_In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim came Nebuchadnezzar_, &c. See notes on 2 Kings 24:1. _And the Lord gave Jehoiakim into his hand_ He took Jehoiakim prisoner, and put him in chains, with a design to carry him to Babylon; but he having humbled himself, and submitted to become tributary, he... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, master of the eunuchs_ One of the chief officers of his palace; the officers that attended about the persons of the eastern kings being commonly eunuchs, (a custom still practised in the Ottoman court,) such being employed as guardians over the women which the king... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat_ Such as he had at his own table; wherein his humanity and bounty appeared toward them the more conspicuous, they being captives. _So nourishing them_, &c. The Vulgate renders it, _Ut enutriti, &c.; that, being nourished three years, they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Among these were Daniel, Hananiah_, &c. All their names had some affinity with the name of _Jehovah_, the God whom they worshipped. _Daniel_ signifies, _God is my judge_, or _the judgment of God; Hananiah, God has been gracious to me_, or, _one favoured of Jehovah; Mishael, the powerful one of God;... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Daniel purposed that he would not defile himself_ The defilement here alluded to might arise either from the food being such as was prohibited in the law of Moses, or else what was offered to the idols of the Chaldees, or entreated to be blessed in their names: see 2 Corinthians 8:10; 2 Corinth... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love_, &c. Hebrew, לרחמים, _compassionate regard_, or, _bowels of compassion_, which is also the sense of the same word, Daniel 2:18. It is a very strong expression, and denotes a kind of parental compassion, like that of St. Paul in his epistle to... [ Continue Reading ]
_The prince of the eunuchs said, I fear my lord the king_ He objects that he should incur the king's displeasure, and bring his life into danger, if he complied with Daniel's request; the king having appointed what sort of meat and drink Daniel and his young friends should use, and having given no o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said Daniel, Prove thy servants, I beseech, thee_ To satisfy him that there would be no danger of any ill consequence, Daniel desires the matter might be put to a trial _for ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat_ The word הזרעים, here used, seems to signify fruits or vegetables; or rathe... [ Continue Reading ]
_At the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer_, &c. The poor pulse, seeds, and roots, nourished and strengthened Daniel and his companions more than the rich food which the others ate from the king's table nourished them. Although this might, in part, be the natural effect of their temp... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for these four children_ The Hebrew is literally, As to _these children_, or young men, _each of them four: to them God gave knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom_ That is, in all sorts of learning and knowledge. They became particularly skilful in those parts of the Chaldean learning w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in_ At the end of three years, see Daniel 1:5, _the prince of the eunuchs brought them in_ According to the king's command. _And the king communed with them_ To try their proficiency. This shows the king's ability and judgment,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Daniel continued_ Hebrew, ויהי, _he was_, namely, in the court of Babylon, known, employed, and held in reputation, under Nebuchadnezzar and his successors; _even unto the first year of Cyrus_ Till the monarchy passed from the Chaldeans to the Persians in the person of Cyrus, under whom also he... [ Continue Reading ]