Part 93
20. At my table - In the field where Gog, his princes, and army, are slain, compared to a table. Horses - Horsemen, not common foot soldiers. Chariots - The men that ride in them.
21. All the heathen - In the countries to which the news shall come. 26. Their shame - Reproach for their sins.
In this and the following chapter, under the type of a temple and altar, priests and sacrifices, is fore shewed, the spiritual worship which should be performed in Gospel times, and that perfected at last in the kingdom of glory: yea probably, in an happy and glorious state of the church on this side heaven: in this chapter we have, a general account of the temple and city, ver. 14. A particular account of the east-gate, north-gate and south-gate, ver. 5-31. Of the inner court, ver. 32-38. Of the tables, ver. 39-43. Of the lodgings for the singers and the priests, ver. 44-47. Of the porch, ver. 48, 49.
1. Of our captivity - Of those that were carried away into captivity with Jeconiah eleven years before Jerusalem was burnt. And this falls in with the three thousand three hundred and seventy fourth year of the world, about five hundred and seventy four years before Christ's incarnation. The beginning - In the month Nisan. The tenth day - The day that the paschal lamb was to be taken up in order to the feast on the tenth day. Brought me - To Jerusalem, the place where it did stand.
2. In the visions of God - By this it appears it was not a corporeal transportation of the prophet. The frame - The portrait of a city. On the south - On the south of the mountain, where the prophet was set.
3. A man - The same no doubt that appeared to the prophet, chap. i, 26, whose name is the branch, and who builds the temple, Zech vi, 12, 13, whose colour was like burnished brass; Rev. i, 15, which speaks glory and strength. A line - A plumb-line, a mason's line to discover the rectitude of the building, or its defects. In the gate - In the north gate, next toward the east.
5. A wall - This was that outmost wall, that compassed the whole mount Sion, upon whose top the temple stood. The man's hand - Christ, hath, and keeps the reed in his own hand, as the only fit person to take the measures of all. A measuring reed - Or cane, for this measuring rod was of those canes growing in that country, long, and light, which architects made use of. Six cubits long - Each cubit consisting of eighteen inches in our common account. An hand breadth - Added to each six cubits. The breadth - The thickness of the walls, which were one reed, and one hand's breadth, or three yards, and three inches thick. Height - And the height equal, taking the measure from the floor on the inside of the wall.
6. The east - Either of one of the inner walls, or of the temple itself. Went up - 'Till he was got up, he could not measure the threshold, which was at the top of the stairs, and these were ten, if the measurer be supposed in the gate of the house; or eight, if in the gate of the court of the priests; or seven, if in the court of Israel; and each stair was half a cubit in height, too high for him to take the measure of the threshold, if he did not go up the stairs. The threshold - It is probable he measured the lower threshold first, as next at hand. The other threshold - The upper threshold, or lintel of the gate, which was of equal dimensions with the lower, three yards and three inches broad, or thick.
7. Chamber - Along the wall of the porch were chambers, three on one side, and three on the other, each one reed square. Five cubits - A space of two yards and one half between each chamber, either filled with some neat posts or pillars, or it may be quite void. Within - The inward and outward threshold, were of the same measures, and curiously arched over head from side to side, and end to end, which was from east to west.
8. The porch - The posts which were joined together at the top by an arch, and so made the portico.
9. The porch - Probably another porch, or another gate distinct from that, ver. 6. The posts - These were half columns, that from the floor to the height of the wall jetted out, as if one half of the column were in the wall, and the other without, and the protuberance of this half column, was one cubit.
10. Chambers - These chambers were for the priests and Levites to lodge in during their ministration.
11. Of the entry - It is meant of the whole length of the entry, or walk through the porch, to which they ascended by stairs of a semicircular form.
12. The space - The rails, which were set up at a cubit distance from the front of these little chambers, on the outside for convenient placing of benches for the priests to sit on. The space - Between the rails, and the chambers.
13. From the roof - From the extremity of one little chamber on the north side of the gate, to the extremity of the opposite chamber on the south side, and so one cubit and half for the back wall of one chamber, and as much for the back wall of the other chamber, with the length of the chambers, six cubits each, and ten for the breadth of the gate, amounts to twenty five cubits. Door against door - It seems the doors of the chambers were two in each chamber in the east and west parts, and so exactly set, that the doors being all open you had a clear prospect through all the chambers to the temple.
14. He made - Measured, and thereby shewed what kind of posts they should be. Threescore cubits - Probably this refers to the height of this gate built up two stories above the arch, and the posts in their height are only mentioned, but imply all the rest of the building over the east gate. Unto the post - These high columns, on the inner front of this gate were so disposed, that the last on each side was very near the first post, or pillar of the court on either side of the gate, and so the posts and buildings laid on those posts joined on each side of this gate.
15. And - This verse seems to sum up all the dimensions; this gate, its porch, and thickness of its walls, and so sum the cubits, six in the thickness of the outer wall, eighteen in the three chambers, twenty in the spaces between the chambers, and six cubits in the thickness in the inner wall of the porch.
16. Narrow windows - Windows narrowed inward to the middle. Their posts - The upper lintel of each door over which was a window. To the arches - Windows under the arches between post
and post, to give light to the five cubits space between chamber and chamber. Round about - These were on both sides of the porch within the gate, exactly alike.
17. The outward court - So called in regard of the more inward court, between that where he was, and the temple itself; this court, was the second about the temple. Chambers - Not only lodging rooms for the priests, but also store-houses for tithes and offerings. A pavement - A beautiful floor laid with checker works. The whole floor of this court was thus paved. Thirty chambers - That is, fifteen on the south side of the gate, and fifteen on the north side, built over the pavement.
18. The pavement - That mentioned, ver. 17. By the side - That part which lay on each side of the gate, and from thence spread itself toward the chambers, leaving a space of pavement of equal breadth with the porch, or gate in the middle. The length - The length was measured fifty cubits. The inner pavement - The side pavement was laid somewhat lower than this middle pavement, not only for state, but for the more convenient, keeping it clean; so the middle pavement rose with a little convex surface.
19. The breadth - Of the whole ground between the inner front of one gate and porch, to the outer front of the next gate more inward to the temple. The lower gate - Called so in respect to the next gate, which was on the higher ground. The forefront - To the outside front of the gate of the priests court, which was next to this gate now measured, that is from the west front of the lower to the east front of the upper gate. The inner court - This court from the west front of the lower gate, was one hundred cubits in length to the east front of the gate of the inner court. East-ward and north-ward - And so was the space from the south front of the court to the north front. So the court was exactly square. Divers courts are here spoken of, which may put us in mind, of the diversity of gifts, graces and offices in the church: as also of the several degrees of glory in the courts and mansions of heaven.
