HARMONY AND LITERAL EXPOSITION
Dan 9:2. I understood from the books. Others translate: I carefully considered. The Hebrew word beian signifies both things — to understand and to consider or attend carefully. The number of years. Others: The change or repetition — and rightly so, for where there are years there is repetition. Others said change because the years change and the course of the sun is repeated as before.
Dan 9:3. I set my face. Others: I lifted up. To pray and to make supplication. Others: To seek prayer — that is, so that I might give myself to prayer.
Dan 9:5. We have turned away. Others: We have rebelled. Hebrew mardnu, of which more in several places.
Dan 9:6. We have not obeyed. The Septuagint: We have not hearkened — that is, we have not complied.
Dan 9:7. As it is this day. Others: Such as it is today. Others: According to this day — beyom haze — in this law. According to this day is a Hebraism equivalent in Latin to as the matter itself makes plain or as is evident from the present state of affairs.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:1. In the first year. Here is set down the vision which came to pass in the first year of Darius who succeeded Belshazzar. After Daniel described the complete course of the final tribulation and its principal conflict, as was seen in the two preceding chapters, here there is consequently described the consolation of that same tribulation, which will be greatest for the faithful themselves through the contemplation of the Passion of Christ. The subject matter therefore concerns the seventy weeks determined and fixed up to the Passion of Christ, which will be especially to be imitated in the time of Antichrist. The final cause is that the time of the expiation of sin through the death of Christ might be given as a consolation to the faithful of Christ who are living under Antichrist. The efficient cause is the Holy Spirit's action upon Daniel as he confesses his sin and desires and requests a remedy. The formal cause consists in a division which is as follows: first is set down the merit of prayer; second, of the revelation, at "And while I was still speaking" — the first being from the part of Daniel, the second from the part of the angel who reveals. Concerning the first, three things are noted: first, the proper condition of the one praying; second, the confession of the penitent, at "And he prayed to God"; third, the intention of the one petitioning, at "And now, O Lord." Concerning the first, it is to be considered that the proper condition of the one praying is that he should attend to the proper time for prayer. This Daniel does here, because he understood that the time promised by God for the liberation of the people was drawing near.
And it was done because he himself had been in exile for a very long time. But this Ahasuerus is the one who was spoken of above as Astyages. And this is what is added: OF THE SEED OF THE MEDES — because Darius, having defeated Belshazzar, transferred the kingdom to the Medes. WHO RULED, etc. — the first, not simply and absolutely, but the first of the aforesaid seed, namely the Medes.
MENOCHIUS
It is to be noted that this Ahasuerus is not the one under whom the story of Esther took place.
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF DARIUS — namely, after the conquest of Babylon, when he began to reign as sole monarch, which was the seventieth and final year of the Babylonian captivity, and likewise the year of the world 3430, and before the birth of Christ the year 529. In this year therefore Daniel knew that these seventy weeks up to Christ the Leader — that is, up to the baptism of Christ — still remained.
OF AHASUERUS — in Hebrew Achasuros, which word is compounded of Achas, meaning great, and veros, meaning head — as if one were to say great captain or prince. Thus the Turks call their Emperor the Great Lord, il gran signore. And so Ahasuerus was not so much a proper name as a common title of honor assigned to certain distinguished kings of the Medes and Persians. This Ahasuerus, therefore, the father of Darius the Mede, was Astyages, the grandfather of Cyrus.
WHO RULED OVER THE KINGDOM OF THE CHALDEANS — which he had seized after the conquest of Babylon and the slaying of King Belshazzar.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:2. In one year — that is, in the first year, according to Hebrew usage. Hence it is said in Genesis 1: There was evening, etc. — that is, the first. I, Daniel, etc. — of Jeremiah. The number of years. Note that this man to whom divine secrets were being revealed nevertheless read the Scripture of Jeremiah and other prophets — against those who, trusting in their own intelligence, disdain to look at what others have said. Now the Scripture which is here mentioned is Jeremiah 29: When seventy years in Babylon begin to be completed, I will visit you and raise up over you my good word, and I will bring you back to this place, etc. He understood the completion of the years to be drawing near through the times of the kings who had reigned from the beginning of the desolation of Jerusalem up to that time, through which it was shown in 1 Ezra that the desolation was completed in the fourth year of Cyrus. Before Cyrus, however, Darius the Mede reigned twelve years, and so the completion of the desolation was only five years and the beginning of the sixth away, since Cyrus of his four years had reigned only a short time before the aforesaid completion, as was said in that place.
