Daniel 8

Daniel 8:1

to the Prince] Or, against. Daring to push at God himselfe, by blaspheming him, and violating his service and glory: see Chap. 7. 25. & 11. 22. 36.

by him] Or, from him.

daily sacrifice] Namely, the morning and evening sacrifice, the Law whereof is in Exodus 29:38, &c. Numbers 28:3.

Daniel 8:2

in a vision] Not in a dreame on night, but in vision. So Ezekiel being bodily present in Mesopotamia, in the visions of God, was brought into the Land of Israel, Ezekiel 8:3. and Ezekiel 40:2. The armes and breast, and the Beare, are here now in the third vision, that Judah should be skilfull in this matter.

palace] The place of royall residence, where the Kings of Persia afterwards kept their Court, and made their stay one part of the yeer. Esther 1:5.

of Elam] That is, of Persia.

Daniel 8:3

a ramme] A figure of the Persian and Median Empire, signified by the two hornes, as vers. 20. by the images breast and armes of silver, Daniel 2:32. and by the Bear, Daniel 7:5.

one was higher] The Kingdome of Persia, which though founded after that of Media, grew farre greater then it, by th victories of Cyrus the Persian, who took away Media from his grandfather, and afterwards took Babylon, and many countreys more.

the other] Heb. the second.

Daniel 8:4

west-ward] See Daniel 7:5.

no beasts might stand before him] That is, no Kings or Nations could hinder his enterprises and actions.

but he did] Chap. 11. 3.

Daniel 8:5

an be-goat] By this is figured the kingdom of Greece, under Alexander, vers. 21. All the brasse and iron, Chap. 2. 33. 39. Also the Leopard and the fourth beast, Dan. 7. 6, 7. are in this Buck: and this is a sweet commentary upon them.

from the west] From Greece and Macedon, westward from Asia, where the Prophet was, and where the Persians reigned.

whole earth] So ambitiously this great Monarchy called it selfe universall, though it possessed but a little part of the world, Daniel 2:39. yet it was that which was most esteemed and best known.

touched not the ground] Or, none touched him in the earth. So swiftly great Alexander conquered the East in six yeers, as flying rather then going on the earth: see Chap. 7. 6.

a notable horn] Heb. a born of sight. Alexander was the notablest for his strange successe in warres of any that ever warred.

between his eyes] Hereby were figured the wise Captaine of Alexander the Great.

Daniel 8:6

came to the ramme] A description of Alexanders acts against Persia; whereby he overthrew that kingdome, and made himself Lord of Asia.

in the fury of his power] This place is a sweet abridgement of all Great Alexanders conquests.

Daniel 8:7

moved with choler] At Granicon water in his first fought field he did well.

and smo the ramme] At Issicon, the second battel he did better.

and brake his two horns] Thirdly, at Gaugamela, he killed of Darius men about 600000. and got the Empire.

Daniel 8:8

the great horn] Alexander died suddenly in the flower of his age, and in the middle of his victories.

toward the foure winds] Chap. 11. 4. That is, which were famous: for almost in the space of fifteen yeers there were fifteene divers successours before this Monarchie was divided to these foure, whereof Cassander had Macedonia, Seleucus Nicator Syria, Antigonus Asia the lesse, and Ptolomeus Lagides Egypt.

Daniel 8:9

one of them] Of the Seleucidae reigning in Syria and Babylon.

came forth] Chap. 7. 8. & 11. 21.

a little horn] Which was Antiochus Epiphanes, who was of a servile and flattering nature, and also there were other between him and the kingdome: and therefore is here called the little born, because neither Princely conditions, nor any other thing was in him, why he should obtain the kingdome.

the south] That is, toward Egypt, which Antiochus seised upon, Chap. 11. 25. 40. 43.

the east] In Persia, which was also conquered by Antiochus.

pleasant land] So is Judea, or the Land of Israel called in Scripture, in regard of its great prerogative, temporall and spirituall, it being the Tseby of all lands: the ornament, pleasure, and noblenesse; or as it were Roe: and that especially for Jerusalem, Psalms 48:2. See Ezekiel 20:6. 15. Daniel 11:16. 41. 45. Zechariah 7:14. See these enterprises of Antiochus upon Judea Chap. 11. 30. and following verses.

Daniel 8:10

to the host] Or, against the host. Antiochus raged against the Church of God, which is a heaven where God dwelleth in grace, and where the faithfull do hold the place of Angels, Isaiah 14:13. Daniel 8:24. & Daniel 11:32.

cast down] That is, slew some of the elect, which are called the host of heaven and starres, because they are separated from the world, and whose names are written in heaven, Luke 10.

Daniel 8:12

an host was given him against the daily sacrifice] Or, the host was given over for the transgression against the daily sacrifice. The faithfull shall be in great danger of apostating from the true religion: and Antiochus shall give them many occasions to do it, and shall seek to induce them to it, and the Lord shall put them to this triall, Chap. 11. 32. 35.

cast down the truth] All use, preaching, and profession of Gods truth and doctrine of salvation, shall be forbidden and suppressed by Antiochus: who did seek to destroy the very books of the Law, 1Ma 1:59.

Daniel 8:13

one saint speaking] Meaning that he heard one of the Angels asking this question of Christ, whom he calleth a certain one, or a secret one, or a marvellous one: for Angels desire to see into the mysteries of God, 1 Pet. 1. 12.

that certain saint] Or, the numberer of secrets, or the wonderfull numberer. Heb. Palmoni.

vision concerning the daily sacrifice] That is to say, the things signified by it.

transgression] The idolatrie of Jupiter Olympius, which Antiochus had set up in the temple, in stead of Gods pure worship, 2Ma 6:1-2. which caused the extreame desolation of the people: in some spiritually, by apostasie, in other some bodily, by persecutions and torments, Daniel 11:31. & Daniel 12:11.

of desolation] Or, making desolate.

