D
A N I E L
CHAP. I.
This
chapter gives us a more particular account of the beginning of Daniel's life,
his original and education, than we have of any other of the prophets. Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, began immediately with divine visions; but Daniel began
with the study of human learning, and was afterwards honoured with divine
visions; such variety of methods has God taken in training up men for the
service of his church. We have here, I. Jehoiakim's first captivity (ver. 1,
2), in which Daniel, with others of the seed-royal, was carried to Babylon. II. The choice made of Daniel, and some other
young men, to be brought up in the Chaldean literature, that they might be
fitted to serve the government, and the provision made for them, ver. 3-7.
III. Their pious refusal to eat the portion of the king's meat, and their
determining to live upon pulse and water, which, having tried it, the master
of the eunuchs allowed them to do, finding that it agreed very well with them,
ver. 8-16. IV. Their wonderful improvement, above all their fellows, in wisdom
and knowledge, ver. 17-21.
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The
Siege of Jerusalem.
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B.
C. 606.
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1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim
king of
Judah
came Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon
unto
Jerusalem
, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord
gave Jehoiakim king of
Judah
into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he
carried into the
land
of
Shinar
to the house of his god; and he brought the
vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3 And the king spake
unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain
of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in
all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had
ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the
learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed
them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so
nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before
the king. 6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the
eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar;
and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of
Abednego.
We have in these verses an account,
I. Of the first descent which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the first
year of his reign, made upon Judah and Jerusalem, in the third year of the
reign of Jehoiakim, and his success in that expedition (v. 1, 2): He besieged
Jerusalem, soon made himself master of it, seized the king, took whom he
pleased and what he pleased away with him, and then left Jehoiakim to reign as
tributary to him, which he did about eight years longer, but then rebelled,
and it was his ruin. Now from this first captivity most interpreters
think the seventy years are to be dated, though Jerusalem was not destroyed,
nor the captivity completed, till about nineteen years after, In that first
year Daniel was carried to Babylon, and there continued the whole seventy
years (see v. 21), during which time all nations shall serve
Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his son's son, Jer. xxv. 11. This one prophet
therefore saw within the compass of his own time the rise, reign, and ruin of
that monarchy; so that it was res unius ætatis--the affair of a single
age, such short-lived things are the kingdoms of the earth; but the
kingdom of heaven is everlasting. The righteous, that see them taking root,
shall see their fall, Job v. 3; Prov. xxix. 16. Mr. Broughton observes
the proportion of times in God's government since the coming out of Egypt:
thence to their entering Canaan forty years, thence seven years to the
dividing of the land, thence seven Jubilees to the first year of Samuel, in
whom prophecy began, thence to this first year of the captivity seven
seventies of years, 490 (ten Jubilees), thence to the return one seventy,
thence to the death of Christ seven seventies more, thence to the destruction
of Jerusalem forty years.
II. The improvement he made of this success. He did not destroy the city or
kingdom, but did that which just accomplished the first threatening of
mischief by Babylon. It was denounced against Hezekiah, for showing his
treasures to the king of Babylon's ambassadors (Isa. xxxix. 6, 7), that the
treasures and the children should be carried away, and, if they had been
humbled and reformed by this, hitherto the king of Babylon's power and success
should have gone, but no further. If less judgments do the work, God
will not send greater; but, if not, he will heat the furnace seven times
hotter. Let us see what was now done. 1. The vessels of the sanctuary were
carried away, part of them, v. 2. They fondly trusted to the
temple to defend them, though they went on in their iniquity. And now, to show
them the vanity of that confidence, the temple is first plundered. Many of the
holy vessels which used to be employed in the service of God were taken away
by the king of Babylon, those of them, it is likely, which were most valuable,
and he brought them as trophies of victory to the house of his god, to
whom, with a blind devotion, he gave praise of his success; and having
appropriated these vessels, in token of gratitude, to his god, he put them
in the treasury of his temple. See the righteousness of God; his people
had brought the images of other gods into his temple, and now he suffers the
vessels of the temple to be carried into the treasuries of those other gods.
