Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 1 · Diverse readings
2. The diuers readings.
1. v. In the third yeare (in the yeares of three. C. for so shalash signifieth (three,) not the third, but when it is ioyned with an other word of a cardinall number, it becommeth an ordinal, that is, a number of order) of the raigne of Iehoiakim (not Ioachim. L. for he was the sonne of Iehoiakim, 2. King. 24. 6. whom Matthew calleth Ieconias, c. 1. and the one is written with kaph, the other with caph. Iehoiakim signifieth the resurrection of the Lord, or the Lord taking reuenge) came Nebuchadnezzer king of Babel (not into Ierusalem. L. for at the first comming he entred not into the citie) and besieged it.
2. v. And the Lord gaue into his hand (not in his hand. L. into his power. V.) Iehoiakim king of Iudah, and part of the vessells of the house of God, which he carried (that is the vessels, not the persons, as Iun. Polan. for he spake onelyonly of Iehoiakim before) into the land of Shinar, into the house of his God (not the house. Polan, for the whole land was not the house of his god. I. his gods. V. and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god (his gods. V. the treasurie. G.
3. v. And the king had said to Ashpenaz the master of the Eunuches (the master of the pallace. V. of the Courtiers: for so saris signifieth, as Potiphar is so called, Gen. 37. 36. who had a wife: but properly it signifieth an Eunuch, so called of keeping the chamber, of the Greeke word foreign, a chamber, and foreign, to keepe: Elias Levita noteth, that onelyonly the ministers or Courtiers of the Kings of Egypt, Babylon, Medes, and Persians were so called) that he should carie away, I. P. (rather, then bring. G. or bring in. L. V. for the same word is vsed in the same sense, to carie away, v. 2. and this charge was giuen at the taking of Ierusalem) some of the children of Israel, and of the kings seede, and of the Princes (of the tyrants. L. but that word, though sometime it were taken in the better part, is now out of vse: the word is (partemim) which Kimhi taketh for the princes about Euphrates: but Mercerus thinketh rather thereby to be signified the chiefe princes, and gouernours of the Prouinces.
4. v. Children in whome there was not any blemish, and well fauoured (heb. good to the sight) and instructed in all wisdome, and skilfull in knowledge, and endued with much vnderstanding, and in whome there was facultie; that they might stand in the kings palace: I. P. (better then, which were able to stand in the kings palace: for the distinction comming betweene doth diuide the sentence) and that they might teach them the learning, (heb. letters. I. P. L.) and tongue of the Chaldeans.
5. v. And the King appointed them prouision for eueryevery day (heb. the thing of the day in his day) of a portion of the Kings meate, and of the wine which he dranke (heb. of his drinks) and so to nourish them three yeares: that at the ende thereof they might stand before the King.
v. 6. Now there was among these of the children of Iudah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Hazariah:
v. 7. VponUpon whome the master of the Eunuches imposed other names: for he imposed vponupon Daniel (he called Daniel. G. but the word shum in the originall, signifieth to put on or impose) the name Belteshazzer, and on Hananiah, the name Shadrach, and on Mishael, the name Meshach, and on Hazariah, the name Abednego.
v. 8. But Daniel had purposed in his heart (heb. put it in his heart) that he would not defile himselfe (be defiled. L. V. but the word is, in hithpael, and hath a compound signification) with the portion of the Kings meate (not, with the Kings table, L.) and with the wine which he dranke: (heb. of his drinks) therefore he required of the chiefe of the Eunuches, (not, the chiefe of the Eunuches. G. for then the Hebrew preposition should be omitted) that he might not defile himselfe.
v. 9. Now God had brought (heb. gitten) Daniel into fauour and tender louelove (heb. rachamim) with the chiefe of the Eunuches (or prince of the Eunuches. I. master of the palace . V.)
v. 10. And the chiefe of the Eunuches said vntounto Daniel, I feare my Lord the King, who hath appointed your meate and your drinke: for wherefore (who if. L. V. G. but asher is here put for a causall (for) and (lammah) signifieth not (if) but (wherefore) should he see your faces worse liking (leaner. L. but the word properly signifieth, sadder, heauier, because they which are leane, are sadde and heauie) then the children which are of your sort . G. (your companions. L. equals, heb. which are according to your revolution, that is, of like time and standing, and are appointed likewise three yeares for their education) and so ye should make me loose my head. G. (condemne mine head. L. make me subiect vntounto a capitall sentence. V. make me guiltie of my head. I. heb. endebted for my head) vntounto the King.
11. Then said Daniel to the butler, I. Pol. (not to Melzar. L. V. A. G. for it is was a propername, as appeareth by the article (ha) set before it (hamelzar) whom the chiefe of the Eunuchs had set ouer Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Hazariah:
12. Trie, I beseech thee thy seruants tenue daies, and let them giuegive vntounto vsus of pulse that we may eate, and water, that we may drinke.
13. Then let our countenances be looked on before thee, and the countenances of the children that eate of the portion of the kings meate, and as thou seest, deale with thy seruants.
14. So he hearkned vntounto them in this thing, and tried them tenne daies.
15. And at the ende of tenne daies, their countenance appeared fairer, and they were better liking (more corpulent. L. heb. fatter in flesh) then all the children which did eate of the portion of the kings meate.
16. Then the butler (not Melzar, see before v. 11.) tooke away the portion of their meate (heb. was taking away) and the wine, that they should drinke, and gaue them pulse (heb. seede.)
17. And vntounto these fowre children (children. L. (fowre) is. omitted) God gaue knowledge and vnderstanding in all learning (sepher, in bookes or letters) and wisdome: also he gaue Daniel vnderstanding (heb. made Daniel to vnderstand) in all visions, and dreames.
18. Now when the daies were expired (heb. in the ende of the daies) which the king appointed (heb. said) to bring them in; the chiefe of the Eunuches brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar:
19. And the king communed with them, and there was not found of them all like vntounto Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Hazariah: therefore stood they before the king:
20. And in eueryevery matter of wisdome and vnderstanding, which the king enquired of them, he found them by tenne parts (tenne fold. L. tenne times. G.) better (heb. aboue, or superiour) then the Magicians, and Astrologers, that were in all his kingdome.
21. And Daniel was vntounto the first yeare of king Cyrus.