22. Before them - Within the steps or gate. 23. Toward the east - The east gate of the inner court was directly over against the east gate of the outer court, and equally distant from each other.
26. To it - The floor, or square court. 28. Brought me - From the south-gate of the outer court through the porch, and over the hundred cubit pavement, to the south-gate of the inner court.
32. The inner court - The court of the priests, which was next to the temple. 43. Within - Within the porch, where these tables stood. Hooks - Hooks on which the slaughtered sacrifice might be hanged, while they prepared it farther. Fastened - To walls no doubt, near these tables.
45. The keepers - While, according to their courses, they had the charge of the house of God, and attended on the service of it.
46. The keepers - To preserve the fire perpetually on the altar. 48. The breadth - The whole breadth was eleven cubits, but the breadth of each leaf of this folding-gate was three cubits, and they met, or shut on an upright post, set in the middle of the gate space, and this was one cubit broad. And each leaf hung on posts two cubits thick, which amount to eleven cubits.
XLI
The dimensions of the house and various parts of it, ver. 113. An account of another building, ver. 14, 15. The manner of the building of the house, ver. 16, 17. The ornaments of the house, ver. 18-20. The altar of incense and the table, ver. 21, 22. The doors between the temple and the oracle, ver. 23-26.
1. The breadth - These walls in their thickness took up as much space as the whole breadth of Moses's tabernacle, Exod. xxvi, 16, 22.
3. Went he - From the porch thro' the body of the temple, to the partition between the body of the temple and the holy of holies. Measured - Either the thickness of that partition wall, or of the pilasters, which stood one on the one side, and the other on the other side of the door. Of the door - Or entrance out of the temple into the oracle. And the door - This door was six cubits broad, and an upright bar or post on which the leaves met, and which was of one cubit's breadth, make out seven cubits.
4. Thereof - Of the holy of holies, which was an exact square. Before - Parallel with the breadth of the temple.
5. After - Having left the holy of holies, now he is come to take the measures of the outer wall. The house - The temple. Six cubits - Three yards thick was this wall from the ground to the first story of the side-chambers. Side-chamber - Of the lowest floor; for there were three stories of these, and they differed in their breadth, as the wall of the temple, on which they rested, abated of its thickness; for the middle chambers were broader than the lowest by a cubit, and the highest as much broader than the middle. Round about - On the north, south, and west parts, on each side of every one of these three gates.
6. They might - That the beams of the chambers might have good and firm resting-hold. Had not hold - The ends of the beams were not thrust into the main body of the wall of the temple.
7. An enlarging - Of the side chambers, so much of breadth added to the chamber, as was taken from the thickness of the wall; that is, two cubits in the uppermost, and one cubit in the middle-most, more than in the lowest chambers. A winding about - Winding stairs, which enlarged as the rooms did, and these run up between each two chambers from the bottom to the top; so there were two doors at the head of each pair of stairs, one door opening into one chamber, and the other into the opposite chamber. For the winding about - These stairs, as they rose in height, enlarged themselves too. Round about - On all sides of the house where these chambers were. The breadth - Of each chamber. Increased - Grew broader by one cubit in every upper chamber. From five in the lowest to six in the middle, and to seven in the highest chamber.
8. The foundations - The lowest chamber had properly a foundation laid on the earth, but the floor of the middle, and highest story must be accounted here a foundation; so from the ground to the ceiling of the first room, was six great cubits; from the first to the second, six great cubits; and from the third floor to the roof of the chamber, a like number; to which add we one cubit for thickness of each of the three floors, you have twenty-one cubits for height, ten yards and a half high.
9. The place - The walk and wall. 11. The doors - The doors of the lowest row opened into this void paved space.
12. The building - This is a new building not yet mentioned, but now measured by itself. 13. The house - The whole temple, oracle, sanctuary and porch, with the walls. The building - On both the north and south-side of the temple.
14. The breadth - The whole front of the house eastward. 18. Cherubim - Generally taken for the portrait of angels, or young men with wings: yet is the description of them very different in different places; in Ezekiel's vision, chap. i, 5-14; x, 14, Isaiah's vision, Isaiah vi, 2, John's vision, Rev. iv, 6-8, and in Solomon's temple, 1 Kings vi, 23-26.
19. Through all the house - And thus it was through the whole house round about. 21. The face - The door or gate of the temple was square, not arched. As the appearance - As was the form of the gate of the temple in its larger, so was the form of the gate of the oracle in its lesser dimensions.
22. The altar - Of incense. The corners - The horns framed out of the four posts at each angle on the top of the altar. The walls - The sides. Before the Lord - In the temple, not in the holy of holies.
23. Two doors - Each had one. 25. Them - The doors of both temple and oracle. The temple - Including the holy of holies also.
XLII
A description of the chambers that were about the courts, ver. 1-12. The uses of them, ver. 13-14. The whole compass of ground, which was taken up by the house and courts, ver. 15-20.
2. The length - The temple of one hundred cubits long, and of fifty broad, was on the south prospect of these chambers.
3. Against gallery - That is, a gallery on the south part toward the inner court, and a gallery toward the pavement north-ward, and between the backs of these galleries were chambers.
4. A way - Before the galleries probably, was a ledge of one cubit broad, running the whole length from east to west, called here a way, though not designed for any to walk on it.
5. Shorter - At first view it should seem to refer to the length, but indeed it refers to the height of the chambers, of which the lowest chamber was highest, the second lower pitched than the first, yet of greater height than the uppermost between the floor and ceiling.
6. As the pillars - So thick and strong as those were. 7. The wall - A wall at a distance from them, perhaps some wall that might keep up a terrace-walk.
11. The way - The walk. Was like - Exactly uniform with the fabrick on the north-side. All their goings - Every window and door. Were - Framed in the same manner. In all things exactly alike.
13. Shall they lay - In some of these chambers the holy things that might be eat, were laid up as in a store-house; and those which were not for present use, were reserved, 'till they were to be used.
14. Which are - Which common people may meddle with.
20. Five hundred broad - Each reed was above three yards and an half, so that it was about eight miles round. Thus large were the suburbs of this mystical temple, signifying the great extent of the church in gospel times. It is in part fulfilled already, by the accession of the Gentiles to the church: and will be throughly accomplished, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved. A separation - To distinguish, and accordingly to exclude, or admit persons, for all might not go in.
XLIII
In this chapter and the next, the temple-service is described, but under the type of the Old Testament service. The glory of God first fills the temple, ver. 1-6. A promise of God's continuing with his people, if they obey him, ver. 7-12. A description of the altar of burnt offerings, ver. 13-17. Directions for the consecration of that altar, ver. 18-27.
