Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Argument method – Doctrines 1
1. The Argument and Methode.
THis Chapter hath two parts, 1. Daniels prayer and supplication, to v. 20. 2. then the effect of his prayer, thence vntounto the ende.
1. There is set forth, 1. the occasion of his prayer: what it was, he vnderstood by reading the Prophet Ieremie, that the 70. yeares of captiuitie was accomplished, v. 2. what it wrought, it mooued him vntounto carnest prayer and supplication, v. 3. which is set forth by the circumstance of the time, in the first yeare of Darius, v. 1. 2. then followeth the inuocation it selfe, v. 5. 3. the praier consisting partly of a confession, v. 15. the seuerall parts and arguments whereof, see quest. 7. following: partly of an earnest deprecation, to v. 20. the particulars whereof, see also, qu. 7.
2. In the effect of his praier, there is expressed, 1. who it was that came vntounto him, the Angel Gabriel, v. 21. 2. when, the generall time is described, while Daniel was yet praying, v. 20. the particular, in the time of the euening sacrifice. 3. what message the Angel brought: which is deliuered first in generall, then in particular: in the generall foure things are shewed. 1. the commandement giuen vntounto him. 2. the cause thereof, Daniel was beloued. 3. the ende, to informe Daniel. 4. with a stirring of him vp to attention, v. 22, 23. In the particular declaration, two things are deliuered, the office of the Messiah, with such things as should happen vntounto him, he should be slaine; and the destruction of the citie, which should follow as a iust iudgement for putting the Messiah to death.
The time limited concerning the Messiah, 1. is set forth in an whole summe of 70. weekes: wherein three things are declared: 1. the time summed by propheticall weekes of yeares. 2. for whome, vponupon thy people. 3. what things should be done in this time: euen these three: 1. the sealing vp of former visions, which should be accomplished in the Messiah. 2. the anointing of the Messiah to his office. 3. the benefits procured by the Messiah, either in taking away sinne, both in finishing it, that it should raigne no more in his members, in sealing it in the remission and forgiuenes thereof; and reconciling, that is paying the ransome for it: and in bringing in euerlasting righteousnes, v. 24. 2. this time is set forth in parts. 1. seuen weekes are set apart for the building of Ierusalem. 2. after 62. weekes the Messiah shall be slaine, v. 26. 3. in the 70. and last weeke he shall confirme the couenant, and the sacrifices shall cease, v. 27.
The destruction of the citie is shewed, 1. by whome, by a Prince that should come. 2. what he should doe, destroy the citie and Sanctuarie. 3. the manner thereof, it should be made desolate for euer, v. 26, 27.
2. The text with the diuerse readings.
v. 1. In the first (one. H.) yeare of Darius (Dariavesh. H.) the sonne of Ahashuerosh (Achasverosh. H.) of the seede of the Medes, wherein (which V. L. B. Gahefirst rather: it is better referred to the yeare, wherein he was … king, then to the person that was made) he was made king (ruled. L. S. but the word is in the passiue) ouer the Realme of the Chaldeans.
2 In the first yeare of his raigne, I Daniel vnderstood by bookes the number of the yeares, whereof the word of the Lord came (was. H.) vntounto Ieremiah the Prophet, to accomplish the desolation of Ierusalem seuentie yeares.
3 I turned my face (gaue my face. H.) vntounto the Lord (Iehouah, H. and so throughout for the most part where (Lord) is translated) God, to seeke him by praier (in seeking praier. S.) and supplication, with fasting, sackeloath, and ….
4 And I praied vntounto the Lord my God, and made my confession (confessed. H.) saying, Oh B. G. (or I pray thee. A. I. V.) Lord God, great and fearefull, which keepeth merciemercy toward them which louelove him, I. A. B. (which louelove thee. L. S. V. G.) … the pronoune affix is here of the third person) and toward them which keepe his commandements.
5 We hauehave sinned, and committed iniquitie, and hauehave done wickedly, yea, we hauehave rebelled, and hauehave departed from thy precept…, and from thy iudgements.
6 For we would not … vntounto (obey. L. V. S.) thy seruants the Prophets, which spake in thy name to our Princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 To thee, O Lord▪ belongeth righteousnes, and to vsus confusion of face (open shame. B. G.) as it is this day (as is come to passe. B. or appeareth this day. G.) to eueryevery man of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem: yea, vntounto all Israel, neere, or farre off throughout all the countries, whither thou hast driuen them, because of their trespasses, which they hauehave trespassed agai…st thee.
8 O Lord, vntounto vsus appertaineth shame (or confusion) of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our fathers, because we hauehave sinned (not they hauehave sinned. L. the verbe is put in the first person) against thee.
9 VntoUnto the Lord our God (pertaineth) compassion and forgiuenes, because (albeit. G. V. although. B. but the word is, chi, because) we hauehave rebelled against him (and therefore they looked onelyonly for merciemercy from the Lord, hauing no power in themselues.)
10 For we hauehave not hearkned vntounto the voice of the Lord our God, to walke in his lawes (law. L.) which he set before vsus (gaue before our face. H.) by the hand (that is, the ministerie, G.) of his seruants the Prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel hauehave transgressed thy law, in turning backe, and not hearkning to thy voice: therefore the curse is powred vponupon vsus, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the seruant of God, because we hauehave sinned against him.
12 And he hath confirmed his words (eueryevery one of his words. I.) which he spake against vsus, and our Iudges, that iudged vsus, by bringing vponupon vsus a great plague, (euill. H.) for vnderunder the whole heauen was not done the like, as is now come to passe (done. H.) in Ierusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this euill is come vponupon vsus: yet made we not our prayers before (entreated the face of. H.) the Lord our God, that we might turne vsus from our iniquities, and vnderstand thy (in or toward thy) truth.