MENOCHIUS
In one year — that is, in the first year; the Hebraism is well known. I understood from the books, etc. — I learned from reading Jeremiah chapters 25:11–12 and 29:10; for so great a prophet did not disdain to read the writings of another prophet, even after he had had conversations with angels. That there should be completed the desolation, etc. — signifying that the desolation of Jerusalem was to have an end and was at length to be restored.
TIRINUS
In one year — that is, in the first year of the reign of Darius in Babylon. And indeed he did not reign there but one year, as is evident from the histories. This same year was the first of the monarchy of Cyrus, and it was the seventieth and last of the captivity and servitude of Babylon, as I said at 1 Ezra 1 and in the Chronicle. This Darius is called the son of Ahasuerus — that is, of the great prince or king of the Medes, namely Astyages, as I said in the Chronicle. For Ahasuerus was not a proper name but a common title of the kings of the Medes, just as Artaxerxes was of the Persians, as I said elsewhere. Hence Cambyses, and the husband of Esther, and other kings of the second monarchy are called now Ahasuerus, now Artaxerxes, depending on whether they happened to be addressed by the proper name of the Medes or of the Persians, over both of which peoples they ruled.
I, Daniel, from and in the books of Jeremiah the prophet understood that the number of seventy years of the desolation of Jerusalem was now being completed, concerning which number the word of the Lord had once been given to that same Jeremiah. On these years — where they are to begin and where they are to end — I treated at length in the Chronicle. When therefore Daniel saw on the one hand that the end of the seventieth year was at hand, and on the other that the Jews were not ceasing from their customary wickedness but were rather adding new sins to the old, he feared lest God might also prolong the time of punishment. Therefore he here most humbly confesses his own sins and those of his fellow captives, and from his inmost heart begs pardon and demands the liberty that had been promised from heaven.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:3. And I set my face, etc. — that is, the attention of his mind and the face of his body, since with his face turned toward Jerusalem he prayed, as was said above in chapter 6. To pray — fervently. To make supplication — perseveringly. With fasting — so that there might be offered to God at the same time a sacrifice through the prayer of the spirit and through the mortification of the flesh, for it is written in Tobit 12: Prayer with fasting is good. With sackcloth — that is, with haircloth. And ashes — that is, in remembrance of human frailty. This was the custom of the Jews when they were in affliction, to place ashes upon their head as a sign of humiliation, for it is said in Sirach 32: The prayer of him who humbles himself shall penetrate the clouds.
But it seems here that Daniel sinned by praying for the liberation of the people, because such a prayer seems to proceed from a kind of doubt lest the word of God spoken through Jeremiah concerning the liberation of the people at the appointed time might not be fulfilled — and this seems to import a defect of faith.
It must be said that Daniel prayed for the fulfillment of the divine promise, not because he doubted God's faithfulness, but in order to show himself grateful to God for the promise already made. Furthermore, Daniel knew that divine promises are fulfilled through the prayers of good men, because just as God ordains something as future, so He also ordains the manner of its coming about — for both fall under divine ordination, namely the thing and its manner — and therefore he prayed that the promise made by God might be fulfilled. Furthermore, divine promises in Sacred Scripture must always be understood conditionally — that is, unless an obstacle is placed on the part of the one to whom the promise is made by offending God. Hence it is said in Jeremiah 18:6: Suddenly I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it; if it does evil in my sight so as not to hear my voice, I will repent of the good that I spoke to do unto it. Now Daniel feared lest the children of Israel had placed an obstacle to the divine promise through their sins, and therefore he prayed to the Lord to remove that obstacle if it existed. From what has been said the argument is clear: because Daniel's prayer did not proceed from any infidelity but rather from good causes.