2. Came - When the glory departed, it went eastward, and now it returns, it comes from the east. And his voice - Though by the voice of God, thunder is sometimes meant, yet here it was an articulate voice.
3. And it - This glory of the God of Israel. To destroy - To declare, that their sins would ruin their city, chap. ix, 3, 4. I fell - Overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up.
4. Came - The sins of Israel caused the glory of the Lord to go out of his house, now the repentance of Israel is blest with the return of this glory.
6. The man - Christ. Stood - To encourage, and strengthen him. 7. He - The glorious God of Israel. My throne - The throne of his grace is in his temple; in the dispensations of grace, God manifests himself a king. My feet - Speaking after the manner of men, and expressing his abode and rest, in his temple, as the type, in his church, as the antitype. In their high places - Perhaps some kings were buried in the temples of their idols, near the idols they worshipped.
8. Their threshold - The kings of Judah and Israel, built temples and altars for their idols, and these are called their thresholds. They erected these in the courts, or near the courts of the temple. Abominations - Idolatries, and wickednesses not to be named.
9. Far from me - From my temple. 10. Son of man - Ezekiel, who is called thus above eighty times in this book. Shew - Describe it to them in all the parts. To the house - To the rulers, prophets, and priests especially, not excluding others. Their iniquities - When they shall blush to see what glory their iniquities had ruined.
12. The law - This is the first comprehensive rule: holiness becomes God's house; and this relative holiness referred to personal and real holiness. The top - The whole circuit of this mountain shall be holy, but the top of it on which the temple stands, shall be most holy.
13. The altar - Of burnt-offerings. And an hand-breath - The sacred cubit, three inches longer than the common cubit. The bottom - The ledge or settle, fastened to the altar on all sides at the bottom, shall be a cubit in height. The breadth - From the edge of this bench on the outside to the edge where it joined the body of the altar, a cubit, and this the breadth, twenty one inches, broad
enough for the priests to walk on. Border - A ledge going round on all the squares. The edge - On the outer edge of this settle a span high. The back - As the back bears burdens, so this was to bear the weight of the whole altar.
14. From the bottom - From the first ledge, which was a cubit broad, and a cubit high from the ground. To the lower - To the top of that square settle, which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it. Two cubits - In height. The lesser - From the highest edge of the uppermost settle, down to the cubit broad ledge about the lower settle. The greater - So called, because it exceeded the upper settle a cubit in breadth. Four cubits - ln height.
15. Four cubits - In height. From the altar - From the top of the altar. 17. Stairs - Or steps, for such they needed, (probably each stair about one fourth of a cubit,) to carry them, up to the first and second settles.
19. Give - Direct, or command that it be given. 20. Shalt take - Appoint it to be taken. 21. He - The priest. In the appointed place - That is, in the court of the house, and on the altar appointed; this is the first day's sacrifice.
22. They - The priests in attendance. 23. Shalt offer - On the third day, and so on, through seven days. 24. Shalt offer - Direct them to offer. Salt - It may allude to the perpetuity of the covenant thus made by sacrifice.
26. They - The priests in course. 27. I will accept you - Those that give themselves to God, shall be accepted of God, their persons first, and then their performances, through the mediator.
XLIV
The appropriating the east-gate of the temple to the prince, ver. 1-3. A reproof to Israel for their former profanations of the sanctuary, and a caution, ver. 4-9. The degrading of one part of the Levites, and establishing of the family of Zadock in the priesthood, ver. 10-16. Laws and ordinances concerning the priesthood, ver. 17-31.
2. Shall not be opened - Shall not ordinarily stand open. No man - None of the common people. The Lord - That glory which was the visible sign of his presence.
3. He - The king might sit before the Lord, others might not. Bread - That part of the sacrifice, which was allowed to the offerer.
4. He - Christ in the appearance of a man. 5. The entering - The persons who may, and who may not enter. The sanctuary - Taken here for the courts, rather than the house itself.
6. Let it suffice - Let the time you have spent on your sins suffice. 7. Bread - Either the meal-offering or first-fruits of corn and dough, and the shew-bread. They - The whole nation of the Jews.
8. Have not kept - You have not observed the laws I gave you for the keeping of my holy things, house, sacrifices, and worship. Have set - You have substituted others in your rooms.
10. Are gone away - By their idolatry. 11. Ministers - Servants employed in the lowest work. Sanctuary - Not the temple itself, but about the courts of it. Having charge - They shall be porters to open and shut, and sweep, and go on errands. To minister - To wait on the priests.
12. Iniquity - The punishment of it. 13. Shall bear their shame - They shall be dealt with according to their abominations, and bear the punishment thereof.
15. That kept the charge - Were constant, zealous, and faithful in their priestly office. 16. Into my sanctuary - Both to the altar, to the temple, and the high-priest into the holy of holies. Come near - To set the shewbread on, and to take it off. To minister - To offer sacrifice at the altar, and incense in the house. God will put marks of honour upon those who are faithful to him in trying times, and will, employ those in his service, who have kept close to it, when others drew back.
17. And within - In the temple. 19. Shall not sanctify - By the law, common things, touching holy things, became consecrated, and no more fit for common use.
20. To grow long - Priding themselves in it, as Absalom. Shall only poll - When the hair is grown, they shall cut the ends of their hair, and keep it in moderate size.
21. Drink wine - Or any other strong liquor, when they go either to trim the lamps or set the shew-bread in order, or to offer incense in the temple, or when they go to the altar to offer a sacrifice, which stood in the inner court.
24. Shall judge - Shall determine the controversy. Assemblies - Publick congregations. 26. Cleansed - After for seven days he hath kept from the dead. They - The priests, who are about the house of God, shall appoint seven days more to this defiled person for his cleansing before he is admitted into the sanctuary.
28. It - The sin-offering: but under this one, all other offerings are couched. For an inheritance - Instead of lands and cities.
30. And the first - So soon as the first-fruits are ripe in the field, your vineyards, and olive yards. Every oblation - Whether freewill offering, or prescribed. The first of your dough - 'Tis conceived this was of every mass of dough they made, and of the first of the dough, which every year they first made of the new corn, as by the custom of the Jews at this day appears. That he - The priest may bless, and pray for thee.
XLV
The division of the holy land, ver. 1-8. The ordinances that were given both to the prince and to the people, ver. 9-12. The oblations to be offered, and the princes part therein, ver. 13-17. Particularly, in the beginning of the year, ver. 18-20. And in the passover, and feast of tabernacles, ver. 21-25.
2. Of this - Whole portion of twenty five thousand cubits long, or twelve miles and half, and ten thousand broad, or five miles and a little more. For the sanctuary - For a platform for the sanctuary, both house and court.
