"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." 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his counsellors, "Did not we cast "three men bound into the midst of the "fire?" They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." 25. He answered and said, "Lo, I see four "men loose, walking in the midst of "the fire, and they have no hurt; and "the form of the fourth is like the "Son (r) of God." 26. Then Nebuchad

(r) v. 25. "The son, &c." or rather "a son," i. e. “ an angel." The definite article is not in Heb. or Sept. Daniel says in verse 28. "God had sent his "angel;" and angels are called "sons of "God, Job. i. 6. —xxxviii. 7."

(s) v. 29. "A decree, &c." So that this miraculous display of power had one effect beyond the preservation of the three lives, in protecting the Jews from insult on account of their religious persuasions and worship: but this was by no means the whole; it would naturally procure them greater consideration from the government, and more respect from the people; it would satisfy themselves that even in

nezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed

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nego, ye servants of the most high "God, come forth, and come hither." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, "Blessed be "the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and "Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, "and delivered his servants that trust"eth in him, and have changed the "king's word, and yielded their bodies "that they might not serve nor wor"ship any god, except their own God. "29. Therefore I make a decree (s), "That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss

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against the God of Shadrach, Me"shach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut "in pieces, and their houses shall be "made a dunghill; because there is no "other God that can deliver after this "sort. 30. Then the king promoted "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, " in the province of Babylon."

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whole kingdom. 2. And over these :three presidents, (of whom Daniel was first), that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none occasion nor fault: forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5. Then said these men, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, ex66 cept we find it against him concern"ing the law of his God." 6. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, "King Darius, live for ever. "7. All the presidents of the kingdom, "the governors, and the princes, the "counsellors and the captains have "consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm "decree, that whosoever shall ask a "petition of any god or man for thirty "days, save of thee, O king, he shall "be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, "O king, establish the decree, and

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sign the writing; that it be not changed, according to the law of the "Medes and Persians, which altereth "not." 9. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open

(u) v. 1. "Darius," also called "Cy"1 axares," the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus.

(x) "The kingdom," i. e. " of Darius." (y) "An hundred and twenty;" according to the number of the provinces, a prince over each province. In about sixteen years afterwards, in the time of Ahasuerus (i. e. Artaxerxes Longimanus, 1 Prideaux, 253.), the empire contained 127 provinces. See Esther i. 1.- Esther viii. 9.-1 Esdras iii. 2.

(z) v. 10. "Toward Jerusalem." Agree ably to Solomon's prayer at the dedication

of the temple, 1 Kings viii. 46. 48. "If "thy people sin against thee, and thou "deliver them to the enemy, so that they

carry them away captives, and they re"turn unto thee with all their heart and "with all their soul, and pray unto thee "toward their land which thou gavest "unto their fathers, then hear thou their

prayer, &c." See also verse 30. 35. 38. 42. 44. of the same chapter, where forgiveness is intreated upon prayer toward the temple, or toward Jerusalem. See also Ps. v. 7. Jon. ii. 4.

was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him, and his sleep went from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel, and the king spake and said to Daniel, “O "Daniel, servant of the living God, is "thy God whom thou servest contin"ually, able to deliver thee from the "lions?" 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, "O king, live for ever. "22. My God hath sent his angel, “and hath shut the lions' mouths that "they have not hurt me: forasmuch "as before him innocency was found "in me and also before thee, O king, "have I done no hurt." 23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den: so

Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt (a) was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 24. And the king commanded (b), and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den. 25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth, "Peace be multiplied unto you. 26. I "make a decree, that in every dominion "of my kingdom, men tremble and "fear before the God of Daniel: for "he is the living God, and stedfast for "ever, and his kingdom that which "shall not be destroyed, and his do"minion shall be even unto the end. "27. He delivereth and rescueth, and "he worketh signs and wonders in "heaven and in earth, who hath de“livered Daniel from the power of the "lions." 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

the trumpet in Zion, and

(a) v. 23. "No manner of hurt, &c." This miraculous deliverance had most important consequences. Is there indeed any of God's interpositions which has not? It naturally increased Daniel's influence, and would induce Cyrus to listen the more readily to any application he might make; we find accordingly that in the first year of his reign, Cyrus issued a written proclamation, in which he took notice that "the Lord God of heaven "had given him all the kingdoms of the "earth, and had charged him to build him "a house at Jerusalem;" and he therefore gave the Jews leave to go up to Jerusalem, and ordered the men of the place where each Jew sojourned to "help him with "silver, and with gold, and with a free"will offering for the house of God in

