서론
無標題
英文原文
The visions and prophecies of this chapter look only and entirely at the events that were then shortly to come to pass in the monarchies of Persia and Greece, and seem not to have any further reference at all. Nothing is here said of the Chaldean monarchy, for that was now just at its period; and therefore this chapter is written not in Chaldee, as the six foregoing chapters were, for the benefit of the Chaldeans, but in Hebrew, and so are the rest of the chapters to the end of the book, for the service of the Jews, that they might know what troubles were before them and what the issue of them would be, and might provide accordingly. In this chapter we have, I. The vision itself of the ram, and the he-goat, and the little horn that should fight and prevail against the people of God, for a certain limited time, Da 8:1-14. II. The interpretation of this vision by an angel, showing that the ram signified the Persian empire, the he-goat the Grecian, and the little horn a king of the Grecian monarchy, that should set himself against the Jews and religion, which was Antiochus Epiphanes, Da 8:15-27. The Jewish church, from its beginning, had been all along, more or less, blessed with prophets, men divinely inspired to explain God's mind to them in his providences and give them some prospect of what was coming upon them; but, soon after Ezra's time, divine inspiration ceased, and there was no more any prophet till the gospel day dawned. And therefore the events of that time were here foretold by Daniel, and left upon record, that even then God might not leave himself without witness, nor them without a guide.
1-14
The Vision of the Ram and Goat (553 BC)
公綿羊與公山羊的異象（公元前553年）
¹ 伯沙撒王在位第三年，有異象現與我我但以理，是在先前所現的異象之後。
² 我在異象中觀看，正看的時候，我在以攔省書珊城中；我見了異象，又在烏萊河邊。
³ 我舉目觀看，見有雙角的公綿羊站在河邊；兩角都高；這角高過那角，更高的乃是後長的。
⁴ 我見那公綿羊向西、向北、向南抵觸；諸獸沒有能在它面前站立的，也沒有人能救護脫離它的手；但它任意而行，自高自大。
⁵ 我正思想的時候，見有一隻公山羊從西而來，遍行全地，腳不沾塵；這山羊兩眼當中有一非常的角。
⁶ 它來到我所看見站在河邊的有雙角的公綿羊那裡，發烈怒向它直衝。
⁷ 我見公山羊就近公綿羊，向它發烈怒，抵觸它，折斷它的兩角；公綿羊在它面前站立不住；它將公綿羊摔倒在地，用腳踐踏；沒有人能救公綿羊脫離它的手。
⁸ 這山羊極其自高自大；正強盛的時候，那大角折斷了；又在角根上向天的四方長出四個非常的角來。
⁹ 四角之中有一角長出一個小角，向南、向東、向榮美之地，漸漸成為強大。
¹⁰ 它漸漸強大，高及天象；將些天象和星宿拋在地上，用腳踐踏。
¹¹ 並且它自高自大，以為高及天象之君；除掉常獻的燔祭，毀壞他聖所的根基。
¹² 因罪過的緣故，有軍隊和常獻的燔祭一併交給它；它將真理拋在地上，任意而行，無不順利。
¹³ 我聽見有一位聖者說話，又有一位聖者問那說話的聖者，說：這關於常獻的燔祭和毀壞可憎之罪的異象，要繼續到幾時，使聖所與軍隊被踐踏呢？
¹⁴ 他對我說：到二千三百日，聖所就必潔淨。
這裡有：I. 這異象的日期（Da 8:1）。是在伯沙撒在位第三年，據許多人計算正是他末年；所以按時間順序，本章也應位於第五章之前。為使但以理不因如今臨近的巴比倫傾覆而驚奇，神給他預見將來別國的傾覆——那些國在其時代與巴比倫一樣強大。我們若能預見我們離世後將有的變遷，就會對自己時代的變遷少些驚奇，少些感觸；因為已有的事，後必再有（傳 1:9）。那時有異象現與我，甚至我但以理。他在此莊嚴地見證其真實：異象是給他、甚至給他看的；他是目擊者。這異象使他想起起先——這王朝第一年——所現的從前異象，他提及它，因為這異象是對那異象的解釋和確證，並指向許多相同的事件。前者似乎是夢，睡中的異象；此處似乎是在他清醒之時。
II. 這異象的場景。所設的地點在書珊城——波斯諸王的宮殿之一，坐落在環繞該城的烏萊河岸邊；位於以攔省——靠近巴比倫的那部分波斯。但以理本人並不在那裡，因他如今在巴比倫——作俘虜，在伯沙撒之下任某職，且不能前往如此遙遠的國家，尤其是那如今是敵國之地。但他在異象中在那裡；正如以西結被擄在巴比倫時，常在靈裡被帶到以色列地。注意：當身體被擄時，靈魂可以是自由的；因為當我們被捆綁之時，主的靈並不被捆綁。這異象關乎那國，所以他在那裡被設想自己也在場，受感動如同真在現場一般。
III. 異象的本身及其過程。
1. 他看見有雙角的公綿羊（Da 8:3）。這是第二王朝，瑪代和波斯兩國是兩角。角極高；但後長的更高，勝過前者。如此在後的將要在前，在前的將要在後。波斯國後興，由居魯士而立，比瑪代國更為顯赫。
