed more easy to discover what dream a person has had, than to explain it; since the devil might disclose the former, but he can only guess at what will happen, and herein his agents are often deceived. (See Genesis xl.) (Worthington) --- It is not even certain that the devil can... [ Continue Reading ]
_Men. They acknowledged greater and less gods. (Stanley, p. 13. Chap. i.) --- They pretend not to have any communication with the superior ones, (Calmet) and by their answer unguardedly bear testimony to the excellence of the God whom Daniel served. (St. Jerome)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Slain. Literally, "were slaughtering;" interficiebantur. (Haydock) --- Many think that some had already suffered. (Geier.; Menochius) --- The had been perhaps jealous of Daniel, and had not informed him of the matter. (St. Jerome)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_General. He occupied the same office as Putiphar, in Egypt. (Genesis xxxix. 1.) It was no disgrace for such a one to execute himself the king's order, as Banaias slew the brother of Solomon. (3 Kings ii.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cruel. Chaldee also, "precipitate." (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Declare the dream. (Haydock) --- The Chaldeans had promised only to explain it, and the king knew the superior merit of Daniel. (Chap. i. 19.) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Secret. Literally, "sacrament." Greek: "mystery," which seems to be derived from (Calmet) mosthor, "a secret." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Night, while he was probably asleep, (Calmet) or praying with his companions. (Villet.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_His. He grants them to whom he pleases, and disposes of kingdoms (Calmet) without control. (ver. 21.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER II.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Soothsayers. Chaldee: Gazerin, (Haydock) who inspect entrails, (Ezechiel xxi. 21. St. Jerome) or tell fortunes by sticks. (Chap. iii. 3.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Times. In the Old Testament, this commonly signifies when Christ shall appear; but in the New, it refers to the end of the world. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Begin. By thus telling what thoughts the king had entertained before his dream, he would be heard with greater confidence. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Terrible, or unusual. (Calmet) --- The statue denoted the four great empires of the Chaldees, Persians, Greeks and Romans. The metals did not mean that the empire of gold was greater than the rest, as that signified by iron was far more powerful; but only that the empire of the Chaldees was then th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of kings. This title was used by the Persians. Nabuchodonosor was at that time the most potent monarch on earth. He conquered many nations, and greatly embellished the city of Babylon, surrounding it with three walls in fifteen days, and building hanging gardens, which were the wonder of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Another kingdom; viz. that of the Medes and Persians. (Challoner) --- Inferior; later, of less duration and extent. (Calmet) --- Third, &c. That of Alexander the Great. (Challoner) --- World. Alexander received ambassadors at Babylon, from the most distant nations, testifying their submission. He c... [ Continue Reading ]
The fourth kingdom, &c. Some understand this of the successors of Alexander, the kings of Syria and Egypt: others, of the Roman empire and its civil wars. (Challoner) --- The former supposition seems best, though the latter is almost universally received, and will be explained hereafter. (Calmet) --... [ Continue Reading ]
_Clay. The iron was in a rude state, mixed with earth. The Roman power was at last partly exercised by consuls and partly by emperors. (Menochius) --- Florus (l.) compares it to the four states of a man, infancy, childhood, youth, and old age. Its youth may be dated from the conquest of all Italy to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Man. Pompey and Cæsar, Anthony and Augustus, married each other's relations; but they soon quarrelled, and the race of the Cæsars was extinct in Nero. But this is better understood of the kings of Syria and of Egypt. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Kingdom of Christ, in the Catholic Church, which cannot be destroyed. (Challoner) --- This alone cannot be destroyed. (Worthington) --- All other empires change. The Catholic Church has stood for seventeen centuries in the midst of persecutions, which gives us an assurance that she will continue for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hands. Protestant marg.: "mountain, which was not in hand." (Haydock) --- Christ was born of a virgin; and his kingdom was not established by ambition, like others. Yet it presently became a mountain, and filled the earth. (St. Justin, dial.; St. Augustine, tr. 9. in Jo.) --- God himself sets up th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Daniel, taking him for a little god, under the great one, ver. 17. (Worthington) --- Victims. Chaldee: mincha, (Haydock) of flour, &c. But the prophet had already declared his sentiments on this head, (ver. 28.) and abhorred such honours, like St. Paul, (Acts xiv. 10.; Calmet) though this is not he... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of gods, above all those of the country for explaining hidden things: yet he did not acknowledge him to be the only true God. (Calmet) --- He afterwards erected an idol to represent his own greatness. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Provinces, or that of Babylonia, which was the first. --- Wise men. This would not engage him in any idolatrous practices._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Works of agriculture, (Calmet) which the ancient kings of Persia encouraged with great attention, appointing officers to reward or punish according as their land was cultivated. (Xenophon, Cyr. 8. & \'8ccon.) --- St. Jerome thinks they were appointed judges, (Calmet) or assistants of Daniel. (Groti... [ Continue Reading ]