MENOCHIUS
I set my face toward the Lord — I turned my face toward Jerusalem and toward the temple in which the Lord is accustomed to dwell.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:4. And I prayed the Lord. Here the confession of the penitent is subsequently described, where it is to be noted that Daniel takes upon himself the person of the people of Israel, because he was not of such an age or condition as to have committed such evils when he was taken into exile, since he was a holy child — but he calls the sin of the people of Israel his own inasmuch as he was a member of that people. He proceeds as follows: first, by confessing, he sets forth the wickednesses that deprave; second, he removes the circumstances that excuse, at "We have not obeyed"; third, he aggravates the conditions that make things worse, at "And it dropped." Note that in all of these he attributes justice to God and injustice to himself and to the people of Israel. Concerning the first, note that the wickednesses that deprave are against good morals by omitting precepts and doing what is forbidden. He says therefore, first setting forth the greatness and clemency of God so that through this the sin of the people may appear more grievous: I BESEECH THEE, O LORD — because He surpasses everything we can think or say concerning God. AND TERRIBLE — by punishing transgressors. KEEPING COVENANT — to fulfill promises. MERCY — by adding more than was promised. But to whom this is done he says: WITH THOSE WHO LOVE THEE — in heart and in deed. He then begins to confess sins saying:
MENOCHIUS
I made confession — both of my sins and of the people, and of God's mercy, which I implored. Keeping covenant, etc. — faithful in promises, faithfully keeping and rendering the mercy promised by covenant.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:5. We have sinned — in every kind of sin, which he explains subsequently. We have acted wickedly — against God, for piety is divine worship, and therefore impiety is departure from the worship that is due. And we have turned away — from Thy commandments, completely abandoning them. And we have declined — first little by little, doing the contrary, for a man does not fall at once into the depths of sins. He says moreover from Thy commandments — on account of the moral precepts — Thy judgments — on account of the judicial laws.
MENOCHIUS
We have turned away — Hebrew: We have rebelled. Judgments — Thy law.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:6. We have not obeyed. Here he subsequently removes the circumstances that excuse, which are ignorance and weakness. The first is removed by the fact that the people of Israel were disobedient to the words of the prophets speaking from the mouth of Daniel. The second is removed by the fact that not only common men sinned, but even those who were believed to be perfect men among the people. And this is what is said: We have not obeyed Thy servants who spoke in Thy name — not from their own initiative. To our kings, etc. — that is, to the priests who were regarded as fathers. And to all the people of the land — he adds this so that no one may appear excusable.
Dan 9:7. To Thee, O Lord, justice, etc. — because we have incurred these evils on account of our sins.
MENOCHIUS
To Thee, O Lord, justice — that is, it belongs to Thee; Thou art just and most justly dost Thou punish us on account of our sins. But to us confusion of face — confusion and ignominy is owed to us on account of our sins; rightly are we confounded; we are base and abject on account of our sins. As it is this day to the man of Judah — as this day and the present calamities make clear that we are paying the penalty of our crimes. To the man of Judah — to the Jews, that is, this day and the present calamities show it.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:8. O Lord, to us confusion of face, etc. — that is, it is owed. This repetition indicates emotion and adds weight to the prayer.
Dan 9:9. Vulgate: But to Thee, O Lord God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have departed from Thee. Pagninus: Mercies and forgivenessess. Arias Montanus: And indulgences, for we have been rebellious against Thee. Vatablus: And clemency, because we have defected from Him. Syriac: To Thee, etc., pardon of sins.
Dan 9:10. Vulgate: And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His law which He set before us through His servants the prophets. Pagninus: Through the hand of His servants. Septuagint: In the laws which He placed before our face. Theodotion: In His statutes.
Dan 9:11. Vulgate: And all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside so as not to hear Thy voice, and the curse and the imprecation written in the book of Moses the servant of God has dropped upon us, for we have sinned against Him. Arias: The execration upon us. Vatablus: Has flowed down upon us, etc., and the oath that is written. Some, according to Pinto's testimony, read: So that they might not consider the law. Septuagint: Has come upon us. Syriac: Therefore Thou hast brought upon them, etc., the adjurations.
Dan 9:12 — from verse 9 to 14. Vulgate: And He has confirmed His words which He spoke against us and against our princes who judged us, so as to bring upon us a great evil such as never was under all heaven, according to what has been done in Jerusalem. Pagninus: So as to bring on. Tigurinus: He has made good what He spoke, etc., so as to bring great calamities. Septuagint: Great evils, the like of which were not. Arabic: Inflicting upon us immense calamities.
Dan 9:13. Vulgate: As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil has come upon us, and we have not entreated Thy face, O Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Thy truth. Pagninus: And to understand Thy truth. Syriac: And pondering your faithfulness.
Dan 9:14. Vulgate: And the Lord has watched over the evil and brought it upon us; the Lord our God is just in all His works which He has done, for we have not hearkened to His voice. Arias: Over the evil, etc., we have not hearkened to His. Vatablus: He has kept watch over us for the infliction of evil. Vatablus: He has kept watch over us for the infliction of evil.
