Analysis of the Chapter This chapter contains an account of a vision seen by the prophet in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. The prophet either was, or appeared to be, in the city of - afterward the capital of the Persian empire, in the province of Elam. To that place - then an important t... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING BELSHAZZAR - In regard to Belshazzar, see Intro. to Daniel 5 Section II. A VISION APPEARED UNTO ME - This vision appears to have occurred to him when awake, or in an ecstasy; the former one occurred when he was asleep, Daniel 7:1. Compare Daniel 8:17, where the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW IN A VISION - I looked as the vision appeared to me; or I saw certain things represented to me in a vision. On the word vision, see the notes at Daniel 1:17. The meaning here would seem to be that a vision appeared to Daniel, and that he contemplated it with earnestness, to understand what... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I LIFTED UP MINE EYES AND SAW - And saw in vision, or there seemed to be before me. THERE STOOD BEFORE THE RIVER - On the bank of the river. A RAM WHICH HAD TWO HORNS - There can be no error in explaining the design of this symbol, for in Daniel 8:20 it is expressly said that it denoted the t... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW THE RAM PUSHING WESTWARD, AND NORTHWARD, AND SOUTHWARD - Denoting the conquests of the united kingdom. The east is not mentioned, for none of the conquests of the Medo-Persian empire extended in that direction: Yet nothing could better express the conquests actually made by the Medo-Persian em... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS I WAS CONSIDERING - As I was looking on this vision. It was a vison which would naturally attract attention, and one which would not be readily understood. It evidently denoted some combined power that was attempting conquest, but we are not to suppose that Daniel would readily understand wha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CAME TO THE RAM ... - Representing the Medo-Persian power. AND RAN UNTO HIM IN THE FURY OF HIS POWER - Representing the fierceness and fury with which Alexander attacked the Persians at the Granicus, at Issus, and at Arbela, with which he invaded and overthrew them in their own country. Noth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW HIM, COME CLOSE UNTO THE RAM - The ram standing on the banks of the Ulai, and in the very heart of the empire. This representation is designed undoubtedly to denote that the Grecian power would attack the Persian in its own dominions. Perhaps the vision was represented at the place which w... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE HE-GOAT WAXED VERY GREAT - The Macedonian power, especially under the reign of Alexander. AND WHEN HE WAS STRONG, THE GREAT HORN WAS BROKEN - In the time, or at the period of its greatest strength. Then an event occurred which broke the horn in which was concentrated its power. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OUT OF ONE OF THEM, CAME FORTH A LITTLE HORN - Emblematic of new power that should spring up. Compare the notes at Daniel 7:8. This little horn sprang, up out of one of the others; it did not spring up in the midst of the others as the little horn, in Daniel 7:8, did among the ten others. This s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAXED GREAT - It became very powerful. This was eminently true of Antiochus, after having subdued Egypt, etc. EVEN TO THE HOST OF HEAVEN - Margin, against. The Hebrew word (עד _‛__ad_) means “to” or “unto,” and the natural idea would seem to be that he wished to place himself among the stars,... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, HE MAGNIFIED HIMSELF EVEN TO THE PRINCE OF THE HOST - Grotius, Ephraem the Syrian, and others, understand this of Onias the high priest, as the chief officer of the holy people. Lengerke supposes that it means God himself. This interpretation is the more probable; and the idea in the phrase “pr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A HOST WAS GIVEN HIM - The Vulgate renders this, “and strength - _robur_ - was given him, etc.” Theodotion, “and sin was permitted - ἐδόθη _edothē_ - against the sacrifice; and this righteousness was cast on the ground; so he acted and was prospered.” Luther renders it, “and such might (or po... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I HEARD ONE SAINT SPEAKING - One holy one. The vision was now ended, and the prophet represents himself now as hearing earnest inquiries as to the length of time during which this desolation was to continue. This conversation, or these inquiries, he represents himself as hearing among those who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO ME - Instead of answering the one who made the inquiry, the answer is made to Daniel, doubtless that he might make a record of it, or communicate it to others. If it had been made to the inquirer, the answer would have remained with him, and could have been of no use to the world. F... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS ... - Daniel saw the vision, but was unable to explain it. AND SOUGHT FOR THE MEANING - Evidently by meditating on it, or endeavoring in his own mind to make it out. THERE STOOD BEFORE ME AS THE APPEARANCE OF A MAN - One having the appearance of a man. This was evidently Gabrie... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I HEARD A MAN’S VOICE BETWEEN THE BANKS OF ULAI - See the notes at Daniel 8:2. The voice seemed to come from the river, as if it were that of the Genius of the river, and to address Gabriel, who stood near to Daniel on the shore. This was doubtless the voice of God. The speaker was invisible, an... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE CAME NEAR WHERE I STOOD - He had seen him, evidently, at first in the distance. He now drew near to Daniel, that he might communicate with him the more readily. AND WHEN, HE CAME, I WAS AFRAID, AND FELL UPON MY FACE - Doubtless perceiving that he was a celestial being. See the notes at Revela... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH ME, I WAS IN A DEEP SLEEP ON MY FACE TOWARD THE GROUND - Overcome and prostrate with the vision. That is, he had sunk down stupified or senseless. See Daniel 10:9. His strength had been entirely taken away by the vision. There is nothing improbable in this, that the sudd... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, BEHOLD, I WILL MAKE THEE KNOW WHAT SHALL BE IN THE LAST END OF THE INDIGNATION - In the future time when the Divine indignation shall be manifest toward the Hebrew people; to wit, by suffering the evils to come upon them which Antiochus would inflict. It is everywhere represented that t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RAM WHICH THOU SAWEST ... - See the notes at Daniel 8:3. This is one of the instances in the Scriptures in which symbols are explained. There can be no doubt, therefore, as to the meaning.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ROUGH GOAT - See the notes at Daniel 8:5. In Daniel 8:5 he is called a he-goat. Here the word rough or hairy - שׂעיר _s'â‛ı̂yr_ - is applied to it. This appellation is often given to a goat Leviticus 4:24; Leviticus 16:9; Genesis 37:31. It would seem that either term - a he-goat, or a hairy... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THAT BEING BROKEN - By the death of Alexander. WHEREAS FOUR STOOD UP FOR IT - Stood up in its place. FOUR KINGDOMS SHALL STAND UP - Ultimately. It is not necessary to suppose that this would be immediately. If four such should in fact spring out of this one kingdom, all that implied in the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THE LATTER TIME OF THEIR KINGDOM - When it shall be drawing to an end. All these powers were ultimately absorbed in the Roman power; and the meaning here is, that taking the time from the period of their formation - the division of the empire after the battle of Ipsus (see the notes at Daniel... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS POWER SHALL BE MIGHTY - He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests of Egypt and other places show that he deserved to be numbered among the mighty kings of the earth. BUT NOT BY HIS OWN POWER - That is, it shall not be by any strength of his own, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THROUGH HIS POLICY - The word rendered “policy” here (שׂכל _s'êkel_) means, properly, intelligence, understanding, wisdom; and then, in a bad sense, craft, cunning. So it is rendered here by Gesenius, and the meaning is, that he would owe his success in a great measure to craft and subtilty. HE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE VISION OF THE EVENING AND THE MORNING - That is, of the two thousand three hundred days. See Daniel 8:14, and the margin on that verse. The meaning here is, “the vision pertaining to that succession of evenings and mornings.” Perhaps this appellation was given to it particularly because it p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I DANIEL FAINTED - Hebrew, “I was “ - נהייתי _nı̂h__e__yēythı̂y_. Compare Daniel 2:1. The meaning, according to Gesenius (“Lexicon”), is, “I was done up, and was sick:” - I was done over, etc. Perhaps the “reason” of his using this verb here is, that he represents himself as “having been sick,”... [ Continue Reading ]