Commentari biblici

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

And in the second year. — Of Daniel’s advancement. Daniel 1:19-20 Or, as Josephus hath it, post annum secundum Aegyptiacae vastitatis, in the second year after that Nebuchadnezzar had subdued Egypt, and other countries, and so established his monarchy, whereupon likely was begun a new computation of the years of his reign.

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams. — All was but one dream, Quid sunt regna omnesque res et spes mortalium nisi somnia vigilantium! - Plato. but of many and weighty matters.

Wherewith his spirit was troubled. — God can easily trouble the troublers of his Israel, and make the ringleader of their bondage the trumpeter of their trophy, even nomen illud prolixum et terrificum, Nebuchadnezzar.

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Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Then the king commanded to call the magicians. — These had Ham for their founder, saith Pintus; but who can tell that? Daniel haply was forgotten by Nebuchadnezzar, as David had sometime been by Saul. 1 Samuel 17:55-56 A sweet providence it was that he was not called among the magicians. God will not have his matched or mingled with wicked ones.

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And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

I have dreamed a dream. — His thoughts had been occupied belike about the issue of his kingdoms, and thereupon he had a divine vision. He that is moderately careful about the affairs of his lawful calling shall not be destitute of divine direction.

And my spirit was troubled. — Heb., Troubled itself. Jesus also troubled himself, but without sin. John 11:33 See Trapp on " John 11:33 "

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Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, — i.e., In Chaldee, whence there is here no Chaldee paraphrase; or else, if the Syriac were then a distinct tongue from the Chaldee, as now it is, it was belike their learned language, as now the Arabic is among the Turks.

O king, live for ever. — In this most officious salutation they flatter him, say some, or aver the immortality of the soul, as others, or wish him a long life, as also Daniel doth afterwards.

And we will show the interpretation. — Impostors are great braggers; but as the peacock in setting up his tail showeth his posteriors, so do these get to themselves shame.

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The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

The thing is gone from me. — He had dreamed of monarchies, and now forgotten his dream. He might have hereby learned that kingdoms are but phantasmata, ludicra, empty bubbles, pleasant follies, children and tales of fancy, … "The fashion of this world passeth away"; 1 Corinthians 7:31 "Surely every man walketh in a vain shadow." Psalms 39:6

Ye shall be cut in pieces. — Practisers of unjust; flatteries do often meet with unjust frowns.

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But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

He shall receive of me gifts and reward. — This was what they gaped after, but missed, and therefore out of envy called not Daniel and his companions, as some think, lest they should share with them.

And great honour. — Great learning deserveth great honour. Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say that popular men should esteem it as silver, noblemen as gold, princes prize it as pearls.

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They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

They answered again and said, Let the king, … — Thus these proud boasters vaunt of a false gift, and become like "clouds without rain," as Solomon hath it. Proverbs 25:14 See Daniel 2:4 .

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The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

I know of certainty. — There is no halting before a cripple. Politicians can sound the depth of one another. Daniel 11:27

That ye would gain the time. — Chald., Buy or redeem it - that is, make your advantage of it to evade the danger. And indeed if these sorcerers could have gained longer time much might have been done; for either the king might have died or been employed in war, or pacified by the mediation of friends, … Time often cooleth the rage of hasty men. as 1 Samuel 25:33 How Hubert de Burgo, Earl of Kent, escaped the king’s wrath by a little respite, see Goodwin’s Catalogue of Bish., p. 193.

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