3. And in it - In the center of this. 6. The possession - Land to be a possession to the citizens of Jerusalem, and to be the content of the city. Broad - About two miles and half broad, and twelve miles and half long. Long - This must run along parallel in length with the holy portion, though but half its breadth. For the whole house - As the capital city, to which the tribe's resort, it must be large enough to entertain them.
7. The prince - The king. Our side - One half of the prince's portion lay on the west side of those three already set out. The other side - The other half lay on the east-side thereof, so the portion of the city, Levites and priests, lay in the middle. The holy portion - Of priests, and Levites, and sanctuary. Before - It lay parallel as broad as these three were broad, and so run on both sides in its breadth from north to south, and had its length as the other, from east to west. Over against - What is called now overagainst, or by the side, is called before three times together. So now you have an exact square of twenty-five thousand cubits laid out for God, the Levites and city, which appears thus in the breadth. 10000 For the priests. 10000 For the Levites. 5000 For the city. And the length of each, twenty-five thousand, that is twelve miles and half square.
9. Let it suffice - Be content, aim not at more. 11. Of one measure - One shall contain as much as the other, the ephah shall contain as many gallons of dry, as the bath of liquid things. An homer - Thirty bushels. So the ephah will be three bushels in dry things, and the bath eight gallons in liquid things.
12. Twenty gerahs - A gerah was one penny half-penny, the shekel then was two shillings and six-pence, twenty shekels was two pounds ten shillings, fifteen shekels was one pound seventeen shillings and six-pence, and twenty five was three pound two shillings and six-pence. Maneh - It seems there was the small, the middle, and the great Maneh.
13. Offer - In the daily service, the morning and evening sacrifice. 14. Bath - Which contained about twenty-four gallons. The cor - Or homer; these were two names of the same measure.
16. With the prince - By a common purse of prince and people. 18. Thou shalt take - Procure, this the prince must do. 20. For every one that erreth - For all the errors of all the house of Israel, through ignorance. For him that is simple - That is halfwitted, or a fool. Reconcile - Cleanse, as ver. 18, which legally was defiled by those errors done in the city, or courts of the house, whither these persons might come.
21. In the first month - Nisan, which is part of March, and part of April with us. 22. Upon that day - Upon the fourteenth day, on which the passover was slain. 24. An hin - This was about one gallon and three quarters of a pint. 25. In the seventh month - According to their ecclesiastical account, which is Tisri, and answers to part of our August and September. In the fifteenth day - On that day the feast of tabernacles began, and continued seven days. He - The prince. In the feast of the seven days - Hence we also may learn the necessity of frequently repeating the same religious exercises. Indeed the sacrifice of atonement was offered once for all. But the sacrifice of acknowledgement, that of a broken heart, that of a thankful heart, must be offered every day. And these spiritual sacrifices are always acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.
XLVI
Farther rules for the worship of the priests and the people, ver. 1-15. A rule, for the prince's disposal of his inheritance, ver. 16-18. A description of the places for the boiling and baking the offerings, ver. 19-24.
3. In the sabbaths - Both weekly and other holy days, which are called sabbaths. 9. Go forth over against it - Perhaps, only to prevent all jostling and confusion. 17. His inheritance - Whatever lands of the prince are given to servants, shall at the year of Jubilee revert to the sons of the prince. For them - And to theirs after them.
20. The outer court - Where the people were. 21. A court - A smaller court made up on the outer sides with the walls of the greater square, and on the inside made with two walls, the one forty cubits long, the other thirty cubits broad.
23. A row of building - A range of building on the inside of the walls of the lesser courts. Four - Four courts in the four corners.
XLVII
The vision of the holy waters, ver. 1-12. The borders of the land of Canaan, ver. 13-23.
1. Eastward - The fountain lay to the west, the conduit pipes were laid to bring the water to the temple, and so must run eastward, and perhaps one main pipe might be laid under the east-gate of the temple. The right side - On the south-side of the temple.
2. Out - Of the inmost court. The outer gate - The outmost northgate in the wall that compassed the whole mountain of the Lord's house.
3. He measured - By the line in his hand. He brought me - Went before, and the prophet followed; all this was in vision.
8. The sea - The Dead-sea, or lake of Sodom. Shall be healed - The waters of the sea shall be healed, made wholesome. So where the grace of God from his temple and altar flows, it heals the corrupt nature of man, and renders barren terrible deserts, as a land of waters and gardens.
9. Shall live - Be preserved alive, and thrive, whereas no fish can live in the Dead-sea. For they - The poisonous waters of the Deadsea shall be made wholesome for fish. Shall live - Thrive, and multiply in the virtue of the healing streams. Thus is the fruitfulness of the grace of God in the church set forth.
10. En-gedi - Which lay on the southwest of the lake of Sodom. En-eglaim - A city on the northeast of the Dead-sea. To spread forth nets - All along on the west-side of this sea to dry them.
12. Consumed - Never be consumed, never decay, there shall always be fruit, and enough. Their waters - Those that watered them. Issued out - And so carried a blessing with them.
13. The border - The utmost bounds of the whole land. Shall inherit - That is, shall divide for inheritance to the tribes of Israel. Joseph - That is, the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh.
15. The great sea - The Mediterranean, which was the greatest sea the Jews knew. 18. The east sea - The Dead-sea, which lay on the east of Jerusalem. Thus a line drawn from Damascus through Auranitis, Gilead, the land of Israel beyond Jordan to the east-sea, made the eastern frontier.
19. The river - Called the river of Egypt, lay directly in the way to Egypt from Jerusalem. The great sea - To the southwest part of the Mediterranean sea near Gaza.
22. Children - Who from their birth should be invested with this right of inheriting. 23. His inheritance - This certainly looks at gospel times, when the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile was taken down, and both put on a level before God, both made one in Christ Jesus.
XLVIII
The portion of seven tribes, ver. 1-7. The allotment of land for the sanctuary, priests and Levites, ver. 8-14. For the city and prince, ver. 15-22. For the other five tribes, ver. 23-29. A plan of the city, its gates, and new name, ver. 30-35.
15. A profane place - A common, not consecrated place. 16. The measures thereof - The extent and proportions of the city, a square of four thousand five hundred shall be taken out of the middle of the twenty five thousand or the ground-plat of the city. So it shall be an equilateral square, every side exactly the same, north, south, east, and west, four thousand five hundred apiece, by which measures the whole content is visible eighteen thousand cubits not reeds.
