Daniel 1

Da 1:1-21.

THE

BABYLONIAN

CAPTIVITY

BEGINS;

DANIEL'S

EDUCATION AT

BABYLON,

&C.

1. third year--compare

Jer 25:1,

"the fourth year; Jehoiakim came to the throne at the end

of the year, which Jeremiah reckons as the first year, but which

Daniel leaves out of count, being an incomplete year: thus, in

Jeremiah, it is "the fourth year"; in Daniel, "the third"

[JAHN]. However, Jeremiah

(Jer 25:1; 46:2)

merely says, the fourth year of Jehoiakim coincided with the first of

Nebuchadnezzar, when the latter conquered the Egyptians at

Carchemish; not that the deportation of captives from

Jerusalem was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim: this probably took

place in the end of the third year of Jehoiakim, shortly before

the battle of Carchemish [FAIRBAIRN].

Nebuchadnezzar took away the captives as hostages for the submission of

the Hebrews. Historical Scripture gives no positive account of

this first deportation, with which the Babylonian captivity, that is,

Judah's subjection to Babylon for seventy years

(Jer 29:10),

begins. But

2Ch 36:6, 7,

states that Nebuchadnezzar had intended "to carry Jehoiakim to

Babylon," and that he "carried off the vessels of the house of the

Lord" thither. But Jehoiakim died at Jerusalem, before the conqueror's

intention as to him was carried into effect

(Jer 22:18, 19; 36:30),

and his dead body, as was foretold, was dragged out of the gates by the

Chaldean besiegers, and left unburied. The second deportation under

Jehoiachin was eight years later.

2. Shinar--the old name of Babylonia

(Ge 11:2; 14:1;

Isa 11:11;

Zec 5:11).

Nebuchadnezzar took only "part of the vessels," as he did not intend

wholly to overthrow the state, but to make it tributary, and to leave

such vessels as were absolutely needed for the public worship of

Jehovah. Subsequently all were taken away and were restored under Cyrus

(Ezr 1:7).

his god--Bel. His temple, as was often the case among the heathen,

was made "treasure house" of the king.

3. master of . . . eunuchs--called in Turkey the kislar aga.

of the king's seed--compare the prophecy,

2Ki 20:17, 18.

4. no blemish--A handsome form was connected, in Oriental ideas, with

mental power. "Children" means youths of twelve or fourteen years old.

teach . . . tongue of . . . Chaldeans--their

language and literature, the Aramaic-Babylonian. That the heathen lore

was not altogether valueless appears from the Egyptian magicians who

opposed Moses; the Eastern Magi who sought Jesus, and who may have

drawn the tradition as to the "King of the Jews" from

Da 9:24,

&c., written in the East. As Moses was trained in the learning of the

Egyptian sages, so Daniel in that of the Chaldeans, to familiarize his

mind with mysterious lore, and so develop his heaven-bestowed gift of

understanding in visions

(Da 1:4, 5, 17).

5. king's meat--It is usual for an Eastern king to entertain, from

the food of his table, many retainers and royal captives

(Jer 52:33, 34).

The Hebrew for "meat" implies delicacies.

stand before the king--as attendant courtiers; not as eunuchs.

6. children of Judah--the most noble tribe, being that to which the

"king's seed" belonged (compare

Da 1:3).

7. gave names--designed to mark their new relation, that so they

might forget their former religion and country

(Ge 41:45).

But as in Joseph's case (whom Pharaoh called Zaphnath-paaneah), so in

Daniel's, the name indicative of his relation to a heathen court

("Belteshazzar," that is, "Bel's prince"), however flattering to him,

is not the one retained by Scripture, but the name marking his relation

to God ("Daniel," God my Judge, the theme of his prophecies

being God's judgment on the heathen world powers).

Hananiah--that is, "whom Jehovah hath favored."

Shadrach--from Rak, in Babylonian, "the King," that is, "the

Sun"; the same root as in Abrech

(Ge 41:43,

Margin), "Inspired or illumined by the Sun-god."

Mishael--that is, "who is what God is?" Who is comparable to God?

Meshach--The Babylonians retained the first syllable of Mishael, the

Hebrew name; but for El, that is,

GOD, substituted Shak, the

Babylonian goddess, called Sheshach

(Jer 25:26; 51:41),

answering to the Earth, or else Venus, the goddess of love and mirth;

it was during her feast that Cyrus took Babylon.

