Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Daniel · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Ver. 1. IN the third year of Cyrus King of Perſia] This whole chapter is but a Preface to the enſuing Prophecy, or viſional prediction, recorded in the two following chapters. It beginneth at the third year of Cyrus his Empire: and reacheth till the time of the Jews riſing from the duſt of their diſperſion, ſay ſome, to the end of the world, ſay others, with whom I concur.
A thing was revealed unto Daniel] Who now muſt needs be very ancient: yet at thoſe years (an hundred or more) gave himſelf to underſtand and ſearch into divine ſecrets. The more any one knoweth of God, the more he would ſtill know. Moſes newly come from the Mount, cryeth to God to ſhew him his glory. David, that gulf of holy learning, is oft at his Teach me thy ſtatutes, &c.
And the thing was true] i. e. Plain and proper: not as former viſions, figurative and obſcure.
But the time appointed was long] ſc. Till all be fulfilled, which will not be till the laſt judgment.
And he underſtood the thing] And ſo was the better able to propound it to the Church. For what a man doth not himſelf underſtand, he cannot well and fitly deliver to others.
And had underſtood the viſion] ſc. Given unto him: for unleſſe God give us both Sight and Light, we perceive not heavenly doctrine, neither indeed can doe.
Ver. 2. In thoſe dayes I Daniel was mourning] Though a great man ſtill, and in great account, yet not now ſo great at Court, as to hinder and defeat the malicious deſigns of Cambyſes his Counſellors; who being bribed by the Jews Adverſaries, put a ſtop to the Temple-work at Jeruſalem, Ezra. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. This diſaſter caſt good Daniel into his dumps, ſo that he faſted three full weeks (à tanto & tali, Abſtinet ab omni cura cultu que corporis, ſua ſponte. See the like, 1 Sam. 31.13.ſed non à toto) and longer might, had not the Angel taken him off by an anſwer of peace, ver. 12.
Three full weeks] Heb. weeks of dayes, to diſtinguiſh them from thoſe Seventy weeks of years, chap. 9.24.
Ver. 3. I ate no pleaſant bread] Bread he ate (for Animantis cujuſque vita in fuga eſt, life will fail if not maintained by food) but courſe bread, panem cibarium, atrum, & ſiligineum, and no more of that neither, then needs muſt. He voluntarily abridged himſelf of lawful delights, macerating and mortifying his fleſh, that he might communicate with his poor afflicted brethren, and pray the harder for them. Faſting enflameth prayer, and Prayer ſanctifieth faſting.
Neither did I annoint my ſelf at all; All delights of ſenſe muſt be laid aſ…ide in a time of ſolemn humiliation (but yet without annoyance, and uncomlineſſe) as muſick, mirth, perfumes, brave apparrel, 2 Sam. 12.20. Jon. 3.8. Exod. 33.4, 5, 6. 1 Kings 21.27. chearfulneſſe, outward joy, and pleaſure, Marke 2.20. Luke 5.35. with Mat. 9.15. Judg. 20.26. 1 Sam. 7.6. It is ſpoken of as a foul ſin, Iſa. 58.3. behold in the day of your Faſt ye find pleaſure.
Ver. 4. And on the four and twentieth of the firſt monethmonth] The day is thus noted, becauſe the matters here revealed were moſt memorable.
As I was by the ſide of the great river] Meditating, likely, (becauſe the City was full of noiſe and tumult) and praying, as Acts 16.13. Broughton giveth this reaſon, becauſe Seleucus Nicator, founder of the Seleucida, much ſpoken of in the enſuing viſion, built his chief City upon this river.
Which is Hiddekel] i. e. Sharp-ſwift: called alſo Tigris from the ſwifteſt of all beaſts the Tiger: Plin. l. 6. c. 7.but Curtius and Pliny ſay that Tigris in the Median language ſignifieth an Arrow. Here Daniel was perſonally preſent, and not viſionally only: See ver. 7.
Ver. 5. Then I lift up mine eyes and looked] Viz. After my long faſting, praying and meditating. So Moſes and Elias, thoſe great Faſters, met together with our Saviour gloriouſly in the Mount at his Transfiguration. It is abſtinence, not fulneſſe, that makes a man capable of heavenly viſions o… divine glory.
Behold a certain man] Heb one man, a ſingular man, a glorious perſon; Meſſias the Prince, deſcribed here by his habit and parts as a Judge, ſay ſome, or as a Prieſt, ſay others: See chap. 12.6, 7. Rev 1.13, 14, 15. & 10.5.
