The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 343

nominal suffix in milpanayo, "hofore him." whnt hi• fathers h1<vo not <lrmc, nor hia As Stunrl rtcutcly remrtrk•, lirt,I tho refcrenre fathers' fathers; o.nd ho shall dispcrHn In b•,-ecth been to tho Divino covonnnt with nmong them co.ptivcs (1rpovoµ.,/v), nnrl apoil tl1c Jews, wo should hnve h11,l hal,b•erelh. nnd possessions, and against ( Irr') E_<;ypt he Ver. 2fl.-And after the league m11de with Rhall dcviso de.vices, cvc:n for a Bria.,.rm." him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall The Peshitte. is like the MasHorctic. It come up, nnd shall become strong with a joins what is reckoned the last cln.use o! small people, 'l'he rendering of the LXX. ver. 23 to the present verse, nnd omits ie, "And with tho covenD,nt 0.11d rt people " peaceably;" the last words of tl ,is verse set iu o.rmy he eho.ll fabric11te B lio, even are transferred to the next. The Vul"ate o.grtinet o. strong nrttion with (Iv) o. email ie more related to Theodotion than to" the people." Tho rendering of Theodotion is Massoretic text, "And he shall enter plen- somewhat difficult to comprehend, "By teous (abunclante,) e.nd rich cities." The reason of leo.gues ngo.inst him, he shall remaining part of the verse agrees with the n111ke a device, o.nd shall ascend and master Massoretic text. The events here inrlicaterl them with few people." The Peshitta is are eomewhat difficult to identify. The very liko Theodotion, only the last clause of histories of this period are scanty, and, *his verso is rego.rded 11s the first of the with the exception of Polybius, whose work next. The Vulga.te is closer to the Maseo- has come to ue in a. fragmentary condition, retio than are any of tho other ancient not very trustworthy. Moreover, the read- versions, "And after friendships with him, ings are uncerte.in in a portion of the verae. he shall work fraud, and shall go up and It is generally held to describe the first conquer with a emo.II number." The re- entrance of Epiphanee into Palestine or ference here is to tho obscure events which Egypt - more generally the latter - an attended the contest-if there was a con- opinion aha.red by Theodotion. The English test-that resulted in Epiphanes securing versions do not bring out the probable mean- the throne. The alliance may refer to hie ing, although their rendering agrees with league with Eumencs. Appian assigns as the Massoretic pointing, "That which his I\ reason for the help given to Epiphanee by fathers have not done," etc. The repeated Enmcnes, that it was to go.in his friendship. triumphant invasions of Egypt are pro- Only Appio.n mentions "Attains and Eu- bably referred to. FoTecast de:r:ices against menes," as if they were separate sovereigns; the strong holds. This may refer lo the siege but Attains was brother of Eumenes, and, of Alexandria, which he was on the eve of at the time of tile arrival of Epiphanes, his commencing when he was compelled by the brother's envoy at Rome. Tliere may be Roman envoy, Popilius Lena, to desist; some foundation of fact, and this would but this ie evidently the subject of the later explo.iu the statement in the toxt. The verse. We can most easily understand this hopes of Eumenes, if he wished to strengthen verse if we regard it o.a a summary of the himself by o.n alliance with Epiphanee, were whole reign of Antiochus. probably soon frustro.ted, o.e Epiphanee in• Ver. 2:1.-A.nd he shall stir up his power volved himself in conflict with Egypt. and his courage against the king of the Ver. 24.-He shall enter peaoeably even south with a great army; and the king of upon the fattest places of the province; the south shall be stined up to battle with and he shall do that whioh his fathers have a very great and mighty army; but he not done, nor his fathers' fathers ; he shall shall not stand: for they shall forecast de- soatter among them tho prey, and spoil, and vices against him. The versions present no riohes : yea, and he shall foreoast his devices point of remark, save that, instead of "king against the strong holds, even for a time. of the south," the Septnagint has, as usual, 'l'he rendering of the LXX. ie, " Suddenly "the King of Egypt.'' This is supposed he sho.11 desolo.te the city, and he shall do to be a compendious account of the second of such things as his fathers have not done, the wars waged by Epiphe.nes against Egypt; nor hie father's fathers, r.nd he shall give but it suits the first better. At this time captives (1rpovoµ.,f, Deut. xxi.) and spoils the Romans bad declared war 11gainst Per- and riches to them; and against the strong seus, King of Macedon, and Antiochus, city o. device shall be forecast (61<,vo116,la,- finding that they did not conquer Macedon .,.a,), and his reasoninge are in vain." In easily, regarded the opportunity a suitablo the first clause, C)?~) seems to ho.ve been one for assailing Egypt and wresting from read instead of •Joi,61. Medeena ie taken Ptolemy Philometor Ccele-Syria., which his in its Syriao meairi.'ng'. It is difficult to see father had given as dower with Cleopatra, what reading could produce both the Mas- his daughter. The state of Egypt presented soretio and the Septuagint renderings. an o.spect eminoutly hopeful to an assailant. Thcodotion differs alike from this and from Tho court of Egypt was full of intrigue the Massoretio, "And in plenty, nud in the and trertchery; the centre of intrigue was fat plnces he shall come, :lucl he shall do the brother of the king, Ptolemy, nickn~uml  31G THE BOOlt OF DANIEL. [en. xr. 1~4ti.