Daniel 8

Daniel 8:1

Her daughters - The lesser cities. In the field - On the firm land.

Daniel 8:6

Garrisons - Bastions, or forts, or triumphal arches.

Daniel 8:7

Shall lay - It had been a quicker way, to have burnt all; but the greedy soldier might dream of treasures hid in walls, or under the timber, and therefore take the pains to pull all down, and throw it into the sea.

Daniel 8:9

No more - Tho’ there was a city of that name built, yet it was built on the continent; and in propriety of speech, was another city.

Daniel 8:10

The isles - Isles which are places freest from danger of invasions, will shake with fear, when they learn that Tyre is fallen.

Daniel 8:11

The princes - Who were lords of the islands of that sea. Come down - In token of condolence. Trembling - They shall be afraid of their own concerns, and astonished in the midst of their fears.

Daniel 8:13

In the sea - At a great distance, and farther from land. Departure - Leaving thy ancient dwelling, to go into captivity.

Daniel 8:14

The deep - Nebuchadnezzar’s army. Great waters - Great afflictions.

Daniel 8:15

Bring thee down - When I shall slay thee, and throw thee into the grave. With the people - Who are long since dead, and gone to eternity. The low parts - Another description of the grave, from the situation and solitude of it. Set glory - Then I will restore the beauty, strength, and wealth of Israel, and bring them back to Jerusalem. In the land - In the land of Judea, called, land of the living, because a land, where God will bless, and give life by his word, ordinances, and spirit: thus different shall Tyre’s captivity and Jerusalem’s be.

Daniel 8:16

A terror - To all that hear of thee.

Daniel 8:18

A terror - To all that hear of thee.

Daniel 8:19

A lamentation - We ought to mourn for the miseries of other nations, as well as of our own, out of an affection for mankind in general; yea, tho’ they have brought them upon themselves.

Daniel 8:20

At the entry - Heb. Entrances. She was about four furlongs, or half an English mile from the continent, as it were in the very door of the sea.

Daniel 8:22

They - The shipwrights. Shipboards - The planks and benches, or transoms for their ships. Fir - trees - Of the best and finest fir - trees. Lebanon - Whose cedars excelled others.

Daniel 8:23

With box - From the isles, and parts about the Ionian, Aegean, and other seas of the Mediterranean, where box - tree is a native, and of great growth and firmness, fit to saw into boards for benches; they were conveyed to Tyre, where their artists inlaid these box boards with ivory, and made them beautiful seats in their ships.

Daniel 8:24

The isles of Elishah - Probably the sea - coast of Aeolis in the lesser Asia, the inhabitants whereof were excellent in the skill of dying wool. Which covered - He speaks of the coverings they used in their ships or galleys: their tilts, as our boat - men call them.

Daniel 8:25

Zidon - An ancient town and haven of Phoenicia, not far from Tyre. Arvad - Or Aradus, an island belonging to Phoenicia, twenty furlongs from the continent. Mariners - Rowers in thy galleys; the rich Tyrians would not employ their own in such servile works, they hired strangers. Wise men - Thy learned men: for navigation was the great study of the Tyrians.

Daniel 8:26

The ancients - Old experienced workmen. Gebal - A town of Phoenicia near the sea. The wise men - Skilful in their trades. Were in thee - Who dwelt in Tyre for gain. All the ships - Ships from all parts of the sea, full of mariners, not only to manage the ships at sea, but to offer their service to the Tyrians for bringing in, or carrying out their wares.

Daniel 8:27

Lud - Lydians, not those Cresus was king over, but those that dwelt in Egypt about the lake Maraeolis. Phut - Lybians, a people of Africa; these were their hired soldiers. Hanged the shield - In time of peace. They set forth - These stout, expert, well armed guards, were an honour to thee.