Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_300.lzh/6_314.TXT

Text File | 1994-08-19 | 7KB | 128 lines

attd the decree.] Moved' to it by the number anti im-
portunity of his principal men; and chiefly through
affectation of deity, which this law gave him; and that
he might have an opportunity of ingratiating himself
into his new subjects by his munificence and liberality,
not being aware of the snare !aid for Iris thVourite
Daniel.
Ver. 10. NOW when Daniel knew that' the writing was
signed, &c.] This he knew, either by the relation of
others, or by the public proclamation of it through the
city; however, he did not know of it till it was signed,
or otherwise he might have prevented if by applying
t the king, in whom he had great interest; but, now
the thing was done, he did not solicit the abrogation of
it, knowing it was in vain; nor did he go to the king
with complaints against his enemies, shewing the de-
sign they had in it; but let things take their own
course, he being determined to be found in his duty,
be it as it would: he went into his house: he left the
court at the proper time of prayer, and went to his
own house to perform it; he did not, in defiance of this
iaw, go to prayer in the court, or in the streets, but re-
tired home, as he was used to do: and his wi,dows being
opened; not to be seen of men, but that he might have
a clear view of the heavens, where his God dwelt, to
whom he prayed, and be the more affected with the
consideration of his greatness and glory: in his chamber
toward Jerusalem; it was not in the lower part of the
house, nor on the top of the house, in either of wttich
he might be more easily seen; but in his chamber,
where he was wont to retire, the windows of which
were opened towards Jerusalem; not towards the king's
palace, as if he prayed to him, and so eluded the de-
cree; nor towards the east, as the Heathens did; but
towards Jerusalem, which lay to the south of Babylon;
and that, either because of his remembrance of that
city, his affection to it, and concern for its re-edifica-
tion; or having some respect to the words of Solomon,
1 Kings viii. 33, &c.; and so, according to the Jewish
writers, it was the custom of their people. Ben Get-
sore, on the above place, says, that though they did
not pray within the temple, yet they prayed, turning
themselves towards it, as much as possibly they could;
and even when it was destroyed, as now, yet they in
Hraying turned to the place where it had stood, as Saa-
iah,Aben Ezra, and Jarchi observe: and chiefly Daniel
did this, because the temple was a type of Christ,
through whom the persons and prayers of the saints
are acceptable unto God: he kneeled upon his knees
three times a day, and prayed; kneeling is a prayer-ges-
ture, a.token of reverence and humility; this was done
three times a day, morning, noon, and evening; see
Psal. Iv. 17. in the morning, before he went OUt about
the king's business; at noon, when he returned home
to dinner; and at evening, when all his work was
done,.and he was about to retire to bed; the hours of
prayer with the Jews seem to have been the third,
sixth, and ninth; that is, at nine in the morning, twelve
at noon, and three in the afternoon; see Acts ii. 1, 15.
and iii. 1, and x. 9: and gave thanks before his God;
for the benefits he daily received from him; or he con-
.fessed before him a; the sins he had been guilty of, and
owned the favours .he partook Of: as he aforetime did;
as it had been hi'S custom from his youth upward, and
therefore would not omit it now, on account of this
edict.
Vet. 11. Then these men assemt51ed, &c.] Gathered
together, and went iu a body to Daniel's house; know-
ing his times of prayer, and where, and in what man-
nor, he used to pray,to see if they could find him at it
as aforetithe; that so they might have to accuse him
with it. Saadiah says, they found a girl, and asked
her what Daniel was doing ? she told him that Da-
niel was on his knees, praying to his God in his cham-
ber; immediately they went, and found as' she had
said: and .found 1)aniel praying and making supplica-
tion before his God; they went into his house, and up
into his chamber, the doors not being locked, pretend-
ing perhaps business with him, and saw him at his de-
votions; so that they were able, upon their own know-
ledge, to bring in an accusation against him for breach
of the king's law, and prove it.
Vet. 12. Then they came near, &c.] They went im-
mediately from Daniel's house to the king's palace,
and into the king's presence; which they could do,
either by virtue of their offices, or being admitted by
the proper officer in waiting: and spake before the
king concerning the lcing's decree; at first they said
nothing about I)aniel, but about the decree, to get it
recognised, and afresh ratified and confirmed; lest,
under some pretence or another, the king should
change it: hast thou not signed a decree, that every man
that shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty
days, save of thee, 0 king, shall be cast into the den of
lions ? they don't say peremptorily that he had signed
such a decree, but put the question to him, that they
might have it affirmed by himself': the king answered
and said, the thing is true, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which altereth not; it is true that
such a decree is made and signed, and it is an unalter-
able one; such as is every established and signed de-
cree of the Medes and Persians: it is as if he had said,
it is very true what you put me in mind of, and I will
never recede from it, or nullify and make it void.
Ver. l& Then answered they, and spaIce before the
king, &c.] Having obtained what they desired, a ra-
tification of the decree, they open the whole affair to
him they came about: that Daniel, which is of the
children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0
king: they call him that Daniel; by way of contempt;
and, to make him the more despicable, represent him
not only as a foreigner, but a captive, and therefore
ought to have been humble and obedient, as Jacchi-
ades observes; and a Jewish captive too, of all people
the most odious; and, though he had been raised from
a low estate to great honour and dignity, yet such was
his ingratitude, that he made no account of the king,
nor of his orders, but despised hint: nor the decree that
thou hast signed; the decree concerning making any
petition to God or man for a month, which was signed
with the king's own hand, and was firm and stable;
and of which Daniel could not be ignorant, and there-
fore wiifully, and in a contemptuous manner, acted
contrary to it: but maketh his petition three times a

{d} \^adwm\^ confitebatur, V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Calvin,
Cocceius.