807 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate A.C. 534. Zion. 6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up: 7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. 8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD. DANIEL X 11. 1 Daniel having humbled himself seeth a vision. 10 Being troubled with fear he is comforted by the angel. 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was 11 In consequence of the stratagems used by the Samaritans to defeat the object of the decree of Cyrus, the building of the temple had now ceased. Daniel gave himself up to mourning three weeks together; he then sees the vision, an account of which is contained in these three last chapters of his book. In this vision he is informed of various particulars concerning the Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires, and the kingdom of the Messiah, (chap. x.) states the occasion of the vision, and describes the glorious personage who appeared to the prophet. The prediction then foretells the fate of the Persian empire (xi. 2,) whose fourth king, Xerxes, was attacked, and his empire destroyed, by Alexander (3); the partition of his vast dominions into four kingdoms (4); and the wars between the kingdoms of Egypt (which lay to the south of Judea) and of Syria (which lay to the north of the Holy land,) are then related together with the conquest of Macedon by the Romans (5-36). The prophecy then declares the tyranny of the papal Antichrist, which was to spring up under the Roman empire (36-39), and the invasions of the Saracens (from the south) and of the Turks (from the north) in the time of the end, or latter days of the Roman monarchy (40—45). This prophetic vision concludes with foretelling the general resurrection (xii. 1-4), and with announcing the time when all these great events were to have their final consummation, when the Jews were to be restored, Antichrist destroyed, the fulness of the Gentiles brought in, and the millenium, or reign of saints, was to begin (5-13). But the exact period, until PROVIDENCE shall open more of the seals, cannot be fully ascertained. Upon the whole, we may observe with Bishop Newton, what an amazing prophecy is this, comprehending so many various events, and extending through so many successive ages, from the first establishment of the Persian empire, upwards of 530 years before Christ, to the general resurrection! What a proof of a Divine Providence, and of a Divine Revelation! for who could thus declare the things that shall be, with their times and seasons, but He only who hath them in his power; whose dominion is over all, and whose kingdom endureth from generation to generation! Of all the old prophets, Daniel is the most distinct in the order of time, and easiest to be understood; and on this account, Sir Isaac Newton observes, in those events which concern the last times, he must be the interpreter of the rest All his predictions relate to each other, as if they were several parts of one gene A.C. 534. revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was * long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. * Heb. great. + Heb. weeks of days. + Heb. bread of desires. t Gen. ii. 14. Heb. one man. u Rev. i. 13, 14, 15. x Ch. vii. 28. 2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three +full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is * Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold §a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were "girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, Or, vigour, and there remained no strength in me: for my || comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. * Heb. moved. + Heb. a man of desires. 9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. 10 ¶ And, behold, an hand touched me, which * set me upon my knees, and upon the palms of my hands. 11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, † a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. upon thy standing. 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood Or, the first. me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the ral prophecy. The first is the easiest to be understood, and every succeeding prophecy adds something to the former. Though his style is not so lofty and figurative as that of the other prophets, it is more suitable to his subject, being clear and concise; his narratives and descriptions are simple and natural; and, in short, he writes more like an historian than a prophet. Of the genuineness and authenticity of the book of Daniel we have every possible evidence, both external and internal. chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with A.C. 534. the kings of Persia. 14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. 15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. vant of my lord. 17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with, hisserthis my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. no 18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me. 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. strengtheneth 21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scrip- +Heb ture of truth: and there is none that +holdeth with me in himself. these things, but Michael your prince. DANIEL XI. 1 The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia. 5 Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north. 30 The invasion and tyranny of the Romans. 1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. Behold, there 2 And now will I shew thee the truth. shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. 3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. A. C. 534. Heb. shall associate themselves. 5¶ And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come + Heb. rights, to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that Or, who brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. she brought forth. of their desire. 7 But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail : 8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, Heb. vessels with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. || Or, shall war. 9 So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10 But his sons || shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall cerend of times of tainly come * after certain years with a great army and with much riches. Heb. at the years. Heb. the children of robbers. Heb. the city of munitions. Heb. the people of his choices. 14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also † the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither § his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall Or, goodly stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be * Heb. the land of orna ment. consumed. * * Or, much 17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength A. C. 584. of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, uprightness: +corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither ditions. be for him. 18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20 Then shall stand up in his estate || a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within a few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. * 21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. : or, equal con + Heb. to cor. rupt. him. Heb. for proach. that causeth an Heb. one exactor to pass over. Heb. angers. peaceable and 24 He shall enter + peaceably even upon the fattest places + Or, into the of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have fat, &c. not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a think time. courage 25 And he shall stir up his power and his against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. his thoughts. Fulfilled cir. hearts. 170. 27 And both these kings' § hearts shall be to do mischief, Heb. their and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not pros per for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 169, 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come to- Fulfilled cir. ward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. |