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Daniel and his companions

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A. M. 3401. the great God hath made known to || of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal A. M. 3401 the king what shall come to pass this secret. 22 hereafter and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation y and sweet odours unto him.

47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer

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and destroy it utterly, and will itself become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth: or, in other words, The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. We have, therefore, seen the kingdom of the stone; but we have not yet seen the kingdom of the mountain. Some parts of this prophecy still remain to be fulfilled; but the ex-|| act completion of the other parts will not suffer us to doubt of the accomplishment of the rest also in due season: see Bishop Newton.

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48 Then the king made Daniel a great man,

and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedd-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

a Verse 6.b Chap. iv. 9; v. 11.- Chap. iii. 12.- Esth. ii. 19, 21; iii. 2.

the supreme Governor of the world, and Ruler of all the kings and kingdoms in it. And a revealer of secrets-One who sees and can bring to light what is most secret; seeing thou couldest reveal this secret

Couldest discover a matter, which it would have been impossible for thee to discover, if God had not revealed it to thee. Then the king made Daniel a great man—Or magnified him, as the original expression means. God made Daniel a great man indeed, when he took him into such intimate communion with himself, a much greater man than NebuchadVerse 46. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell nezzar could make him; but because God had houpon his face and worshipped Daniel-He was so noured him, therefore the king honoured him too. astonished at hearing his whole dream declared and And gave him many great gifts-Which Daniel had interpreted by Daniel with such exactness, and at no reason to refuse, since they put him into the finding such wonderful events foretold by it, that he greater capacity of doing good to his brethren in capwas ready to think him more than man, (just as the tivity. These gifts were no more than grateful reLycaonians and barbarians thought of St. Paul, Acts || turns from the king for the good services Daniel had xiv. 13, &c., and xxviii. 6,) and therefore prostrated done him, and were not desired or aimed at by Danhimself before him, intending, as it should seem, to iel, as the rewards of divination were by Balaam. pay him some kind of adoration. It must be ob- And made him ruler over the whole province of served, however, that "doing reverence by prostra- Babylon-Which, no doubt, had a mighty influence tion was not only an act of worship paid to God, but upon the other provinces; and chief of the govern often given to kings and great men, in the times of ors over all the wise men-Constituted him the the Old Testament: see 2 Sam. ix. 6, and xiv. 33. chief ruler and inspector of them who were students It was likewise an expression of reverence paid to and professors of learning and wisdom. We are not prophets on account of the sanctity of their office, to suppose that this holy prophet, in the exercise of and not refused by them, 1 Kings xviii. 7. Of this the office now assigned him, would give any counkind, probably, was the worship paid by the leper to tenance or encouragement to any who practised Christ, (Matt. viii. 2,) whom he took for a prophet. unlawful arts and divinations: rather he would do But when other circumstances were added to it, all in his power to abolish all such practices, and which made it look like divine worship, then it was would instruct those of whom he had the oversight refused to be accepted, as in the case of Peter, (Acts in the knowledge of the one living and true God, x. 25,) and of the angel, Rev. xix. 10. The adoration and in that wisdom which has him for its author and here described seems to have been of this latter kind, its end. being joined with offering incense, an act of worship peculiar to God alone: see Ezra vi. 10. For this reason it is highly probable that Daniel refused the honours offered to him, and put the king in mind that he should give God the glory; as we find he does in the following verse."-Lowth.

Verses 47, 48. Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods-Such a God as there is no other; above all gods in dignity, over all gods in dominion. And a Lord of kings-From whom they derive their power, and to whom they are accountable:

Verse 49. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, &c.—He used his interest for his friends, as became a good man, and procured places in the government for them, that they might be assisting to him in his office, and sharers in his honour, by whose intercessions, united with his own, so important a secret had been revealed to him: such a grateful sense had he even of that service! This preferring of them would not only be a great help to Daniel in his place and business, but would afford them many and great opportunities of being

Nebuchadnezzar sets

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up u golden image. useful to their brethren in captivity. But Daniel || probably signify, was a kind of chief justice, hearing sat in the gate of the king-Was a constant attend- and determining such causes as were brought before ant at the king's court: and as the expression may || him, and administering justice to the people.

CHAPTER III.

In this chapter we have an account of the extraordinary trial, wonderful deliverance, and further advancement of Daniel's three friends. (1,) Nebuchadnezzar erects a golden image, and requires all his subjects to worship it, 1-7. (2) He is informed that the Jewish princes refuse to worship it, 8-12. (3,) They resolutely persist in their refusal, 13-18. (4.) They are cast into a fiery furnace, 19-23. (5,) They are miraculously preserved unhurt, and the king is convinced of his error, 24-27. (6,) He gives glory to God, and shows favour to his servants, 28-30.