2. 他看見這公綿羊用角向四方抵觸（Da 8:4）——向西（向巴比倫、敘利亞、希臘和小亞細亞），向北（向呂底亞人、亞美尼亞人和西古提人），向南（向阿拉伯、埃塞俄比亞和埃及），因為波斯帝國時常企圖攻擊這一切國家，以擴張版圖。最後它變得如此強大，以致沒有諸獸能在它面前站立。這公綿羊——本是常被獵食的動物——竟變成連猛獸都畏懼的，無人能在它面前站立，無人能逃脫它，沒有人能救護脫離它的手，都要屈服於它：波斯諸王任意而行，對外諸事亨通，對內有不可抗的權柄，自高自大。它因能任意而行便自以為偉大；但能行善才是使人真正偉大的。
3. 他看見這公綿羊被一隻公山羊勝過。他正思想那公綿羊（驚奇如此弱小的動物竟如此得勢），想知道其結局將如何；看哪，有一隻公山羊來（Da 8:5）。這是亞歷山大大帝，馬其頓王腓力之子。他從西而來——從希臘來，希臘位於波斯以西。他帶著軍隊走了極大的圈子：他來遍行全地；他實際上征服了世界，然後坐下哭泣，因為再沒有別的世界可供征服了。Unus Pellæo juveni non sufficit orbis——一個世界對佩拉的少年太小。這公山羊（以步態秀美著稱的動物，箴 30:31）以不可置信的速度前進，以致腳不沾塵——移動如此輕盈，他似乎是在地上飛而不在地上走；或說沒有人在地上觸碰他，即他幾乎沒有遇到抵抗。這公山羊兩眼當中有一非常的角，如獨角獸一般。他有力量，又知自己的力量；他視自己為鄰舍的對手。亞歷山大如此迅速又如此猛烈地推進征服，他所攻擊的列國無一敢抵抗或阻擋他勝利之臂的進展。六年之內他成了當時所知大半世界的主人。他堪稱非常的角，因為他的名字至今仍存於歷史中——為世人所知最著名的將領之一。亞歷山大的勝利和成就至今仍是博學之人的話題。這公山羊來到有雙角的公綿羊那裡（Da 8:6）。亞歷山大率領僅有三萬步兵、五千騎兵的得勝軍隊攻擊波斯國。他向它直衝，要出其不意……
7. 他自誇在此侮辱了上天本身，將自己的寶座高舉過神的眾星（賽 14:13）。(4) 他自高自大，以為高及天象之君。他向大祭司押尼亞挑戰——剝奪了他的尊榮，或更恰當的，向神自己挑戰——他就是以色列自古以來的王，是永遠作王的錫安之王，他自己率領為他爭戰的軍隊。安提阿古向他自高自大，如法老所說：耶和華是誰？注意：逼迫神百姓的人，就是逼迫神自己。(5) 他除掉了常獻的燔祭。神所定每日早晚在他壇上獻給他的羔羊，安提阿古禁止獻上。無疑他取去了一切別的祭物，只是常獻的燔祭被提及，因為那是最大的損失——他們在其中保持與神持續的相交，這是他們看為比偶爾之事更重要的。神的百姓算他們每日的獻祭——早晚的靈修——為每日要務中最必需的，是每日安慰中最甘甜的，便是不惜放棄全世界也不肯放棄。(6) 他毀壞了他聖所的根基。他沒有焚毀拆毀聖殿，但他褻瀆了它——使它成為朱庇特奥林帕斯的廟，並在其中設立他的像，便是毀壞了它。他又將真理拋在地上——踐踏律法書那真理的話，撕裂它，焚燒它，盡力徹底毀壞它，使其永遠失傳遺忘。這些便是那惡王的計畫。他在這些事上任意而行。而且（你想得到嗎？）他在這些事上無不順利。他把事情作得很徹底，似乎已達到目的，幾乎要連根拔除神右手所栽種的那聖潔信仰。但為免他或別人誇勝，仿佛他在此已勝過神自己、比神更強，這事在此被解釋，並置於真光之中。[1] 若神不允許，他便不能作這事；除非從上頭賜給他，否則他對以色列就不能有權柄。神把這權柄交在他手中，把軍隊和常獻的燔祭一併交給他。神的護理把那劍交在他手中，使他能如此壓倒一切。注意：我們當在教會仇敵對教會的一切企圖和一切成功中看見並承認神的手。他們不過是神手中的杖。[2] 神若非他的百姓惹他如此行，便不會允許。因罪過的緣故——以色列的罪過，為要改正他們——安提阿古才被使用來給他們這一切麻煩。注意：當佳美之地和其中一切美好之物被毀壞之時，必須承認罪是一切荒涼之因。誰將雅各交給擄掠的呢？豈不是耶和華、我們所得罪的那位嗎？（賽 42:24）。猶太人被擄之後（那時他們已除掉偶像崇拜）的大罪，是對聖物的輕蔑和褻瀆——嗤之以鼻地事奉神，獻瘸腿的和有病的為祭物，仿佛主的桌子是可藐視的（我們見於瑪 1:7,8 等，且祭司也犯此罪，瑪 2:1,8）——所以神差安提阿古來除掉常獻的燔祭並毀壞他聖所的根基。注意：神奪去那些輕蔑褻瀆他殿之特權的人的特權，並使那些不肯在享用中認識禮儀價值的人因缺失而認識其價值，是公義的。
7. 他聽見這災禍的時期被限制確定——不是何時臨到的時間（此處未定，因神要他的百姓時常預備），而是持續多久——好使他們在不再有先知告訴他們要等多久（詩 74:9，該詩似乎正是為這幽暗之日而作）之時，可有這預言在適當時候給他們拯救的盼望。關於這點我們在此有：
(1) 關於這事所問的問題（Da 8:13）。注意 [1] 問題是誰提出的：我聽見一位聖者如此說，又有另一位聖者附和。"巴不得我們知道這患難要持續多久！"天使在此被稱為聖者，因為他們是聖潔的（Da 4:13），是聖潔的萬軍（猶 1:14）。天使關切教會的事務，並就此詢問——既是關乎其暫時拯救，何況那極大的救恩，更是願意詳細察看（彼前 1:12）。一位聖者說到這事，另一位詢問這事。如此躺在基督懷裡的約翰，被彼得示意問基督一個問題（約 13:23,24）。[2] 問題向誰提出。他對說話的那位 Palmoni說。有人認為這某位聖者是比其餘天使更明白事理的更高天使，所以他們來向他詢問。另有人認為是永恆的道，神之子。他是未知的那位。Palmoni似由Peloni Almoni複合而成，用於（得 4:1）"某位"和（王下 6:8）"某處"。基督當時還是無名的那位。你為何問我的名，因為是奇妙的？（士 13:18）。他是秘密的數算者（有人如此譯），因為沒有甚麼向他隱藏——奇妙的數算者（另一些人如此譯）；他的名稱為奇妙。注意：我們若要知道神的心意，必須就問耶穌基督——他躺在父懷裡，在他裡面藏著一切智慧知識的寶藏——不是向我們隱藏，而是為我們隱藏。[3] 所問的問題："這關於常獻燔祭的異象要持續多久？對其的禁止要繼續多久？佳美之地因這嚴厲禁令要多久變為不悅目？那毀壞可憎的罪過（朱庇特的像）——那使我們一切聖物荒涼的大罪——要在殿中站立多久？聖所和軍隊——聖所和在其中事奉的聖潔之人——要被壓迫者踐踏多久？"注意：天使關切地上教會的昌盛，並切望看見其荒涼終結。天使發問是為使但以理滿足，毫不疑但以理也渴望知道這些患難要持續多久。問題假定它們不會永遠持續。惡人的杖必不常落在義人的分上——雖然可能臨到其分。基督在自己受苦中以這話安慰自己：關於我的事，必有結局（路 22:37）；教會也可以如此在自己受苦中得安慰。但知道它們要持續多久是可羨慕的，使我們可依此預備。
(2) 對這問題的答覆（Da 8:14）。基督教導聖天使，因為他們是我們的同作僕人的；但此處答覆是賜給但以理的，因為問題是為他而問：他對我說。神有時借著朋友為他所愛之人的詢問和請求，將大恩惠賜給他的百姓。如今：[1] 基督向他保證這患難必結束；必持續二千三百日，不再多——那麼多的早晚（原文如此），那麼多的nychthemerai，那麼多的自然日——如創世記開頭那樣以早晚計算，因為他們最哀悼所失去的，是早晚的祭，並覺得被剝奪之時時間過得極慢。有人將此數字中的早晨和傍晚各算為一，於是2300個傍晚和同樣多的早晨便只有1150日；每日獻祭受干擾約有這麼多日；這更接近 Da 7:25 對一載、二載和半載的計算。但將其理解為自然日較不牽強；2300日約為六年又三個月零十八日；他們從Seleucidæ王國第142年——Menelaus大祭司所促成百姓的叛教，那年6月6日（約瑟夫所記日期）——算到聖所的潔淨和宗教的恢復，即第148年9月25日（馬加比一書 iv. 52），恰好如此之久。神計算他百姓受苦的時間為他自己受苦（啟 2:10：你將有患難十日）。[2] 他向他保證他們之後將看見更好的日子：那時聖所就必潔淨。注意：聖所的潔淨是蒙恩的好兆頭……
