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Daniel Chapter
Eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 8
This
chapter contains the vision of a ram and he goat
and the interpretation of it.
It begins with observing the time and place of the vision
Daniel 8:1
then
describes the ram seen; by the place of his situation; by his two horns; and by
his pushing several ways with so much force and fury
that none could stand
before him
or deliver: out of his hands
Daniel 8:3 next the
he goat appears
and is described by the part from whence he came; the
swiftness of his motion; the notable horn between his eyes; and his running to ram
in great fury
smiting him between his horns
casting him to the ground
and
trampling upon him
and none to deliver
Daniel 8:5 but
after waxing great and powerful
its horn was broken
and four more rose up in
its stead
and out of one of them a little horn
Daniel 8:8 which
little horn is described by its power and prevalence to the south and to the
east
towards the pleasant land
the host of heaven
and the Prince of the
host; and by it the stars were cast down and trampled upon
the daily sacrifice
made to cease; the place of the sanctuary cast down
and truth itself
Daniel 8:9
and
upon inquiry it appeared that these sacred things were to continue in this
desolate condition unto 2300 days
Daniel 8:13. Daniel
being desirous of knowing the meaning of this vision
the Angel Gabriel is
ordered by Christ to give him an understanding of it; who drew near to him
and
awaked him out of his sleep
and gave him the interpretation of it; Daniel 8:15
which
is as follows; the ram; with two horns
signifies the kings of Media and
Persia; the rough goat
the king of Greece; and the great horn the first king
Alexander the great; and the four horns
four kingdoms which rose up out of the
Grecian empire upon his death
Daniel 8:20
and
the little horn a king of fierce countenance
Antiochus Epiphanes; who is
described by his craft
and cunning
by his power and might
and by the
destruction he should make; Daniel 8:23
this
vision the angel assures the prophet was true
and bids him shut it up
since
it was for many days
Daniel 8:26
upon
which Daniel fainted
and was sick for a time; but afterwards recovered
so as
to be able to do the king's business; but astonished at the vision himself
and
which was not understood by others
Daniel 8:27.
Daniel 8:1 In the third
year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me
Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time.
YLT 1`In the third year of the
reign of Belshazzar the king
a vision hath appeared unto me -- I Daniel --
after that which had appeared unto me at the beginning.
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar
.... Which
some sayF20Seder Olam Rabba
c. 28. p. 81. was the last year of his
reign; but
according to Ptolemy's canon
he reigned seventeen years; and so
says JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 4. ; however
this
as
well as the preceding vision
were seen before what happened recorded in the
"fifth" and "sixth" chapters. The following vision was seen
by Daniel
according to Bishop UsherF23Annales Vet. Test. A. M.
3451. and Dean PrideauxF24Connexion
&c part 1. p. 117. in the
year of the world 3451 A.M.
and 553 B.C. Mr. BedfordF25Scripture
Chronlogy
p. 710. places it in 552 B.C.; and Mr. WhistonF26Chronological
Tables
cent. 10.
very wrongly
in 537 B.C.
two years after the death of
Belshazzar. The prophet having
in the preceding chapters
related what
concerned the Chaldeans
he wrote in the Chaldee language; but now
henceforward
writing of things which concerned the Jews more especially
and
the church and people of God in later times
he writes in the Hebrew tongue.
A vision appeared unto me
even to me Daniel; and not
another; which is said for the certainty of it; whether it was seen by him
waking
or in a dream
as the former vision
is not certain; it seems rather as
if he was awake at first
though he afterwards fell prostrate to the ground
and into a deep sleep; yet the Syriac version takes it to be a dream
and so
renders the first clause of the next verse: "after that which appeared to
me at the first"; at the beginning of Belshazzar's reign
in the first
year of it
recorded in the preceding chapter; which was concerning the four
monarchies in general
and particularly concerning the fourth or Roman
monarchy
of which a large account is given; and the Chaldean monarchy being
near at an end
here the two monarchies between
namely
the Persian and
Grecian
are in this vision described.
Daniel 8:2 2 I
saw in the vision
and it so happened while I was looking
that I was in
Shushan
the citadel
which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the
vision that I was by the River Ulai.
YLT 2And I see in a vision
and
it cometh to pass
in my seeing
and I [am] in Shushan the palace that [is] in
Elam the province
and I see in a vision
and I have been by the stream Ulai.
And I saw in a vision
.... The following
things:
and it came to pass
when I saw
that I was at Shushan in the
palace
which is in the province of Elam; not in reality
but so
it seemed to him in the vision; as Ezekiel
when in Babylon
seemed in the
visions of God to be at Jerusalem
Ezekiel 8:3. This
city Shushan
or Susa
as it is called by other writers
and signifies a
"lily"
was so called from the plenty of lilies that grew about it
or because of the pleasantness of it; it was the metropolis of the country
Susiana
which had its name from it
and was afterwards the royal seat of the
kings of Persia. This was first made so by Cyrus; for StraboF1Geograph.
l. 15. p. 500. says
that he and the Persians having overcome the Medes
observing that their own country was situated in the extreme parts
and Susa
more inward
and nearer to other nations
being
as he says
between Persia and
Babylon
set his royal palace in it; approving both the nearness of the
country
and the dignity of the city. Here the kings of Persia laid up their
treasures
even prodigious large ones; hence Aristagoras told Cleomenes
that
if he could take that city
he would vie
and might contend
with Jupiter for
richesF2Herodoti Terpsichore
sive l. 5. c. 48. ; for hither Cyrus
carried whatever money he had in Persia
even forty thousand talents
some say
fiftyF3Strabo. ib. p. 502. . AlexanderF4Curtius
l. 5. c.
2. Plutarch. in Vita Alexandri
Diador. Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 540.
when he took this city
found a vast quantity of riches in it. It is called
here a palace; and so it is spoken of by HerodotusF5Terpsichore
sive l. 5. sect. 48.
Diodorus SiculusF6Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 539.
PausaniusF7Laconice
sive l. 3. p. 175.
PlinyF8Nat.
Hist. l. 6. c. 27.
and others
as a royal city
where were the residence and
palace of the kings of Persia; but the royal palace was not in it at this time;
the kings of Babylon had their palace and kept their court at Babylon
where
Daniel was; but in vision it seemed to him that he was in Shushan
and which
was represented to him as a palace
as it would be
and as the metropolis of
the kingdom of Persia
which he had a view of in its future flourishing
condition
and as destroyed by Alexander; for
as before observed
it was Cyrus
that first made it a royal city; whereas this vision was in the third year of
Belshazzar
king of Babylon. Some versions render it
a "tower" or
"castle"; and so several writers
as StraboF9Geograph. l.
15. p. 500. PlutarchF11In Vita Alexandri. and PlinyF12Ut
supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27.)
speak of the tower or castle in it. Diodorus
SiculusF13Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 540. says
when Antigonus took the
tower of Susa
he found in it a golden vine
and a great quantity of other
works
to the value of fifteen thousand talents; and out of crowns
and other
gifts and spoils
he made up five thousand more. And PolybiusF14Hist.
l. 5. p. 249. relates
that though Molon took the city
yet could not take the
fortress
and was obliged to raise the siege
so strong it was. It must be a
mistake of PlinyF15Ut supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27.) that this
city was built by Darius Hystaspes; he could only mean it was rebuilt
or
rather enlarged
by him
since it was in being long before his time
and even a
royal city in the times of Cyrus. StraboF16Geograph. l. 15. p. 500.
says it was built by Tithon the father of Merenon
was in compass a fifteen
miles
of an oblong figure
and the tower was called after his father's name
Mernnonia; and Shushan itself is called
by HerodotusF17Polymnia
sive l. 7. c. 151.
Susa Memnonia. At this day
with the common people
it
goes by the name of TusterF18Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 658
935. .
The east gate of the mountain of the house
which led to the temple at
Jerusalem
was called Shushan. Some sayF19Jarchi & Bartenora in
Misn. Celim
c. 17. sect. 9. there was a building over this gate
on which the
palace of Shushan was portrayed
from whence it had its name. The reason of
this portrait is differently given; the Jewish commentators on the MisnahF20Maimon
& Bartenora in Misn. Kelim
c. 17. sect. 9. & Middot
c. 1. sect. 3.
commonly say that this was ordered by the kings of Persia
that the people of
Israel might stand in awe of them
and not rebel against them. Their famous
lexicographerF21R. Nathan
Sepher Aruch in voce ששן
fol. 160. 3. says
that this was done
that the Israelites
when they saw it
might remember their captivity in it. But a chronologerF23R. Abraham
Zacuth
Sepher Juchasin
fol. 65. 2. of theirs gives this as the reason
that
the children of the captivity made this figure
that they might remember the
miracle of Purim
which was made in Shushan; and this
he says
is a good
interpretation of it. This city was in the province of Elam; that is
Persia
as it is also called
Isaiah 21:6 for
JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 4. says the Persians had their
original from the Elamites
or Elameans; and PlinyF25Nat. Hist. l.