Cloathed in linnen] To ſhew his innocency and purity, as alſo his righteouſneſſes (Imputed and Imparted) wherewith he cloatheth his Saints, Rev. 19.8. that fine white linnen and ſhining.
Whoſe loins were girded with fine gold of Ʋphaz] Or of Ophir, Peru, haply, or Malaca, or Sophala. This golden girdle about his loines denoteth Chriſts ſtrength and alacrity, Pſal. 93.1. Luke 17.8.
Ver. 6. His body alſo was like the Beryl] Of an azure colour, like the heavens. The ſecond Adam is the Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15.47. Some render it the Chryſolite, which is of the colour of the Sea; to note, ſay they, his power to purge the Church by his Word, Spirit, and Judgements, as by the water of the Sea.
And his face as the appearance of lightning] Which both ſhineth and terrifieth, and ſoon appeareth from the one end of the heaven to the other, Matth. 24.27. Chriſt ſuddenly diſcovereth all things though never ſo remote, Pſal. 90.8. Ezek. 1.13.
And his eyes as lamps of fire] To note his omniſcience, his wrath alſo and readineſſe to revenge, Jer. 32.19
And his arms and his feet like in colour to poliſhed braſſe] To note his omnipotency in the execution of his wrath, whilſt he trampleth on his enemies,Scintillantes puriſſimè. as he that hath brazen arms and feet can eaſily break in pieces a potters veſſel.
Ser pitus 1. Maris.And the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude] Or, as the noiſe of many waters, Rev. 1.15. noting the efficacy of Chriſts doctrine: See Acts 2.4.
Ver. 7. And I Daniel alone ſaw the viſion] Holy Prophets alone are capable of holy viſions, 2 Pet. 1.19.
For the men that were with me ſaw not] Senſible they were of ſome alteration upon the waters, and ſomewhat wrought upon; not for their information, but ſeparation from Daniel, that he might more freely undergo the heavenly rapture. See the like, Acts 9.7.
But a great quaking fell upon them] Through ſenſe of ſin, and fear of wrath. This ſerved to ſhew the truth of the viſion.
Ver. 8. Therefore I was left alone] Daniel, though much affrighted, keepeth his ſtation, when the reſt fled and hid themſelves. Good is the counſel of the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.13. Make ſtraight ſteps unto your feet, leſt that which is halting be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed.
For my comlineſſe, &c.] See chap. 7.15, 28. & 8.27.
Ver. 9. Yet heard I the voice of his words] What theſe words were, is not here expreſſed; but by comparing, they may be gathered to be the ſame with thoſe, chap. 8.18. bidding Gabriel to draw near, and ſpeak unto the Prophet.
Then was I in a deep ſleep] See chap. 8.18. The more the outward man is bound, the fitter he is for holy Communion with God, 2 Cor. 12.2, 3.
Ver. 10. And behold an hand touched me] i. e. The hand of the Angel Gabriel, who was ſent by Chriſt to dictate unto Daniel the Prophecy following. It is Chriſts uſe to ſignify Prophecyes by his Angel (Rev. 1.1, 2.) and this Angel is accordingly ſtrengthened by Michael, ver. 21. that is, by Chriſt.
Which ſet me upon my knees] In a praying poſture: but yet he continued trembling, ver. 11. and was not raiſed and reſtored but by certain degrees: the better to frame and fit him to a religious attention and docility.
Ver. 11. O Daniel, a man greatly beloved] Such ſhall know Gods ſecrets, Prov. 3.32. See chap. 9 23.
Stand upright] Heb. ſtand upon thy ſtanding. God by his Grace and Word will raiſe up thoſe that humble themſelves in his preſence.
Dejicit ut relevet. —
Ver. 12. Fear not Daniel] Diſquieting and expectorating ſears ſhould be laid aſide, 1 Joh. 4.18.
For from the firſt day] See on chap. 9.23. Let us but find a praying heart, and God w…ll preſently find a pittying heart, though he may delay for a ſeaſon to ſend in an anſwer. Though Danel heard nothing of his prayers for three-weeks ſpace, yet was the Angel at work all that while for the removal of impediments. Daniel in the mean-while wrought hard with God, as it is elſewhere ſaid of Jonathan, 1 Sam. 14.45.
And I am come for thy Word] Brought hither by thy prayers. God will come, but he will have his peoples prayers lead him into the field as it were.
Ver. 13. But the Prince of the Kingdom of Perſia withſtood me] By this Prince of Perſia ſome underſtand wicked Cambyſes; Melancthon. Oſiander. Pappus.Others, an evil Angel, that by his ſuggeſtions ſwayed Cambyſes to oppoſe and retard the reedifying of the Temple. There is a principal devil, Prince of this world: and there are, as ſome hold, Princes or Principal ſpirits in Countries and Nations under him, Eph. 6.12.
