no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, astrologer, or Chaldæan: And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.' But the pride of absolute power cannot hear any reason, or bear any controu!; and the king greatly incensed presently ordered all the magicians and wise men of Babylon to be destroyed; ver. 12,-'For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.' Daniel and his fellows would have been involved in the same fate as the rest; but by their joint and earnest prayers to the God of heaven, the secret was revealed unto Daniel in a night vision, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven,'-ver. 19. Daniel thus instructed was desirous to save the lives of the wise men of Babylon, who were unjustly condemned, as well as his own; and he went unto Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus unto him, Destroy not the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the intrepretation,'—ver. 24. The captain of the guard immediately introduced him to the king, and said, 'I have found a man of the captives of Judah that will make known unto the king the interpretation,'-ver. 25. I have found a man,' said he, though Daniel had voluntarily offered himself; where Jerome remarks the manner of courtiers, qui cum bona nunciant, sua videri volunt, who, when they relate good things, are willing to have them thought their own, and to have the merit ascribed to themselves. But Daniel was far from assuming any merit to himself, and said very modestly, that 'this secret,' ver. 27, which the wise men, astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers could not show unto the king, was not revealed to him,' ver. 30, for any wisdom that he had more than others: but there is a God in hearen,' ver. 28, that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the King Nebuchadnezzar, what shall be in the latter days;' or 'what shall come to pass hereafter,' as it is expressed, ver. 29 & 45, twice afterwards. "The impious king," as Jerome justly observes, "had a prophetic dream, that, the saint interpreting it, God might be glorified, and the captives and those who served God in captivity might receive great consolation. We read the same thing of Pharaoh, not that Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar deserved to see such things, but that Joseph and Daniel by interpreting them might be preferred to all others." And as St. Jerome farther observes, "that come to pass.' a great image. Nebuchadnezzar might admire the grace of divine inspiration, Daniel not only told him what he saw in his dream, but also what he thought within himself before his dream." Ver. 29,- As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind, upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets, maketh known unto thee what shall Nebuchadnezzar's dream was of This great image,' ver. 31 whose brightness was excellent, stood before him, and the form thereof was terrible.' It appears from ancient coins and medals, that cities and people were often represented by figures of men and women. A great terrible human figure was therefore not an improper emblem of human power and dominion; and the various metals of which it was composed, not unfitly typify the va rious kingdoms which should arise. It consisted of four different metals, gold and silver, and brass and iron mixed with clay; and these four metals, according to Daniel's own interpretation, mean so many kingdoms; and the order of their succession is clearly denoted by the order of the parts, the head and "higher parts signifying the earlier times," and the lower the parts the later times."† "From hence," as Calvin conceives, "the poets drew their fables of the four ages of the world, the golden, the silver, the brazen, and the iron age; by which declension in this place it is signified, that the world always degenerates, and manners grow worse and worse." But Hesiod, who lived above 200 years before Daniel, mentioned the four ages of the world: so that this vision was formed agreeably to the common received notion, and the common received notion was not first propagated from hence. Whether this notion of the world's degenerating and growing worse and worse be true or not, these different kingdoms will naturally constitute the different heads of our discourse. And we shall follow the best * Hieron. Comment. in ver. 1. Vidit rex impius somnium futurorum, ut interpretante Sancto quod viderat, Deus glorificaretur; et captivorum