6. c. 27. observes
that Elymais joined to Persia; and the country of Susiane
so called from Susa its chief city
was
according to StraboF26Geograph.
l. 15. p. 500. (a1) Geograph. l. 6. c. 3. (b1) Geograph. p. 501
505. (c1) Ut
supra
(Nat. Hist.) l. 6. c. 23
27. (d1) Geograph. l. 6. c. 3. (e1) Ut supra
(Geograph.) p. 505. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27. (f1) Clio
sive l. 1. c. 188.
Terpsichore
sive l. 5. c. 49
52. (g1) Ut supra. (Curtius
l. 5. c. 2.) (h1)
Geograph. l. 15. p. 501. (i1) Travels
part 2. B. 3. c. 9. p. 153. (k1) See the
Universal History
vol. 5. p. 124. (l1) Antiqu. l. 10. c. 11. sect. 7. and
Ptolemy (a1)
a part of Persia: and here Daniel in vision thought himself to
be; and a very suitable place for him to have this vision in
which so much
concerned the affairs of Persia.
And I saw in a vision
and I was by the river Ulai; that is
in
vision; it seemed to the prophet that he was upon the banks of the river Ulai;
the same with the Eulaeus of Strabo (b1)
Pliny (c1)
Ptolemy (d1)
and others
which ran by
and surrounded
the city of Shushan
or Susa; the water of which
was so light
as Strabo (e1) observes
that it was had in great request
and
the kings of Persia would drink of no other
and carried it with them wherever
they went. Herodotus (f1) and Curtius (g1) make mention of the river Choaspes
as running by Susa
and say the same things of its water; from whence it might
be concluded it was one and the same river
called by different names; though
Strabo takes notice of them together
as if they were distinct; yet he
from
Polycletus (h1)
makes them
with Tigris
to disembogue into the same lake
and
from thence into the sea. The river which runs by Shushan
now called Souster
according to Monsieur Thevenot (i1)
is Caron
and comes from the hills about
it
and is thought to be the Choaspes of the ancients; near to which
as he was
told
is a hill that now goes by the name of Choasp; so that
upon the whole
they seem to be one and the same river (k1). Josephus says (l1)
that Daniel
had this vision in the plain of Susa
the metropolis of Persia
as he went out
with his friends
that is
out of the city: and the Vulgate Latin version
renders it
"by the gate Ulai"; a gate of the city of Shushan so
called: and so Saadiah Gaon interprets it a gate; but the former sense is best.
Daniel 8:3 3 Then
I lifted my eyes and saw
and there
standing beside the river
was a ram which
had two horns
and the two horns were high; but one was higher
than the other
and the higher one came up last.
YLT 3And I lift up mine eyes
and look
and lo
a certain ram is standing before the stream
and it hath two
horns
and the two horns [are] high; and the one [is] higher than the other
and the high one is coming up last.
Then I lifted up mine eyes
.... To see what was to
be seen in this place
where he in the vision was brought; he lifted up the
eyes of his understanding
being enlightened by the vision of prophecy
and the
eyes of his body
to which objects of corporeal things formed in the fancy were
represented:
and saw
and
behold; he saw something
wonderful in a visionary way
and which struck his mind
and raised his
attention:
there stood before the river; the river Ulai
near
Shushan
the palace
the seat of the kings of Persia
to the east:
a ram
which had two horns; a symbol of the kingdom
of the Medes and Persians
signified by the two horns
Daniel 8:20
an
emblem of power and dominion
and sometimes used to signify kings and kingdoms;
see Daniel 7:24 and
these as united in one monarchy
under one monarch
Cyrus
and continued in his
successors unto the times of Alexander; and therefore called "a ram"
or "one ram"F13איל אחד "aries unus"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
as in the original; and which in sound has some likeness to Elam or
Persia: and this kingdom or monarchy may be signified by it
partly because of
its strength and power
and partly because of its riches
as some think
as
well as because it is a fighting creature; and it may be chiefly because this
monarchy was mild
and kind
and gentle to the Jewish nation: and it is very
remarkable
that
according to Ammianus MarcellinusF14Hist. l. 19.
the ram was the royal ensign of the Persians; whose kings used to wear for a
diadem something made of gold
in the shape of a ram's head
set with little
stones:
and the two horns were high; grew straight up on
high
and so were different from the usual horns of a ram
which are crooked;
denoting the great power
authority
wealth
and riches
these two kingdoms
rose up unto:
but one was higher than the other
and the higher came up last; I think the
words might be rendered better
"and the first was higher than the second
but it ascended
or grew up
higher at last"F15והאחת גבחה מן
השנית והגבהה עלה באחרונה. ; the kingdom of the
Medes was the first kingdom
and it was at first superior to the kingdom of
Persia; but afterwards the kingdom of Persia became greater than that
under
Cyrus and his successors: and Sir John Chardin saysF16Travels
vol.
3.
that rams' heads
with horns one higher than another
are still to be seen
in the ruins of Persepolis.
Daniel 8:4 4 I
saw the ram pushing westward
northward
and southward
so that no animal could
withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand
but
he did according to his will and became great.
YLT 4I have seen the ram pushing
westward
and northward
and southward
and no living creatures do stand before
it
and there is none delivering out of its hand
and it hath done according to
its pleasure
and hath exerted itself.
I saw the ram pushing westward
and northward
and southward
.... That is
with his horns
as rams do; these kingdoms using all their power and strength
wealth and riches
in fighting with and subduing nations
and pushing on their
conquests in all parts here mentioned; to the west
Babylon
Syria
Asia
and
part of Greece; to the north
Iberia
Albania
Armenia
Scythia
Colchis
and
the inhabitants of the Caspian sea; and to the south
Arabia
Ethiopia
Egypt
and India; all which places were conquered by Cyrus and his successors. No
mention is made of the east
because this ram stood in the east
facing the
west; and at the right and left were the north and south; and so Cyrus is said
to come from the east
Isaiah 46:11.
So that no beast might stand before him: no
not the
first beast
the Babylonian monarchy
which; fell into the hands of Cyrus; nor
any other king or kingdom he and his successors fought against:
neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; or power;
Croesus
the rich king of Lydia
and other allies of the king of Babylon
assisted him against Cyrus
and endeavoured to prevent his falling into his
hands
but all in vain:
but he did according to his will
and became great; none being
able to oppose him
he carried his arms where he pleased
and imposed what
tribute he thought fit
and obliged them to do whatever was his will; and so
became great in power and dignity
in riches and wealth: this monarchy was very
large and extensive
and very rich and wealthy
in the times of Cyrus and his
successors; and especially in the times of Darius
the last monarch of it
conquered
by Alexander
who is described as follows:
Daniel 8:5 5 And
as I was considering
suddenly a male goat came from the west
across the
surface of the whole earth
without touching the ground; and the goat had
a notable horn between his eyes.
YLT 5`And I have been
considering
and lo
a young he-goat hath come from the west
over the face of
the whole earth
whom none is touching in the earth; as to the young he-goat
a
conspicuous horn [is] between its eyes.
And as I was considering
.... The ram
and the
strange things done by him; wondering that a creature of so little strength
comparatively with other beasts
should be able to do such exploits: and
thinking with himself what should be the meaning of all this
and what would be
the issue of it
behold
an he goat came from the west; which is
interpreted of the king or kingdom of Grecia
which lay to the west of Persia;
and a kingdom may be said to do what one of its kings did; particularly
Alexander
king of Macedon
in Greece
who
with the Grecian army under him
marched from thence to fight the king of Persia; and which might be signified
by a "he goat"
because of its strength
its comeliness in walking
and its being the guide and leader of the flock: and also it is remarkable
that the arms of Macedon
or the ensigns carried before their armies
were a
goat
ever since the days of Caranus; who following a flock of goats
was
directed to Edessa
a city of Macedon
and took it; and from this circumstance
of the goats called it Aegeas
and the people Aegeades
which signifies
"goats"; and put the goat in his armsF17Justin ex Trogo
l. 7. c. 1. .