Daniel 8:14

he said unto me] Christ the Palmoni or wonderfull numberer, verse 13. answered me for the comfort of his Church.

Ʋnto two thousand] That is, untill so many naturall dayes be past, which make six yeers three moneths and an halfe: for so long under Antiochus was the temple profaned.

dayes] Heb. evening morning.

cleansed] It shall be purified from its uncleannesse: Heb. justified. That is, set free by Gods just judgement, from Antiochus his tyranny, who had made it a receptacle of idols: to be againe according to its first institution, the holy Temple of the true God.

Daniel 8:15

appearance of a man] Which was Christ, who in this manner declared himselfe to the old fathers how he would be God manifested in the flesh.

Daniel 8:16

Gabriel] The name of an Angel, which signifieth strong man of God. See Chap. 9. 21. Luke 1:26. the onely Angel in Scripture which hath a proper name.

make this man] This power to command the Angel declareth that the commander was Christ, who is true God.

Daniel 8:17

O sonne of man] Ezekiel and Daniel onely, being in visions of Angels, are so spoken unto: Sonne of man: as Aben Ezra and Abr. Shallum note, Ezekiel 2:1.

vision] The things foretold by that vision shall come to passe about the time of the coming of the Messiah, who shall fulfill the prophecies, and the old age, for to bring in a new one, by renewing the state of the Church. See Ezekiel 38:8. Daniel 9:24.

Daniel 8:18

Now as he] Chap. 10. 9.

deep sleep on my face] That is to say, in my propheticall extasie I lost all action and motion as a man overcome with sleepe.

set me upright] Heb. made me stand upon my standing.

Daniel 8:19

what shall be in the last end] What shall befall the Jewes in this last affliction, which God shall send them for a punishment of their sins: meaning that great rage of Antiochus; after which shall be revealed the great and eternall reconciliation in Christ, Daniel 9:24. & Daniel 11:36.

the end shall be] There shall be a certaine prefixed time for the lasting of this calamitie. This verse strongly overthroweth their errour, which feign the Romane Monarchie to be meant by the legges of the image, Chap. 2. or by the fourth beast, Chap. 7. seeing that the Greeks are the dealers in the end of wrath spoken of Daniels people. And it had been a strange thing, that this last vision, repeating the former, should leave out the Romanes, if they had been spoken of before: seeing it were good to have that told, and God never omitted the good of his Church.

Daniel 8:21

Grecia] This place proveth that of Javan the Greeks come.

the first king] Namely, Alexander the Great.

Daniel 8:22

foure kingdomes] Of many kingdomes arising from Alexander, foure in the end beare the sway, and in time two: whereof Chap. 11. will speak.

of the nation] Namely of the Greek, or Macedonian nation, though not of Alexanders posteritie.

in his power] They shall not have like power as had Alexander.

Daniel 8:23

their kingdome] That is, full power over the Jewes, who, after Antiochus, did shake off the yoak of the Seleucidae, Chap. 7. 22. Otherwise they reigned as long againe after in their own countrey: but of those that reigned after Antiochus here is no speech.

transgressours] Among the people of the Jewes.

are come to the full] Heb. are accomplished.

the full] Of open impiety, and formall apostasie, Daniel 11:30. 1 Maccabees 11, 12. Genesis 15:16.

a king of fierce countenance] Namely, Antiochus Epiphanes, Cha. 7. 20. & 11. 21. who was impudent, as Deuteronomy 28:50. and he is spoken of in the Maccabees and of heathen very much for impudencie against all divinitie, humanitie, and common wit. Of Polybius he was called Epimanes, that is, mad.

darke sentences] Heb. Chiddoth, is properly hid things, as Psalms 78:2. And whereas to understand hard sentences, that is a matter of a wise spirit: it cannot be that the Angel would so thinke of Epimanes, as to make him understand hard sentences who knew least of any that way. Hid mischiefes he minded, not hid parables.

Daniel 8:24

but not by his own power] But by deceit and fraud, as in the verse following; and by the perfidiousnesse and treacheries of other men. See Daniel 11:23.

the mighty] Great Kings and Princes, and especially them of Egypt. Chap. 11. 25.

the holy people] Heb. the people of the holy ones. Namely, the Church of God the Jewish people.

Daniel 8:25

by peace] Or, by prosperitie. That is, under pretence of peace, or as it were in sport, he will exercise cruell tyranny. See 1 Mac. 1. 30, 31, 32.

prince of princes] Against God himself, King of kings.

broken without hand] 2Ma 9:9. By sicknesse stricken by the hand of God, and not by men, 1Ma 6:8. 2Ma 9:5.

Daniel 8:26

the vision of the evening] Concerning that determined number of dayes told, vers. 14.

is true] Proper, and needing no further explication.

shut thou up the vision] As Isaiah 8:16. Daniel 12:4. Keep it to thy self, and reserve it in writing for posteritie, without much publishing it for the present, because it is not so much for the use of this age, as for that which shall follow.

for many dayes] Or, after many dayes. About three hundred years are from the death of Belshazzar unto the death of Antiochus Epiphanes.

Daniel 8:27

I Daniel fainted] Chap. 7. 28. and 10. 8, 16. Through fear and astonishment.

none understood it] As I had a command to shut up the matter in the verse before, so I refrained my countenance from open expressing of my grief.