Daniel 4:17

This matter either The word (i.e. The sentence, R.V., as Ecclesiastes 8:11 [cf. Esther 1:20, the decree, for the same word in Hebrew]), or (in a weakened sense), The thing (cf. Daniel 3:16 -in this matter"), i.e. what has just been described.

by the decree&c. implying that it is unalterably fixed.

of the watchers, &c. in Daniel 4:24 the king's doom is said to be -by the decree of the Most High." God is represented in the O.T. as surrounded by an assembly of angels (1 Kings 22:19), who form almost a kind of heavenly council, Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 15:8 (R.V. marg.), Jeremiah 23:18; Psalms 89:7; and it seems that in Dan. the decree is regarded as possessing the joint authority of God and of His council. By the later Jews this assembly of angels was called God's -court of judgement" (בית דין), or His -family" (פמליא); and He was represented as taking counsel with it, or communicating to it His purposes (so Genesis 1:26 in the Targ. of Ps.-Jon.). In Sanh.38 bit is said, "The Holy One, blessed be He! does nothing without first consulting the family above, as it is said (Daniel 4:17), -By the decree of the watchers," &c." See further Weber, System der Altsynag. Theol.p. 170 f.

the demand probably the matter (R.V. marg.). The Aram. means either a request(1 Kings 2:16, Heb. and Targ., Luke 23:24, Pesh. for αἴτημα), or a question, subject of discussion or dispute (Jeremiah 12:1, Targ.); and is hence generally supposed to have here the weakened sense of the matter. (-Demand" must be understood in a sense analogous to that expressed by the verb in Daniel 2:27 (see the note); there is no warrant for giving the Aram. word the sense of authoritativerequest.)

to the intent&c. the humiliation of the mighty king is to teach all who witness it that God is supreme over the kingdoms of the world.

the basest i.e. the lowest (R.V.), viz. in rank and position, not in character. - Base" in Old English meant -low, humble, not necessarily worthless or wicked," (Wright, Bible Word-Book, s.v.). Polydore Vergil i. 70 (cited ib.), -which the baser sorte[i.e. common people] doe sometime superstitiouslye note as signs and wonders." In 1 Corinthians 1:28 the -base things of the world" (τὰ ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου) means merely -things of no account"; and in 2 Corinthians 10:1 St Paul in calling himself (A.V.) -base among you," of course really only means to say that he is -lowly" (R.V.). Cf. Ezekiel 17:14; Ezekiel 29:14-15. The same word which is used in the Aram. here is used also (in its Heb. form) in Job 5:11, -to set up on high those that be low;" Psalms 138:6, -yet hath he respect unto the lowly," and Isaiah 57:15 (-humble").