On the face of the whole earth; all that lay between
Greece and Persia
all Asia; yea
all the whole world
at least as Alexander
thought
who wept because there was not another world to conquer: hence Juvenal
saysF18Satyr. 10.
"unus Pelloeo juveni non sufficit
orbis"; one world was not enough for this young man.
And touched not the ground; as he went; he seemed
rather to fly in the air than to walk upon the earth; with such swiftness did
Alexander run over the world
and make his conquests: in six or eight years
time he conquered the kingdom of the Medes and Persians
Babylon
Egypt
and
all the neighbouring nations; and afar off
Greece
Thrace
Illyricum
and even
the greatest part of the then known world: hence the third or Grecian monarchy
under him is said to be like a leopard
with four wings of a fowl on its backF19Alexander
was remarkable for the agility of his body
as appeared by his mounting his
horse Bucephalus (Plutarch in Vita Alexandri)
to the admiration of his father
and all that beheld him; as well as famous for the quick marches of his army
and his very swift and expeditious execution of his signs. "Plurimum pedum
celeritate pollebat"; he greatly excelled in swiftness of foot
says the
historian: and again
"armatusque de navi
tripudianti similis
prosiluit"; he leaped armed out of the ship like one that danced (Suppl.
in Curt. l. 1. p. 16. l. 2. p. 26) And he himself
speaking of the countries he
had conquered
says
"quas tanta velocitate domuimus": and elsewhere
"cujus velocitatem nemo valuisset effugere". And of Bessus it is
said
that "Alexandri celeritate perterritus". And Cobares
the
magician calls him "velocissimus rex" (Curt. Hist. l. 6. c. 3. &
l. 7. c. 4. 7.). And another historian says (Justin ex Trogo
l. 11. c. 2.
& l. 12. c. 9.) that having observed the enemy's city forsook by them
"sine ullo satellite desiliit in planitiem urbis": and again
"tanta
celeritate instructo paraloque exercitu Graeciam oppressi; ut quem venire non
senserant
videre se vix crederant". ; see Gill on Daniel 7:6 he
conquered countries as soon almost as another could have travelled over them;
in his marches he was swift and indefatigable. AelianusF20Var. Hist.
l. 10. c. 4. reports
that he marched
clad in armour
thrice four hundred
that is
twelve hundred furlongs
upon a stretch; and
before his army could
take any rest
fought his enemies
and conquered them. Some render the words
"whom no man touched in the earth"F21ואין
נוגע בארץ quem neme
attingebat in terra
Junius & Tremellius. ; that is
none could oppose
resist
and stop him; he bore down and carried all before him; there was no
coming at him
so as to touch him
or hurt him; he was so swift in his motions
and so powerful in his army.
And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes; or
"a
horn of vision": which in Daniel 8:21 is
interpreted of the first king of Greece
that is
when it became a monarchy;
who was Alexander the great; and very properly called a "horn"
being
possessed of great power and authority; and a notable one
very remarkable and
famous
as he has been in all ages since: "a horn of vision"F23קרן הזות "cornu
visionis"
Montanus; "visibile sive visendum"
Vatablus;
"conspicuum"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. as it may be
rendered; a very visible and conspicuous one
to be seen afar off
and which
attracted the eyes of all unto it: its situation was "between the eyes of
the goat"
denoting his sagacity
wisdom
prudence
craft
and cunning;
being attended and surrounded with his father Philip's wise counsellors as
Parmenio
Philotas
Clitus
and others. It is remarkable that by the Arabs
Alexander is called Dulcarnaim
or Dhilcarnain; that is
one having two hornsF24See
Gregory
de Aeris & Epochis
c. 11. p. 158
159. : the reason of which was
he affected to be the son of Jupiter Hammon
and therefore at feasts and public
entertainments would put on the purple and horns of Hammon: hence
as Clemens
of Alexandria observesF25Protreptic. ad Gentes
p. 36.
he is by
the statuaries represented as horned
or wearing horns; but then
as ArnobiusF26Adv.
Gentes
l. 6. p. 233. and others take notice
Hammon is made by the painters
and statuaries to have ram's horns; whereas it seems more likely that
Alexander's were goat's horns
since the goat was in the arms of Macedon; and
so Pyrrhus
king of Epirus
who mimicked Alexander in his armour
is said to
have goat's horns on his helmet
upon the top of his crestF1Plutarch.
in Vita Pyrrhi. ; and to such ensigns is the allusion here.
Daniel 8:6 6 Then
he came to the ram that had two horns
which I had seen standing beside the
river
and ran at him with furious power.
YLT 6And it cometh unto the ram
possessing the two horns
that I had seen standing before the stream
and
runneth unto it in the fury of its power.
And he came to the ram that had two horns
.... Alexander
being chosen and made by the states of Greece captain general of all Greece
against the Persians
marched from thence with his army
passed the Hellespont
and entered into the kingdom of the Medes and Persians
signified by the ram
with two horns
and came up to Darius Codomannus
possessed of this large
monarchy
and at the head of a numerous army:
which I had seen standing before the river; the river
Ulai
near to Shushan
the royal seat of the kings of Persia; here Darius stood
in his royal majesty and dignity
as the defender of his empire
and
unconcerned at the attempt of Alexander
having nothing to fear
as he thought
from such a puny adversary:
and ran unto him in the fury of his power; or
"heat of his power"F2בחמת כחו "fervore virtutis suae"
Munster; "cum
ardore virium suarum"
Cocceius; "in aestu robaris sui"
Michaelis. ; which denotes the haste Alexander made with his army into Asia;
his eager desire
and the fervour of his mind to engage with the Persians: the
historian says
that he passed the Hellespont into Asia
"incredibli ardore
mentis accensus"; fired with an incredible ardour of mind: and a little
after
having conquered the rebels of Pisidia
he marched against Darius
"summo mentis ardore"; with the greatest ardour of mind
and with no
less alacrityF3Supplem. in Curt. l. 2. p. 26
28. ; which exactly
agrees with the sacred text. The running of the he goat to the ram in a hostile
way is described in allusion to the manner of those creatures when they fight
with one another
or attack an enemy.
Daniel 8:7 7 And
I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him
attacked the
ram
and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him
but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that
could deliver the ram from his hand.
YLT 7And I have seen it coming
near the ram
and it becometh embittered at it
and smiteth the ram
and
breaketh its two horns
and there hath been no power in the ram to stand before
it
and it casteth it to the earth
and trampleth it down
and there hath been
no deliverer to the ram out of its power.
And I saw him come close unto the ram
.... Though
the distance between Greece and Persia was very great
and many rivers and
mountains in the way
which seemed impassable; Alexander got over them all
and
came up to Darius
and fought several battles with him
and entirely defeated
him
though greatly inferior in number to him
as follows:
and he was moved with choler against him; exceedingly
embittered against him; exasperated and provoked to the last degree
by the
proud and scornful message he sent him; calling himself king of kings
and akin
to the gods
and Alexander his servant; ordering his nobles to take Philip's
madding stripling
as he called him in contempt
and whip him with children's rods
and clothe him in purple
and deliver him bound to him; then sink his ships
with the mariners
and transport all his soldiers to the further part of the
Red seaF4Supplem. in Curt. l. 2. p. 27. :
and smote the ram; in three battles
in each of which the
Persians were smitten and routed by the Grecians: first at the river Granicus
where Alexander with thirty thousand foot
and five thousand horse
met the
Persians
though more than five times his number
being
as JustinF5Trogo
l. 11. c. 6. says
six hundred thousand
and got the victory over them; here
twenty thousand of the Persian footmen
and two hundred and fifty of their
horse
were slain
and not more than thirty nine of the Macedonians killedF6Supplem.
in Curt. l. 2. p. 28. : PlutarchF7In Vit. Alexandri. says
it was
reported that the Persians lost twenty thousand footmen
and two thousand five
hundred horse; and from Aristobulus he says
that the Macedonians lost only
thirty four men
of which twelve were footmen: and Diodorus SiculusF8Bibliothec.
l. 17. p. 503. relates that the Persians lost more than ten thousand footmen
and not less than two thousand horse
and more than twenty thousand were taken:
according to JustinF9E Trogo
l. 11. c. 6.
of Alexander's army
there only fell nine footmen
and a hundred and twenty horsemen: others say
that
of the Macedonians
twenty five men of Alexander's own troop fell in the
first attack
about sixty other of the horsemen were killed
and thirty of the
footmenF11Universal History
vol. 5. p. 297. ; so different are the
accounts of the slain in this battle; however
the victory appears to be very
great
whereby Sardis
with all Darius's rich furniture
fell into the hands of
Alexander
and all the provinces of the lesser Asia submitted to him. The next battle
was fought at Issus its Cilicia
where Darius had an army
according to
PlutarchF12In Vit. Alexandri.
consisting of six hundred thousand
men; according to JustinF13E Trogo
l. 11. c. 9.
four hundred
thousand footmen
and a hundred thousand horsemen
which was routed by
Alexander; when a hundred thousand of the Persian footmen
and ten thousand of
their horsemen
were slain; and only
on Alexander's side
five hundred and
four of the footmen wounded
thirty two wanting
and a hundred and fifty of the
horsemen killedF14Curtius
l. 3. c. 11. : here also the accounts
vary; PlutarchF15In Vita Alexandri. says above a hundred and ten
thousand of the Persians were slain: according to Diodorus SiculusF16Bibliothec
l. 17. p. 515.
there fell of them a hundred and twenty thousand footmen
and
not less than ten thousand horsemen; and of the Macedonians three hundred
footmen
and about a hundred and fifty horsemen: according to ArrianF17Exped.