18. For food - For the maintenance of the city-officers. 20. The possession - The land assigned for the city. 28. To the river - The river of Egypt. 35. Eighteen thousand cubits - About five miles in compass. From that day - From the day of the Lord's restoring this people, and rebuilding their city, and their thankful, holy, and pure worshipping of God there, from that day it shall be said of Jerusalem. The Lord is there - The Lord who as his name alone is Jehovah, so is the only true God, faithful to his promise, rich in mercy, glorious in majesty, righteous in his judgments, wise and holy in his government, whose presence makes us happy, whose withdrawing from us leaves us to misery. This God will by his favour and presence, bring the confluence of all good to persons, families, and cities; this God will be there to dwell, govern, defend, prosper, and crown. Such is to be the case of earthly Jerusalem, such shall be for ever the case of the heavenly Jerusalem. Such is the case of every true believer, who may, wherever he is, in his way of duty, still write Jehovah-Shammah, My God is here. And 'tis best to be where he is 'till he bring us within the gates of the glorious city, where inconceivable light and love from the immediate presence of God, give every one an eternal demonstration that God is here: to him be glory for ever.
NOTES ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL
Daniel was of the tribe of Judah, and it is thought, of the royal family. Ezekiel, his cotemporary, but much his senior, speaks of him as wise to a proverb, when he upbraids the king of Tyre with his self-conceit, Thou art wiser than Daniel. He likewise names Noah, Daniel, and Job, as having the greatest interest in heaven of any. He lived a long and active life in the courts and councils of some of the greatest monarchs the world ever had. Yet none was more intimately acquainted with the mind of God than he that was a courtier, a statesman, and a man of business. It is generally supposed he lived to be very old, and died at Shushan in Persia. The first chapter of this book, and the three first verses of the second are in Hebrew: and so are the four last chapters. The rest of the book is in the Chaldee: Daniel continues the holy story, from the first taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldean Babel, 'till the last destruction of it by Rome, the mystical Babel.
Jehoiakim's first captivity, ver. 1, 2. The choice made of Daniel and some other young men, to be brought up for Nebuchadnezzar's service, ver. 3-7. Their preferring pulse before the king's meat, ver. 8-16. Their wonderful improvement, ver. 1721.
2. With part of the vessels - In this expedition Nebuchadnezzar carried away some captives, among whom were Daniel and his friends. His God - Baal, or Bell, and Nebo, which words they put into the names of their kings and favourites.
3. Of the eunuchs - These were chief among the king's servants; and they are called eunuchs, because many of them were such. And of the princes - Here was fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had foretold, Isaiah xxxix, 7.
4. The learning and the tongue - The Chaldeans were skilled above any other nation, in natural philosophy. Their tongue differed from the Hebrew in dialect and in pronunciation, which they learned that they might be the more acceptable to the king, and court.
5. The king's meat - Such as he had at his own table. 6. And Azariah - Probably all of the royal lineage of Judah. 7. Gave names - That is, other names, relating to the idol-gods. Belteshazzar - So Daniel had the name of Belteshazzar, from the great Babylonian idol Baal or Bell. This was by the king's command, and herein he put forth an act: of his sovereignty.
8. But Daniel purposed - There may be several weighty reasons assigned why Daniel did this. 1. Because many of those meats provided for the king's table, were forbidden by the Jewish law.
2. Daniel knew these delicates would too much gratify the flesh. 3. He did not dare to eat and drink things consecrated to idols. 4. He was sensible, how unsuitable delicate fare would be to the afflicted state of God's people. Therefore he was herein a rare pattern of avoiding all the occasions of evil.
15. Fairer and fatter - The blessing of God upon homely fare, affords often more health and strength, than more costly fare to them that eat the fat, and drink the sweet.
19. Before - Both in the presence chamber, and in the council chamber, to try their proficiency; this shews the king's ability and judgment, how else could he discern their fitness, and their excellency above others.
20. The king inquired - This is a farther confirmation of the king's noble endowments, and of his great care whom he chose to be in offices of trust, namely persons excellently qualified to serve him in the great affairs of the kingdom. And thus did God pour contempt upon the pride of the Chaldeans, and put honour on the low estate of his people.
21. Continued - in the court of Babylon until Cyrus, and then he was in the Persian court, and he lived in honour and high employment all that time, yea, after Cyrus began to reign. For chap. x, 1, he had visions and Revelations in the third year of Cyrus.
In this chapter we have, The perplexity of Nebuchadnezzar thro' his dream which he had forgotten, and which the magicians could not tell him, ver. 1-11. Orders given to destroy all the wise men of Babylon, ver. 12-15. The dream discovered to Daniel, and his thanksgiving, ver. 16-23. His discovery of the dream and the meaning of it to the king, ver. 24-45. The honour put upon Daniel and his companions, ver. 46-49.
1. In the second year - This was properly in the fifth year of that king's reign, but in the second year after Daniel had been brought before the king. Dreams - It was one dream, but of many parts.
2. The astrologers - Who pretended great skill in natural, and supernatural things. The sorcerers - Or necromancers, who used diabolical arts. Chaldeans - This name the magicians assumed as being national, and most noble.
3. To know - He remembered the fact in general, but could not repeat it perfectly. Yet it had left such an impression on him, as put him in great perplexity. The Lord hath ways to affright the greatest men in the world, in the midst of their security.
4. In Syriack - That is in the Chaldee tongue, for Syria or Aram is sometimes taken in a large sense, containing, Assyria, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Palestine, 2 Kings xviii, 26. From hence all is written in the Chaldee language, to the eighth chapter.
9. But one decree - I will not retract my sentence. 13. Daniel and his fellows - Daniel and his fellows were not called, because of their youth, which the Chaldeans despised. Here it is observable:
1. The magicians confessed, that knowledge and Revelation must come from God, and therefore what Daniel did, was not of any human strength. 2. That the Lord held the governor's hands, so that he did not slay Daniel presently with the first. 3. That Daniel by his prudence and piety, saved all the magicians lives.
21. He changeth - God can make the sun go back or stand still, as in Ahaz and Joshua's time, it is the great part of God's power and prerogative to change times. Daniel here attributes that to God, which Heathens attributed to nature, or chance. God only, that made all by his power, doth rule, and over-rule all by his providence.
26. Belteshazzar - By this name of Belteshazzar he had given Daniel, he took courage as if he might expect some great thing from him: for the word signifies the keeper of secret treasure.
28. What shall be - Observe the prophet's wisdom, he does not fall abruptly upon the dream, but first prepares this lofty king for it, and by degrees labours to win him to the knowledge of the true God.
30. But - But that the interpretation may be manifest to the king, and that thou mayest be better instructed and satisfied in thy mind.
36. And we - By this word we appears Daniel's piety and modesty, or he declares by it, that he and his companions had begged this skill from God, and therefore he did not arrogate it to himself.
38. Made thee ruler - He hath given thee absolute dominion of all creatures, men and beasts within the bounds of thy vast kingdom. Thou - He was first in order, as the head is before the other parts, and the vision began in him, and descended downwards to the other three monarchies. He was the head of gold, because of the vast riches wherein this monarchy abounded, and because it stood longest, five hundred years, and was fortunate and flourishing to the last.