英文原文
The Vision of the Ram and Goat (553 BC)
¹ In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.
² And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
³ Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
⁴ I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.
⁵ And as I was considering, behold, a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
⁶ And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
⁷ And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
⁸ Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
⁹ And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
¹⁰ And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
¹¹ Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
¹² And a host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
¹³ Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
¹⁴ And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Here is, I. The date of this vision, Da 8:1. It was in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, which proved to be his last year, as many reckon; so that this chapter also should be, in order of time, before the fifth. That Daniel might not be surprised at the destruction of Babylon, now at hand, God gives him a foresight of the destruction of other kingdoms hereafter, which in their day had been as potent as that of Babylon. Could we foresee the changes that shall be hereafter, when we are gone, we should the less admire, and be less affected with, the changes in our own day; for that which is done is that which shall be done, Ec 1:9. Then it was that a vision appeared to me, even to me, Daniel. Here he solemnly attests the truth of it: it was to him, even to him, that the vision was shown; he was the eye-witness of it. And this vision puts him in mind of a former vision which appeared to him at the first, in the first year of this reign, which he makes mention of because this vision was an explication and confirmation of that, and points at many of the same events. That seems to have been a dream, a vision in his sleep; this seems to have been when he was awake.
II. The scene of this vision. The place where that was laid was in Shushan the palace, one of the royal seats of the kings of Persia, situated on the banks of the river Ulai, which surrounded the city; it was in the province of Elam, that part of Persia which lay next to Babylon. Daniel was not there in person, for he was now in Babylon, a captive, in some employment under Belshazzar, and might not go to such a distant country, especially being now an enemy's country. But he was there in vision; as Ezekiel, when a captive in Babylon, was often brought, in the spirit, to the land of Israel. Note, The soul may be a liberty when the body is in captivity; for, when we are bound, the Spirit of the Lord is not bound. The vision related to that country, and therefore there he was made to fancy himself to be as strongly affected as if he had really been there.