Alex. l. 2.
the Persians lost ten thousand horsemen
and ninety thousand
footmen: according to JustinF18E. Trogo
l. 11. c. 9.
sixty one
thousand footmen
and ten thousand horsemen
were slain
and forty thousand
taken; and of the Macedonians there fell one hundred and thirty footmen
and
one hundred and fifty horsemen; but
be it as it will
the victory was
exceeding great
whereby the camp of Darius
his mother
wife
and children
and all his riches at Damascus
fell into the hands of Alexander
with all
Syria. The third and last battle was fought near Arbela
or rather at Gaugamela
in Assyria
when Alexander with fifty thousand men beat Darius with an army of
eleven hundred thousand men; PlutarchF19Vit. Alexandri. says ten
hundred thousand; forty thousand of which were slain
and of the Macedonians
only three hundred or less were wantingF20Curtius
l. 4. c. 16. ;
according to ArrianF21Ut supra
(Exped. Alex.) l. 3. thirty thousand
were slain; but Diodorus SiculusF23Biblioth. l. 17. p. 536. says
ninety thousand: this was the decisive battle; after this Babylon and Persepolis
were taken by Alexander
and he became master of the whole empire
which is
intended in the next clause:
and brake his two horns; conquered the Medes and
Persians
the two kingdoms united in one monarchy
but now destroyed; another
monarchy
the Grecian
took its place:
and there was no power in the ram to stand before him there was no
strength in tim whole empire sufficient to resist
oppose
and stop him; though
vast armies were collected together
these were soon broken and routed
and
Darius at the head of them was forced to fly and make his escape in the best
manner he could;
but he cast him down to the ground
and stamped upon him: not Darius
personally
for he was slain by Bessus
one of his own captains; but the
Persian empire
it ceased to be
and was no longer in the hands of the
Persians
but was taken from them by Alexander; and all the glory and majesty
of it were defaced and despised; the famous city and palace of Persepolis were
burnt in a drunken fit
at the instigation of Thais the harlot:
and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand; not his
armies
nor his generals
nor his allies
nor his offers to Alexander of his
daughter in marriage
and part of his kingdom; all were in vain
and to no
purpose; he and his whole empire fell into the conqueror's hands
and there was
no remedy against it. JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 11. c. 8. sect. 5. says
that when Alexander was in his way to Jerusalem
Jaddus
the high priest
met
and accompanied him into the city and temple
and showed him this prophecy of
Daniel
that some one of the Grecians should abolish the empire of the
Persians; and
thinking himself to be intended
was greatly pleased. GorionidesF25Heb.
Hist. l. 2. c. 7. p. 88. says the high priest
whom he calls Ananias
said to
Alexander
on showing him the prophecy
thou art this he goat
and Darius is
the ram; and thou shall trample him to the ground
and take the kingdom out of
his hand; and he greatly strengthened the heart of the king.
Daniel 8:8 8 Therefore
the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong
the large horn was
broken
and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of
heaven.
YLT 8`And the young he-goat hath
exerted itself very much
and when it is strong
broken hath been the great
horn; and come up doth a vision of four in its place
at the four winds of the
heavens.
Therefore the he goat waxed very great
.... The
Grecian monarchy
under Alexander
became very powerful
and was very
extensive; he not only conquered the Persian empire
but also the Indies
yea
the whole world
as he imagined; and indeed he did bring into subjection to him
the greatest part of the then known world; and he was very great in his own
esteem
at least reckoned himself lord of the world
called himself the son of
Jupiter Ammon
and affected to be worshipped as a god:
and when he was strong
the great horn was broken; when the
Grecian monarchy was established
and became very powerful
and reached to the
greatest part of the earth
then Alexander the first king of it
a great horn
and powerful monarch
died
or was broken; not as the two horns of the ram
by
the power of the enemy; not by violence
but by intemperance
in a drunken fit
or
as was suspected
by poison; and that when he was in the height of his
glory
swelled with his victories; and that in the prime of his days
when in
his full strength
being in the "thirty third" year of his age:
and for it
or in the room and stead of itF26תחתיה
"loco ejus
vel illius"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis.
came up four notable ones; or
"four horns of
vision"F1חזות ארבע
"quatuor cornua conspicua"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator;
"cornua aspectus quatuor"
Michaelis. ; very famous and conspicuous
like that in Daniel 8:5
which
were the four kingdoms into which the empire was divided some time after
Alexander's death
and the four kings that were over them: the kingdoms were
those of Egypt
Greece
Asia
and Syria. Ptolemy was king of Egypt
to which
belonged Lybia
Palestine
Arabia
and Caelesyria. Cassander was king of
Macedonia and Greece. Lysimachus was king of Asia
to which belonged Thrace
Bithynia
and other places; and Seleucus was king of Syria
and of the eastern
countries: these are the four heads of the leopard
or third beast
which
signifies the Grecian monarchy
Daniel 7:6 and these
were
toward the four winds of heaven; east
west
north
and
south: Egypt
with its appendages
lay to the south; Asia
and what belonged to
that
to the north; Macedonia and Greece to the west; and Syria to the east:
and thus was the Grecian empire divided into four kingdoms
among the
successors of Alexander: there were some partitions of it before this into
provinces among governors
under the brother and son of Alexander; but after
the battle of Ipsus
in which Antigonus
one of Alexander's captains
and a
very principal
active
and ambitious man
was slain
and his army routed; the
four confederate princes against him
above named
divided by consent the
empire between them into separate kingdoms
and became really
and not in title
only
kings of themF2See Prideaux's Connexion
part 1. B. 8. p. 558
559. ; which is what is here prophesied of.
Daniel 8:9 9 And
out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the
south
toward the east
and toward the Glorious Land.
YLT 9And from the one of them
come forth hath a little horn
and it exerteth itself greatly toward the south
and toward the east
and toward the beauteous [land];
And out of one of them came forth a little horn
.... Meaning
not the kingdom of Titus Vespasian
as Jarchi; nor the kingdom of the Turks
as
Saadiah; but the kingdom of Antiochia
as Aben Ezra and Jacchiades; or rather
Antiochus Epiphanes
who sprung from the kingdom of the Seleucidae in Syria
or
from Seleucus king of Syria
one of the four horns before mentioned: this is
that sinful root said to come out from thence
in the Apocrypha:
"And
there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes
son of
Antiochus the king
who had been an hostage at Rome
and he reigned in the
hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.' (1 Maccabees 1:10)
called
"a horn"
because he had some power and authority
and which he
usurped and increased in; though but a "little" one in comparison of
Alexander the great horn; or at his beginning
being an hostage at Rome; from
whence he got away by stealth
and seized the kingdom of Syria
which belonged
to his elder brother's son
whom he dispossessed of it; and by mean
artful
and deceitful methods
got it into his hands
who had no right unto it
nor any
princely qualities for it:
which waxed exceeding great toward the south; towards
Egypt
which lay south of Syria; into which Antiochus entered
and fought
against Ptolemy Philometer
king of it
took many cities
and besieged
Alexandria; and in all probability would have subdued the whole country
had
not the RomansF3See Joseph. Antiqu. l. 12. c. 5. sect. 2. restrained
him
by sending their ambassador Popilius to him
who obliged him to desist and
depart;
"17
Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude
with chariots
and
elephants
and horsemen
and a great navy
18 And made war against Ptolemee
king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him
and fled; and many were wounded
to death. 19 Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took
the spoils thereof. 20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt
he returned
again in the hundred forty and third year
and went up against Israel and
Jerusalem with a great multitude
' (1 Maccabees 1)
and toward the east; towards Armenia and
Persia
the Atropatii in Media
and the countries beyond the Euphrates
whom he
made tributary to him; in the Apocrypha:
"Wherefore
being greatly perplexed in his mind
he determined to go into Persia
there to
take the tributes of the countries
and to gather much money.' (1 Maccabees 3:31)
"1About
that time king Antiochus travelling through the high countries heard say
that
Elymais in the country of Persia was a city greatly renowned for riches
silver
and gold; 2And that there was in it a very rich temple
wherein were
coverings of gold
and breastplates
and shields
which Alexander
son of
Philip
the Macedonian king
who reigned first among the Grecians
had left
there.' (1 Maccabees 6)
and toward the pleasant land; the land of Judea
so
called because of its delightful situation
and great fruitfulness; and because
God chose it above all others for his habitation; where his word
and worship
and ordinances
were observed and enjoyed; and where the Messiah should be born
and dwell; into this Antiochus led his army
and greatly afflicted and
distressed it; he made himself master of most places in Galilee and Judea. The
Arabic version reads "toward the west"; no mention is made of the
north
because there he himself reigned; Syria being north to Egypt
as that
was south to Syria; hence afterwards the king of Egypt is called the king of
the south
and the king of Syria the king of the north.