39. Another kingdom - This was that of the Medes and Persians, inferior in time for it lasted not half so long as the Assyrian in prosperity and tranquillity; yet, was this wonderful, rich and large for a time. Third kingdom - This was the Grecian monarchy under Alexander the great, called brass, because coarser than the other. Over all the earth - Alexander marched even to the Indies, and was said to conquer the world.
40. Fourth kingdom - This is the kingdom of the Romans, and was to last not only to Christ's first coming, but under antichrist, to his second coming. This did break in pieces all other kingdoms, being too strong for them, and brought all into subjection to it, 'till the stone fell upon it.
41. Divided - Partly strong, and partly weak; the Roman kingdom was divided, partly by their civil wars, partly when conquered provinces and kingdoms cast off the Roman yoke, and set up king's of their own, and so the empire was divided into ten kingdoms or toes.
42. Broken - This was plain in the civil wars of the Romans, and the falling off of some countries, especially towards the end of it.
43. Mingle themselves - By marriage, but they shall never knit well together, because ambition is stronger than affinity.
44. In the days of these kings - While the iron kingdom stood, for Christ was born in the reign of Augustus Caesar. And this kingdom is not bounded by any limits, as worldly empires are, but is truly universal. And it shall be for ever, never destroyed or given to others, as the rest were.
45. And the gold - This denotes the small beginning of Christ's visible kingdom, and the different rise of Christ from all other; his conception by the Holy Ghost, without father and mother, respectively as to his two natures. This stone, falling from the mountain, brake the image in pieces; for Christ is a stone that grinds to powder those it falls on: and he is a growing stone even to a mountain, and therefore will fill the earth.
46. That they should offer - This was strange, that so great a monarch should thus worship his vassal, which he did in consternation and admiration. But doubtless Daniel put a stop to it: though
he could not hinder the king in his prostration, and in his word of command. And the king being instructed of Daniel, gives God all the glory in the next words.
47. God of gods - The supreme God of all the world, above Baal and all other gods. Lord of kings - The word in the Syriack signifies, high Lord, seeing he is the highest king of all the earth.
49. And he set - He substituted them as lieutenants for the king's service under Daniel, but Daniel sat in the king's gate to be ready for the king's chief business.
Nebuchadnezzar erects a golden image, and requires all his subjects to worship it, ver. 1-7. He is informed that the Jewish princes refuse to worship it, ver. 8-12. They resolutely persist in their refusal, ver. 13-18. They are cast into the fiery furnace, ver. 19-23. Their preservation and the conviction of the king, ver. 2427. The honour which he gave to God, and the favour he shewed to his servants, ver. 28-30.
1. Made an image - Perhaps he did this, that he might seem no ways inclined to the Jews, or their religion, whereof the Chaldeans might be jealous, seeing he had owned their God to be greatest, and had preferred Daniel and his friends to great honours.
4. Nations and languages - Proclamation was made therefore in several languages. 16. We are not careful - Hebrew. We care not: there is no need of any answer in this case for it is in vain for us to debate the matter; the king is resolved to have his will of us, and we are resolved on the contrary.
18. But if not - It was therefore all one to them, which way God would honour himself; they were resolved to suffer rather than sin, and leave the cause to God. Indeed if God be for us, we need not fear what man can do unto us. Let him do his worst. God will deliver us either from death, or in death.
20. To bind - What did he think these three men would have refused? Or that their God would defend them from his power, or that if he had, his mighty men could have prevailed? None of all this was the case; for God purposed to shew his power when the king did his worst, and in the thing wherein he dealt proudly, to be above him.
23. Fell down - All this is exprest with emphasis, to make the power of God more glorious in their preservation; for that shame that slew the executioners, might much more easily have killed them, even before they fell down.
25. No hurt - See how the God of nature can when he pleases control the powers of nature! The Son of God - Probably he had heard David speak of him. Jesus Christ, the Angel of the covenant, did sometimes appear before his incarnation. Those who suffer for Christ, have his gracious presence with them in their sufferings, even in the fiery furnace, even in the valley of the shadow of death, and therefore need fear no evil.
26. And spake - With a milder tone than before, God having abated the fire of his fury. Now he could at once acknowledge the true God to be the most high above all gods, and the three worthies to be his faithful servants.
The writer of this chapter is Nebuchadnezzar himself. The story of him is given in his own words. Here is the preface, ver. 13. His dream, which puzzled the magicians, ver. 4-18. The interpretation of it by Daniel, ver. 19-27. The accomplishment of it, ver. 28-33. Nebuchadnezzar's recovery and adoration of God, ver. 34-37.
1. Nebuchadnezzar the king - Daniel here sets down another strange relation in the words of the king's own proclamation, sent to all his vast kingdoms, and questionless put into the king's archives, and court-rolls. Peace be multiplied - All health and happiness; this was always the form of salutation among the eastern nations.
3. How great are his signs - Nothing less than a real change of heart could cause such a confession as this! Nebuchadnezzar was now old, had reigned above forty years, and seen as much of the world as most men ever did. And yet never 'till now, did he admire surprizing events, as the signs and wonders of the high God!
4. Was at rest - When my wars were over, I sat down quiet, enjoying the spoils of my enemies. 13. A watcher - A holy angel, the instrument of God, to execute God's judgments which the angels watch constantly to perform.
17. Of the holy ones - The decree was God's, and the demand was of the holy angels; if God enact it, the angels had the dispensation of it put into their hands, and they all consent to it as a just judgment of God to be executed by them according to the will of God. The most high ruleth - Nebuchadnezzar and his flatterers conceded he was a God in earth unaccountable to any. But the great God will make all men know he rules all in earth too, and sets up at his pleasure whom he will, and plucks them down again.
19. Troubled him - Because he fore-saw such troubles coming upon the king for whom he had a high reverence. Let not the dream trouble thee - Speak out, let the event be what it will. Belteshazzar said - What address and how excellent a spirit is shewn in this short preface.
22. Reacheth unto heaven - Thou art high and mighty in the in majesty which God hath given thee. To the end of the earth - To the Caspian sea north, to the Euxine and Aegean sea west, to the Mediterranean south.
25. They shall drive thee - This was such a thundering peal, that it was wonderful the king could endure to hear it without fury boiling in his heart, yet the Lord with-held him. Seven times - Seven years. 'Till thou know - How hard is it for lofty princes to learn this lesson.
26. The heavens do rule - That God, who sits in heaven rules over all. 27. If it may be - Daniel was not certain of pardon for him, nor did he altogether despair of it. With what wisdom and tenderness does he speak: and yet with what plainness?