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A. M. 3424. NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king 3 Then the princes, the governors, A. M. 3424. made an image of gold, whose and captains, the judges, the treaheight was threescore cubits, and the breadth || surers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of rulers of the provinces, were gathered together Dura, in the province of Babylon. unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set

up.

1 Chald. with might. Chald. they command.

NOTES ON CHAPTER III.

Verse 1. Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold -How soon this image was erected, after the dream in his second year, is uncertain. The Greek and Arabic interpreters suppose it to have been in the eighteenth year of his reign, and Dr. Prideaux agrees with them. But whether it was then, or, as some think, later, the design of it probably was, to frustrate the exposition, and defeat the end of the dream: on which account, perhaps, the image was made wholly of gold, and not of different metals, to make an ostentatious display of the abundance of his wealth, and to obviate the jealousies of his people, excited by his favours to Daniel and his friends. Some or all of these motives might influence this haughty and inconstant monarch to desert the true God, whom he had so lately acknowledged, and to yield again to the force of those inveterate habits, from which he had been so miraculously recovered: see Wintle. The height thereof was threescore cubits-The proportion of the height of this image seems very unequal to the breadth, unless the pedestal, on which it was placed, be included therein. Houbigant, and some others, on account of this disparity, think it was rather a column or pyramid than an image of the human form: but Diodorus, lib. ii. § 9, giving an account of the plunder Xerxes had taken out of the temple of Belus, mentions an image of massy gold that was forty feet lugh, which Prideaux conjectures to have been this statue made by Nebuchadnezzar. The statue of Jupiter also, made

4 Then a herald cried aloud, To you 2 it is commanded, "O people, nations, and languages,

5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the

a Chap. iv. 1; vi. 25.

by Lysippus, at Tarentum, is said to have been forty cubits high. It is probable that the plain of Dura, here mentioned, was some extensive plain near Babylon, and that the image set up in it was erected in honour of Bel, the chief idol of the Babylonians.

Verses 2, 3. Then Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather together the princes, &c.—It would be very difficult, and perhaps impossible, at this distance of time, to ascertain the proper titles and offices of the several characters that are here mentioned, and certainly would answer no valuable end to any reader. It may be sufficient to observe, that it is probable only those were summoned to attend on this occasion who held places under the government. Thousands of others, no doubt, would be present, and, when present, were required to comply with the king's injunction respecting worshipping the image, though they had not been summoned. And they came and stood before the image―They made their personal appearance, and showed themselves ready to perform the worship required of them.

Verses 4-6. Then a herald cried aloud-Made proclamation in the languages of the several nations assembled; To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages-Whatever parts of the empire you come from, and whatever language you speak. This form of speech was doubtless designed to set forth the largeness and extent of the Babylonish empire. That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, &c.—That is, of wind and stringed instruments of various sorts. It is justly

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A. M. 3424. cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, 9 They spake and said to the A. M. 3424. 3 dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye|| hing Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.

6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

7 Therefore, at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

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10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, 5 have not regarded thee: they

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* Or, singing.—— Chald. symphony. b Jer. xxix. 22; Rev. Chap. ii. 4; v. 10; vi. 6, 21.xiii. 15.- Le Chap. vi. 12.

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- Chap. ii. 49. Chaldee, have set no regard upon thee.

nothing so unreasonable, or sinful, which the careless world will not be drawn to by pleasure, or driven to by pain, and fear of torture and death. By such methods as these, false worship has been set up and maintained in different ages.

Verses 8-12. At that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews-It is not improbable that these Chaldeans were such as envied these friends of Daniel their preferments, having perhaps themselves expected the places to which they had been advanced. They spake and said, O king, live for ever-They approached the king with a great show of loyalty, and concern for his life, honour, and interest. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, &c.-They put him in mind of the law he had lately made, that all manner of persons, without exception, should fall down and worship his golden

observed by Mr. Scott here, that "the several words by which the several kinds of musical instruments are enumerated in this chapter, do not seem to admit of any satisfactory explanation:" certainly, "without distinctly referring to ancient usages," and going to a great length of explication, "they cannot be made intelligible, except to those few who are fully acquainted with those usages, and perhaps scarcely even to them:" and if the reader could attain correct ideas of the forms and powers of them all, he would from this derive but little edification. Ye fall down and worship the golden image-Let|| all take notice, 1st, That the king strictly charges and commands all manner of persons, whatever other gods they worship at other times, now to worship this. 2d, That all do this just at the same time, in token of their communion with each other at this service. And whosoever falleth not down and wor-image: they put him in mind also of the penalty shippeth-St. Jerome observes, that falling down is applied, in Scripture, rather to idols than the true God; (see Matt. iv. 9;) shall the same hour, &c.This is the first place in the Old Testament where we meet with the division of time into hours. The Greeks ascribe the invention of them to Anaximander, who, perhaps, received it from the Chaldees. The mode of punishment here mentioned was common among this people: compare Jer. xxix. 22. It has been said, that Abraham was exposed to this punishment before his departure from Chaldea: see Gen. xi. 31; and Calmet. Similar methods has mystical Babylon followed, to compel those she denominates heretics to embrace her creed, and join in her anti-christian worship.