Daniel 8:10 10 And
it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some
of the stars to the ground
and trampled them.
YLT 10yea
it exerteth unto the
host of the heavens
and causeth to fall to the earth of the host
and of the
stars
and trampleth them down.
And it waxed great
even to the host of heaven
.... The
people of the Jews
the army of the living God
the church militant
among whom
were many of the citizens of heaven
whose names are written there; such was
the insolence of this king
as to molest and disturb them:
and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground
and stamped them; some of the common people he persecuted and destroyed
or
prevailed upon them
either by threats or flatteries
to relinquish their
religion; and even some of the "stars"
the lights of the people
the
priests and Levites
that ministered unto them; or the princes
and elders of
the people
whom he slew
as Jacchiades interprets it; or removed from their
posts so that they could not do their office; or they turned apostates; and
those that did not he barbarously put to death
and insulted over them
and
used them in a very contemptuous manner
as old Eleazar
the mother and her
seven sons; see 2Maccabees chapter 7.
Daniel 8:11 11 He
even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the
daily sacrifices were taken away
and the place of His sanctuary was
cast down.
YLT 11And unto the prince of the
host it exerteth itself
and by it taken away hath been the continual
[sacrifice]
and thrown down the base of his sanctuary.
Yea
he magnified himself even to the prince host
.... Either
the high priest Onias
whom he disposed of his office
and put Jason a wicked
man into it; or Judas Maccabeus
the prince of the Jewish nation; or rather
as
Jacchiades
God himself
the Lord God of Israel
the King
Prince
Governor
and defender of them
whom Antiochus blasphemed; whose worship he puts stop to;
and whose temple he profaned
and ill used his people; all which was against
God himself
and is a proof of the pride and insolence of this king:
and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away; the lambs in
the morning and evening were forbid to be sacrificed; or they could not be
offered
because the altar was pulled down
or profaned; and so all other
sacrifices were made to cease
as well as this
which is put for all: or
"from him"F4ממנו "ab
eo"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
"ab ipso"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Michaelis.
the prince
"the daily sacrifice was
taken away"; either from the priest
who used to offer it; or from God
to
whom it was offered:
and the place of his sanctuary was cast down: not that the
temple was destroyed by him
but it was profaned and rendered useless; the
worship of God was not carried on in it
but the image of Jupiter was set up in
it
and it was devoted to the service of an idol; yea
the altar was pulled
down
and all the vessels and ornaments of the temple were taken away and
destroyed; in the Apocrypha:
"And
the table of the shewbread
and the pouring vessels
and the vials
and the
censers of gold
and the veil
and the crown
and the golden ornaments that
were before the temple
all which he pulled off.' (1 Maccabees 1:22)
"Now
Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness
there was none of her children that went in
or out: the sanctuary also was trodden down
and aliens kept the strong hold;
the heathen had their habitation in that place; and joy was taken from Jacob
and the pipe with the harp ceased.' (1 Maccabees 3:45)
"And
lo
the heathen are assembled together against us to destroy us: what things
they imagine against us
thou knowest.' (1 Maccabees 3:52)
Daniel 8:12 12 Because
of transgression
an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily
sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this
and prospered.
YLT 12And the host is given up
with the continual [sacrifice]
through transgression
and it throweth down
truth to the earth
and it hath worked
and prospered.
And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of
transgression
.... Which some interpret of a garrison of soldiers placed by
Antiochus
through his sin and wickedness
to hinder the oblation of the daily
sacrifice
as Grotius: others
of a host of apostates among the Jews
who
advised Antiochus against the daily sacrifice
and to kill swine
and offer
them on the altar
as Jacchiades; or rather it may be rendered
"and the
host was given over"
or "delivered"
i.e. to the enemy
"because of the transgression against the daily sacrifice"F5וצבא תנתן על
התמיד בפשע
"exercitusque traditus est propter trangressionem contra res circa illud
juge sacrificium"
Vatablus. ; that is
because of the transgression of
the priests or the people
in neglecting the daily sacrifice
the host or
people of the Jews were delivered up into the hands of Antiochus; or they were
delivered up
together with the daily sacrifice
for their sinsF6"Et
exercitus tradetur una cum sacrificio jugi ob praevaricationem"
Michaelis. . The word צבא is by Jarchi and Ben Melech
interpreted a set time
a fixed time which shall have an end; and Calvin
inclines to this sense
that though the daily sacrifice would be taken away
because of the transgression of the people
yet it was only for a certain time
and would be restored again when that time was up; and so is spoken for the
comfort of the Lord's people:
and it cast down the truth to the ground: that is
the
little horn Antiochus
or his host and army; he did all that in him lay to
extirpate and abolish true religion and godliness; he cut in pieces the copies
of the book of the law
and burnt them
called the law of truth in Malachi 2:6
as
Jacchiades observes
and put to death the professors of the truth; and showed
all the contempt of true doctrine and worship he was capable of; see the
Apocrypha:
"57
And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament
or if any committed
to the law
the king's commandment was
that they should put him to death. 58
Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month
to as many as
were found in the cities. 59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they
did sacrifice upon the idol altar
which was upon the altar of God. 60 At which
time according to the commandment they put to death certain women
that had
caused their children to be circumcised.' (1 Maccabees 1)
and it practised
and prospered; he did what he pleased
and he succeeded in his attempts for a while
there being none to oppose him.
Daniel 8:13 13 Then
I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one
who was speaking
“How long will the vision be
concerning the
daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation
the giving of both
the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
YLT 13`And I hear a certain holy
one speaking
and a certain holy one saith to the wonderful numberer who is
speaking: Till when [is] the vision of the continual [sacrifice]
and of the
transgression
an astonishment
to make both sanctuary and host a treading
down?
Then I heard one saint speaking
.... An angel
either a
created angel
pure and holy in his nature
as Gabriel; or the uncreated Angel
Jesus Christ
the Word of God; what he was speaking of is not said; perhaps
Daniel did not hear what he said
though he heard him speaking
or perceived
that he spake; yet did not understand what he said
or what was the subject of
his discourse; very probably it was something relative to the vision now seen:
and another saint said unto that certain saint that spake; another angel
said to him that spake
whose name is unknown
only called such an one
or
Palmoni
which some render "the wonderful numberer"; or
"the
numberer of secrets"
or "that has all secrets numbered"F7לפלמוני "illi qui occulta in numerato habet"
Junius & Tremellius. ; and apply it to Christ
whose name is
"Pele"
wonderful; the eternal Word of God
that is in the bosom of
the Father
and knows all secrets
and the number of times and seasons
how
long they will last; what created angels know not
he does; and therefore they
apply to him for instruction and knowledge in hidden things:
how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice
and
the transgression of desolation
to give both the sanctuary and the host to be
trodden underfoot? that is
how long will this vision last? or when will this
prophecy be at an end
and have its full and final accomplishment? how long
will the sacrifice be taken away
or made to cease? how long will that
transgression
that abomination
making the temple desolate
the image of
Jupiter Olympius set up by Antiochus
continue in it? how long shall it be
given to him
or he be permitted to tread under foot
and use in the most
contemptuous manner
the temple of the Lord
and his people?
