Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 11
Quest. 11. Of the first beast representing the Chaldean Monarchie.
Concerning this Monarchie two things are declared. 1. The flourishing state. 2. and then the declining thereof.
For their prosperous state, they are compared vntounto the lyon and the eagle. 1. The vulgar Latine readeth a lionesse, whereupon Hierome noteth two properties in the Chaldean Monarchie, ingentem ferociam & libidinem, their fiercenes and intemperate lust: for the lionesse is more fierce then the lyon, and verie insatiable and intemperate, not onelyonly coupling with the Lyon, but with the Hyena, and the Pardus, whereof commeth that mixt kind of the Leopard: but the word here vsed, arieh, signifieth a lyon, not a lionesse: therefore that note hath no ground, which the ordinar. gloss. borroweth out of Hierome, that for crueltie this Monarchie is compared to a lyonesse, rather then to a lyon.
2. There are diuers names giuen vntounto lions according to their age, ghur, is a lyons whelpe, chephir, a young lyon, ghur shacal, a middle lyon, laish, an olde lyon, labi, a decrepite lyon.
3. The Chaldeans are resembled to a lyon, as Theodoret thinketh, because it was both the most auncient, and first of all, and it continued longest, almost a 1300. yeares, as Diodorus, and Ctesias G…idius write: but rather this comparison is made to shewe both the magnanimitie and courage of them, as likewise withall, their crueltie and rage: In the image, c. 2. the Chaldean state is compared vntounto gold, and here to a lyon, which is the most excellent and heroicall beast: thus also the Prophets resemble the Chaldeans to a lyon, Isa. 5. 29. Ierem. 4. v. 7.
4. By the Eagles wings is signified the great celeritie and swiftnesse of the Chaldeans in their conquests and victories: so also doe the other Prophets liken the Chaldeans to a swift Eagle, Ierem. 48. v. 40. Esech. 17. v. 3. by the two wings, are vnderstood, the Babylonian and Assyrian state, which now were both ioyned together, by the which this Monarchie was carried aloft aboue all others: Melanct. Osiand.
Then followeth a description of their declining estate, in these foure degrees. 1. the wings are pulled away: their dexteritie and courage is taken from them: t…e Chaldeans gaue themselues to idlenesse and pleasure: likewise the Persians pulled their wings, when they stripped them at once of all their dignitie and gouernement. 2. then it was reared from the earth: whereas they did flie aloft before, now it can scarce lift vp the head from the ground: the Latine readeth it was taken from the earth: but the Chaldean state remayned still after their wings were pulled, it was not vtterly dissolued. 3. then he was set vponupon his feete as a man: they could no longer flie with Eagles wings, but stood vponupon the ground as other ordinarie and priuate men. 4. and a mans heart was giuen him: they became timorous and fearefull, in so much that when the citie was besiedged, the Babylonians durst not looke out at their gates, Iun. comment. the Babylonians were tributarie to the Persians, and were their seruants to till their ground, and saluted them as their masters when they met them: they also maintained Cyrus garrison in Babylon: and so they which were lords before, became as ordinarie priuate men, Polan. ex Xenophon.
Aben Ezra, and Hyppolitus doe expound this of Nebuchadnezzar: Lyranus also, and the ordinar. gloss. do not mislike that interpretation, which Hugo. Car. and Osiander also follow; how his wings were clipped, and his pride abated, when he became as a bruit beast, depriued of his reason and vnderstanding: and when he was restored to his vnderstanding, he was as set vponupon his feete, and had a mans heart giuen him againe, whereas he had a beasts heart before till 7. yeares were past: But because this is a description of the whole state and Monarchie, and Nebuchadnezzar was at this time dead, the former interpretation is better.