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CHAPTER X.

1 Daniel having humbled himself seeth a vision. 10 Being troubled with fear he is comforted by the angel.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was 'long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks

3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is 'Hiddekel;

5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my 7 comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my I face toward the ground.

10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which 'set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

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11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and "stand upright:

1 Heb. great. 7 Or, vigour.

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12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, "one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.

17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

18 Then there came again and touched. me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that "holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

Revel. 1. 13, 14, 15. 18 Or, the first.

Heb., wecks of days. Heb. bread of desires. 4 Gen. 2. 14 5 Heb. one man.
Chap. 7. 28. Heb. moved. 10 Heb. a man of desires. 11 Heb. stand upon thy standing.
13 Or, this servant of my lord. 14 Heb. strengtheneth himself.

Verse 4. "Hiddekel.”—That is, the Tigris. This shows that Daniel was at Susa, Babylon being on the Euphrates. 13. "The prince of the kingdom of Persia.”—From the context this would seem to mean not any human prince, but an angel-and that an evil one-who endeavoured to influence the Persians against the Jews, and was opposed by Gabriel, who was commissioned to remain at the Persian court, to incline the king and nobles to their favour, and to whose assistance, in the accomplishment of this object, Michael came. This is the obvious meaning of the verse, though other interpretations have been suggested. It is well observed here by Boothroyd, "We are too much unacquainted with the invisible world to decide that nothing of this kind actually occurs; and yet the whole may be symbolical, to show Daniel that his people would meet with opposition from that quarter."

CHAPTER XI. 1 The overthrow of Persia by the king of Grecia. 5 Leagues and conflicts between the kings of the south and of the north. 30 The invasion and tyranny of the Romans.

ALSO I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

2 And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

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3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. 5 And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.

6 And in the end of years they 'shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.

7 But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail :

8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with 'their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and be shall continue more years than the king

ot the north.

9 So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

10 But his sons 'shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.

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11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.

12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.

13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.

14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities; and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither 'his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

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18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause "the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.

19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

20 Then shall stand up in his estate "a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in "anger, nor in battle.

21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

Heb. rights. 3 Or, whom she brought forth.

Heb. vessels

1 Heb, shall associate themselves. Heb. at the end of times of years. 7 Heb, the children of robbers. 8 Heb. the aty of munitions. 10 Or, goodly land. 11 Heb. the land of ornament. 12 Or, much uprightness : or, equal conditions. 15 Heb. his reproach. 16 Heb. one that causeth an exactor to pass ODET.

of their desire. 5 Or, shall war. Heb the people of his choices. Heb. to corrupt. 14 Heb. for him. 17 Heb. angers.

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27 And both these kings' "hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that

"maketh desolate.

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he "corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

13 Or, into the peaceable and fat, &c.

Or, by them.

25 Heb. Mauzzım.

VOL. III.

19 Heb. think his thoughts.

33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.

34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

38 But in his estate shall he honour the

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God of 25 forces and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for "gain.

40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

41 He shall enter also into the 30 31 glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42 He shall

stretch forth his hand also

upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he Or, cause to dissemble.

20 Heb. their hearts. 21 Or, astonisheth.

4 Heb. as for the Almighty God in his seat he shall honour, yea, he shall honour a god, whom, &c. 25 Or, munitions. 27 Heb, things desired. 28 Heb. fortresses of munitions. 29 Heb, a price. 80 Or, goodly land.

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31 Heb. land of delight, or, ornament. 39 Heb. send forth.

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shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of

33 Or, goodly.

his palaces between the seas in the ""glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

34 Heb. mountain of delight of holiness.

CHAP. XI.-To Dr. Hales, who has furnished us so much valuable help in this book, we are indebted for the for lowing general view of this chapter:

"The last prophecy contains four parts in the eleventh chapter, and an appendix in the twelfth.

"1. The first part explains the overthrow of the Persian empire, under Darius Codomanus, the last king, by Alexander the Great; and the division of his great empire among his four generals.-verses 2-4.

"2. The second details, with minute historical precision, the intermarriages and wars of the kings of the north and south, or of Syria and Egypt; and the oppressions and persecutions of the Jews, between the two contending powers. till the depression of Syria by the Romans.-verses 5-30.

"3. The third takes up the conclusion of the second vision, and relates, in continuation, the proceedings of the Romans after the removal of the daily sacrifice, and setting up the abomination of desolation, at the destruction of Jerusalem, A. D. 70; their various persecutions, blasphemies, apostacies, and innovations, heathen and Christian.-verses 30-39.

4. The fourth recounts the war of the wilful king with the king of the south; his expedition into the glorious land of Palestine; his conquest of many countries in the east, except Moab, Edom, and Ammon; and, in the south, of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. His return in consequence of tidings from the north which shall trouble him; his planting the tabernacle of his palace in the glorious holy mount between the two seas; and his final destruction, without any to help him.-verses 40-45.

"This last part of the prophecy appears to be unfulfilled; and to coincide, in point of time, with the third woe of the Apocalypse. They are therefore both sealed, or shut up, for the present, till further lights shall be furnished by the event." Analysis,' vol. ii. p. 528.

CHAPTER XII.

the

1 Michael shall deliver Israel from their troubles.
5 Daniel is informed of the times.
AND at that time shall Michael stand
up,
great prince which standeth for the children
of thy people: and there shall be a time of
trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation even to that same time: and at that
time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, 'some to ever-
lasting life, and some to shame and ever-
lasting contempt.

3 And they that be 'wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the 'bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was 'upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

Matt, 25, 46. John 5. 29.
* Or, part,

7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

8 And I heard, but I understood not; then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and 'the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

13 But go thou thy way till the end be: "for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

5 Chap. 10, 5.

2 Or, teachers. 3 Matt. 13. 43.
4 Heb. lip.
Or, from cbove. 7 Rovel. 10, 5,
Heb. to set up the abomination, &c. 10 Or, astonisheth, 11 Or, and thou, &c.

HOSE A.

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name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will 'avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name 'Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; 'but I will utterly take them away.

7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

8 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

9 Then said God, Call his name 'Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that 'in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

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8 Heb. I will not add any more to. Rom. 9. 25, 26. 7 Or, in stead of that.

That is, Not having obtained mercy.
5 That is, not my people.

Or, that I should altogether pardon them. 8 Jer. 3. 18. Ezek. 34. 23.

EA-Our own division of "Four prophets the greater, and twelve prophets the less" seems to regard the latter, rtain sense, as forming one book. This was also the view of the Jews. Thus, Stephen, quoting a passage out of says, "It is written in the book of the prophets." (Acts vii. 42.) Josephus also counts them as one book. So i reports from the Rabbins that the twelve prophets were put together in one book, lest, from their smallness, any n should be lost. All this only implies, that in the early copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, the several books of welve prophets were put together in one roll or volume. Hosea is placed first, probably because his book is the of those which contain prophecies delivered before the Captivity, and indeed the largest of all the twelve, with gle exception of Zechariah. In order of time he was preceded by Jonah and perhaps Amos. And here it useful to many of our readers to have at one view the order of time in which the several prophecies were delivered. purpose we give the table of Bishop Gray.

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