Daniel 2

Daniel 2:1

ANd in the second yeer of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar] Heb. And in the second yeer, in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. That is, two yeers after that these young Jews had been brought up in the court, the space of three yeers, Daniel 1:5. So that this second yeer is not to be taken from the kings reign, (which fell out in his fift) but from Daniels coronation, as it were, with wisdome this dream following was expounded: as Joseph in the second yeer after skill in dreams expoundeth Pharaohs: (compare Genesis 40:23. with 41. 1.) so God disposeth these times alike, the inchanters alike, guideth and advanceth Joseph and Daniel alike.

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams] Not that he had many dreams, but that many matters were contained in this dream, and because in that one image which he saw there were divers metals, which were types and representations of divers Monarchies, one succeeding another.

was troubled] Because it was so rare and strange a dream. See Genesis 40:6.

Daniel 2:2

Chaldeans] Or, diviners. So that this nation of all others was given to such like Arts and Studies: and all these Astrologers and Sorcerers called themselves by this name of honour, as though all wisdome and knowledge of the countrey dependeth upon them, and that all other countreys were voyd of the same.

Daniel 2:4

Syriack] While the visions are generall, and cause the Jews no danger, so farre Daniel writeth in the Syriack tongue, generall over the East, all hence to the 8. Chapter. But when the oppressours are named, and the Jews are plainly described the people whom God defendeth; then the 8. Chapter, and all after, he writeth in Hebrew: and hath a commandment to keep close the plain exposition, in Chap. 12. 4.

O king] Chap. 3. 9. A speech of affection and of honour naturall and civill, used also by the people of God, 1 Kings 1:31. Nehemiah 2:3. Daniel 3:9. & Daniel 5:10. & Daniel 6:6. 21.

Daniel 2:5

ye shall be] This is a just reward of their arrogancy (which vaunted of themselves that they had the knowledge of all things) that they should be proved fools, and that to their perpetuall shame and confusion.

cut in pieces] Chap. 3. 29. Chald. made pieces.

and your houses shall be made a dunghill] Ezra 6:11.

Daniel 2:6

rewards] Or, fee, chap. 5. 17. The word properly signifieth a very great reward, such as prodigals, who make no account of their wealth, use to give.

Daniel 2:7

Let the king tell his servants the dream] Herein appeareth their ignorance, that notwithstanding their brags, yet were they not able to tell the dream, except he entered them into the matter, and therefore they would pretend knowledge where was but meere ignorance, and so as deluders of the people, they were worthy to die.

Daniel 2:8

would gain the time] Chald. buy. Men in danger will give any thing to gain time, for their own advantage, or to escape from giving account.

Daniel 2:9

one decree for you] That is, my sentence shall stand firm and be brought to effect, Est. 4. 11.

for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me] I know that you, because ye cannot tell me my dream, have prepared your selves to give me a false interpretation, accommodated to the present time, and pleasing in the event: therefore if ye can know the future, which will never be, much more should ye know that which is past.

Daniel 2:11

a rare thing] Chald. precious. For precious things are rare.

whose dwelling is not with flesh] That have no conversation nor ordinary communication with men, whose souls lodge in bodies, and are tyed to senses; hence it comes to passe that that divine light they receive is very small, and also wholly depends on the good pleasure of God.

Daniel 2:13

And the decree went forth] The king pronounced it, and he caused it to be proclaimed.

the wise men should be slain] Those that were there present: or else, all the wise men were to be slain.

Daniel 2:14

answered with counsell] Chald. returned. or, restored counsell and wisdome. To wit, why the decree for killing all the sages should be stayed.

captain of the kings guard] Or, chief marshall. Chald. chief of the executioners, or slaughter-men. As Genesis 37:36.

Daniel 2:16

give him time] Not to study, or meditate by discourse of reason, or by help of books or rules of art, nor to deliberate: but to call upon God with fervour and perseverance.

Daniel 2:18

of the God] Chald. from before God.

that Daniel] Or, that they should not destroy Daniel, &c.

Daniel 2:20

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever] Psalms 113:2. & Psalms 115:18.

and might are his] Strength of minde and spirit to oppose the cruel decree of the king was a gift of God.

Daniel 2:21

he changeth the times] This seemeth to have speciall regard to the revolutions of States and Empires, and to the mutations of the affaires of the world, which was the subject of the kings dream.

he removeth kings] Job 12:18.

he giveth wisdome] This hath reference to the gift given to Daniel.

Daniel 2:22

He revealeth the deep and secret things] Job 12:22.

and the light dwelleth with him] He sheweth that man bath neither wisdome nor knowledge, but very dark blindnesse and ignorance, of himself: for it cometh only of God, that man understandeth any thing.

Daniel 2:23

O thou God of my fathers] To whom thou madest thy promise, and who lived in thy fear: whereby he excludeth all other Gods.

wisdome and might] Valour and greatnesse of minde in actions, and wisdome in counsell, and in understanding of affaires, and skill to interpret the dream.

desired of thee] That is, he and his companions, vers. 18. See the benefit of conjoyned prayers, and the modesty of Gods servants, who attribute the good things they receive from God to other mens prayers as well as to their own.