Azariah--that is, "whom Jehovah helps."

Abed-nego--that is, "servant of the shining fire." Thus, instead

of to Jehovah, these His servants were dedicated by the heathen to

their four leading gods [HERODOTUS, Clio];

Bel, the Chief-god, the Sun-god, Earth-god, and Fire-god. To the last

the three youths were consigned when refusing to worship the golden

image

(Da 3:12).

The Chaldee version translates "Lucifer," in

Isa 14:12,

Nogea, the same as Nego. The names thus at the outset are

significant of the seeming triumph, but sure downfall, of the heathen

powers before Jehovah and His people.

8. Daniel . . . would not defile himself with

. . . king's meat--Daniel is specified as being the

leader in the "purpose" (the word implies a decided resolution)

to abstain from defilement, thus manifesting a character already formed

for prophetical functions. The other three youths, no doubt, shared in

his purpose. It was the custom to throw a small part of the viands and

wine upon the earth, as an initiatory offering to the gods, so as to

consecrate to them the whole entertainment (compare

De 32:38).

To have partaken of such a feast would have been to sanction idolatry,

and was forbidden even after the legal distinction of clean and unclean

meats was done away

(1Co 8:7, 10; 10:27, 28).

Thus the faith of these youths was made instrumental in overruling the

evil foretold against the Jews

(Eze 4:13;

Ho 9:3),

to the glory of God. Daniel and his three friends, says AUBERLEN, stand out like an oasis in the desert. Like

Moses, Daniel "chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of

God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season"

(Heb 11:25;

see

Da 9:3-19).

He who is to interpret divine revelations must not feed on the

dainties, nor drink from the intoxicating cup, of this world. This made

him as dear a name to his countrymen as Noah and Job, who also stood

alone in their piety among a perverse generation

(Eze 14:14; 28:3).

requested--While decided in principle, we ought to seek our object

the plea of faithfulness, courts opposition.

9. God . . . brought Daniel into favour--The favor of others towards

the godly is the doing of God. So in Joseph's case

(Ge 39:21).

Especially towards Israel

(Ps 106:46;

compare

Pr 16:7).

10. worse liking--looking less healthy.

your sort--of your age, or class; literally, "circle."

endanger my head--An arbitrary Oriental despot could, in a fit of

wrath at his orders having been disobeyed, command the offender to be

instantly decapitated.

11. Melzar--rather, the steward, or chief butler, entrusted by Ashpenaz

with furnishing the daily portion to the youths

[GESENIUS]. The word is

still in use in Persia.

12. pulse--The Hebrew expresses any vegetable grown from

seeds, that is, vegetable food in general

[GESENIUS].

13-15. Illustrating

De 8:3,

"Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out

of the mouth of the Lord."

17. God gave them knowledge--

(Ex 31:2, 3;

1Ki 3:12;

Job 32:8;

Jas 1:5, 17).

Daniel had understanding in . . . dreams--God thus made one of the

despised covenant-people eclipse the Chaldean sages in the very science

on which they most prided themselves. So Joseph in the court of Pharaoh

(Ge 40:5; 41:1-8).

Daniel, in these praises of his own "understanding," speaks not through

vanity, but by the direction of God, as one transported out of himself.

See my

Introduction,

"CONTENTS OF THE

BOOK."

18. brought them in--that is, not only Daniel and his three friends,

but other youths

(Da 1:3, 19,

"among them all").

19. stood . . . before the king--that is, were advanced to a position

of favor near the throne.

20. ten times--literally, "ten hands."

magicians--properly, "sacred scribes, skilled in the sacred writings,

a class of Egyptian priests"

[GESENIUS]; from a Hebrew root, "a pen."

The word in our English Version, "magicians," comes from mag, that is, "a priest." The Magi formed one of the six divisions of the

Medes.

astrologers--Hebrew, "enchanters," from a root, "to conceal,"

pactisers of the occult arts.

21. Daniel continued . . . unto . . . first year of Cyrus--

(2Ch 36:22;

Ezr 1:1).

Not that he did not continue beyond that year, but the

expression is designed to mark the fact that he who was one of the

first captives taken to Babylon, lived to see the end of the captivity.

See my

Introduction,

"SIGNIFICANCE OF THE

BABYLONIAN

CAPTIVITY." In

Da 10:1

he is mentioned as living "in the third year of Cyrus." See Margin

Note, on the use of "till"

(Ps 110:1, 112:8).