_Michael, "who is like God," alludes to the name of the Machabees; Who is like unto thee among the gods? The archangel protected the Jews, while Epiphanes was engaged beyond the Euphrates. --- Time. The nation was in the utmost distress. Only about seven thousand ill-armed men adhered to Judas: yet... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many. This shews the great number. All shall rise again. In a figurative sense, the Jews who seemed buried shall appear and fight. --- To see. Hebrew: "everlasting." (Calmet) --- St. Jerome has not seen a d (Haydock) in the word. This text is express for eternal happiness or misery. (Calmet) --- So... [ Continue Reading ]
_Learned in the law of God and true wisdom, which consists in knowing and loving God. (Challoner) --- Hebrew: "instructors." --- Instruct. Hebrew: "justify," in the same sense. The Machabees and other priests, &c. who instructed people in the law, and stood up for its defence, may be meant. (Calmet)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shut. The vision will not be understood till the event. (Calmet) --- It is not to be interpreted by human wit, but by the spirit of God, wherewith the Church is enlightened and governed. (St. Jerome in Gal.) (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Two angels of Persia and Greece, near the Tigris. (Maldonat)_ Judges. The Jews say they were Achab and Sedecias, (Origen) as this text seems to allude to Jeremias xxix. 21. or xxxiii. 14. But how were they burnt? since the Jews appear to have stoned them, unless they were delivered up to the king'... [ Continue Reading ]
_I. Hebrew: "He." Theod., Syriac and Arabic: "they said" to Gabriel. (Chap. x. 5.) Angels ask questions of each other. (Chap. viii. 13.) --- Wonders. How long shall this be in the dark, and the misery continue?_... [ Continue Reading ]
Heaven. He thus shews that he is not God. (Calmet) --- Time often implies a year. (Chap. iv. 13.) Hence he means three years and a half. Christ assures us that those days shall be shortened, (Matthew xxiv. 22.) and the persecutor shall tarry a short time. (Apocalypse xvii. 10. and xii. 14.) The same... [ Continue Reading ]
_Understand not. The prophets were obliged to pray, and sometimes to receive a fresh revelation to explain what they had seen. (Chap. ix. 2.; 1 Peter i. 11.; and 1 Corinthians xiv. 26.) What regarded Antiochus and the Church was almost inexplicable before the event, as the times of antichrist are to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mind. They were distracted by love, (Haydock) and rendered foolish._... [ Continue Reading ]
_White, by persecution endured with patience. (Chap. xi. 35.) --- Learned. While the weak Jews will be scandalized at this treatment, the virtuous will reflect that suffering is a trial of God's servants, and a mark of predestination._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Days: thirteen more than three and a half, as we reckon. The odd number might be neglected. (ver. 7.) The abomination continued three years and ten days, but the sacrifices had been discontinued six months and three days before. See Chap. viii. 14. If Daniel speak of lunar years, as is probable, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Days. After the three years and a half, fifty-eight days will occur before the death of Antiochus, when Judas will disperse the troops of his three generals. (Calmet) --- Some respite will be granted for forty-five days, during which sinners may repent. (Menochius) --- It is difficult to say why fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lot. Thou shalt enjoy a glorious resurrection, (Menochius) and thy dignities till death, for which thou must prepare. (Calmet) --- Days. "Hitherto," says St. Jerome, "we read Daniel, in the Hebrew volume; what follows, to the end, is translated from Theodotion's edition." (Haydock) --- The history... [ Continue Reading ]
_Back door, leading from the house. Strangers came by the other gates. (Calmet) --- Susanna had not perhaps at first intended to bathe. Cappel. accuses her of imprudence, without reason. He cannot believe that the old judges would be so sottish as they appear to have been. (Houbigant.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Angry. Cappel thinks the priests would not be so easily caught, or that such an imposture would not be so long concealed. But it was their interest to keep the secret, particularly if the king furnished the provisions; and in the night time they would not perceive the small ashes. (Houbigant.) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
_Death of the soul, (St. Jerome) and also of the body, if the adultery were detected. How much does Susanna surpass the famed Lucretia, who slew herself to shew that she had not consented to her violation! Si adultera cur laudata? Si pudica cur occisa? (St. Augustine, City of God i. 19.; St. Ambrose... [ Continue Reading ]