14 Therfore the Lord hath made readie the plague (watched ouer the euill. H.) & brought it vponupon vsus: for righteous is the Lord our God in all the works which he doth: for we would not hearken to his voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, which hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand, and hast gotten thee renowne (G. a name. H.) as appeareth this day, (which remaineth this day. V. B.) we hauehave sinned, we hauehave done wickedly.
16 O Lord, according to all (not in all. L. S. the word is cecol, not becol) thy righteousnes, I beseech thee, let thine anger, and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Ierusalem, thy holy mountaine: (the mountaine of thy holines. H.) for because of our sinnes, and the iniquities of our fathers, Ierusalem and thy people are a reproach to all that are round about vsus (to all our circuits. H.)
17 Now therefore, O Lord our God, heare (hearken vntounto. H.) the praier of thy seruant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine vponupon thy Sanctuarie, that lieth wast, for the Lords sake (not, for thy sake. L. S. for the word adonai is expressed.)
18 O my God, encline thine eare and heare, and behold our desolations, and the citie (G. or of the citie. V. I.) whereupon thy name is called (whereon thy name is called vponupon it. H.) for not for our righteousnes doe we prostrate our praiers (L. present our prayers. B. G. pray falling downe. I. powre out our prayers. V. cause our praiers to fall. H.) before thee, but for thy great tender mercies.
19 O Lord, heare, O Lord forgiue, O Lord attend, and doe it: deserre not, for thine owne sake (for thy selfe. H.) O my God: for thy name is called vponupon thy citie, and vponupon thy people. (that is, they are called by thy name. V. I.
20 And while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sinne, and the sinne of my people Israel, and did prostrate (cause to fall. H. as before v. 18.) my supplications before the Lord my God, for the holy Mountaine (mountaine of the holines. H.) of my God:
21 Yea, while I was speaking in my praier, the man Gabriel, whome I had seene in the vision at the first (in the morning. H.) came flying (beeing bid or made to flie. H. for the word is in hophal) earnestly (with wearines. H. or swiftly. V.) and touched me about the time of the euening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to giuegive thee vnderstanding and knowledge. (to make thee perceiue vnderstanding. H.)
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandement (the word. H.) came forth, and I am come to shew it (thee. L. B. G. ad.) for thou art much desired (that is, accepted of God. I. greatly beloued. B. G. a man of desires. L. S. chamudoth, desires. H. D. Kimhi readeth (hamiddoth) a man of vertues: and he is called a man of desires, not actiuely, because he much desired the deliuerance of the people, but passiuely, because he was a man according to Gods desire, that is, beloued, and accepted of him: so Vatab. a man desirous of things to be wished for, vnderstanding it also actiuely, of Daniels desire) therefore vnderstand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seuentie weekes are cut out (it is cut out. H. impersonally: are determined. V. B. G. are abbreuiated, or shortened, L. but chatac signifieth to cut out) vponupon (or ouer) thy people, and vponupon thine holy citie (citie of thy holines. H.) to restraine (finish. V. L. S: B. G. but the word is cala, with aleph, which signifieth to restraine, but calah with he, signifieth to finish) and to seale vp (A. I. B. G. S. rather then to finish sinnes. L. V. P. the word is chatam, to seale) to reconcile iniquitie (not, that iniquitie be taken away, L.) and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes, and to seale vp the vision (not, that the vision be fulfilled. L.) and the Prophet (I. A. not prophesie, L. S. V. B. G. for nabi signifieth a Prophet, not prophecie) and to anoint the most Holy (the holines of holines. H.)
25. Know therefore and vnderstand, that from the going forth of the word to bring againe the people (to cause to returne. H. not to answer. S. or restoare. I. or to cause to returne and build, that is to build againe. L. V. for although the same word be vsed in the same sense in the ende of the verse, the streete shall returne, and be built, that is shall againe be built, yet it is there in an other forme, here it is in hiphil, which signifieth to cause to return) and to build Ierusalem, vntounto Messiah (Christ. L. S.) the Prince shall be seuen weekes, and threescore and two weekes; and the streete shall be built againe, and the ditch (that is, the compasse of the wall. V. the wall. S. B. G.) in a troublesome time, (in the straitnes of time. H. B. not in a short time. V. or the time shall be euacuated. S.)
26. And after threescore and two weekes the Messiah (anointed. H. Christ. L. not the vnction or anointing. S.) shall be destroied (slaine. B. G.) and not for himselfe (Br. B. better then, there shall be no iudgement, that is, fault worthie of iudgement in him. S. or he shall hauehave nothing, that is, he shall seeme to hauehave no beautie. G. or nothing to doe with Ierusalem. I. or there shall be none to helpe him. V. see qu. 64. the vulgar Latine thus, he shall hauehave no people which should denie him) and the people of the Prince that shall come, shall destroy the citie and the Sanctuarie (see the diuers readings, qu. 74.) and the ende thereof shall be with a flood: and vntounto the ende (not after the ende. L.) it shall be destroied by desolations (or extreame desolation is appointed. L. V.)
27 He shall confirme the couenant with many for one weeke: and in the middes (or halfe) of the weeke he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease (some read thus, the halfe of the weeke shall cause to cease, &c. V. Br.) and vponupon the wing (that is, the Temple) shall be the abomination of desolation. L. S. (better then, by the ouerspreading of abomination he shall make it desolate. B. G. or by the legions or armie of abominations making desolate. I. or the destroier shall be vponupon the wing of abominations. V. see further for the best reading, qu. 87. and 88. in the ende) euen vntill the consummation determined (precise consummation. H.) it shall be powred (that is, desolation. I. continue. L.) vponupon the desolate.