"sound an alarm in my holy mountain: "let all the inhabitants of the land

"Jerusalem. Ezra i. 1 to 4." The pas sages Isaiah xliv. 28. ante, 653. and Isaiah xlv. 1. 13. are supposed to be referred to in this proclamation; and who so likely Daniel to have shewn them to Cyrus, and to have induced him to act upon them?

(b) v. 24. "Commanded, &c." Josephus says, that these nobles pretended, that Daniel's safety was not owing to God's interposition, but because the lions' bellies were full, and this their unbelief so exasperated Darius, that he first ordered the lions to be supplied with as much meat as they could eat, and then ordered the nobles, &c. to be cast in. Jos. Antiq. B. 10. c. 12.

(c) The time when Joel lived is uncer tain: probably at the same time with Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, and Zephaniah;

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"tremble: for the day of the LORD "cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a "day of clouds and of thick darkness, "as the morning spread upon the "mountains: a great people and a 66 strong, there hath not been ever the "like, neither shall be any more after "it, even to the years of many gener❝ations. 3. A fire devoureth before "them, and behind them a flame "burneth: the land is as the garden "of Eden (d) before them, and behind "them a desolate wilderness, yea, and them. 4. The nothing shall escape them. 66 appearance of them is as the appearance of horses (e); and as horse66 men, so shall they run. 5. Like the "noise (e) of chariots on the tops of "mountains shall they leap, like the "noise of a flame of fire that devoureth "the stubble, as a strong people set "in battle array. 6. Before their face "the people shall be much pained (g): "all faces shall gather blackness (g). "7. They shall run like mighty men; "they shall climb the wall like men "of war; and they shall march every 66 one on his ways, and they shall not "break their ranks. 8. Neither shall

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and if so, long before Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, or Malachi. His prophecies are confined to the kingdom of Judah. — A dreadful desolation threatened, (some suppose by locusts and other insects,) a strong exhortation to repentance humiliation and prayer, a promise of future favour and of an effusion of God's Holy Spirit, (probably in the time of the Messiah,) an intimation of a further visitation, (probably the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans,) in which God's people, they who call upon his name, should escape.

(d) v. 3. "As the garden of Eden," i. e. "in a state of plenty and abundance:" what they find flourishing, they leave desolate.

(e) v. 4. "Of horses," and v. 5. "the "noise, &c." The description of the locusts denounced in Rev. ix. agrees in some particulars with this account, "The shapes

of the locusts were like unto horses pre"pared unto battle: and they had breast

"every one in his path: and when they "fall upon the sword, they shall not "be wounded (h). 9. They shall run "to and fro in the city: they shall run "upon the wall, they shall climb up 66 upon the houses they shall enter in "at the windows like a thief. 10. The "earth shall quake before them, the "heavens shall tremble, the sun and "the moon (i) shall be dark (k), and "the stars (i) shall withdraw their shining (k); 11. And the LORD shall "utter his voice before his army: for "his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word (1): "for the day of the LORD is great and "very terrible, and who can abide it? "12. Therefore also now, saith the "LORD," Turn ye even to me with "all your heart, and with fasting, and "with weeping, and with mourning. "13. And rend your heart, and not

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your garments, and turn unto the "LORD your God; for he is gracious "and merciful, slow to anger, and of

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great kindness, and repenteth him of "the evil. 14. Who knoweth if he "will return and repent, and leave a "blessing behind him, even a meat

"plates as it were breastplates of iron, "and the sound of their wings was as the "sound of chariots of many horses running "to battle. Rev. ix. 7. 9.”

(g) v. 6. "Pained," i. e. "with dread," "gather blackness," i. e. " be downcast "and melancholy."