Deoque in captivitate servientium sit grande solatium. Hoc idem in Pharaone legimus, non quod Pharao et Nabuchodonosor videre meruerint; sed quod Joseph et Daniel digni extiterint, qui interpretatione eorum omnibus præferrentur. Et postea in ver. 29-et ut Nabuchodonosor divinæ inspirationis miretur gratiam, non solum quid in somnio viderit, sed ante somnium quid tacitus cogitarit exponit. [Translated in the text.] Vol. 3, p. 1077 & 1080, edit. Benedict. Para statuæ quò superior, eò priora, quò inferior, eò seriora tempora significat Grot. in loc. [Translated in the text.] Ex hoc Danielis loco hauserunt poetæ fabulas suas de quatuor sæculis, aureo, argenteo, æreo, ferreo; qua declinatione h. 1. significatur, mundum semper decidere, et mores prolabi in deterius. Translated in the text.] Calvin apud Poli Synops. commentators from Josephus down to Sir Isaac Newton, but we shall regard no commentator so much as the truth of history, the evidence of reason, and the analogy of scripture. I. This image's head was of fine gold,'-ver. 32, which Danie. interprets, ver. 38,-Thou art this head of gold,' thou, and thy family, and thy representatives. The Babylonian therefore was the first of these kingdoms; and it was fitly represented by the head of fine gold,' on account of its great riches; and Babylon for the same reason was called by Isaiah, xiv. 4,- the golden city.' The Assyrian is usually said to be the first of the four great empires; and the name may be allowed to pass, if it be not taken too strictly. For the Assyrian empire, properly so called, was dissolved before this time; the Babylonian was erected in its stead; but the Babylonians are sometimes called Assyrians in the best classic authors, Herodotus, Xenophon, Strabo, and others, as well as in the holy scriptures. Daniel addresseth Nebuchadnezzar, as if he was a very powerful king, and his empire very large and extensive, ver. 37,—' Thou, O king, art a king of kings.' He perhaps might think, like some of his predecessors, that his conquests were owing to his own fortitude and prudence; Is. x. 13,- By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent; and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.' But the prophet assures him that his success must be primarily imputed to the God of heaven; ver. 37 & 38,- For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.' All the ancient eastern histories almost are lost: but there are some fragments even of heathen historians yet preserved, which speak of this mighty conqueror and his extended empire. Berosus in Josephus saith, that "he held in subjection Egypt, Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia, and by his exploits surpassed all the Chaldæans and Babylonians who reigned before him."* Josephus subjoins, that "in the archives of the Phoenicians there are written things * Κράτησαι δε φησι τον Βαβυλωνιον Αίγυπτο, Συρίας, Φοινικής, ̓Αραβίας, παντας δε ύπερβαλ λομενον ταις πράξεσι τις προ αύτω Χαλδαίων και Βαβυλωνίων Βεβασιλευκοτας. Dicit insuper quod Babylonius tenuerit Ægyptum, Syriam, Phoeniciam, Arabiam ; quodque priores Chaldæorum, et Babyloniorum reges universos rebus a se præclare gestis superarit. [Translated in the text. Apud Joseph. contra Apion, lib. 1, sect. 19, p. 1342, edit. Hudson. consonant to those which are said by Berosus concerning this king of the Babylonians, that he subdued Syria and all Phoenicia : With these likewise agrees Philostratus in his history, and Megasthenes in the fourth book of his Indian history, throughout which he attempts to show, that the forementioned king of the Babylonians exceeded Hercules in fortitude and greatness of exploits; for he affirms that he subdued the greatest part of Lybia and Spain."* Strabo likewise from the same Megasthenes asserts, that "this king among the Chaldæans was more celebrated than Hercules, and that he proceeded as far as to the pillars of Hercules, and led his army out of Spain into Thrace and Pontus."