III. The vision itself and the process of it.
1. He saw a ram with two horns, Da 8:3. This was the second monarchy, of which the kingdoms of Media and Persia were the two horns. The horns were very high; but that which came up last was the higher, and got the start of the former. So the last shall be first, and the first last. The kingdom of Persia, which rose last, in Cyrus, became more eminent than that of the Medes.
2. He saw this ram pushing all about him with his horns (Da 8:4), westward (towards Babylon, Syria, Greece, and Asia the less), northward (towards the Lydians, Armenians, and Scythians), and southward (towards Arabia, Ethiopia, and Egypt), for all these nations did the Persian empire, one time or other, make attempts upon for the enlarging of their dominion. And at last he became so powerful that no beasts might stand before him. This ram, though of a species of animal often preyed upon, became formidable even to the beasts of prey themselves, so that there was no standing before him, no escaping him, none that could deliver out of his hand, but all must yield to him: the kings of Persia did according to their will, prospered in all their ways abroad, had an uncontrollable power at home, and became great. He thought himself great because he did what he would; but to do good is that which makes men truly great.
3. He saw this ram overcome by a he-goat. He was considering the ram (wondering that so weak an animal should come to be so prevalent) and thinking what would be the issue; and, behold, a he-goat came, Da 8:5. This was Alexander the Great, the son of Philip king of Macedonia. He came from the west, from Greece, which lay west from Persia. He fetched a great compass with his army: he came upon the face of the whole earth; he did in effect conquer the world, and then sat down and wept because there was not another world to be conquered. Unus Pellæo juveni non sufficit orbis—One world was too little for the youth of Pellæ. This he-goat (a creature famed for comeliness in going, Pr 30:31) went on with incredible swiftness, so that he touched not the ground, so lightly did he move; he rather seemed to fly above the ground than to go upon the ground; or none touched him in the earth, that is, he met with little or no opposition. This he-goat, or buck, had a notable horn between his eyes, like a unicorn. He had strength, and knew his own strength; he saw himself a match for all his neighbours. Alexander pushed his conquests on so fast, and with so much fury, that none of the kingdoms he attacked had courage to make a stand, or give check to the progress of his victorious arms. In six years he made himself master of the greatest part of the then known world. Well might he be called a notable horn, for his name still lives in history as the name of one of the most celebrated commanders in war that ever the world knew. Alexander's victories and achievements are still the entertainment of the ingenious. This he-goat came to the ram that had two horns, Da 8:6. Alexander with his victorious army attacked the kingdom of Persia, an army consisting of no more than 30,000 foot and 5000 horse. He ran unto him, to surprise him ere he could get intelligence of his motions, in the fury of his power. He came close to the ram. Alexander with his army came up with Darius Codomannus, then emperor of Persia, being moved with choler against him, Da 8:7. It was with the greatest violence that Alexander pushed on his war against Darius, who, though he brought vast numbers into the field, yet, for want of skill, was an unequal match for him, so that Alexander was too hard for him whenever he engaged him, smote him, cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him, which three expressions, some think, refer to the three famous victories that Alexander obtained over Darius, at Granicus, at Issus, and at Arbela, by which he was at length totally routed, having, in the last battle, had 600,000 men killed, so that Alexander became absolute master of all the Persian empire, broke his two horns, the kingdoms of Media and Persia. The ram that had destroyed all before him (Da 8:4) now is himself destroyed; Darius has no power to stand before Alexander, not has he any friends or allies to help to deliver him out of his hand. Note, Those kingdoms which, when they had power, abused it, and, because none could oppose them, withheld not themselves from the doing of any wrong, may expect to have their power at length taken from them, and to be served in their own kind, Isa 33:1.
4. He saw the he-goat made hereby very considerable; but the great horn, that had done all this execution, was broken, Da 8:8. Alexander was about twenty years old when he began his wars. When he was about twenty-six he conquered Darius, and became master of the whole Persian empire; but when he was about thirty-two or thirty-three years of age, when he was strong, in his full strength, he was broken. He was not killed in war, in the bed of honour, but died of a drunken surfeit, or, as some suspect, by poison and left no child living behind him to enjoy that which he had endlessly laboured for, but left a lasting monument of the vanity of worldly pomp and power, and their insufficiency to make a man happy.
5. He saw this kingdom divided into four parts, and that instead of that one great horn there came up four notable ones, Alexander's four captains, to whom he bequeathed his conquests; and he had so much that, when it was divided among four, they had each of them enough for any one man. These four notable horns were towards the four winds of heaven, the same with the four heads of the leopard (Da 7:6), the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, Asia and Greece-Syria lying to the east, Greece to the west, Asia Minor to the north, and Egypt to the south. Note, Those that heap up riches know not who shall gather them, nor whose all those things shall be which they have provided.