HARMONY AND LITERAL EXPOSITION
Dan 9:9. And forgiveness. The Syriac explains: Pardon of sins.
Dan 9:10. To walk in His law. Others: In His statutes — but it is the same thing, for the law of God is signified by the name of statutes, as in Leviticus 12: Keep my statutes — these are words of God commending the observance of His law. Others translate: That we might conduct our life according to His laws or that we might live according to His law — nor is this altogether wrong, for in Hebrew there is the verb ialac which means to walk, just as halac does in the divine writings. In the divine writings moreover to walk and to live are frequently the same; it is so taken in Leviticus 26: If you walk in my precepts, I will give you, etc. — that is, if you live according to my laws.
Dan 9:11. So as not to hear Thy voice. Others: So that they might not comply with Thy voice. We have said several times that to hear is used in the sense of to comply. Samagh means to hear, to obey, to heed; hence some translate: So that they might not consider Thy law — as if to say: They did not even so much as keep Thy law, let alone let it come into their minds.
The curse dropped upon us. Others: Came upon us or Thou hast brought upon us — but the Vulgate renders it well with dropped, because every punishment of this life is like a drop compared to the sea when set beside eternal punishment.
And the imprecation. Others: The oath, the swearing — for when we swear, we are accustomed to say: If it is not so, let an intolerable calamity come upon me.
Dan 9:12. A great evil such as was not. Others: Immense calamities such as — the Septuagint said great evils in the plural, on account of the devastation of the city, the slaughter of the Hebrews, and especially on account of the overthrow of the holy temple of God.
Dan 9:13. And we might understand the truth. Others: The faithfulness — faithfulness is taken in the sense of the fulfillment of promises, and the sense is: that we might consider and understand that Thy promises are most true.
Dan 9:14. The Lord watched over the evil and brought it upon us. Others: Over the evil — namely of punishment, so as to inflict it.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:9. But to Thee, O Lord, etc. — because Thou hast punished us less than we deserve. And note that he frequently repeats the same thought under different words here, showing the justice and mercy of God and the iniquity of the people of Israel; for such is the manner of one who speaks from feeling and who seeks to persuade a judge, in order to move him more to clemency.
MENOCHIUS
To Thee belong mercy and forgiveness — that is, it belongs to Thee, it befits Thee to have mercy on us.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:11. And it dropped. Here he describes the aggravating circumstances, which are obstinacy in sin and ingratitude for benefits received — things which are evident from the fact that although the Lord was striking them little by little for their correction and was sending prophets to recall them, they nevertheless did not return to beseech the Lord and to give thanks for His fatherly correction, but persisted in their evils. On account of which the curses written against them in the law of Moses — Deuteronomy 27, where those are cursed who transgress the law of the Lord — finally came upon them. And this is what is said here: And the curse dropped upon us, etc. He rightly says dropped, because God's punishment did not descend upon them all at once in one assault, but first they suffered certain particular persecutions for their recall and correction before they were totally taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, as is evident from 4 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
MENOCHIUS
The curse dropped upon us — the Septuagint has the curse came upon us. This refers to the threats and execrations against transgressors contained in the law of Moses, Leviticus 26:16 and Deuteronomy 27:14. Our translator renders it dropped because God, tempering His anger with mercy, pours it out as it were drop by drop.
The imprecation — the execration.
TIRINUS
Dropped — in Hebrew: the curse has been poured out upon us — the curse with which Thou didst threaten us sinners in Leviticus 26:16. And the imprecation — that is, the execration with which Thou didst imprecate upon those who violate Thy law in Deuteronomy 27:14. Rightly therefore and deservedly so.
LYRANUS
Dan 9:12. And He has confirmed, etc. — that is, He showed Himself steadfast in our just punishment. It follows: So as to bring upon us, etc. — this is a figure of hyperbole, to designate the greatness of their tribulation. Or it can be expounded according to the truth of history concerning the burning of the temple in which God was worshipped — and such an evil was not done anywhere else, because in no other place was there a temple dedicated to the God of heaven.
MENOCHIUS
And He confirmed — that is, He made firm by sending the plagues with which He had threatened. Who judged us — who governed us. According to what was done — that is, such as was done.
TIRINUS
He confirmed — God — that is, He caused to stand firm, He made good. His words — namely by fulfilling what He had foretold and by sending the plagues with which He had threatened.
CONTINUE
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