_Out. so the law ordained, when a woman was assaulted. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Asunder, being choked, and not poisoned. (Vales. 81.) (Menochius) --- The throat is narrow. (Solin. 43.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jew, or "a Jew is king;" Daniel governs all. (Grotius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_House. Religion is daring. Darius was weak, and only a sort of viceroy, left by Cyrus. (Houbigant.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_People, for greater shew of justice. (Worthington) --- We here behold the forms._... [ Continue Reading ]
_The den of lions. Daniel was twice cast into the den of lions: once under Darius, the Mede, because he had transgressed the king's edict, by praying three times a day; and another time under Evilmerodac, by a sedition of the people. This time he remained six days in the lions' den; the other time o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Carcasses: people condemned, (Calmet) or dead. (Houbigant.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Uncovered, pretending that respect for the company required it, or perhaps that they might detect her guilt by her blushes. (Calmet) --- But their real motive is here disclosed. (Haydock)_ _ Habacuc. The same, as some think, whose prophecy is found among the lesser prophets: but others believe him... [ Continue Reading ]
_Head, saying, "Thy malice brings on this chastisement, and not we." (Lyran.) --- They appear to discharge their conscience, (Leviticus i. 4. and xxiv. 14.) no as judges but as accusers. The people pass sentence. (ver. 41.) Adulteresses were stoned. (Leviticus xx. 10.) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seventh. He had not come before, supposing he was dead, till at last a rumour got to his ears, notwithstanding the precautions of the Babylonians, who hoped that Daniel would be starved to death. (Houbigant, Proleg. p. 2. p. 425 which end here.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Daniel. Greek adds, "besides thee there is no other." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Death. The multitude approved of this sentence, which the judges pronounced, pretending to act agreeably to the law. (Deuteronomy xxii.) (Worthington)_ _ Den, by the law of retaliation. (Chap. vi. 24.) (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then, &c. is not in Greek nor in the ancient manuscripts of St. Jerome. The verse may be taken from Chap. ii. 26. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XII. _ Boy. He was about twelve years old. (St. Ignatius, ad Magn.; Sulpitius ii.; Theod.) --- He might walk out, though he lodged at court. (Houbigant.) --- God enabled him to declare that Susanna was innocent. The people had consented to her death, but he stands up in her defence. (Worthi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Clear. This form is often used. (Acts xviii. 6.; Matthew xxvii. 24.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Truth. They had taken no precautions to ascertain it; which they ought to have done the more, as Susanna had always been highly esteemed. (Calmet) --- As the witnesses were positive, she must die, except their falsehood could be manifested, which not suspected. (Houbigant.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Old men. They speak sarcastically; or rather other senators, who had not been in the plot, address Daniel._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Two. This punishment was not unusual: yet it is probable that the two old men were stoned to death by the law of retaliation. (ver. 61.; Exodus xix. 4.) There is an allusion, in Greek, between schinon and schisei, and also between Prinos and prisei; (ver. 58, 59) and hence it is concluded that this... [ Continue Reading ]
_Israel, when you were judges in Assyria. (ver. 5.) (Haydock) --- Conversed. No one could be alone with women, in the East, without suspicion._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neighbour; stoning or strangling them, unless they gave them up to Nabuchodonosor's officers. (ver. 5.) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Forward. By this first prophetical act Daniel acquired fame, (Worthington) which he retained till the death of Astyages. (Maldonat; Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Astyages, or Darius. (Chap. v. 31.) This belongs to the following chap. (Calmet) or to the 9th. (Worthington) --- Cyrus. Little is known about his birth or death. Yet all agree that he conquered the Chaldeans. (Calmet)_ DANIEL 14 CHAPTER XIV.... [ Continue Reading ]