6. He saw a little horn which became a great persecutor of the church and people of God; and this was the principal thing that was intended to be shown to him in this vision, as afterwards, Da 11:30, etc. All agree that this was Antiochus Epiphanes (so he called himself)—the illustrious, but others called him Antiochus Epimanes—Antiochus the furious. He is called here (as before, Da 7:8), a little horn, because he was in his original contemptible; there were others between him and the kingdom, and he was of a base servile disposition, had nothing in him of princely qualities, and had been for some time a hostage and prisoner at Rome, whence he made his escape, and, though, the youngest brother, and his elder living, got the kingdom. He waxed exceedingly great towards the south, for he seized upon Egypt, and towards the east, for he invaded Persia and Armenia. But that which is here especially taken notice of is the mischief that he did to the people of the Jews. They are not expressly named, or prophecies must not be too plain; but they are here so described that it would be easy for those who understood scripture-language to know who were meant; and the Jews, having notice of this before, might be awakened to prepare themselves and their children beforehand for these suffering trying times. (1.) He set himself against the pleasant land, the land of Israel, so called because it was the glory of all lands, for fruitfulness and all the delights of human life, but especially for the tokens of God's presence in it, and its being blessed with divine revelations and institutions; it was Mount Zion that was beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, Ps 48:2. The pleasantness of that land was that there the Messiah was to be born, who would be both the consolation and the glory of his people Israel. Note, We have reason to reckon that a pleasant place which is a holy place, in which God dwells, and where we may have opportunity of communing with him. Surely, It is good to be here. (2.) He fought against the host of heaven, that is, the people of God, the church, which is the kingdom of heaven, the church-militant here on earth. The saints, being born from above, and citizens of heaven, and doing the will of God, by his grace, in some measure, as the angels of heaven do it, may be well called a heavenly host. Or the priests and Levites, who were employed in the service of the tabernacle, and there warred a good warfare, were this host of heaven. These Antiochus set himself against; he waxed great to the host of heaven, in opposition to them and in defiance of them. (3.) He cast down some of the host (that is, of the stars, for they are called the host of heaven) to the ground, and stamped upon them. Some of those that were most eminent both in church and state, that were burning and shining lights in their generation, he either forced to comply with his idolatries or put them to death; he got them into his hands, and then trampled upon them and triumphed over them; as good old Eleazar, and the seven brethren, whom he put to death with cruel tortures, because they would not eat swine's flesh, 2 Mac. vi. 7. He gloried in it that herein he insulted Heaven itself and exalted his throne above the stars of God, Isa 14:13. (4.) He magnified himself even to the prince of the host. He set himself against the high priest, Onias, whom he deprived of his dignity, or rather against God himself, who was Israel's King of old, who reigns for ever Zion's King, who himself heads his own host that fight his battles. Against him Antiochus magnified himself; as Pharaoh, when he said, Who is the Lord? Note, Those who persecute the people of God persecute God himself. (5.) He took away the daily sacrifice. The morning and evening lamb, which God appointed to be offered every day upon his altar to his honour, Antiochus forbade and restrained the offering of. No doubt he took away all other sacrifices, but only the daily sacrifice is mentioned, because that was the greatest loss of all, for in that they kept up their constant communion with God, which they preferred before that which is only occasional. God's people reckon their daily sacrifices, their morning and evening exercises of devotion, the most needful of their daily business and the most delightful of their daily comforts, and would not for all the world part with them. (6.) He cast down the place of his sanctuary. He did not burn and demolish the temple, but he cast it down, when he profaned it, made it the temple of Jupiter Olympius, and set up his image in it. He also cast down the truth to the ground, trampled upon the book of the law, that word of truth, tore it, and burnt it, and did what he could to destroy it quite, that it might be lost and forgotten for ever. These were the projects of that wicked prince. In these he practised. And (would you think it?) in these he prospered. He carried the matter very far, seemed to have gained his point, and went near to extirpate that holy religion which God's right hand had planted. But lest he or any other should triumph, as if herein he had prevailed against God himself and been too hard for him, the matter is here explained and set in a true light. [1.] He could not have done this if God had not permitted him to do it, could have had no power against Israel unless it had been given him from above. God put this power into his hand, and gave him a host against the daily sacrifice. God's providence put that sword into his hand by which he was enabled thus to bear down all before him. Note, We ought to eye and own the hand of God in all the enterprises and all the successes of the church's enemies against the church. They are but the rod in God's hand. [2.] God would not have permitted it if his people had not provoked him to do so. It is by reason of transgression, the transgression of Israel, to correct them for that, that Antiochus is employed to give them all this trouble. Note, When the pleasant land and all its pleasant things are laid waste, it must be acknowledged that sin is the procuring cause of all the desolation. Who gave Jacob to the spoil? Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? Isa 42:24. The great transgression of the Jews after the captivity (when they were cured of idolatry) was a contempt and profanation of the holy things, snuffing at the service of God, bringing the torn and the lame for sacrifice, as if the table of the Lord were a contemptible thing (so we find Mal 1:7,8, etc., and that the priests were guilty of this Mal 2:1,8), and therefore God sent Antiochus to take away the daily sacrifice and cast down the place of his sanctuary. Note, It is just with God to deprive those of the privileges of his house who despise and profane them, and to make those know the worth of ordinances by the want of them who would not know it by the enjoyment of them.