Daniel 8:14 14 And
he said to me
“For two thousand three hundred days;[a] then the
sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
YLT 14And he saith unto me
Till
evening -- morning two thousand and three hundred
then is the holy place
declared right.
And he said unto me
.... That is
"Palmoni"
the wonderful person
to whom the angel put the above
question
gave the answer to it; not unto the angel that asked it
but unto
Daniel that stood by; knowing that it was for his and his people's sake the
question was asked
and therefore gave the answer to him
as follows:
unto two thousand and three hundred days; or so many
"mornings" and "evenings"F8ערב
בוקר "vespero matutina"
Castalio;
"vespertina matutinaque tempora"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
; which shows that not so many years
as Jacchiades
and others
are meant; but
natural days
consisting of twenty four hours
and which make six years
three
months
and eighteen days; and reckoning from the fifteenth day of the month
Cisleu
in the year 145 of the Selucidae
in which Antiochus set up the
abomination of desolation upon the altar
in the Apocrypha:
"Now
the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar
which was upon the altar of God.' (1 Maccabees 1:59)
to
the victory obtained over Nicanor by Judas
on the thirteenth day of the month
Adar
Anno 151
are just 2300 days; which day the Jews kept as an annual feast
in commemoration of that victory; and from that time enjoyed peace and rest
from warF9Joseph. Antiqu. l. 12. c. 10. sect. 5. : this way goes
L'Empereur after Capellus; but others begin from the defection of the people
from the pure religion by Menelaus
Anno 141; though Antiochus did not enter on
his impieties till the following year; and
reckoning from the sixth day of the
sixth month in that year
to the twenty fifth day of Cisleu in the year 148
when the Jews offered the daily sacrifice on the new altar of burnt offerings
in the Apocrypha:
"Now
on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month
which is called the month
Casleu
in the hundred forty and eighth year
they rose up betimes in the
morning
53And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of
burnt offerings
which they had made. ' (1 Maccabees 4:52)
were
just six years
three months
and eighteen days: and so it follows
and then shall the sanctuary be cleansed; as it was by
Judas Maccabeus at the time above mentioned; when he purified the holy places
sanctified the courts
rebuilt the altar
renewed the vessels of the sanctuary
and put all in their proper places; in the Apocrypha:
"41Then
Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress
until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 42So he chose priests of blameless
conversation
such as had pleasure in the law: 43Who cleansed the sanctuary
and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place. 44And when as they
consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings
which was profaned; 45
They thought it best to pull it down
lest it should be a reproach to them
because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down
46 And laid
up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place
until there
should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them. 47 Then they took
whole stones according to the law
and built a new altar according to the
former; 48 And made up the sanctuary
and the things that were within the
temple
and hallowed the courts. 49 They made also new holy vessels
and into
the temple they brought the candlestick
and the altar of burnt offerings
and
of incense
and the table. 50 And upon the altar they burned incense
and the
lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted
that they might give light
in the temple. 51Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table
and spread out
the veils
and finished all the works which they had begun to make.' (1 Maccabees 4)
Indeed
as Antiochus was a type of antichrist
and his persecution of that desolation
made by antichrist in the church; these 2300 days may be considered as so many
years
which will bring it down to the end of the sixth Millennium
or
thereabout; when it may be hoped there will be a new face of things upon the
sanctuary and church of God
and a cleansing of it from all corruption in
doctrine
discipline
worship
and conversation.
Daniel 8:15 15 Then
it happened
when I
Daniel
had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning
that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.
YLT 15`And it cometh to pass in
my seeing -- I
Daniel -- the vision
that I require understanding
and lo
standing over-against me [is] as the appearance of a mighty one.
And it came to pass
when I
even I Daniel
had seen the vision
.... The whole
of the preceding vision
concerning the ram
he goat
and little horn
and what
were done by them; the prophet not only affirms he saw this vision
but repeats
the affirmation
expressing his own name
partly for the sake of emphasis
and
partly for the greater confirmation of his words; wherefore it was a most
impudent thing Porphyry to say
that the true Daniel never saw this vision; but
what is here related was written after Antiochus's reign
and falsely ascribed
to him. It being so clear a prophecy concerning Alexander
and the destruction
of the Persian empire by him
this acute spiteful Heathen had no other way of
evading the evidence of it in favour of true religion but by this false and
lying assertion:
and I sought for the meaning; that is
of the vision;
for a more perfect
clear
and explicit meaning of it; something he had learnt
concerning the latter part of it
relating to the desolation of the temple
and
the continuance of it
from what passed between the two saints or angels; but
he was desirous of knowing more; which he either signified by making
application to the angel that stood near him; or rather by secret ejaculations
in prayer to God; and he
who is afterwards described as a man
though the
eternal God that knows all things
knew the secret desires of his soul
and
immediately took care they should be answered:
then
behold
there stood before me as the appearance of a man: not really a
man
but in form and appearance; not Gabriel
or any created angel in human
form
in which angels sometimes appeared but the eternal Son of God
who was to
be incarnate
and was often seen in the form of a man before his incarnation;
in like manner he was now seen by Daniel
right
over againstF11לנגדי "ex
adverso mei"
Michaelis. whom he stood; this is the same with the speaking
saint
or Paimoni the wonderful One
in Daniel 8:13.
Jacchiades says
this is the holy blessed God; as it is indeed the Immanuel
God that was to be manifested in the flesh.
Daniel 8:16 16 And
I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai
who called
and
said
“Gabriel
make this man understand the vision.”
YLT 16And I hear a voice of man
between [the banks of] Ulai
and he calleth and saith: Gabriel
cause this
[one] to understand the appearance.
And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai
.... Near to
which Daniel was
Daniel 8:2 and it
seemed to him as if the appearance of the man was in the midst of the river
between the banks of it
from whence the voice came; or between the arms of it
it bending and winding about; or rather between Shushan and the river; or
between the prophet and that: this voice was the voice of the person that
appeared as a man in the preceding verse:
which called
and said
Gabriel; the voice was loud
audible
and commanding; even to an angel
one of great note
Gabriel
the man
of God
the mighty one; and shows
that the person that made this appearance
and spoke in this authoritative way
was the Lord
and head of angels
even of
all principalities and power
at whose beck and command they are:
make this man to understand the vision; the above
vision of the ram
he goat
and little horn; give him a full explanation of it;
tell him what the several figures mean
represented in it; that he may have a
clear understanding of all things contained in it; the saints and people of God
are sometimes instructed by angels
and particularly the prophets of old were;
and which was more common in the times of the former dispensation than now; for
God has not put in subjection to angels the world to come
or the Gospel
dispensation
Hebrews 2:5.
Daniel 8:17 17 So
he came near where I stood
and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face;
but he said to me
“Understand
son of man
that the vision refers to
the time of the end.”
YLT 17And he cometh in near my
station
and at his coming in I have been afraid
and I fall on my face
and he
saith unto me: Understand
son of man
for at the time of the end [is] the
vision.
So he came near where I stood
.... The angel
immediately obeyed the divine Person in human form
and came near the prophet
in order to instruct him
and carry on a familiar conversation with him:
and when he came
I was afraid
and fell upon my face; not being
able to bear the glory that attended him; and especially when he considered him
as the messenger of a divine Person sent to instruct him
and being conscious
of his own frailty and weakness:
but he said unto me
understand
O son of man: give
attention in order to understand the vision
which the angel
by a divine
command
was about to give him the full meaning of; and which he could not so
well attend unto in his present circumstance and posture; and therefore
suggests he should shake off his fear
and stand on his feet
and listen to
what he was about to say: he calls him "son of man"
a title only
given to him and Ezekiel; and so may be considered as a mark of honour and
respect
as being one greatly beloved and honoured by the Lord; or to express
his tender regard to him
and accommodating himself to him
considering he was
a frail mortal man; or to put him in mind that he should so consider himself
though now among angels
and favoured with revelations of secrets
that so he
might not be exalted with them above measure:
for at the time of the end shall be the vision; or rather
"for a time is the end of the vision"F12לעת קץ החזון
"ad tempus
finis visionis"
Munster
Montanus
Calvin. ; there is a
set
fixed
and determined time
when the vision shall end
and have its full
accomplishment; namely
when the 2300 days are expired.
Daniel 8:18 18 Now
as he was speaking with me
I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground;
but he touched me
and stood me upright.