+ But his empire, though of great extent, was yet of no long duration; for it ended in his grandson Belshazzar, not 70 years after the delivery of this prophecy, nor above 23 years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar ; which may be the reason of Daniel's speaking of him as the only king, thou art this head of gold,' and 'after thee shall arise,' &c. the rest being to be considered as nothing; nor do we read of any thing good or great that was performed by them. II. His breast and his arms of silver,'-ver. 32, which Danie. interprets, ver. 39,- And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.' It is very well known, that the kingdom which arose after the Babylonians, was the Medo-Persian. "The two hands and the shoulders," saith Josephus, "signify that the empire of the Babylonians should be dissolved by two kings." The ἐν τοις ἀρχεῖοις των Φ ινικων συμφωνα τοις ύπο Βηρωσσο λεγομενοις ἀναγεγραπται, περί τε των Βαβυλωνιων βασιλέως, ότι και την Συρίαν και την Φοινικήν ἁπασαν ἐκεῖνος κατεςρε ψατο περί τάτων για συμφωνει και Φιλοςρατος ἐν ταις ίςοριαις,και Μεγασθένης ἐν τη τεταρτη των Ινδικών, δι' ἧς ἀποφαίνειν πειράται τον προειρημένον βασιλέα των Βαβυλωνίων, Ηρακλέας άνδρεια και μεγέθει πράξεων διενηνοχεναι καταςρέψασθαι γαρ αυτον φησι και Λιβύης την πολλης 'Iẞnpix.In archivis Phoenicum scripta reperiuntur, quæ cum iis conveniunt a Beroso narratis de rege Babyloniorum, Syriam scilicet et universam Phoeniciam illum subegisse. His sane adstipulatur Philostratus in historiis-et Megasthenes in quarto volumine rerum Iudicarum, ubi ostendere contendit prædictum Babyloniorum regem et fortitudine Herculem et gestarum magnitudine præstitisse: dicit enim eum Lybiæ bonam partem et Iberiam subjugasse. [Translated in the text.] Joseph. ibid. sect. 20, p. 1343. † Ναυοκοδροσορών δε τον παρα Χαλδαίοις εὐδοκιμήσαντα Ηρακλεως μαλλο, και έως Στηλών έλα αι,—και ἐκ της Ιβηριας εἰς την Θρακην και τον Πιντεν ἀγαγειν την τριτ.αν.-Navocodrosorum autem qui magis a Chaldæis probatur quam Hercules, usque ad Columnas pervenisse, et exercitum ex Hispania in Thraciam Pontumque duxisse. [Translated in the text.] Strab. lib. 15, p. 687, edit. Paris. p. 1007, edit. Amstel. 1707. See Usher's Annals. A. M. 3466, p. 100, Prideaux Connect. part 1, b. 2, Anno 539 Belshazzar 17. Ο Δί δε δυο χειρες και οι ώμοι σημαίνωσιν υπο δυο καταλυθήσεσθαι Β. σιλέων της ηγεμονιας two kings were the kings of the Medes and Persians, whose powers were united under Cyrus, who was son of one of the kings, and son-in-law of the other, and who besieged and took Babylon, put an end to that empire, and on its ruins erected the Medo-Persian or the Persian, as it is more usually called, the Persians having soon gained the ascendency over the Medes. This empire is said to be inferior as being less than the former, minus te as the Vulgar Latin translates it, because neither Cyrus nor any of his successors, ever carried their arms into Africa or Spain so far as Nebuchadnezzar is reported to have done: or rather inferior as being worse than the former, deterius te as Castalio translates it, for Dr. Prideaux asserts, and I believe he may assert very truly, that the kings of Persia were "the worst race of men that ever governed an empire." This empire from its first establishment by Cyrus to the death of the last king Darius Codomannus lasted not much above 200 years. Thus far all critics and commentators are agreed, that the two first kingdoms represented in Nebuchadnezzar's dream were the Babylonian and Persian. As to the rest there hath been some controversy, but with little reason or foundation for it, only that some persons are troubled with the spirit of contradiction, and will dispute about the plainest points. III. His belly and his thighs of brass,'-ver. 32, which Daniel interprets, ver. 39,- And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.' It is universally known, that Alexander the Great subverted the Persian empire. The kingdom therefore which succeeded to the Persian was the Macedonian; and this kingdom was fitly represented by brass; for the Greeks were famous for their brazen armour, their usual epithet being xaλkoXITWVES Axaio, the brazen-coated Greeks.' Daniel's interpretation in Josephus is, that "another coming from the west, completely armed in brass, shall destroy the empire of the Medes and Persians."+ This third kingdom is also said to bear rule over all the earth' by a figure usual in almost all authors. Alexander himself commanded, that he should be called "the king Suar. Duæ vero manus et humeri indicant imperium vestrum a duobus regibus ever sum iri [Translated in the text.] Joseph. Antiq. lib. 10, cap. 10, sect. 4, p. 457 edit. Hudson. * Prideaux Connect. part 1, b. 2, anno 559. Neriglissar, 1. + Την δε έχειων ἕτερος τις ἀπὸ δύσεως καθαιρήσει χαλκον ἐμφιεσμένος. illorum autem imperium alius quidam ab occidente veniens destruet, ære totus obductus. [Translated In the text] Joseph. Antiq. lib. 10, cap 10, sect. 4, p. 457, edit. Hudson. |