7. He heard the time of this calamity limited and determined, not the time when it should come (that is not here fixed, because God would have his people always prepared for it), but how long it should last, that, when they had no more any prophets to tell them how long (Ps 74:9, which psalm seems to have been calculated for this dark and doleful day), they might have this prophecy to give them a prospect of deliverance in due time. Now concerning this we have here,
(1.) The question asked concerning it, Da 8:13. Observe [1.] By whom the question was put: I heard one saint speaking to this purport, and then another saint seconded him. "O that we knew how long this trouble will last!" The angels here are called saints, for they are holy ones (Da 4:13), the holy myriads, Jude 1:14. The angels concern themselves in the affairs of the church, and enquire concerning them, if, as here, concerning its temporal salvations, much more do they desire to look into the great salvation, 1Pe 1:12. One saint spoke of the thing, and another enquired concerning it. Thus John, who lay in Christ's bosom, was beckoned to by Peter to ask Christ a question, Joh 13:23,24. [2.] To whom the question was put. He said unto Palmoni that spoke. Some make this certain saint to be a superior angel who understood more than the rest, to whom therefore they came with their enquiries. Others make it to be the eternal Word, the Son of God. He is the unknown One. Palmoni seems to be compounded of Peloni Almoni, which is used (Ru 4:1) for Ho, such a one, and (2Ki 6:8) for such a place. Christ was yet the nameless One. Wherefore asked thou after my name, seeing it is secret? Jdg 13:18. He is the numberer of secrets (as some translate it), for from him there is nothing hidden—the wonderful numberer, so others; his name is called Wonderful. Note, If we would know the mind of God, we must apply to Jesus Christ, who lay in the bosom of the Father, and in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, not hidden from us, but hidden for us. [3.] The question itself that was asked: "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice? How long shall the prohibition of it continue? How long shall the pleasant land be made unpleasant by that severe interdict? How long shall the transgression of desolation (the image of Jupiter), that great transgression which makes all our sacred things desolate, how long shall that stand in the temple? How long shall the sanctuary and the host, the holy place and the holy persons that minister in it, be trodden under foot by the oppressor?" Note, Angels are concerned for the prosperity of the church on earth and desirous to see an end of its desolations. The angels asked, for the satisfaction of Daniel, not doubting but he was desirous to know, how long these calamities should last? The question takes it for granted that they should not last always. The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, though it may come upon their lot. Christ comforted himself in his sufferings with this, The things concerning me have an end (Lu 22:37), and so may the church in hers. But it is desirable to know how long they shall last, that we may provide accordingly.
(2.) The answer given to this question, Da 8:14. Christ gives instruction to the holy angels, for they are our fellow-servants; but here the answer was given to Daniel, because for his sake the question was asked: He said unto me. God sometimes gives in great favours to his people, in answer to the enquiries and requests of their friends for them. Now, [1.] Christ assures him that the trouble shall end; it shall continue 2300 days and no longer, so many evenings and mornings (so the word is), so many nychthemerai, so many natural days, reckoned, as in the beginning of Genesis, by the evenings and mornings, because it was the evening and the morning sacrifice that they most lamented the loss of, and thought the time passed very slowly while they were deprived of them. Some make the morning and the evening, in this number, to stand for two, and then 2300 evenings and as many mornings will make but 1150 days; and about so many days it was that the daily sacrifice was interrupted: and this comes nearer to the computation (Da 7:25) of a time, times, and the dividing of a time. But it is less forced to understand them of so many natural days; 2300 days make six years and three months, and about eighteen days; and just so long they reckon from the defection of the people, procured by Menelaus the high priest in the 142nd year of the kingdom of the Seleucidæ, the sixth month of that year, and the 6th day of the month (so Josephus dates it), to the cleansing of the sanctuary, and the reestablishment of religion among them, which was in the 148th year, the 9th month, and the 25th day of the month, 1 Mac. iv. 52. God reckons the time of his people's afflictions he is afflicted. Re 2:10, Thou shalt have tribulation ten days. [2.] He assures him that they shall see better days afterwards: Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Note, The cleansing of the sanctuary is a happy token for good to any people; when they begin to be reformed they will soon be relieved. Though the righteous God may, for the correction of his people, suffer his sanctuary to be profaned for a while, yet the jealous God will, for his own glory, see to the cleansing of it in due time. Christ died to cleanse his church, and he will so cleanse it as at length to present it blameless to himself.
