The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 224

a day. Then the king, when he heard he had been entrapped. Ria suhorrline.to lhceo words, was sore displeased with him• position, occupying tho place of King of self, and set hie heart on Daniel to deliver Babylon merely for a see.son, instend of him : and he laboured till the going down Cyrns, would make it more cl ifficnlt for him of the sun to deliver him. 'l'ho version of to override any constitut.ional maxim. In the Septuagint, 11s usuril, differe from the the Se,ptne.gint the presidents seem to r,om. Mnasoretio text," Then these mon interceded pel the king by moral arguments-a thin"' (lvl-rvxov) with the king, llnd Bllicl, King tlie.t seems possible, though also a fratur; Dllrius, didst thou not confirm a clecreo that that might very naturally be added to the no me.n should offer prayer or present pe- story. In the i\Iassoretic text there ie an tition to any god for thirty d!lys, se.ve only enrleavour to poison the king against Daniel. to thee, 0 king, otherwise he ehould be Daniel has despised the king and his com- co.et into the den of lions? And the king mandment. This is more naturnl than the answered e.nd eaid, The word ie clear, and conduct imputed to the presidents in the the decree remaineth. And they eaid to Septuagint. These efforts were not suc- him, We adjure thee by the !awe of the cessful, as probably they scarcely expected Medes and the Persians the.t thou change they would be; the king is convinced of his not the commandment, nor be an accepter own hastiness, and of their treachery also, of persons (µ71~~ Oa.vµ.&.crr,• 'll'pocronrov), nor but not of any failure on the part of Daniel, diminish aught of the thing spoken, but in due respect to him, as the representative punieh the me.n the.t e.bideth not by this of the great king. decree. .And he said, This will I do, accord- Ver. 15.-Then these· men assembled unto ing. e.s ye he.ve so.id, e.nd the thing is con- the king, and said unto the king, Know, 0 firmed (fo-r711c,) by me. .And they ea.id, king, that the law of the Medes e.nd Per- Behold, we found De.niel, thy friend, pray- sians is, That no decree or statute which ing, e.nd me.king entree.ty before hie God the king establisheth may be changed. The three times e. de.y. [.And the king, being corresponding verse in the Septuagint is grieved, spe.ke to co.et Daniel into the den much shorter, ".And he was not able to of lions, according to the decree which he deliver him from them." This verse in the decreed against him.] Then the king Massoretic text has very much the appear- grieved exceedingly concerning Daniel, and ance of a doublet modified to fit a new laboured (lf3o~e .. ) till the going down of position. The first clause has occurred the sun to deliver him out of the hands of already twice before in the sixth verse and the satraps." One of the verses here seems the fifteenth. The last portion of the verse to have been an addition most probably to is a modification of what is stated in vers. the .Axe.maic text, as the Semitic spirit 9 e.nd 13. The first clanse ie omitted by and constrnction shine through. There ie, Theodotion, but inserted by the Peshitta. further, e.n obvious instance of doublet ; The probability ie that this verse, in its the clause within square brackets he.s all Massoretic form, has been inserted to explain the appee.re.nce of being e. me.rgine.l note the opposition the king strove in vain to summarizing the contents of the verse. The overcome. words, "out of the hands of the satraps,'' Ver. 16.-Then the king commanded, and he.ve been added e.s exple.ne.tory. Theodotion they brought Daniel, and cast him into the is in pre.ctice.l agreement with the Masso- den of lions. Now the king spe.ke and so.id retie text. The Peshitte. differs in some unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest minor points, e.g. inserting the common continually, he will deliver thee. The Ee.stern mode of e.ddreesing royalty, "0 Septuagint Version here is not so likely to king, live for ever." The clause, "con- represent the original text, as there are cerning the decree,'' ie omitted ; the other symptoms of displacement, "Then Darius differences are unimportant. The fa.et the.t the king called out and said to Daniel, Thy his Jewish origin is put in the front of their God whom thou serv~t continually three e.ccuse.tion of him indicates what Daniel's times a day, he will deliver thee out of the great offence was. The Septuagint places power of the lions; till the morning be of the fa.et that he was the king's friend in good cheer." The opening clause of the the.t position. It seems little likely tluLt next verse in the Septuagint really repre- even ton satrap would e.ny courtier venture scn ts the first clause of the verse before us, to bring forward a taunting reference to "And the king was grieved, a.nd spo.ke to bis friendships. The king is cnught in a cast Dnniel into the den of lions." Theo• trap; but no courtier would venture to press dotion and tho Peshitta agree with the his ndvnntage, lest be himself be taken at Massoretio text. The circumstances cannot une1we.rcs. Dnriue's ofi'orls lo savo Daniel fail to remind the reader of Herod with are to he noted. His effort would most John the Baptist, and the still greater probably be directed to find some we.y out orime wrought by weakness-Pile.ta o.nd our of the constitutional clilemma into whioh Lord. D11rii1s had failed to overbear th"  190 THE BOOK OF' DANIEL. [en. vr. 1-28.