Daniel 2:24

the wise men of Babylon] See the mercy of Gods servants, Daniel sues to save the life of the wise men, not that he favoured their wicked profession, but in that he had a respect to equitie, because the king proceeded according to his wicked affection, & not considering if their Science were lawfull or no.

Daniel 2:25

I have found] Chald. that I have found.

captives of Judah] Chald. children of the captivity of Judah.

Daniel 2:27

cannot the wise-men] Daniel first sheweth the insufficiency of the wise-men, before he sheweth Gods power.

Daniel 2:28

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth] He sheweth, that man by reason and art is not able to attain to Gods secrets, but the understanding only thereof must come of God. Whereby he smiteth the king with a certain fear and reverence of God, that he might be the more apt to receive the high mysteries that should be revealed.

maketh known] Chald. hath made known.

the latter dayes] Or, in the end of dayes. That is, in time to come, even to the Messiah, as is declared Vers. 29. & 45. Hebrews 1:1. So Genesis 49:1. Jeremiah 23:20. Ezekiel 38:8.

Daniel 2:29

came into] Chald. came up. They mounted higher then they should: for what had he to do to see what would be in after-times? and yet God sometimes satisfieth the curious desires of great men for the good of his Church.

Daniel 2:30

but for their sakes] Or, but that the secret might be made known to the king. Meaning, for the Jews sake and all the Church of God, to whose prayers was granted the revelation both of the dreame and the interpretation. Or simply, that it might be made known.

the thoughts of thy heart] That is, that thou maist know what shall come to passe in future time, to the Church of God.

Daniel 2:31

sawest] Chald. wast seeing.

a great image] In holy Daniels eyes they are foure beasts, Chap. 7. which to profane mens capacitie God sheweth as goodly powers.

Daniel 2:32

This images head] Chap. 7. 3. Babel alone seventie yeers, not Ashur.

his breast and his armes] Medes and Persians, two kingdomes here as one, over the Jews 130. yeers.

his belly and his thighs] Or, sides. Great Alexander with the whole power of Greek States, which made him their King, for the Persian warre, (Diod. Book 16.) six yeers.

Daniel 2:33

His legs of iron] The legges are in Chap. 11. the successours of Alexander, in two the mightiest kingdomes, Egypt and the North: the one 294. yeers. The errour of taking in hither the Romanes is hurtfull to Daniels Book, and to all Christianitie, and other stories, and hath no colour of truth from Daniel.

Daniel 2:34

was cut out without hands] Or, which was not in hands: as vers. 45. Things wrought without meanes do effect wonders: so doth Christ, brought into the world by the worke and power of God, set up his kingdome: for the stone is the power of Christ that chief corner stone, weake and base in mens eyes, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, able to break in pieces all opposites, Isa. 8. 14, 15.

Daniel 2:37

Thou, O King] Jer. 27. 6, 7. Ezekiel 26:7.

Daniel 2:38

thou art this head of gold] He understandeth not onely the person of Nebuchadnezzar, but his Empire, called a head, because it was the first of the foure Monarchies; and of gold in regard of its glory and magnificence in all greatnesse, Isaiah 13:19. and Isaiah 14:11. Daniel 7:4.

Daniel 2:39

arise another kingdome] That of the Persians and the Medes, figured by the breast and armes of silver, in regard of the conjunction of both these nations in one Empire, though rich and splendid, yet not like that of the Babylonians, Daniel 7:5. & Daniel 8:3. & Daniel 11:2. and they were worse touching ambition, crueltie, and all kind of vice: shewing that the world should grow worse and worse, till it was restored by Christ.

third kingdome of brasse] That which Alexander got by overcoming Darius, represented by the belly and thighes of brasse, vers. 32. because that whole Empire did nothing else but devour by force of armes, which were anciently made of brasse tempered, alluding to the vilnesse of brasse to silver, worse then the former, Daniel 7:6. & Daniel 8:5. & Daniel 11:3.

rule over all the earth] Over a great part thereof, so that he shall obtain one of the greatest Empires of the world, called universall by popular speech, Ezra 1:2. Daniel 8:5. Luke 2:1.

Daniel 2:40

the fourth kingdome shall be strong as iron] Described vers. 33. By the two legges and feet of iron mixed with clay, is understood by many the Romane Empire, and also that of Antichrist; whereunto indeed, that which is here spoken, and that in Chap. 7. 7. may be analogically referred: and it may be that in regard of like revolutions, the holy Ghost in the Apocalyps alludeth hereunto: but in the first and proper sense, the successors of Alexander the great are here understood, reigning in Syria, and Egypt, who more sharply oppressed the Church then all others, in so much that they have gone about to do violence to the conscience, Chap. 7. 7, 8. & 8. 8, 9, 10. 24. & 11. 4, 5. 31. and this kingdom is called of iron, a base metal, but very hard, and of condition very variable, some while powerfull, and otherwhile very weake, a qualitie very agreeable to these two kingdomes, in regard of their originals, acts, and events.

and bruise] Whom? even the Jews nation: but the witty Daniel hideth that, which would cause them to be more hated of the heathen; Conferre with these words, Chap. 7. 23. & 8. 24. & 11. 22. &c.