15-27
The Vision of the Ram and Goat (553 BC)
公綿羊與公山羊的異象（主前553年）
¹⁵ 我但以理見了這異象，願意明白其中的意思；忽然有一位形狀像人的站在我面前。
¹⁶ 我又聽見烏萊河兩岸中間有人聲呼叫說：加百列啊，要使此人明白這異象。
¹⁷ 他便來到我所站的地方；他一來，我就驚慌俯伏在地；他對我說：人子啊，你要明白，因為這是關乎末後的定期。
¹⁸ 他與我說話的時候，我面伏在地沉睡；他就摸我，扶我站起來，
¹⁹ 說：我要指示你惱怒臨完必遇的事，因為這是關乎末後的定期。
²⁰ 你所看見雙角的公綿羊，就是米底亞和波斯王。
²¹ 那公山羊就是希臘王；兩眼當中的大角就是頭一王。
²² 至於那折斷了的角，在其根上又長出四角，這四角就是四國，必從這國裡興起，只是權勢都不及他。
²³ 這四國末時，犯法的人罪惡滿盈，必有一王興起，面貌兇惡，懂得雙關的言語。
²⁴ 他的權柄必大，卻不是因自己的權柄；他必行非常的毀滅，事情順利，任意而行，又必毀滅有能力的和聖民。
²⁵ 他用權術成就手中的詭計，心裡自高自大，在人坦然無備的時候，毀滅多人；又要站起來攻擊萬君之君，卻終必非因人手而破。
²⁶ 所說二千三百日的異象是真的；但你要將這異象封住，因為關乎後來許多的日子。
²⁷ 於是我但以理昏迷不醒，病了數日；然後起來辦理王的事務。我因這異象驚奇，卻無人能明白其中的意思。
這裡我們看到：
I. 但以理迫切要得這異象的講解（Da 8:15）：我願意明白其中的意思。 注意，正確認識神之事的人，不能不渴望認識更多，更深進入其中的奧秘；凡要在所見所聞關乎神之事上尋得其意的，必須尋求，並殷勤尋求。尋找，就必尋見。 但以理思量這事，與先前的啟示比較，看他能否明白；但他特別藉禱告尋求（如從前所作 Da 2:18），而他的尋求並不徒然。
II. 吩咐加百列天使將這異象講解給他聽。有一位 形狀像人的（有人以為是基督自己，因除了他誰能吩咐天使？）吩咐加百列 使但以理明白這異象。有時神樂意使用天使的服事，不但保護他的兒女，也指教他們，成全他恩典（不僅護理）的善意。
III. 但以理因教導者臨近而驚惶（Da 8:17）：他一來，我就驚慌。 但以理雖是極其審慎勇敢、且慣於得見全能者異象的人，一旦有從天而來的非凡使者臨近，仍不免驚懼。他 面伏於地，不是要敬拜天使，而是因再不能忍受他榮耀那耀眼的光輝。不僅如此，他既仆伏於地，竟 沉睡 了（Da 8:18），這並非出於對異象的輕忽或冷淡，而是因他昏厥、心靈受壓所致——啟示太多之故。門徒在園中因憂愁而睡；那裡如此，此處也如此：心靈固然願意，肉體卻軟弱了。 但以理想要清醒，卻不能。
IV. 天使給但以理的解救，並極力鼓勵他可望得著這異象之意義的滿意啟示。1. 他 摸他，扶他站起來，Da 8:18。照樣約翰在相似情境相似驚惶中，基督 用右手按著他，Re 1:17。天使在此對但以理的摸是輕柔的，表明他來不是要害他，不是要 用大能與他爭辯、用手 重壓他，而是要幫助他、把力量賜給他（Job 23:6）——這是神一摸就能作的。當我們在這地上打盹、伏地，就極不配從神得聽、與他相交。但神若定意指教我們，必以恩典喚醒我們出離沉睡，使我們從底下之事升起，挺身而立。2. 他應許指教他：人子啊，你要明白！ Da 8:17。「你必明白，只要你肯專心求明白。」他稱他 人子，暗示他必體念他的體質，溫柔待他，按他作人的容量遷就。或如此向他傳講謙卑：他雖蒙許與天使相交，卻不可因而自高，當記得自己是人子。或這稱呼也是加他尊榮：彌賽亞不久前被稱為 人子（Da 7:13），但以理與他相關，作為先知和 大蒙眷愛 之人，是他的預表。他向他保證，他必得知 惱怒臨完必遇的事，Da 8:19。這話當珍藏，作為那些活到看見這些可悲時日之人的安慰：這些事必有終局；惱怒必止息（Isa 10:25）；必過去，Isa 26:20。它或許間歇、又來；但那 末後的結局 必是榮耀的；善要隨之而來，且要由其中生出善來。他告訴他（Da 8:17）：這是關乎末後的定期； 當惱怒的末局來到、這護理的進程完成時，異象便因事件而顯明通達，事件也因異象而顯明通達。或：關乎 猶太教會 末後的定期，在其末後日子，這異象 必應驗——三、四百年之後；所以你要明白，好將它留給後代。但若他更特別地問：「定期是在何時？還要多久才到呢？」這回答便足夠（Da 8:19）：到了定期，事就要了結； 這已定於不能更改的神旨之中，也不可窺探。
V. 他為他講解異象。
1. 論波斯與希臘兩國（Da 8:20-22）。公綿羊 象徵米底亞與波斯諸王的延續；公山羊 象徵希臘諸王；大角 是亞歷山大；其位上興起的 四角，是他征服之地所分的四國，前已提及，Da 8:8。他們雖 從這國裡興起，卻 不及他 的權勢；無一能如亞歷山大那般顯赫。Josephus 記載：亞歷山大既取了泰爾、降服了巴勒斯坦，正要向耶路撒冷進軍之際，那時的大祭司 Jaddas（Nehemiah 曾提及一名同名者，Da 12:11）懼怕他的怒氣，便藉禱告與獻祭為公眾安全求神，並在夢中受警戒：亞歷山大臨近時，他當將城門敞開，他與眾祭司當穿聖服出去迎他，百姓都穿白衣。亞歷山大遠遠看見這群人，便獨自走向大祭司，在那位神——其名刻於他冠冕金牌上——面前俯伏，首先向他問安；他被自己一名軍長問及為何如此，便說：當他還在馬其頓、默想征服亞洲時，有一個樣貌、衣著都如此人者向他顯現，招呼他進入亞洲，並保證他必征服成功。祭司們引他入殿，他照他們的指引向以色列的神獻祭；他們在那裡把先知但以理這卷書給他看，書中豫言將有一個希臘人來毀滅波斯人，這大大激勵了他此時正籌劃對抗大流士的遠征。於是他將猶太人及其宗教置於自己保護之下，應許善待他即將進軍的巴比倫與米底亞境內的同教者；為尊崇他，那一年凡生兒子的祭司都給兒子起名叫 Alexander. Joseph. lib. 11.