Note, When men profane the vessels of the sanctuary with their sins it is just
with God to profane them by his judgments. It is probable that the treasures
of the king's house were rifled, as was foretold, but particular mention is
made of the taking away of the vessels of the sanctuary because we
shall find afterwards that the profanation of them was that which filled up
the measure of the Chaldeans' iniquity, ch. v. 3. But observe, It was
only part of them that went now; some were left them yet upon trial, to
see if they would take the right course to prevent the carrying away of the
remainder. See Jer. xxvii. 18. 2. The children and young men, especially such
as were of noble or royal extraction, that were sightly and promising, and of
good natural parts, were carried away. Thus was the iniquity of the fathers
visited upon the children. These were taken away by Nebuchadnezzar, (1.) As
trophies, to be made a show of for the evidencing and magnifying of his
success. (2.) As hostages for the fidelity of their parents in their own land,
who would be concerned to conduct themselves well that their children might
have the better treatment. (3.) As a seed to serve him. He took them away to
train them up for employments and preferments under him, either out of an
unaccountable affectation, which great men often have, to be attended by
foreigners, though they be blacks, rather than by those of their own nation,
or because he knew that there were no such witty, sprightly, ingenious young
men to be found among his Chaldeans as abounded among the youth of Israel;
and, if that were so, it was much for the honour of the Jewish nation, as of
an uncommon genius above other people, and a fruit of the blessing. But it was
a shame that a people who had so much wit should have so little wisdom and
grace. Now observe, [1.] The directions which the king of Babylon gave for the
choice of these youths, v. 4. They must not choose such as were
deformed in body, but comely and well-favoured, whose countenances were
indexes of ingenuity and good humour. But that is not enough; they must be skilful
in all wisdom, and cunning, or well-seen in knowledge, and understanding
science, such as were quick and sharp, and could give a ready and
intelligent account of their own country and of the learning they had hitherto
been brought up in. He chose such as were young, because they would be pliable
and tractable, would forget their own people and incorporate with the
Chaldeans. He had an eye to what he designed them for; they must be such as
had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, not only to attend
his royal person, but to preside in his affairs. This is an instance of the
policy of this rising monarch, now in the beginning of his reign, and was a
good omen of his prosperity, that he was in care to raise up a succession of
persons fit for public business. He did not, like Ahasuerus, appoint them to
choose him out young women for the service of his government. It is the
interest of princes to have wise men employed under them; it is therefore
their wisdom to take care for the finding out and training up of such. It is
the misery of this world that so many who are fit for public stations are
buried in obscurity, and so many who are unfit for them are preferred to them.
[2.] The care which he took concerning them. First, For their
education. He ordered that they should be taught the learning and tongue of
the Chaldeans. They are supposed to be wise and knowing young men, and yet
they must be further taught. Give instructions to a wise man and he will
increase in learning. Note, Those that would do good in the world when
they grow up must learn when they are young. That is the learning age; if that
time be lost, it will hardly be redeemed. It does not appear that
Nebuchadnezzar designed they should learn the unlawful arts that were used
among the Chaldeans, magic and divination; if he did, Daniel and his fellows
would not defile themselves with them. Nay, we do not find that he ordered
them to be taught the religion of the Chaldeans, by which it appears That he
was at this time no bigot; if men were skilful and faithful, and fit for his
business, it was not material to him what religion they were of, provided they
had but some religion. They must be trained up in the language and laws of the
country, in history, philosophy, and mathematics, in the arts of husbandry,
war, and navigation, in such learning as might qualify them to serve their
generation. Note, It is real service to the public to provide for the good
education of the youth. Secondly, For their maintenance. He provided
for them three years, not only necessaries, but dainties for their
encouragement in their studies. They had daily provision of the king's
meat, and of the wine which he drank, v. 5. This was an instance of
his generosity and humanity; though they were captives, he considered their
birth and quality, their spirit and genius, and treated them honourably, and
studied to make their captivity easy to them. There is a respect due to those
who are well-born and bred when they have fallen into distress. With a liberal
education there should be a liberal maintenance.