28. King Nebuchadnezzar - With how admirable propriety is the person changed here! These six verses speaking in the third person. But in the thirty fourth, Nebuchadnezzar having recovered his reason, speaks in the first person again.
33. Was driven from men - Being bereft of his understanding, as a man distracted he fled, and betook himself to the woods.
34. Mine understanding returned - God shined upon his soul, and gave him understanding to consider his sad state, and the causes of it. And honoured him - By prayer and praise, adoring the justice and mercy of God, giving God the glory of his sovereignty and unchangeableness.
35. As nothing - A due consideration of God's infinite greatness, makes the creature appear as nothing; creatures are nothing to help, nothing to hurt, nothing in duration, nothing solid and substantial, nothing without dependence, and influence, and support from God. His will - Being the Lord of hosts, and the only absolute and universal monarch of the world.
36. Brightness - I had again the majesty of a king in my countenance. I was established - In wonted power and place, owned and obeyed, by all. Majesty was added - He was the most august and magnificient prince on earth, much more so than before.
37. Now I praise - Thus can the Lord make the stoutest hearts to stoop, and do him homage. This doxology proceeds from his heart. Are truth - God is truth essentially: he is the rule and standard of truth, his words are truth, his ways are truth, and they are judgment: he is wise, and hath dealt justly with me for my pride, and in very faithfulness hath afflicted me, and in very tenderness hath restored me; I do, and ever shall adore him for it. Able to abase - As he hath declared upon me, in stupendous changes, which I proclaim to all the world. He had a just controversy with me, and I have no ground to quarrel with him, but to give him glory by this confession. What authority had any one to say, That this man "was no convert?" We can no more doubt of his salvation than of Solomon's.
Belshazzar's profane feast, ver. 1-4. The hand writing on the wall, ver. 5-9. Interpreted and applied by Daniel, ver. 10-29. The accomplishment of it, ver. 30, 31.
1. Belshazzar - The grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Made a great feast - After the manner of the eastern kings who shewed their magnificence this way. But this is prodigious that he should carouse when the city was besieged, and ready to be taken by Darius the Mede.
2. To bring the vessels - Triumphing thereby over God and his people. 4. And praised the gods of gold - At the same time insulting the great God of heaven and earth. 5. Came forth fingers - The likeness of a man's hand. 6. His knees smote - So soon can the terrors of God make the loftiest cedars, the tyrants of the earth.
10. The queen came - The women in those courts had an apartment by themselves, and this being the queen-mother, and aged, did not mingle herself with the king's wives and concubines, yet she broke the rule in coming in now, upon this solemn occasion.
24. From him - From that God whom thou hast despised. 26. MENE - MENE MENE, it is numbered, it is numbered; the words are doubled for the greater confirmation. It relates to the number of the seventy years for the overthrow of the Babylonish empire.
27. Art found wanting - There is no weight nor worth in thee; thou hast made light of God, and the Lord makes light of thee.
28. PERES - Separated, divided, broken. Phars signifies two things, broken off, and Persian; noting that, first, this kingdom was broken down from Belshazzar. Secondly, that it was given to the Persians.
31. Darius the Mede - This was he that with Cyrus besieged and took Babylon.
Daniel's preferment, ver. 1-3. Envy against him, ver. 4-5. The decree against prayer, ver. 6-9. Daniel's continuance in prayer notwithstanding, ver. 10. He is informed against and cast into the den of lions, ver. 11-17. His preservation and deliverance, ver. 1823. The death of his accusers, ver. 24. The decree of Darius, and prosperity of Daniel, ver. 25-28.
2. Daniel was first - Belshazzar's promise to Daniel was, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom, chap. v, 7, 16, 29. The first was general of the army, the second president of the palace, the third of the land and provinces.
4. Concerning the kingdom - And so to have made him guilty of treason, or other high misdemeanors, in the king's business.
10. Toward Jerusalem - The temple was the place where the Lord placed his name, and promised to appear, and accept his people, all being a type of Christ, through whom only sinners are accepted. As he did aforetime - He did not abate his prayers for the king's command, nor did he break the law purposely, because he did no more than he was wont to do in serving his God.
14. Displeased with himself - For having made that foolish decree. To deliver him - To find out some way of delivering him.
20. Able to deliver - What he doubted of, we are sure of, that the servants of the living God, have a master who is able to deliver them and bear them out in his service.
22. His angel - The same that was with the three children in the fiery furnace, whose presence made even the lion's den a stronghold, his palace, his paradise. See the power of God over the fiercest creatures! See the care God takes of his faithful servants, especially when they are called to suffer for him! See how ready the angels are to minister to the heirs of salvation!
25. In all the earth - In all that great empire. It is usual with the Turk, Tartar, Chinese, to arrogate the same universality.
We come now to the prophetical part of Daniel, in which are many things hard to be understood. In this chapter we have, The vision of the four beasts, ver. 1-8. The vision of God's throne of government and judgment, ver. 9-14. The interpretation of those visions, ver. 15-28.
1. In the first year of Belshazzar - This prophecy is written in Chaldee, to be a monument to him, of the reverence his father and grandfather shewed towards God, who had done such mighty works for them. Then he wrote - These visions were recorded for the benefit of the church, to rectify their mistake: for they thought all things would succeed prosperously after they returned out of their captivity.
2. The four winds - Probably by the four winds of the great sea is signified commotions of contrary nations, striving together by wars, and producing these four beasts successively.
3. Four great beasts - That is, four great monarchies, great, in comparison of particular kingdoms; beasts for their tyrannical oppressions.
4. The first - This was the Chaldean, or Assyrian; whose seat was first at Babylon, afterwards at Nineveh, and then at Babylon again. Eagle's wings - They were swift, over-running many countries, and brought their monarchy to a prodigious height in a short time. The wings were plucked - Which was first done in stopping the career of their victories, and afterwards in casting them out of their kingdom. A man's heart - They lost their lionlike courage, and became faint and cowardly like other men.
5. Another beast - The Mede's and Persians, a fierce, ravenous creature. On one side - The north side; for the Mede first arose and sent to Cyrus the Persian to come and assist him against the Assyrian. Three ribs - Several of the Babylonian subjects revolted, and all these made the three ribs.
6. Like a leopard - This leopard was the Grecian monarchy; a leopard is less than a lion, so was this monarchy at first, but yet durst fight with a lion; so did Alexander encounter Darius with an inferior force. A leopard also for his swiftness; therefore described with four wings on his back. Four heads - He was succeeded by four of his chief commanders, who divided that empire into four parts.
7. A fourth beast - The Roman empire. 8. Another little horn - Probably either the Turk or the Romish antichrist. 9. The thrones - The kingdoms of this world were destroyed by God the king, and judge of all, called the Ancient of days, because of his eternal deity.