YLT 18And in his speaking with
me
I have been in a trance on my face
on the earth; and he cometh against me
and causeth me to stand on my station
Now as he was speaking with me
.... Addressing him in
the above manner:
I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground; through fear
he fell prostrate to the ground
and swooned away
which issued in a deep
sleep; and so was unfit to attend to the explanation of the vision the angel
was sent to give him; and which was not through indifference to it
or neglect
of it; but through human weakness
his nature not being able to bear up under
such circumstances
which struck him with such fear and dread:
but he touched me
and set me upright; he jogged him
out of his sleep
and took him
and raised him up
and set him on his feet; or
"on his standing"F13על עמדי "super stare meum"
Montanus
Gejerus;
"super stationem meam"
Michaelis. ; which Ben Melech explains
as he
"was standing at first"; and so in a better posture to attend to what
was about to be revealed unto him.
Daniel 8:19 19 And
he said
“Look
I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time
of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.
YLT 19and saith: Lo
I -- I am
causing thee to know that which is in the latter end of the indignation; for
at the appointed time [is] the end.
And he said
behold
I will make thee know
.... Or
"make known unto thee"F14מודיעך
"ego notum faciam tibi"
Piscator; "indicaturus tibi sum"
Michaelis. ; what he knew not
even things future: particularly
what shall be in the last end of the indignation; the
indignation of God against the people of Israel
in the sore affliction and
persecution of them by Antiochus
which he suffered to be; here the angel
suggests that that should not remain always
but should have an end; and he
would inform the prophet what should be at the close; or rather
as NoldiusF15Concord.
Ebr. Partic. p. 180. No. 809. renders it
"what shall be unto the last end
of the indignation"; all that should come to pass from the beginning of
the Persian monarchy
signified by the "ram"
quite through the
Grecian monarchy
designed by the "he goat"
unto the end of the
persecution by Antiochus; for
certain it is
the angel informed the prophet of
more things than what concerned the last part and
closing scene of these
sorrowful times; even of all the above said things
which intervened between
the setting up of the Persian monarchy
and the sufferings of the Jews in the
times of Antiochus; and so Aben Ezra interprets it
here
"is
declared the wrath of God upon Israel in the days of wicked Greece
and in the
days of Antiochus
until the Hasmonaeans cleansed the temple:'
for
at the time appointed the end shall be; the end of that indignation or
affliction
and so of this vision or prophecy: there was a time appointed by
God for the fulfilment of the whole; and when that time was come all would be
accomplished; the indignation would cease
and the persecution be at an end.
Daniel 8:20 20 The
ram which you saw
having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and
Persia.
YLT 20`The ram that thou hast
seen possessing two horns
[are] the kings of Media and Persia.
The ram which thou sawest having two horns
.... Here
begins the particular explanation of the above vision
and of the first thing
which the prophet saw in it
a ram with two horns: which two horns
he says
are the kings of Media and Persia; Darius the first king
was a Mede
and Cyrus
that succeeded him
or rather reigned with him
was a
Persian: or rather the ram with two horns signifies the two kingdoms of the
Medes and Persians united in one monarchy
of which the ram was an emblem; See
Gill on Daniel 8:3 for
Darius and Cyrus were dead many years before the time of Alexander; and
therefore could not personally be the two horns of the ram broken by him; nor
is it to be understood of the kings of two different families
as the one of.
Cyrus
and the other of Darius Hystaspes
in whose successors the Persian
monarchy continued till destroyed by Alexander
as Theodoret.
Daniel 8:21 21 And
the male goat is the kingdom[b] of Greece.
The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.
YLT 21And the young he-goat
the
hairy one
[is] the king of Javan; and the great horn that [is] between its
eyes is the first king;
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia
.... Including
all the kings of it
from Alexander to the end of the Grecian monarchy; or
rather the kingdom of Greece
which began in him
and continued until it was
destroyed by the Romans: this was signified by the rough or hairy goat
especially when Alexander was at the head of it
for his strength and prowess
his swiftness in his marches over rocks and mountains
his majesty and
grandeur
and also his lust and uncleanness; See Gill on Daniel 8:5
and the great host that is between his eyes is the first king; this is
Alexander
who
though he was not the first king of Macedon
his father Philip
and others
were kings before him; yet was the first king of the Grecian
monarchy
which took place on the Persian monarchy being destroyed by him.
Daniel 8:22 22 As
for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place
four
kingdoms shall arise out of that nation
but not with its power.
YLT 22and that being broken
stand up do four in its place
four kingdoms from the nation do stand up
and
not in its power.
Now that being broken
.... That is
the great
horn Alexander
the first king of the Grecian monarchy; whose death
either by
drunkenness
or by poison
is here expressed by being "broken". The
sense is
he being dead
or upon his death
whereas four stood up for it; four horns rose up in
the room and stead of the great one broken; see Daniel 8:8 these
signified that
four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation; which were
the kingdoms of Egypt
Asia
Macedonia
and Syria
into which the Grecian
monarchy was divided after the death of Alexander; and the first kings of them
were all of the Grecian or Macedonian nation
and not Egyptians
Armenians
Syrians
&c.:
but not in his power; they did not rise and
stand up in the power and strength
in the grandeur and magnificence
of
Alexander; they were not equal
but greatly inferior to him
though they were
notable horns
or famous kingdoms
as in Daniel 8:8. Saadiah
interprets it
not of his seed or offspring; these were not his sons that were
the heads of these kingdoms; but his captains or generals.
Daniel 8:23 23 “And
in the latter time of their kingdom
When the transgressors have reached their
fullness
A king shall arise
Having fierce features
Who understands sinister
schemes.
YLT 23`And in the latter end of
their kingdom
about the perfecting of the transgressors
stand up doth a king
fierce of face
and understanding hidden things;
And in the latter time of their kingdom
.... Toward
the close of the kingdom of the four kings that divided Alexander's kingdom;
for though they were four distinct kings
and had four separate kingdoms
yet
these all belonged to one kingdom or monarchy
the Grecian empire; and when
that was decreasing
and coming into the hands of the Romans
there rose up
stood
and flourished awhile
King Antiochus
afterwards described
who began
to reign in the hundred and thirty seventh year of the Seleucidae
"And
there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes
son of
Antiochus the king
who had been an hostage at Rome
and he reigned in the
hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.' (1 Maccabees 1:10)
and
166 B.C.
and the same year that he set up the abomination of desolation in the
temple at Jerusalem
as Mr. MedeF16Works
B. 3. c. 11. p. 654. has
observed
Aemilius the Roman consul conquered Perseus king of Macedon
whereby
all Greece came into the hands of the Romans; so that this king may be truly
said to arise and stand in the latter part of the Grecian empire
when that was
declining
and the Roman empire was taking place:
when the transgressors are come to the full; many among
the Jews
who apostatized from their religion
turned Heathens
even some of
the priests
when their number was completed
and they had filled up the
measure of their iniquities; in the Apocrypha:
"In
those days went there out of Israel wicked men
who persuaded many
saying
Let
us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since
we departed from them we have had much sorrow. &c.' (1 Maccabees 1:11)
a king of fierce countenance
and understanding dark sentences
shall stand up; meaning Antiochus; as is generally agreed
both by Jewish and
Christian interpreters
and to whom these characters agree: he was "hard
of face"F17עז פנים
"durus facie"
Calvin
Piscator; "validus facie"
Michaelis.
as it may be rendered; an impudent brasen faced man
who had no
shame nor fear in him; regarded neither God nor man; committed the most
atrocious crimes in the most public manner; and particularly was daring and
impudent in his blasphemy against God and the true religion; and it may also
signify that he was cruel
barbarous
and inhuman
especially to the Jews
as
his persecution of them abundantly proves: and his "understanding dark
sentences"
or "riddles"F18חידות
"aenigmata"
Pagninus
Montanus
Munster
Calvin
Piscator
Polanus.
which he could both propose and answer
shows him to be sagacious and
cunning
well versed in wicked craft and policy; he had the art of inveigling
and deceiving men; it was by deceit and cunning he got the kingdom from his
nephew; and
by the wicked art of persuasion he was master of
he seduced many
of the Jews to relinquish their religion
and embrace Heathenism; and so well
skilled he was in wicked politics
that he could cover his own designs
and
penetrate into the secrets of others; according to Jacchiades
he was skilful
in the art of magic and astrology. This is the little horn that was to rise out
of one of the four horns or kingdoms; as Antiochus did from that of Seleucus
and stood and reigned more than twelve years.
Daniel 8:24 24 His
power shall be mighty
but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully
And
shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty
and also the holy
people.
YLT 24and his power hath been
mighty
and not by his own power; and wonderful things he destroyeth
and he
hath prospered
and wrought
and destroyed mighty ones
and the people of the
Holy Ones.