Daniel 2:41

the kingdome shall be divided] Into the Selecidae that held Syria, and the Lagidae that reigned in Egypt, called the Kings of the North and of the South, Chap. 11. 5, 6. and they had continuall warres and discords among themselves.

Daniel 2:42

part of iron] He hath regard to the variety of the state of these two kingdomes, often raised up, and powerfull, and often abased, and depressed one by the other, and afterwards by the Maccabeans, and in the end by the Romanes.

partly strong] In relation to Judah, in dealing against them, unto Antiochus Epiphanes, or somewhat farther.

broken] Or, brittle.

Daniel 2:43

with the seed of men] Those Kings of Syria and Egypt shall contract affinitie by giving one another their daughters in marriage: for Ptolemy Philadelphus gave his daughter Bernice to Antiochus Theos: Antiochus the great gave his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes, &c. Chap. 11. 6. 17. 1 Mac. 10. 51. & 11. 9. whereby notwithstanding they cannot be joyned in heart, and make a firme and constant union.

not cleave one to another] Chald. this with this. Marriages made for bad or by ends seldome or never thrive.

Daniel 2:44

And in the dayes of these kings] Chald. their dayes. Or, after the dayes of those kings, so Job 27:15. those that remaine of him shall be buried in death, that is, after death: when the kingdomes of the Seleucides and the Ptolemies are fallen. Others say, about the end of that kingdome of Syria and of Egypt.

heaven] John the Baptist looked to this, and our Lord also, saying, The kingdome, of heaven is come: and so did Saint Paul, 1 Timothy 1:17.

a kingdome] Spirituall and heavenly of the Messiah manifested in the flesh, Chap. 7. 13, 14. 27.

which shall never be destroyed] Chap. 4. 3, 34. & 6. 26. & 7. 14, 27. Micah 4:7. Luke 1:33. His purpose is to shew that all the kingdomes of the world are transitorie, and that the kingdome of Christ shall onely remain for ever.

kingdome] Chald. kingdome thereof.

break in pieces] For that the Sonne of God, soveraign King of the world, is he that at all times hath destroyed all Empire and power contrary to his, Psalms 2:9. Isaiah 60:2. Zechariah 11:8. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6. who having made an end of subverting these foure Monarchies, with the ruine of these last kingdomes of Syria and Egypt, hath establisht his universall kingdome, though amongst his greatest enemies.

Daniel 2:45

stone was cut out of the mountain] Meaning Christ, who was sent of God, and not set up by man, whose kingdome at the beginning should be small and without beauty to mans judgement, but should at length grow (by the onely power of God, without force and humane art) and fill the whole earth, which he calleth a great mountain, as v. 35. and this kingdom, which is not onely referred to the person of Christ, but also to the whole body of his Church, and to every member thereof, shall be eternall: for the spirit that is in them is life eternall, Romans 8:10. See 1 Corinthians 12:12. Ephesians 1:23.

without hands] Or, which was not in hand.

the iron] Witty Daniel telleth first, how the last shall be destroyed, and not how Nebuchadnezzars house first should fall. So he dealeth in Chap. 7. 11, 12.

hereafter] Chald. after this.

interpretation thereof sure] Not feigned, to flatter the King, as this king discovered the Magicians would have done, vers. 9.

Daniel 2:46

worshipped Daniel] That is, he disposed himself to do it, but it appeareth by the verse following that he was forbidden by Daniel, and turneth it to God. So the Angel refusing to be adored of John bade him worship God, Revelation 22:9. See Act. 10. 25, 26. & 14. 13, 14, 15.

commanded] Chald. said. If a Kings word be a command, then much more is Gods.

Daniel 2:47

God is a God of gods] This confession was but a sudden motion, and it was also in Pharaoh, Exod. 9. 27, 28. but his heart was not throughly touched, as appeared soon afterward.

Daniel 2:48

made Daniel a great man] This was about two yeers afore the captivitie of Jeconias: an encouragement for the faithfull to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and to go willingly to Babylon, their own Nobles being so advanced there.

great gifts] Not that the Prophet was desirous of gifts or honour, but because by this means he might relieve his poore brethren which were grievously oppressed in this their captivitie: and also he received them, lest he should offend this cruel King, which willingly gave them.

chiefe of the governours] Chap. 4. 9.

Daniel 2:49

Daniel requested of the King] He did not this for their private profit, but that the whole Church, which was then there in affliction, might have some release and ease by this benefit: And hence we see that men which have the favour of Kings should preferre good men to such places as they cannot attend to execute themselves.

over the affairs of the province] His Chamber, and his commings in and dispatches.

Daniel sat in the gate of the king] Meaning, that either he was a Judge, or that he had the whole authoritie, so that none could be admitted to the Kings presence, but by him: Others say, he stirred not from the King, being, as it were, the Master of his palace, and the chiefe Minister, and Officer of his Empire.