11. Destroyed - This cannot but be meant of the ruin and judgment of antichrist. 13. A son of man - That is, the Messiah, he came with the clouds of heaven, gloriously, swiftly and terribly. And came - This relates to his ascension, at which time, he received his royal investiture, for the protection of his church, and curbing of their enemies.
16. Unto one - That is, to an angel, that ministered. The truth - The true meaning of this vision. 18. But the saints - Jesus Christ being their king, they shall reign with him, and possess the kingdom for ever. 24. And another - This seems to mean the Romish antichrist.
25. Until a time and times - The numbers of Daniel and John seem to agree. Daniel was certainly prophetical in these things, and his prophecy reacheth to the end of times, even of antichrist's reign.
28. Of the matter - Of the vision, and the angel's interpretation.
This and the following chapters are not writ in Chaldee, but in Hebrew, for the benefit of the Jews. Here is the vision of the ram, and the he-goat, and the little horn, ver. 1-14. The interpretation of it, ver. 15-27
1. After that - In the other vision he speaks o [ all the four monarchies; here only of the three first; this vision being a comment upon the first.
2. The river of Ulai - Which ran round the city. 3. Two horns - The kingdom of Media and Persia. And the higher - The kingdom of Persia which rose last, in Cyrus, became more eminent than that of the Medes.
4. West-ward - Toward Babylon, Syria, Cappadocia, Asia the less, and Greece, all westward from Media and Persia. North-ward - Against the Armenians, Iberians, Lydians, Colchi Caspians. South-ward - Against Ethiopia, Arabia, Egypt.
5. An he-goat - The Grecian empire. The whole earth - The whole Persian empire. Touched not the ground - Went with incredible swiftness. A horn - This was Alexander the great.
6. The ram - The king of Media and Persia. 8. Was broken - When Alexander was greatest, then was he broken, and that to pieces, for he, his mother, son, brother, and all his kindred were destroyed. The four winds -
1. Antipater got Greece. 2. Asia was possessed by Antigonus. 3. Ptolemy got Egypt. 4. Seleucus had Babylon and Syria. All these were variously situated; to the east, Babylon and Syria; to the south, Egypt; to the north, Asia the less; to the west, Greece.
9. A little horn - This little horn was Antiochus Epiphanes. The south - Egypt where he besieged and took many places. The east - In Syria, Babylon, Armenia. The pleasant land - Judea, so called because of the temple and people of God in it, and the fruitfulness of it.
10. The host of heaven - The church of God militant, who worship the God of heaven, who are citizens of heaven, whose names are written in heaven; and among these the priests, and champions, who were as stars shining above the rest; these he profaned and slew cruelly.
11. The prince - Not only against the high-priest, but against God himself. Was cast down - He took away the use of the temple as to the holy service and sacrifices.
12. By reason of transgression - Both the transgression of the priests, and of the people. 13. One saint - That is, one holy angel. How long - How long shall Antiochus continue his vexations against the people and prevent the worship of God? This is, the treading down of the sanctuary, and the host.
14. He - That angel. Then - Just so long it was, from the defection of the people, procured by Menelaus, the high-priest, to the cleansing of the sanctuary, and the re-establishment of religion among them.
15. The meaning - A more clear discovery of those things. The appearance of a man - Probably Gabriel.
16. A man's voice - Of him before mentioned, namely, Christ. 17. He came near - That he might speak more familiarly to him, yet Daniel could not bear the glory of it. How much less can we bear the glory of God, and how graciously hath the Lord dealt
with us, to teach us by men, and not by angels? O son of man - He calls him son of man, to make him mind his frailty, and not to be lifted up with this great condescension of heaven. At the time - In God's appointed time, in the latter day, but not now in thy lifetime.
18. Toward the ground - Being terrified with the splendour and grandeur both of the messenger and message. Set me upright - By one touch only. The power of spirits is incomparably greater than that of the strongest of men.
19. The indignation - God will raise up Antiochus to execute his wrath against the Jews for their sins, yet there shall be an end of that indignation.
23. In the latter time - When they were come to the height, and beginning to decline. When the transgressors - When the Jews were grown to an excess of wickedness, then God suffered Antiochus to persecute them. Dark sentences - Full of subtilty: such all histories declare Antiochus to be.
24. Not by his own power - Not by any heroick deeds, but by making use of the Jewish factions, through the divine commission to punish a backsliding nation; and by means of Eumenes and Attalus, by whose help he got up to this height. Shall destroy - He shall by force, craft, and cruelty, destroy many of God's people.
25. By peace - Under colour of kindness. Against the prince of princes - He fought against God, affronting God's laws, profaning God's worship, and temple, and setting up the image and worship of Jupiter there. Without hand - By a disease whereof he died, 1Macc vi, 8.
26. Shut thou up - Lay it up in thy heart. For many days - Three hundred years after this; long after Daniel's days.
27. Was sick - Being overwhelmed by a sense of the calamity that should befall the people of God. Did the king's business - Having recovered strength, he minded his place, duty and trust, and concealed the whole, that they might not see it by his countenance.
Daniel's prayer for the restoration of Israel, ver. 1-23. The answer sent him by an angel, ver. 24-27. This is the clearest prophecy of the Messiah in all the Old Testament.
1. In the first year of Darius - That is, immediately after the overthrow of the kingdom of Babylon, which was the year of the Jews deliverance from captivity. Of the Medes - This Darius was not Darius the Persian, under whom the temple was built, as some have asserted, to invalidate the credibility of this book; but Darius the Mede, who lived in the time of Daniel.
2. By books - By the sacred books. 12. Judged us - Whose duty it was to govern the people, and to judge their causes; wherein if there was a failure, it was a sin, and judgment upon the people, and upon the rulers and Judges themselves also. Upon Jerusalem - A place privileged many ways above all others, and punished above all others.
14. The Lord watched - God's watching denotes the fit ways that he always takes to punish sinners.
17. For the Lord's sake - For the sake of the Messiah: to whom the title Lord is frequently given in the Old Testament.
21. About the time - The time of the evening sacrifice was a solemn and set time of devotion. Tho' the altar was in ruins, and there was no oblation offered upon it, yet the pious Jews were daily thoughtful of the time when it should have been offered, and hoped that their prayer would be set forth before God as incense, and the lifting up of their hands, as the evening sacrifice. This was peculiarly a type of that great sacrifice, which Christ was to offer: and it was in virtue of that sacrifice, that Daniel's prayer was accepted, when he prayed for the Lord's sake.
24. Seventy weeks - These weeks are weeks of days, and these days are so many years. To finish the transgression - The angel discovers first the disease in three several words, which contain all sorts of sin, which the Messiah should free us from by his full redemption. He shews the cure of this disease in three words.