And his power shall be mighty
but not by his own power
.... He should
possess a large kingdom
and that should be increased by conquests:
but not in his powerF19בכוחו "robore ipsius"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
the power of Alexander; he should not arrive to that greatness he did
as in Daniel 8:22 so
Jacchiades: or
"in his own power"F20"In fortitudine
sua"
Pagninus
Montanus; "per virtutem suam"
Munster. ; for it
was not so much by his own courage and valour
by any heroic actions of
Antiochus
he became so great
as by craft and deceit: through sedition he
procured the death of his father and eider brother; and by fraud got the
kingdom from his nephew; and through the perfidy of Menelaus and Jason
the
high priests of the Jews
and other apostates
he obtained what dominion he had
over the Jews; and it was by the assistance of Eumenes king of Pergamos
and
his brother Attalus
that he kept the kingdom he had usurped
who stood by him
in order to check the growing power of the Romans; and more especially it was
by a power given him from above
or by the permission and providence of God
who suffered him to be so great
and to prevail particularly over the Jews;
because of their sins
as Aben Ezra and Saadiah observe
to chastise them for
them: so his antitype
antichrist
became great and powerful
through craft and
policy
and by the help of the ten kings that gave their kingdoms to him:
and he shall destroy wonderfully; or beyond all credit
countries
cities
towns
and their inhabitants; he slew fourscore thousand
Jews in three days' time
bound forty thousand
and sold as many
"And
there were destroyed within the space of three whole days fourscore thousand
whereof forty thousand were slain in the conflict; and no fewer sold than
slain.' (2 Maccabees 5:14)
or
"he shall destroy wonderful things"F21נפלאות
"mirabilia"
Montanus
Polanus. ; the temple
and the wonderful
things of worth and value in it
so Saadiah and Jacchiades; he took away the
vessels of the temple
the golden lamps
the ark
and table of gold
&c.:
and shall prosper and practise; for a while do what he
pleased
none being able to oppose and hinder him; see Daniel 8:12.
and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people; by the
"mighty" may be meant the Egyptians
Parthians
and other nations he
made war with; and by the "holy people" the Jews
who were sanctified
and separated from other people by the Lord
to be a peculiar people; among
whom were his holy temple
his holy priests
his holy word
ordinances
and
worship; multitudes of these he destroyed
as before observed. Jacchiades
interprets this of the sons of Aaron
the holy priests of the Lord
whom he
slew.
Daniel 8:25 25 “Through
his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;[c] And he
shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their
prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be
broken without human means.[d]
YLT 25`And by his understanding
he hath also caused deceit to prosper in his hand
and in his heart he exerteth
himself
and by ease he destroyeth many; and against the prince of princes he
standeth -- and without hand he is broken.
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his
hand
.... His schemes were laid in such deep policy
and he managed so
artfully and craftily in the execution of them
that he commonly succeeded; as
in getting the kingdom of Syria from his nephew; and
under a pretence of peace
and friendship
and to defend Philometer king of Egypt
a minor
and by large
promises to the nobles of the land
made himself master of it; and by deceitful
methods he prevailed in Judea; see Daniel 11:21
and he shall magnify himself in his heart; swell with
pride
on account of success
through his policy
craft
and cunning
and think
himself above all mortals
and equal to God himself; yea
as his antitype
antichrist
exalt himself above all that is called God; fancy that he could
command the seas
weigh the mountains in scales
and reach heaven itself
in
the Apocrypha:
"And
thus he that a little afore thought he might command the waves of the sea
(so
proud was he beyond the condition of man) and weigh the high mountains in a
balance
was now cast on the ground
and carried in an horselitter
shewing
forth unto all the manifest power of God.' (2 Maccabees 9:8)
and by peace shall destroy many; under a pretence of
peace enter into countries and destroy the inhabitants of them
as in Egypt and
Judea; or
by leagues and treaties of peace
outwitting those he made peace
with; so some political princes do themselves more service
and their enemies
more hurt
by treaties than by battles: or "in peace"F23בשלוה "in pace"
Calvin
Vatablus; "in
tranquillitate"
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis. ; when at peace with them
or while they are in peace and
tranquillity; coming upon them unexpectedly at an unawares
when they did not
so much as dream of war:
he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; not the high
priest
as Grotius; nor Michael
as Aben Ezra; but God himself
as Saadiah and
Jacchiades; who is King of kings
and Lord of lords
the only Pontentate
to
whom all the princes above and below are subject; him Antiochus stood up
against
when he profaned his temple at Jerusalem
forbid his worship
persecuted and destroyed his people
and set up the image of Jupiter in his
house:
but he shall be broken without hand; alluding to his being a
horn; it is expressive of his death
and the manner of it; that he should not
die by the hand of an enemy in battle
nor be assassinated by the hand of a
ruffian
but be cut off by the immediate hand of God. Jacchiades says
that by
the providence of God he fell ill of a bad disease
and at the cry of one of
his elephants his chariot was overturned
and he fell on the ground
and his
bones were broken. Of his death
and the manner of it
in the Apocrypha:
"Now
when the king heard these words
he was astonished and sore moved: whereupon he
laid him down upon his bed
and fell sick for grief
because it had not
befallen him as he looked for.' (1 Maccabees 6:8)
"But
the Lord Almighty
the God of Israel
smote him with an incurable and invisible
plague: or as soon as he had spoken these words
a pain of the bowels that was
remediless came upon him
and sore torments of the inner parts;' (2 Maccabees 9:5)
"So
that the worms rose up out of the body of this wicked man
and whiles he lived
in sorrow and pain
his flesh fell away
and the filthiness of his smell was
noisome to all his army.' (2 Maccabees 9:9)
which
was much like that of Herod's
Acts 12:23
being
stricken with a violent disorder in his bowels: his body covered with worms;
his flesh flaked off
and emitted such a stench
as was intolerable to his
army. Aben Ezra says
he fell from the roof of a house
and was broken
and
died.
Daniel 8:26 26 “And
the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal
up the vision
For it refers to many days in the future.”
YLT 26And the appearance of the
evening and of the morning
that is told
is true; and thou
hide thou the
vision
for [it is] after many days.'
And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is
true
.... That is
of the 2300 evenings and mornings
or natural days;
unto which time the daily sacrifice was to cease
and the sanctuary and host
trodden under foot; and then the sanctuary would be cleansed. This account is
"true"
and not only to be believed
but is clear and plain
and to
be literally understood of so many days
of such a term of time exactly
having
no obscurity in it:
wherefore shut thou up the vision; the whole vision of the
ram and he goat
and the little horn: the meaning is
that he should keep it to
himself
and conceal it from men; not from his own people
for whose sake it
was given
but from the Chaldeans
whose destruction was near; and who would be
succeeded by the Persians
who might be disgusted with this prophecy
should
they see it
it foretelling the destruction of their empire: or this order was
given to suggest to Daniel that the fulfilment of it would be deferred some
time
during which it would not be so easy to be understood as when it was near
accomplishing and accomplished; and then prophecy and facts might be compared
together:
for it shall be for many days; it were three hundred
years
or more
from the reign of Belshazzar to the death of Antiochus
in
which this vision ends.
Daniel 8:27 27 And
I
Daniel
fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the
king’s business. I was astonished by the vision
but no one understood it.
YLT 27And I
Daniel
have been
yea
I became sick [for] days
and I rise
and do the king's work
and am
astonished at the appearance
and there is none understanding.
And I Daniel fainted and was sick certain days
.... Or
"then I Daniel fainted"F24So Noldius
Concord. Ebr. Part.
p. 309. ; after he had seen the vision
and had thought upon it
and considered
the afflictions that were to come upon the people of God
and the condition the
temple
and the worship of it
would be in; these so affected his mind
that he
not only fainted away
and was struck with a kind of stupor and amazement
but
had a fit of illness upon him
which continued some days; such a nearness and
sympathy there are between the soul and body:
afterwards I rose up; from the bed in which he
had laid some days ill:
and did the king's business; by which it appears
that
upon the death of Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel was as yet continued in the
service of the king of Babylon
though perhaps not in the same posts as before
and was not a favourite at court
and so much known as he had been; and also
that he was not in reality at Shushan
when he had this vision
but at Babylon:
and I was astonished at the vision; at the things contained
in it
which were of so much importance
respecting the kingdoms of the earth
especially the Persian and Grecian empires
and the state of his own people the
Jews:
but none understood it: to whom he showed it;
none but himself
who was made to understand it by the angel
Daniel 8:16.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)