III. A particular account of Daniel and his fellows. They were of the children
of Judah, the royal tribe, and probably of the house of David, which had
grown a numerous family; and God told Hezekiah that of the children that
should issue from him some should be taken and made eunuchs, or
chamberlains, in the palace of the king of Babylon. The prince of
the eunuchs changed the names of Daniel and his fellows, partly to show
his authority over them and their subjection to him, and partly in token of
their being naturalized and made Chaldeans. Their Hebrew names, which they
received at their circumcision, had something of God, or Jah, in them: Daniel--God
is my Judge; Hananiah--The grace of the Lord; Mishael--He that is the strong
God; Azariah--The Lord is a help. To make them forget the God of their
fathers, the guide of their youth, they give them names that savour of the
Chaldean idolatry. Belteshazzar signifies the keeper of the hidden
treasures of Bel; Shadrach--The inspiration of the sun, which the
Chaldeans worshipped; Meshach--Of the goddess Shach, under which
name Venus was worshipped; Abed-nego, The servant of the shining
fire, which they worshipped also. Thus, though they would not force them
from the religion of their fathers to that of their conquerors, yet they did
what they could by fair means insensibly to wean them from the former and
instil the latter into them. Yet see how comfortably they were provided for;
though they suffered for their fathers' sins they were preferred for their own
merits, and the land of their captivity was made more comfortable to them than
the land of their nativity at this time would have been.
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Favour
Shown to Daniel; Daniel's Conscientiousness.
B. C. 606.
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8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he
would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the
wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that
he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into
favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the
prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath
appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse
liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me
endanger my head to the king. 11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom
the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to
eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked
upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion
of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in
flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's
meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the
wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
We observe here, very much to our satisfaction,
I. That Daniel was a favourite with the prince of the eunuchs (v.
9), as Joseph was with the keeper of the prison; he had a tender love
for him. No doubt Daniel deserved it, and recommended himself by his ingenuity
and sweetness of temper (he was greatly beloved, ch. ix. 23);
and yet it is said here that it was God that brought him into favour with
the prince of the eunuchs, for every one does not meet with acceptance
according to his merits. Note, The interest which we think we make for
ourselves we must acknowledge to be God's gift, and must ascribe to him the
glory of it. Whoever are in favour, it is God that has brought them into
favour; and it is by him that they find good understanding. Herein was
again verified That work (Ps. cvi. 46), He made them to be pitied of all
those that carried them captives. Let young ones know that the way to be
acceptable is to be tractable and dutiful.
II. That Daniel was still firm to his religion. They had changed his name, but
they could not change his nature. Whatever they pleased to call him, he still
retained the spirit of an Israelite indeed. He would apply his mind as closely
as any of them to his books, and took pains to make himself master of the learning
and tongue of the Chaldeans, but he was resolved that he would not
defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, he would not meddle
with it, nor with the wine which he drank, v. 8. And having
communicated his purpose, with the reasons of it, to his fellows, they
concurred in the same resolution, as appears, v. 11. This was not out
of sullenness, or peevishness, or a spirit of contradiction, but from a
principle of conscience. Perhaps it was not in itself unlawful for them to eat
of the king's meat or to drink of his wine. But, 1. They were
scrupulous concerning the meat, lest it should be sinful. Sometimes such meat
would be set before them as was expressly forbidden by their law, as swine's
flesh; or they were afraid lest it should have been offered in sacrifice to an
idol, or blessed in the name of an idol. The Jews were distinguished from
other nations very much by their meats (Lev. xi. 45, 46), and these pious
young men, being in a strange country, thought themselves obliged to keep up
the honour of their being a peculiar people. Though they could not keep up
their dignity as princes, they would not lose it as Israelites; for on that
they most valued themselves. Note, When God's people are in Babylon they have
need to take special care that they partake not in her sins. Providence
seemed to lay this meat before them; being captives they must eat what they
could get and must not disoblige their masters; yet, if the command be against
it, they must abide by that. Though Providence says, Kill and eat,
conscience says, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has come into
my mouth. 2. They were jealous over themselves, lest, though it should not
be sinful in itself, it should be an occasion of sin to them, lest, by
indulging their appetites with these dainties, they should grow sinful,
voluptuous, and in love with the pleasures of Babylon. They had learned
David's prayer, Let me not eat of their dainties (Ps. cxli. 4), and
Solomon's precept, Be not desirous of dainties, for they are deceitful meat
(Prov. xxiii. 3), and accordingly they form their resolution. Note, It is very
much the praise of all, and especially of young people, to be dead to the
delights of sense, not to covet them, not to relish them, but to look upon
them with indifference. Those that would excel in wisdom and piety must learn
betimes to keep under the body and bring it into subjection. 3.
