Daniel 1
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim - This king was raised to the throne of Judea in the place of his brother Jehoahaz, by Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt, Kg2 23:34-36, and continued tributary to him during the first three years of his reign; but in the fourth, which was the first of Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 25:1, Nebuchadnezzar completely defeated the Egyptian army near the Euphrates, Jer 46:2; and this victory put the neighboring countries of Syria, among which Judea was the chief, under the Chaldean government. Thus Jehoiakim, who had first been tributary to Egypt, became now the vassal of the king of Babylon, Kg2 24:1. At the end of three years Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who, then occupied with other wars, did not proceed against Jerusalem till three years after, which was the eleventh and last of Jehoiakim, Kg2 23:36. There are some difficulties in the chronology of this place. Calmet takes rather a different view of these transactions. He connects the history thus: Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, finding that one of his lords whom he had made governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia had revolted from him, and formed an alliance with the king of Egypt, sent Neubuchadnezzar his son, whom he invested with the authority of king, to reduce those provinces, as was customary among the easterns when the heir presumptive was sent on any important expedition or embassy. This young prince, having quelled the insurrection in those parts, marched against Jerusalem about the end of the third or beginning of the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. He soon took the city, and put Jehoiakim in chains with the design of carrying him to Babylon; but, changing his mind, he permitted him to resume the reins of government under certain oppressive conditions…
Open source ↗THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY BEGINS; DANIEL'S EDUCATION AT BABYLON, &C. (Dan. 1:1-21) 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; Jer 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 Ch2 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; Jer 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.
Open source ↗In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,.... At the close of it, and at the beginning of the fourth, which was the first of Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 25:1. Jerusalem seems to have been taken twice in his time, and two captivities in it: the first was in the third or fourth year of his reign; when humbling himself, he was restored to his kingdom, though he became a tributary to the king of Babylon; Daniel and his companions, who were carried captive with him, were retained as hostages; but after three years he rebelled, but it was not until his eleventh year that Nebuchadnezzar came against him again, took him, and bound him, in order to carry him to Babylon, but he died by the way; see Kg2 24:1, some, as Jarchi and Saadiah Gaon, make this to be the third year of his rebellion, and the last of his reign; they suppose that he was conquered by the king of Babylon, and became subject to him in the fifth year of his reign; that he served him three years, and rebelled against him three years: at the end of which came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it; with his army, and took it; and the same way it is accounted for in the Jewish chronicle (p) according to Bishop Usher (q), this was in the year of the world 3398 A.M., and before Christ 607 or 859; according to Mr. Bedford (r), 605. (p) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 25. in principio. (q) Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3398. ((r)) Scripture Chronology, p. 676.
Open source ↗Of this expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem it is related in the second book of Kings (Kg2 24:1): "In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years; then he turned and rebelled against him;" and in the second book of Chronicles (Ch2 36:6): "Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon." That both of these statements refer to the same expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Jehoiakim mentioned here, appears not only from the statement of the book of Chronicles agreeing with Dan 1:2 of this chapter, namely, that Nebuchadnezzar took away a part of the sacred vessels of the temple to Babylon, and there put them in the temple of his god, but also from the circumstance that, beyond all doubt, during the reign of Jehoiakim where was not a second siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. It is true, indeed, that when Jehoiakim threw off the yoke at the end of three years' subjection, Nebuchadnezzar sent Chaldean, Aramaean, Moabitish, and Ammonitish hosts against him for the purpose of bringing him into subjection, but Jerusalem was not again laid siege to by these hosts till the death of Jehoiakim. Not till his son Jehoiachin ascended the throne did the servants of Nebuchadnezzar again come up against Jerusalem and besiege it. When, during the siege, Nebuchadnezzar himself came up, Jehoiachin surrendered to him after three months, and was, along with the chief men of his kingdom, and the strength of the population of Jerusalem and Judah, and the treasures of the royal palace and of the temple, carried down to Babylon (Kg2 24:2-16). The year, however, in…
