EXCURSUS F: DANIEL’S PRAYER (DANIEL 9). The resemblance between Daniel’s prayer and those recorded in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Baruch will appear more distinctly from the following table: — DANIEL 9. Ezra 9. Nehemiah 9. Baruch. Daniel 9:4 Nehemiah 9:32 Daniel 9:5 Ezra 9:7... [ Continue Reading ]
IX. (1) On Darius the Mede see _Excursus D._ WAS MADE KING. — The phrase corresponds with “took the kingdom” (Daniel 5:31), and shows that Darius was not king by his own right, but that he received his authority from another — _i.e.,_ Cyrus.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDERSTOOD. — He gave special attention to Jeremiah’s prophecy of the seventy years of the Captivity. Two passages occur in that prophet’s writings where the duration of the Captivity is mentioned (Jeremiah 25:11; Jeremiah 29:10), to the former of which Daniel refers (see especially Daniel 9:9; Dani... [ Continue Reading ]
I SET MY FACE. — Comp. Daniel 6:11. Probably he prayed, as on that occasion, with his face towards Jerusalem. The prayer of Daniel bears some resemblance to those offered by Ezra and Nehemiah, while that of Baruch resembles it much more closely. (On this see _Excursus F._)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COVENANT. — See Exodus 19:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE SINNED. — It has been remarked that four stages of sin are pointed out by the prophet, corresponding to the four different words which he uses. “Sin” refers especially to sins of deed, “committing iniquity” to sins of word, “done wickedly” to sins of thought, “rebelled” implies the person ag... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER HAVE WE HEARKENED. — The aggravation of guilt. All God’s warnings have been unheeded by high and low alike, by all to whom they were addressed.... [ Continue Reading ]
RIGHTEOUSNESS. — The absolute righteousness of God appears distinct and clear in spite of the chastisement from which the nation suffers. Meanwhile, the humble looks of the devout part of the nation show that it feels the present shame and confusion. ALL THE COUNTRIES. — See Isaiah 11:11. In the mi... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFUSION OF FACE. — Repeated from Daniel 9:7, so as to bring into stronger contrast the mercy of God (Daniel 9:9) with the righteousness” mentioned in Daniel 9:7. St. Jerome well remarks, “_Post sententiam judicantis provocat eum ad clementiam.”_ The absolute mercy and forgiveness of God is implied... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CURSE. — The passages in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, to which Daniel refers, had already been noticed by Isaiah (Isaiah 1), as having received a partial fulfilment in his times. It remains for Daniel to realise the complete “pouring” out of the curse. It is poured out like a torrent... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR JUDGES. — Used in a wide sense to signify kings, princes, and rulers generally. (Comp. Hosea 7:7.)... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE WE NOT OUR PRAYER. — The reference is, as in Daniel 9:6, to the conduct of the nation from the first. There had been plenty of external show of praying, as appears from Isaiah 1 and elsewhere, but these prayers were of no effect on account of their formalism. The conditions of acceptable prayer... [ Continue Reading ]
WATCHED. — By the use of this word it seems that Daniel is again referring to the prophecies of Jeremiah. (See Jeremiah 1:12, &c.) He prays that as all the curses foretold by that prophet have been poured upon the nation, so also the release from the Captivity, which was also promised by him, may be... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST BROUGHT. — The mention of past mercies moves Daniel to pray that future mercies may be granted. His language is founded partly upon Jeremiah 32:17, and partly upon Isaiah 63:11. The Babylonian exile is frequently compared by Isaiah (_e.g.,_ Isaiah 51:9) to Egyptian bondage. Daniel reproduc... [ Continue Reading ]
RIGHTEOUSNESS. — Those acts of Jehovah which evince His righteousness, or His faithfulness to His promises. Mount Zion, the “holy mountain,” holds a very important place in prophecy. It is the outward visible sign of the stability of God’s promises to David, the “sure mercies of David,”’ as well as... [ Continue Reading ]
CAUSE THY FACE TO SHINE. — See Numbers 6:25. The meaning is “let thy works show the fulfilment of “thy Word.” FOR THE LORD’S SAKE. — Comp. Daniel 9:19, “because Thou art the Lord.” Never does prayer rise higher, than when the soul humbly appeals to God as the sovereign lord of all, and patiently wa... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILES I WAS SPEAKING. — The answer to Daniel’s prayer. He had not even finished his prayer when the answer came. The angel Gabriel, whom he had seen (Daniel 8:16), comes to him, and reveals to him the mystery of the seventy weeks.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEING CAUSED TO FLY SWIFTLY. — A very difficult expression, occurring only here. The Authorised Version follows the LXX. and Theodotion. The rendering has been defended on the ground that the word translated “swiftly” comes from a root meaning “to fly.” and is literally rendered by _flight._ Thus “c... [ Continue Reading ]
HE INFORMED ME — _i.e._, gave me understanding (as Daniel 9:2; Daniel 8:16). The angel gave Daniel understanding in the perplexing words of Jeremiah, showing him that what affected his people was a period of seventy weeks that were yet to come, rather than seventy years which were already passed.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMMANDMENT. — The marginal version is to be preferred, which points to the revelation which follows Daniel 9:24. The title “greatly beloved” occurs again (Daniel 10:11; Daniel 10:19). It implies that Daniel was worthy of this proof of God’s love. St. Jerome compares (2 Samuel 12:25) Jedidiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVENTY WEEKS. — Great difficulty is experienced in discovering what sort of weeks is intended. Daniel 9:25 are sufficient to show that ordinary weeks cannot be meant. Possibly, also, the language (Daniel 10:2, margin “weeks of days”) implies that “weeks of days” are not intended here. On the other... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW THEREFORE. — The difficulty of this verse is considerably increased by the principal accent in the Hebrew text being placed after the words “seven weeks.” According to the present punctuation, the translation is “Unto an Anointed one a prince shall be seven weeks, and during sixty and two weeks... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THREESCORE AND TWO WEEKS. — These words can only mean that in the seventieth week the Anointed one shall be cut off. Observe the care with which the seventy weeks are arranged in a series of the form 7 + 62 + 1. During the period of seven weeks Jerusalem is to be rebuilt. The “troublous times”... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL CONFIRM. — The subject of the sentence is ambiguous. Theod. makes it to be “one week.” LXX. “the covenant;” others take it to be the Antichristian prince spoken of in the last verse, an opinion which derives some support from Daniel 7:25. According to this interpretation, the covenant r... [ Continue Reading ]