The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 324

ronders, lrnlitm. The Arama.io influonoe is ia the oombina.tion which we find in our OOl'n in "q'D (haycli) instead of 'I('~ (' aych). Lord's life ; without faith even the miracu- " How Mn the servant,'' eto., exhibits re- lous power of our Lord could not be put spect and humility. FOf' <U for me, eto. forth. Aa we have noted, there ia somo 'l'hie seems not to be pa.rt of baniel's ad- uncertA.inty e.s to the reading, but no change dress to the angel, but a note whioh he he.B would alter the sense of the p1LSee.ge, "And added t.o indicate his oondition while he when he had spoken unto mo, I WILi was speaking. Neither ,, there breath left strengthened." The words spoken ea.lied ,,. me. There is no certainty whether this forth the power that was Ja.tent, CLnd had iB to be tCLken in the physical or mete.- been imparted to Daniel. .And ,aid, Let physical sense; whether we should regard my lord ~pealr, for thou ha,t 1trengthe11ed the prophet as declaring that awe deprived m47 Even . to hold co1;1verse with angelic him of the power of breath. or he felt his bemgs, entrnl~ expenditure of vital energy. oonsciousness so numbed as that he seemed The overpowermg sense of the spiritual bCLs to be without it. to be resisted, at least so far, in order thCLt Ver. 18.-Then 1.hcre oame again a.ncl mental aotion may go on. Had strength touohecl me one like the appearanoe of a not been imparted, the revelations bestowed man, and he strengthened me. The versions would not he.ve produced any permanent here call for no remark. The prophet still impression on the mind. 11tood, but trembling CLnd powerless, unahle Ver. 20.-Then said he, Xnowest thou to comprehend fully tl,e revelation; but wherefore I come nnto thee 1 and now now again the strengthening he.nd touches will I return to :tight with the Prince of him. It cannot be regarded as e. strain put Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the upon the me!i.ning here, if we see in this Prince of Grecia &hall come. The versions repeated presence of one in the form of man here are in close agreement with the Ma.s- a symbol of Christ, who took upon him the soretic text. Theodotion, since he begins form of a sorva.nt, a.nd was found in fe.e.h.ion the speech of the angel with ,1, may have uaman. read jD (liayn), "if," instee.d of iJ (Ila), the Ver. 19.-A.nd said, 0 :ma.n greatly be- sign or interrogation. The Pesh.itta has, loved, fear not: peaoe be nnto thee, be " to make war," instead of "fight," indi- atrong, yea, be strong. Ancl when he had cating a beginning of hostilities, not e. con- apoken nnto me, I was strengthened, e.nd tinue.nee of them. Then said lie, Knowest ■a.id, Let my lord speak ; for thou hast thou wherefore I come unto thee f This ques- atrengthened me. The LXX. has its ordi- tion appears to be abruptly put, e.nd to be put nary translation of the phrase rendered. without a.waiting e.n answer. Probably tho .. man greatly beloved (b6ponros i>..,,wbs ,T)." meaning would be better brought out by They give three words for the repetition of rendering, somewhat colloquially, "You ihe command, " be strong : " vylcuv,, "be in know, don't you? After I have revealed good health; " uopl(ou, "play the man;" the future to you, I must return." In con- fo-xu•, "be strong." In the last clause the sidering this whole subject, we must beware third person is retained, " Let my lord of taking everything literally. We may speak, for he strengthened me "-a change not deduce, because of the statement here, ma.de for symmetry. Theodotion iB much that angels a.re under the limitations of closer to the Massoretic te:r.t, only he, too, time and space, or that there is actual varies the words in the command, and has warfare. We must regard the mCLtter as, a.vop/(ou 1<u.1' fuxu,. The Peshitta, like to a. large extent, figurative. And now will Theodotion, varies the word in the com- I return to fight with the Prince of Persia. mand. In the last clause the verb is put Every one who studies hi.Btory in a. philo- in the pa.ssi.e, "and I wae strengthened." sophic spirit must see that the progress of For the command tlie Vulge.te has, con/Of'• the race, the evolution of that ultimate idea.I tare et uto robu•tUB ; but the last claW!e ia state-the kingdom of heaven among men in strict agreement with the Massoretic. -ia accompli.Bhed by successive steps, e.nd It is to be noted that the repetition of the over ea.eh step a nationality presides. 'fhis impere.tive, united by 1Ja1>, is unexampled; nationality represents the specie.I moment the various renderings in the versions point of spiritual force necessary to secure the to this being felt a difficulty, Lut do not new step the race j,lj required to te.kc,. suggest any variations of reading. Not While in the lower plane of history the @ly is the strengthening touch given, but nations themselves do these things; in the con..oling words nre added, "Be strong, yea, higher sphere it iB their angels who are be strung." Daniel was called upon to put the a.et.ors. A nation has in it much of the forth energy, to summon his forces mental characteristics of a living organism, and e.nd spiritu,,.l. H.: had received the strength- the angel of the nation is the life of that ening UJucb, but his own ,·olition muift go organism. As a finite being, the angel of along wi.ih tb.e aid divinely e.trorded. It any ne.tion of necessity iB imperfect ; hi.ii 011, x. 1-21.] 'fllE BOOK OF DANIEL. 207