This book is called, in the Vulgate Latin version, “the Prophecy of Daniel”; and in the Syriac and Arabic versions “the Prophecy of Daniel the Prophet”.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah At the close of it, and at the beginning of the fourth, which was the first of Nebuchadnezzar, .

The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand And the city of Jerusalem too, or he could not have took the king, and so the Syriac version renders it, and the Lord delivered it into his hands, and Jehoiakim : this was from the Lord, because of his sins, and the sins of his ancestors, and of…

And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, &c.] That is, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon spake to this officer of his, whose name was Ashpenaz; which, according to Saadiah, signifies a man of an angry countenance; but Hillerus [[4]] derives it from the Arabic word “schaphan”, as…

Children in whom was no blemish Not mere children, but young men of fifteen or twenty years of age; about which age Daniel is by Aben Ezra supposed to be when he was carried captive; and less than this be cannot well be thought to be, since, in a few years after, he was put into posts of the…

And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat Every day a portion was ordered them, from the king’s table, of the richest dainties he himself ate of; which was done not only as an act of royal munificence and generosity, and in respect of their birth and breeding; but also as a…

Now among these were of the children of Judea, &e.] Among those youths that were selected from the rest, and brought up in the above manner, and for the above purposes, who were of the tribe of Judah, and very likely of the house of David, and of royal descent, were the four following persons:…

Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names Other names, Chaldee names, according to the names of the gods of that country, for honour and glory, as Saadiah observes; which was done either to make them more acceptable to the court and courtiers of the king of Babylon; and to show that they were…

But Daniel purposed in his heart It being proposed to him to be brought up in the manner before described, he revolved it in his mind; he well weighed it, and considered it with himself, and came to a resolution about it.

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. ] Even before this request was made; as he gave to Joseph favour in the sight of Potiphar, and of the keeper of the prison; for whatever favour is shown to good men by bad men is from the Lord; for though…

And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king This he said, not as refusing and denying the request of Daniel; but as hesitating about it, divided in his own mind, between love and tenderness to Daniel, and fear of the king: it is as if he should say, I could freely out of…

Then said Daniel to Melzar The prince of the eunuchs, having put off Daniel with the above answer, seems to have left him; or, however, Daniel, finding he could not obtain of him what he sought for, applies to Melzar, a subordinate officer, whom he hoped to find more pliable; and it may be that…

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days, &e.] Here Daniel manifestly includes his companions, and makes his request for himself and them; desiring that they might be tried ten days with different sort of food and drink, and see whether any alteration would be made in them for the worse; which…

Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee And be thoroughly examined, whether any alteration is made therein for the worse: and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat; who were either Chaldean youths brought up in this manner; or rather young men of…

So he consented to them in all this matter Or, “hearkened to them” [[4]]; being convinced that it was a very reasonable request, and the matter was fairly put; and especially as he saw, if it succeeded to their wish, it would be to his profit; since the meat and drink of these four persons would be…

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in flesh At the time fixed for the trial of them, when they came to be examined, they appeared to be of a better complexion, and a more healthful look, and even plumper and fatter, with good solid flesh, and not swelled up as…

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat To himself, as the Syriac version adds; he took and carried it to his own family, and made use of it himself; and the portion of four such young gentlemen, maintained at the king’s expense, and who had their provision from his table, must be,…

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom As they prospered in their bodies, they succeeded in their studies, and improved in their minds, and became great proficients in all kind of lawful and useful knowledge; not owing so much to their own sagacity…

Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in That is, at the end of three years; which was the time appointed for their education, and when they were to be brought before the king for his examination and approbation: then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before…

And the king communed with them He asked them several questions upon the several articles of literature in which they had been educated, to try and see what proficiency they had made; he discoursed with them on various topics of learning, that he might be able to form a judgment of them, and of…

And in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them At the time of their examination before him, when he put questions to them, which they gave a ready, pertinent, and solid answer to: and afterwards, when he had occasion to consult them on any affair, he found them ten…

And Daniel continued In Babylon, and at court there, and in the favour of Nebuchadnezzar and his successors: even unto the first year of King Cyrus: by whom Babylon was taken, and when the seventy years’ captivity of the Jews were at an end; which time Daniel was there, for the sake of observing…