Open source ↗We have in these verses an account, I. Of the first descent which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, made upon Judah and Jerusalem, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, and his success in that expedition (Dan 1:1, Dan 1:2.): He besieged Jerusalem, soon made himself master of it, seized the king, took whom he pleased and what he pleased away with him, and then left Jehoiakim to reign as tributary to him, which he did about eight years longer, but then rebelled, and it was his ruin. Now from this first captivity most interpreters think the seventy years are to be dated, though Jerusalem was not destroyed, nor the captivity completed, till about nineteen years after, In that first year Daniel was carried to Babylon, and there continued the whole seventy years (see Dan 1:21), during which time all nations shall serve Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his son's son, Jer 25:11. This one prophet therefore saw within the compass of his own time the rise, reign, and ruin of that monarchy; so that it was res unius aetatis - the affair of a single age, such short-lived things are the kingdoms of the earth; but the kingdom of heaven is everlasting. The righteous, that see them taking root, shall see their fall, Job 5:3; Pro 29:16. Mr. Broughton observes the proportion of times in God's government since the coming out of Egypt: thence to their entering Canaan forty years, thence seven years to the dividing of the land, thence seven Jubilees to the first year of Samuel, in whom prophecy began, thence to this first year of the captivity seven seventies of years, 490 (ten Jubilees), thence to the return one seventy, thence to the death of Christ seven seventies more, thence to the destruction of Jerusalem forty years. II. The improvement he made of…
Open source ↗1:1–6:28 The first half of Daniel, in describing the experiences and wisdom of Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, demonstrates that God is the ruler of the world and that God’s people need to be faithful and live and act wisely in every situation in which they find themselves. 1:1-21 God fulfilled his prophetic word by sending his rebellious people into exile (see Jer 25:11-12; 29:10). God also extended his grace to a remnant in exile, and he protected and prospered Daniel and three other young Hebrew captives. These young men received the best training of the time in the Babylonian king’s court and were thus well equipped to be God’s witnesses in Babylon. They made the God of Israel known even in exile. 1:1-2 These verses explain how it was that Daniel and his friends were in Babylon and succinctly give the setting in which Daniel lived during the years of exile. 1:1 Prior to this siege, Jehoiakim (609–598 BC) had been a vassal of Egypt; his reign in Judah was exceedingly wicked (2 Kgs 23:36–24:6; 2 Chr 36:5-8; Jer 25). The exile and captivity of Daniel and his friends in 605 BC prefigure the exile of the rest of the nation in 597 and 586 BC (see 2 Kgs 24:1–25:21). The Lord employed King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as his unwitting servant to accomplish his ends (cp. Jer 25:9; 27:6).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time) מַלְכוּת (malkûwth, H4438) — a rule; concretely, a dominion יְהוֹיָקִים (Yᵉhôwyâqîym, H3079) — Jehojakim, a Jewish king מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר (Nᵉbûwkadneʼtstsar, H5019) — Nebukadnetstsar (or -retstsar, or -retstsor), king of Babylon בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine צוּר (tsûwr, H6696) — to cramp, i.e. confine (in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or…
Open source ↗אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) יְהוֹיָקִים (Yᵉhôwyâqîym, H3079) — Jehojakim, a Jewish king מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), קְצָת (qᵉtsâth, H7117) — a termination (literally or figuratively); also (by implication) a portion; adverbially… כְּלִי (kᵉlîy, H3627) — something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שִׁנְעָר (Shinʻâr, H8152) — Shinar, a plain in Babylonia אוֹצָר (ʼôwtsâr, H214) — a depository
Open source ↗מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) אַשְׁפְּנַז (ʼAshpᵉnaz, H828) — Ashpenaz, a Babylonian eunuch רַב (rab, H7227) — abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity מְלוּכָה (mᵉlûwkâh, H4410) — something ruled, i.e. a realm זֶרַע (zeraʻ, H2233) — seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity פַּרְתַּם (partam, H6579) — a grandee
Open source ↗יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring מאוּם (mʼûwm, H3971) — to stain; a blemish (physically or morally) טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… מַרְאֶה (marʼeh, H4758) — a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape… שָׂכַל (sâkal, H7919) — to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent חׇכְמָה (chokmâh, H2451) — wisdom (in a good sense) יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… דַּעַת (daʻath, H1847) — knowledge בִּין (bîyn, H995) — to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand מַדָּע (maddâʻ, H4093) — intelligence or consciousness כֹּחַ (kôach, H3581) — vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means,… עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king הֵיכָל (hêykâl, H1964) — a large public building, such as a palace or temple