However, they thought it unseasonable now, when Jerusalem was in distress, and
they themselves were in captivity. They had no heart to drink wine in
bowls, so much were they grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Though they had royal blood in their veins, yet they did not think it proper
to have royal dainties in their mouths when they were thus brought low. Note,
It becomes us to be humble under humbling providences. Call me not Naomi;
call me Marah. See the benefit of affliction; by the account Jeremiah
gives of the princes and great men now at Jerusalem it appears that they were
very corrupt and wicked, and defiled themselves with things offered to idols,
while these young gentlemen that were in captivity would not defile
themselves, no, not with their portion of the king's meat. How much
better is it with those that retain their integrity in the depths of
affliction than with those that retain their iniquity in the heights of
prosperity! Observe, The great thing that Daniel avoided was defiling himself
with the pollutions of sin; that is the thing we should be more afraid of than
of any outward trouble. Daniel, having taken up this resolution, requested
of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself, not only
that he might not be compelled to do it, but that he might not be tempted to
do it, that the bait might not be laid before him, that he might not see the
portion appointed him of the king's meat, nor look upon the wine when it was
red. It will be easier to keep the temptation at a distance than to suffer it
to come near and then be forced to put a knife to our throat. Note, We
cannot better improve our interest in any with whom we have found favour than
by making use of them to keep us from sin.
III. That God wonderfully owned him herein. When Daniel requested that he
might have none of the king's meat or wine set before him the prince of the
eunuchs objected that, if he and his fellows were not found in as good case as
any of their companions, he should be in danger of having anger and of losing
his head, v. 10. Daniel, to satisfy him that there would be no danger
of any bad consequence, desires the matter might be put to a trial. He applies
himself further to the under-officer, Melzar, or the steward: "Prove
us for ten days; during that time let us have nothing but pulse to eat,
nothing but herbs and fruits, or parched peas or lentils, and nothing but water
to drink, and see how we can live upon that, and proceed
accordingly," v. 13. People will not believe the benefit of
abstemiousness and a spare diet, nor how much it contributes to the health of
the body, unless they try it. Trial was accordingly made. Daniel and his
fellows lived for ten days upon pulse and water, hard fare for young
men of genteel extraction and education, and which one would rather expect
they should have indented against than petitioned for; but at the end of
the ten days they were compared with the other children, and were found fairer
and fatter in flesh, of a more healthful look and better complexion, than all
those who did eat the portion of the king's meat, v. 15. This was
in part a natural effect of their temperance, but it must be ascribed to the
special blessing of God, which will make a little to go a great way, a dinner
of herbs better than a stalled ox. By this it appears that man
lives not by bread alone; pulse and water shall be the most nourishing
food if God speak the word. See what it is to keep ourselves pure from the
pollutions of sin; it is the way to have that comfort and satisfaction which
will be health to the navel and marrow to the bones, while the
pleasures of sin are rottenness to the bones.
IV. That his master countenanced him. The steward did not force them to eat
against their consciences, but, as they desired, gave them pulse and water
(v. 16), the pleasures of which they enjoyed, and we have reason to
think were not envied the enjoyment. Here is a great example of temperance and
contentment with mean things; and (as Epicurus said) "he that lives
according to nature will never be poor, but he that lives according to opinion
will never be rich." This wonderful abstemiousness of these young men in
the days of their youth contributed to the fitting of them, 1. For their
eminent services. Hereby they kept their minds clear and unclouded, and fit
for contemplation, and saved for the best employments a great deal both of
time and thought; and thus they prevented those diseases which indispose men
for the business of age that owe their rise to the intemperances of youth. 2.
For their eminent sufferings. Those that had thus inured themselves to
hardship, and lived a life of self-denial and mortification, could the more
easily venture upon the fiery furnace and the den of lions, rather than sin
against God.
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Wisdom
of Daniel and His Companions.
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B.
C. 606.
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17 As for these four children, God gave them
knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days that the
king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought
them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king communed with them;
and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
therefore stood they before the king. 20 And in all matters of
wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them
ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were
in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued even unto the
first year of king Cyrus.