But loe Michael one of the chief Princes] i. e. Chriſt the Lord of Angels, head of the Church, chap. 12.1. Rev. 12.7. By theſe chief Princes may be underſtood the three Perſons in Trinity; or the created Angels. The Septuagint tranſlate the word foreign, the chearful ones, who ſerve the Lord readily, freely, and joyfully in his wars, making Sion as dreadful to all her enemies, Pſal. 68.17. as thoſe Angels once made Sinai, at the delivery of the Law.
And I remained there with the Kings of Perſia] With Canmbyſes and his Councellors, to repreſſe their rage, and to blaſt their deſigns againſt the Church: which, when it is oppoſed, the holy Angels interpoſe, Pſal. 34.7.
Ver. 14. Now I am come] As it were with wearineſſe of flight, as chap. 9.21. See there. Comfort will come at length, Heb. 10.37.
In the latter dayes] Toward the end of their politie, and not long before the coming of the Meſſiah, who ſhall begin another age, and as it were a new world, Ezek. 38.8. Heb. 2.3.
Ver. 15. I ſet my face toward the ground, and I became dumb] Cohorrui totus, & vox faucibus haeſit. See how deeply Gods darlings are, eftſoones, affected at the hearing of his holy Word, H…b…k. 3.16.
Ver. 16. And behold one like the ſimilitude] i. e. The Angel in humane ſhape, as ver. 10.
Touched my lips] Reſtored unto me my ſpeech. Good affections wanting expreſſion ſhall have Gods furtherance.
And ſaid unto him that ſtood before me] i. e. To Chriſt, whom he had ſeen, ver. 5 6.
My ſorrows are turned upon me] Heb. my bowels which are even ſtrained, and ſtraitened.
And I have retained no ſtrength] It is ordinary with Gods people in their prayers to complain much of their own weakneſſe, Jer. 31.18.
Ver. 17. For how can the ſervant of th…s my Lord] Qui tantulus ſum, & tam imbec…llis. Gods praying ſervants uſe to ſpeak as broken men. They well underſtand 1. Their Diſtance. 2. Dependance.
Talk with this my Lord?] Prayer is a holy interparlance with the divine Majeſty: foreign 1 Tim. 2.1.
Ne…ther is there breath in me] I am hardly able to bear up▪ or breathe. Humane frailty cannot endure Gods preſence without fainting Rev. 1.17.
Ver 18. Then there came again and touched me] Not all at once, but by four degrees was Daniel raiſed. 1. He is ſet upon his knees and palms of his hands, ver. 10. an Emblem or Prayer. 2. He is cauſed to ſtand upon his feet, though trembling and ſilent, ver. 11.15 3. His mouth is opened to ſpeak, though not without much weakneſſe, fears and ſorrows, ver. 17. 4. He is fully ſtrengthned, here.Park. God loves to hold his praying people long in requeſt. He is alſo a God of Judgement, Iſa. 30.18. (one that well underſtandeth when and how to beſtow his favours:) Bleſſed are all they that wa…t for him.
Ver. 19. Be ſtrong▪ yea be ſtrong] Holy Angels are ready to ſtrengthen ſuch, as are ready to faint in holy duties.
Ver. 20. Knoweſt thou wherefore I came unto thee?] q.d. I told thee that before, ver. 14. and I look thou ſhouldeſt remember it.
I will return to fight with the Prince of Perſia] To defeat and prevent his tyranny and cruel intents againſt thy people (ſee ver. 13.) not without the devils hand and help.
And when I am gone forth] ſc. Out of Perſia.
Loe the Prince of Graecia] Great Alexander, whom I will fetch in, ſo that the Perſians ſhall have henceforth little leiſure or mind to meddle with the Jews. There were other Grecian Captains alſo before Alexander who found the Perſians ſomewhat to do, as Leonides, Miltiades, Themiſtocles: but he overturned their Monarchy.
Ver. 21. In the Scripture of truth] i e. Ex uſu ſorenſi.In Gods infallible and unchangable decree, which (for our apprehenſion) are here compared to court rolles and Records. And Gods Providence (which is nothing elſe but the carrying on of his decree) is that Helm which turneth about the whole ſhip of the Univerſe.
And there is none — but Michael your Prince] But how many reckon we him at? as that King once ſaid of himſelf to his fearful ſoldiers. He alone is a whole army of men, Van and Rear both, Iſa. 52.12.