Open source ↗מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king מָנָה (mânâh, H4487) — properly, to weigh out; by implication, to allot or constitute officially; also to… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause פַּתְבַּג (pathbag, H6598) — a dainty יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication מִשְׁתֶּה (mishteh, H4960) — drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally)… גָּדַל (gâdal, H1431) — to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor,… שָׁלוֹשׁ (shâlôwsh, H7969) — three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time) קְצָת (qᵉtsâth, H7117) — a termination (literally or figuratively); also (by implication) a portion; adverbially… עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and…
Open source ↗בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites חֲנַנְיָה (Chănanyâh, H2608) — Chananjah, the name of thirteen Israelites מִישָׁאֵל (Mîyshâʼêl, H4332) — Mishael, the name of three Israelites עֲזַרְיָה (ʻĂzaryâh, H5838) — Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites
Open source ↗שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a… שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,… דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר (Bêlṭᵉshaʼtstsar, H1095) — Belteshatstsar, the Babylonian name of Daniel חֲנַנְיָה (Chănanyâh, H2608) — Chananjah, the name of thirteen Israelites שַׁדְרַךְ (Shadrak, H7714) — Shadrak, the Babylonian name of one of Daniel's companions מִישָׁאֵל (Mîyshâʼêl, H4332) — Mishael, the name of three Israelites מֵישַׁךְ (Mêyshak, H4335) — Meshak, an Israelite עֲזַרְיָה (ʻĂzaryâh, H5838) — Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites עֲבֵד נְגוֹ (ʻĂbêd Nᵉgôw, H5664) — Abed-Nego, the Babylonian name of one of Daniel's companions
Open source ↗דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… גָּאַל (gâʼal, H1351) — to soil or (figuratively) desecrate פַּתְבַּג (pathbag, H6598) — a dainty מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication מִשְׁתֶּה (mishteh, H4960) — drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally)… בָּקַשׁ (bâqash, H1245) — to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to… שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a…
Open source ↗אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… רַחַם (racham, H7356) — compassion (in the plural); by extension, the womb (as cherishing the fetus); by… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a…
Open source ↗שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3373) — fearing; morally, reverent אָדוֹן (ʼâdôwn, H113) — sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine) מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king מָנָה (mânâh, H4487) — properly, to weigh out; by implication, to allot or constitute officially; also to… מַאֲכָל (maʼăkâl, H3978) — an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit) מִשְׁתֶּה (mishteh, H4960) — drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally)… רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… זָעַף (zâʻaph, H2196) — properly, to boil up, i.e. (figuratively) to be peevish or angry יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) דָנִיֵּאל (Dânîyêʼl, H1840) — Daniel or Danijel, the name of two Israelites מֶלְצָר (meltsâr, H4453) — the butler or other officer in the Babylonian court שַׂר (sar, H8269) — a head person (of any rank or class) סָרִיס (çârîyç, H5631) — a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a… מָנָה (mânâh, H4487) — properly, to weigh out; by implication, to allot or constitute officially; also to… חֲנַנְיָה (Chănanyâh, H2608) — Chananjah, the name of thirteen Israelites מִישָׁאֵל (Mîyshâʼêl, H4332) — Mishael, the name of three Israelites עֲזַרְיָה (ʻĂzaryâh, H5838) — Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites
Open source ↗נָסָה (nâçâh, H5254) — to test; by implication, to attempt עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235) — ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits) יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) זֵרֹעַ (zêrôaʻ, H2235) — something sown (only in the plural), i.e. a vegetable (as food) אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
Open source ↗מַרְאֶה (marʼeh, H4758) — a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape… רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… יֶלֶד (yeled, H3206) — something born, i.e. a lad or offspring אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) פַּתְבַּג (pathbag, H6598) — a dainty מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application עֶבֶד (ʻebed, H5650) — a servant
Open source ↗שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause נָסָה (nâçâh, H5254) — to test; by implication, to attempt עֶשֶׂר (ʻeser, H6235) — ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits) יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to…
Open source ↗Cross-references
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