Concerning Daniel and his fellows we have here,
I. Their great attainments in learning, v. 17. They were very sober and
diligent, and studied hard; and we may suppose their tutors, finding them of
an uncommon capacity, took a great deal of pains with them, but, after all,
their achievements are ascribed to God only. It was he that gave them
knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; for every good and
perfect gift is from above, from the Father of the lights. It is the Lord
our God that gives men power to get this wealth; the mind is furnished
only by him that formed it. The great learning which God gave these four
children was, 1. A balance for their losses. They had, for the iniquity of
their fathers, been deprived of the honours and pleasures that would have
attended their noble extraction; but, to make them amends for that, God, in
giving them learning, gave them better honours and pleasures than those they
had been deprived of. 2. A recompence for their integrity. They kept to their
religion, even in the minutest instances of it, and would not so much as
defile themselves with the king's meat or wine, but became, in effect,
Nazarites; and now God rewarded them for it with eminency in learning; for God
gives to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy
with them, Eccl. ii. 26. To Daniel he gave a double portion; he had understanding
in visions and dreams; he knew how to interpret dreams, as Joseph, not by
rules of art, such as are pretended to be given by the oneirocritics, but by a
divine sagacity and wisdom which God gave him. Nay, he was endued with a
prophetic spirit, by which he was enabled to converse with God, and to receive
the notices of divine things in dreams and visions, Num. xii. 6. According to
this gift given to Daniel, we find him, in this book, all along employed about
dreams and visions, interpreting or entertaining them; for, as every one
has received the gift, so shall he have an opportunity, and so should he
have a heart, to minister the same, 1 Pet. iv. 10.
II. Their great acceptance with the king. After three years spent in
their education (they being of some maturity, it is likely, when they came,
perhaps about twenty years old) they were presented to the king with the rest
that were of their standing, v. 18. And the king examined them and communed
with them himself, v. 19. He could do it, being a man of parts and
learning himself, else he would not have come to be so great; and he would do
it, for it is the wisdom of princes, in the choice of the persons they employ,
to see with their own eyes, to exercise their own judgment, and not trust too
much to the representation of others. The king examined them not so much in
the languages, in the rules of oratory or poetry, as in all matters of
wisdom and understanding, the rules of prudence and true politics; he
enquired into their judgment about the due conduct of human life and public
affairs; not "Were they wits?" but, "Were they wise?" And
he not only found them to excel the young candidates for preferment that were
of their own standing, but found that they had more understanding than the
ancients, than all their teachers, Ps. cxix. 99, 100. So far was the king
from being partial to his own countrymen, to seniors, to those of his own
religion and of an established reputation, that he freely owned that, upon
trial, he found those poor young captive Jews ten times wiser and better
than all the magicians that were in all his realm, v. 20. He was
soon aware of something extraordinary in these young men, and, which gave him
a surprising satisfaction, was soon aware that a little of their true divinity
was preferable to a great deal of the divination he had been used to. What
is the chaff to the wheat? what are the magicians' rods to Aaron's? There
was no comparison between them. These four young students were better, were ten
times better, than all the old practitioners, put them all together, that
were in all his realm, and we may be sure that they were not a few.
This contempt did God pour upon the pride of the Chaldeans, and this honour
did he put upon the low estate of his own people; and thus did he make not
only these persons, but the rest of their nation for their sakes, the more
respected in the land of their captivity. Lastly, This judgment being
given concerning them, they stood before the king (v. 19); they
attended in the presence-chamber, nay, and in the council-chamber, for to see
the king's face is the periphrasis of a privy-counsellor, Esth. i. 14.
This confirms Solomon's observation, Seest thou a man diligent in his
business, sober and humble? he shall stand before kings; he shall not
stand before mean men. Industry is the way to preferment. How long the
other three were about the court we are not told; but Daniel, for his part, continued
to the first year of Cyrus (v. 21), though not always alike in
favour and reputation. He lived and prophesied after the first year of Cyrus;
but that is mentioned to intimate that he lived to see the deliverance of his
people out of their captivity and their return to their own land. Note,
Sometimes God favours his servants that mourn with Zion in her sorrows to let
them live to see better times with the church than they saw in the beginning
of their days and to share with her in her joys.
Contents
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Next
Section