(h) v. 8. "Not be wounded," a strong expression, to imply they would be irresistible: that all means of opposing them would fail.

(i) v. 10. "The sun and the moon, "and the stars," i. e. "the chiefs and "rulers."

(k) "Be dark," and "withdraw their "shining," i. e. "be disheartened," and "unable to give relief."

(7) v. 11. His word," i. e. "his judg"ment." God's minister and instrument who can withstand?

(m) v. 14. "Even a meat-offering, &c." "at least enough for the purposes of "worship" which would not be the case if they were reduced to the state men

"trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call "a solemn assembly; 16. Gather the "people sanctify the congregation: "assemble the elders: gather the chil"dren (n), and those that suck the "breast let the bridegroom (o) go "forth of his chamber, and the bride "out of her closet. 17. Let the priests, "the ministers of the LORD, weep be"tween the porch and the altar (p), "and let them say, "Spare thy people, "O LORD, and give not thine heritage "to reproach, that the heathen should "rule over (q) them: wherefore should "they say among the people, "Where "is their God?" 18. Then will the 18. Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, "Behold I will send you corn, and "wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied "therewith and I will no more "make you a reproach among the "heathen 20. But I will remove far "off from you the northern army, and "will drive him into a land barren "and desolate, with his face toward "the east sea (r), and his hinder part "toward the utmost sea (r), and his "stink shall come up, and his ill savour "shall come up, because he hath done great things. 21. Fear not, O land, "be glad and rejoice: for the LORD

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tioned in verse 3. of " a desolate wilder"ness." In describing a desolation, (Joel i. 9.) part of the account was, "The meat"offering and drink-offering is cut off from "the house of the Lord."

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(n) v. 16. "The children, &c." sons of all ages."

"Per

"Let no

(o) "The bridegroom, &c." "one make excuse; let the assembly be "universal."

(p) v. 17. "Between the porch and the "altar," where the priest usually attended, and where they could best be heard by the people.

(q) "Rule over," or "insult."

(r) v. 20. "The east sea," i. e. "the 66 sea of Sodom," ""the utmost sea," i. e. "the Mediterranean."

(s) v. 22. "Ye beasts, &c." An intimation of plenty, not famine: looking forward (probably) to spiritual blessings.

"will do great things. 22. Be not "afraid, ye beasts (s) of the field: for "the pastures of the wilderness do spring (t), for the tree beareth (f) "her fruit, the fig tree and the vine "do yield (t) their strength. 23. Be

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glad then, ye children of Zion, and "rejoice in the LORD your God: for "he hath given you the former rain "moderately; and he will cause to "come down for you the rain, the " former rain and the latter rain in the "first month. 24. And the floors shall "be full of wheat, and the fats shall "overflow with wine and oil. 25. And "I will restore to you the years that "the locust hath eaten, the canker"worm, and the caterpiller, and the "palmer-worm, my great army which "I sent among you. 26. And ye shall "eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and "praise the name of the LORD your "God, that hath dealt wondrously "with you: and my people shall never "be ashamed. 27. And ye shall know "that I am in the midst of Israel, and "that I am the LORD your God, and

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none else: and my people (u) shall "never be ashamed (r). 28. And it "shall come to pass afterward (y), that "I will pour out my Spirit upon all "flesh, and your sons (2) and your "daughters (2) shall prophesy, your

اله

(t) v. 22. "Do spring," "beareth," and "do yield," the present for the future. (u) v. 27. "My people," i. e. "they "who trust in me."

(x)" Be ashamed," i. e. "have cause "to be ashamed."

(y) v. 28. "Afterward," or " in the "last days." St. Paul so quotes it, when he applies this passage to the first effusion of the Holy Ghost, (Acts ii. 16 to 21) "This is that which was spoken by the "prophet Joel, "and it shall come to pass "in the last days, saith God, I will pour "out of my Spirit upon all flesh, &c. "The last days" mean "the times of the "Messiah," or "the last days of the Jew"ish state, 2 Lightf. 1024."

(z) v. 28, 29. "Sons;" " daughters, "old men, young men, servants, hand"maids," i. e. "without regard to age, "sex, or station.”