Verse 7. All the people, &c., fell down and worshipped-And what wonder, considering that all the charms of music were made use of to allure them to a compliance on the one hand, and the terrors of the fiery furnace to frighten them into it on the other? Thus beset with the double temptation of allurement and terror, they all yielded to the will of the idolatrous king. Observe, reader, there is

which was to be inflicted upon recusants. There are certain Jews, &c.—It is likely that Nebuchadnezzar had no particular design to insnare Shadrach and his companions in making this law; for then he would himself have had his eye upon them, and would not have needed this information; but their enemies, who sought an occasion against them, laid hold on this, and were forward to accuse them. To aggravate the matter, and incense the king more against them, they, 1st, Put him in mind of the dignity to which the criminals had been preferred; that though they were Jews, foreigners, captives, and men of a despised nation and religion, yet the king had set them over the affairs of the province of Babylon-It was, therefore, they suggested, very ungrateful, and an insufferable piece of insolence in them, to disobey the king's command, who had shared so much of the king's favour. And, besides, the high station they were in would give their refusal the greater influence, and render it of the worse consequence. 2d, They suggest, that it was done maliciously, contumaciously, and in contempt of him and his authority. These men, say they, have

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the king for disobedience. A. M. 3424. serve not thy gods, nor worship the || sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and A. M. 3424. golden image which thou hast set up. all kinds of music, ye fall down and 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and worship the image which I have made; 'well: fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same and Abed-nego. Then they brought these hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; men before the king. 8 and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, an

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Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor wor-swered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is

xiii. 9.- - Exod. v. 2; 2 Kings xviii. 35.-h Matt. x. 19.

servants to him has often been the wonder of their enemies and persecutors, who think it strange that they run not with them to the same excess of riot. Now if ye be ready, &c.—He is willing to admit

ship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, Or, of purpose, as Exod. xxi. 13. As Ex. xxxii. 32; Luke not regarded thee, they serve not thy gods, &c.-set up? Observe, reader, the faithfulness of God's Thus princes, who are wont to be incensed enough against innocent people, seldom want those about them who do all they can to excite them to greater wrath. If it be asked here, Where was Daniel on this occasion? It may be answered, He was proba-them to a new trial; if they did purpose before not bly absent, either because the king's business called him elsewhere, or because he had leave of absence from the king; unless we suppose that he stood so high in the king's favour that none durst complain of him for his non-compliance. But why did not his companions keep out of the way? Surely, because they would obey the king's orders as far as they could conscientiously, and wished to be present to bear a public testimony against this gross idolatry. God also, no doubt, inclined them to attend, that they might glorify him by a noble confession, made in face of the most extreme danger; and that he might honour and reward them, by a most extraordinary and wonderful deliverance.

Verse 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage,|| &c.-How little was it to the honour of this mighty prince that he had rule over so many nations, when, at the same time, he had no rule over his own spirit! How unfit was he to rule reasonable men, who would || not himself be ruled by reason! Surely it did not need to surprise him to hear that these three men did not now serve his gods, for he knew very well they never had done it, and that their religion, to which they had always adhered, forbade them to do it. Nor had he any reason to think they acted thus in contempt of his authority, since they had in all instances showed themselves respectful and dutiful to him as their prince.

Verses 14, 15. Nebuchadnezzar said, Is it true,|| O Shadrach? &c.--Or, of purpose, as the margin reads it, and as the word is used, Exod. xxi. 13. Is it designedly and deliberately done, or was it only through inadvertency, that you have not served my gods? What! you that I have nourished and brought up; that have been educated and maintained at my charge; that I have been so kind to, and done so much for; you that have been in such reputation for wisdom, and therefore should better have known your duty to your prince; what! do not you serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have

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to worship his gods, yet it may be, upon second thoughts, they will change their minds; it is therefore repeated to them upon what terms they now stand: 1st, The king is willing that the music should play again, for their sakes only, to soften them into a compliance; and if they will not, like the deaf adder, stop their ears, but will hearken to the voice of the charmers, and will worship the golden image, well and good, their former omission shall be pardoned. But, 2d, The king is resolved, if they persist in their refusal, that they shall immediately be cast into the fiery furnace, and shall not have so much as an hour's reprieve. Thus does the matter lie in a little compass; Turn or burn, is the king's language. And because he knew they buoyed themselves up in their refusal with a confidence in their God, he insolently sets him at defiance, saying, And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Let him deliver you if he can. Now he forgot what he himself once owned, that their God was a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, chap. ii. 47. Proud men are still ready to say, as Pharaoh, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?

Verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, &c., said, We are not careful to answer thee, &c.-In so plain a case there is no room for deliberation: we have an answer ready at hand, that we ought to obey God rather than man. Admirable example this of a true faith in God, and ready obedience to his will! How worthy of our imitation! It is such an instance of fortitude and magnanimity as is scarce to be paralleled. They did not break out into any intemperate heat, or passion, against those that worshipped the golden image, did not insult or affront them, nor did they rashly thrust themselves upon the trial, or go out of the way to court martyrdom; but when they were duly called to the fiery trial, they quitted themselves with a conduct and courage that became sufferers for so good a cause. Verses 17, 18. If it be so- -If we are brought into

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A. M. 3424. able to deliver us from the burning || 20 And he commanded the most A. M. 3424. fiery furnace, and he will deliver us mighty men that were in his army out of thy hand, O king. to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their 9 coats, their hosen, and their 10 hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

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19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

22 Therefore because the king's 11 commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding || hot, the 12 flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 12 Or, spark.

10 Or, turbans.-11 Chald. word.

Chald. filled.9. - Chald. mighty of strength. Or, mantles. this strait: if we must be thrown into the fiery fur- || tyrant's rage; for though it would not have made nace unless we serve thine image; our God whom their death the more grievous, yet it made their deliwe serve is able to deliver us, &c.—As we are firm-verance much the more illustrious. 3d, He ordered ly persuaded of the power of our God to deliver us, them to be bound in their clothes, which was done so we trust in his mercy and goodness, that he will accordingly. They were bound, that they might deliver us out of this imminent danger. This they not struggle, or make any resistance; were bound in spake out of a well-grounded hope, not from a cer- their clothes for haste, or that they might be contain foresight of being delivered; for such an as-sumed the more slowly and gradually: but God's surance would have detracted much from the worth of their courage and constancy, in despising the danger which threatened them. And it appears, from what follows, that they were firmly fixed in their resolution, not to dishonour the true God by worshipping this image, or any of the gods of Babylon, although they should perish in the flames, for so they declare in the following words. But if not, &c., we will not serve thy gods-It was, therefore, all one to them which way God would honour himself; they were resolved to suffer rather than sin, and leave their cause to God. Indeed, if God be for us, we need not fear what man can do unto us. Let him do his worst: God will deliver us either from death, or in death.

Verses 19-21. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury-Nebuchadnezzar had himself known and owned so much of the true God, that one would have thought, though his pride and vanity had induced him to make this golden image, and set it up to be worshipped, yet that what these young men now said (whom he had formerly found to be wiser than all his wise men) would have revived his convictions, and at least have engaged him to forbear proceeding to extremities against them; but it proved quite otherwise. 1st, Instead of being convinced by what they said, he was exasperated, and made more outrageous. 2d, Instead of mitigating their punishment, in consideration of their quality and the honourable offices they were in, he ordered it to be heightened, commanding the heat of the furnace to be increased seven-fold; which, though it would not make their death more grievous, but rather despatch them the sooner, yet was designed to signify, that the king looked upon their crime as seven times more heinous than the crimes of others, and so made their death more ignominions. But God brought glory to himself out of this foolish instance of the

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providence ordered it for the increase of the miracle, in that their clothes were not so much as singed. What a terrible death was this, to be cast bound into the midst of a burning fiery furnace! It makes one's flesh tremble to think of it, and horror to take hold of one. It is amazing that the tyrant was so hardhearted as to inflict such a punishment, and the confessors possessed of such fortitude as to submit to it, rather than sin against God. But what is this to the second death? to the furnace into which the tares shall be cast in bundles? to that lake which burns eternally with fire and brimstone? Let Nebuchadnezzar heat his furnace as hot as he can, a few minutes will finish the torment of those who are cast into it; but hell-fire tortures, and doth not kill; the pain of damned sinners is more exquisite, and the smoke of their torments ascends for ever and ever, and they have no rest, no intermission, no cessation of their pains, who have worshipped the beast and his image, Rev. xiv. 10, 11; whereas their pain would be soon over that were cast into this furnace, for not worshipping this Babylonian beast and his image.

Verses 22, 23. Because the king's commandment was urgent-That they should despatch them quickly, and be sure to do it effectually; and they therefore resolved to go to the very mouth of the furnace, that they might throw them into the midst of it; and were hasty and precipitate in executing their orders, and did not take proper care for themselves against the violence of the heat. The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, &c.—The apocryphal additions to the book of Daniel say, that the flame ascended forty-nine cubits above the mouth of the furnace. Probably God ordered it so, that the wind blew the flame directly upon them. Thus did God immediately plead the cause of his injured servants, and take vengeance for them on their persecu

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