2. 論安提阿哥及其對猶太人的壓迫。這是在 希臘 國的 末後日子，犯法的人罪惡滿盈 之時（Da 8:23）；即：當墮落的猶太人罪惡滿盈、堪當此滅亡，神為尊嚴不能再容忍他們之時，這王便要 興起，作為 flagellum Dei—神手中的刑杖 來懲治猶太人。此處當注意：(1.) 他的性情：他必是 面貌兇惡 之王，狂傲暴戾，不懼神、不顧人，懂得雙關的言語，或（更貼切）精通詭暗之術，是 見不得人的暗事 的能手；他精通一切偽裝與欺詐之術，深知 撒但之深奧。他 精於行惡。(2.) 他的成功。他必令四圍列國大受蹂躪：他的權柄必大，所向披靡，卻 不是因自己的權柄（Da 8:24），而是部分因盟友 Eumenes 與 Attalus 之助，部分因許多猶太人——甚至祭司——卑鄙反叛、投其麾下，更特別是因神的許可。他 行非常的毀滅，不是靠自己的力量，而是靠從上頭所賜的權能，還自以為因作大毀滅者便成為大人物。他確實行非常的毀滅，因他毀滅：[1.] 有能力的民，他們無法以勢力抵擋。埃及的君王傾全力也不能在他面前站住，他卻 行事攻擊他們、無不得手。注意，世上大有能力的人，通常終必遇見比他更強、難敵之人。故強人不可因自己的力量誇口，無論多大，除非他能確知沒有比自己更強的。[2.] 他毀滅 聖民，即 至聖者之民；他們的聖別身分既不能攔阻他毀滅，也不能護衛他們免受毀滅。凡事都是一樣；在世上能者與聖者遭遇相同。[3.] 他得這成功所憑的方法，不是真勇氣、智慧或公義，而是他的 權術 與 詭詐（Da 8:25），憑欺騙、詭詐與蛇一般的狡猾：他 必成就手中的詭計；他推行計謀極為巧妙，竟能以阿諛欺哄之法達成目的。他坦然無備時毀滅多人，正如別人藉戰爭所作；他藉條約、聯盟、結盟的藉口，侵犯他們的權利，用詭計使他們臣服。有時一個真正勇敢的國家在正義之戰中所贏得的，竟被一個真正卑鄙的國家在背信的和平中奪回，而詭詐竟大得逞。[4.] 他對宗教的損害：他 心裡自高自大，自以為配為所有人定規、立法，以至要 起來攻擊萬君之君，即攻擊神自己。他要褻瀆他的殿與壇，禁止他的敬拜，迫害他的敬拜者。可見人的不敬有時能達何等狂妄之地步，竟公然向萬王之王的神挑戰。[5.] 他至終必遭的滅亡：他卻終必非因人手而破，即不因人的手。他必不陣亡，也不像一般暴君那樣被暗殺，卻要落在永生神手中，被即時的報應一擊而死。他聽聞猶太人把他所立於殿中的宙斯像扔出，便大怒，誓要使耶路撒冷成為 公共墳場，決定立即進軍；但他剛說出這些狂傲之語，便被擊打，患上不治的腸疾；他體內滋生蟲子極快，整塊整塊的肉有時從身上掉下；他的痛苦劇烈，病臭難當，無人能忍接近。他在這苦楚中纏綿甚久。起初他仍堅持對猶太人的威嚇；終因絕望康復，便召集友人，承認這一切災禍都是因他對猶太人所行的損害、並褻瀆耶路撒冷聖殿而臨到。於是他寫信以禮待猶太人，並起誓：若康復，必容他們自由信奉宗教。但病勢日增，當他自己再不能忍受自己的臭味時，便說：順服神是理所當然的，必死的人不可與神較量；如此在異鄉、在巴比倫附近的 Pacata 山上悲慘死去：見 Ussher's Annals, A.M. 3840，約在基督降生前 160 年。
3. 至於每日獻祭中止所定的時期，此處未加解明，只加以證實（Da 8:26）。那 二千三百日的異象是真的，要按字面意義理解，無需解明。神怎會任憑自己的聖所被如此褻瀆，似乎極不可能；然而這是真的，實在太真了，事必如此。
VI. 這是異象的結尾，此處：1. 吩咐但以理暫時保密：你要將這異象封住；不可在迦勒底人中公開，免得即將得國的波斯人因其中豫言他們國度傾覆而向猶太人發怒——此時正要從波斯王發出釋放之命，這便不合時宜。要封住，因為關乎後來許多的日子。 從這異象之時到其應驗之時約三百年；所以他此時當 封住，甚至對猶太百姓也要如此，免得驚擾困惑他們；卻要為後代妥善保存，就是將活在應驗之時的那一代，因對他們最為明白、最有用處。注意，我們所知關乎神之事，當謹慎珍藏，日後需要時便可忠心運用；現今用不著的，日後或許用得著。神的真理當封在我們的寶藏之中，日後必能尋見。2. 他既受此吩咐，便小心保守秘密，Da 8:27。他 昏迷不醒，病了數日，因這異象引起的思緒繁多；又因被禁止傳揚所見，心更受壓；以致 他的肚腹如無處可洩的酒，他 像新皮袋幾乎要裂開，Job 32:19。然而他將之事抑住隱忍，使與他來往的人察覺不到，卻照他職任所當作的去 辦理王的事務。注意，只要我們活在世界，就當有所當作；即使是神最厚恩眷待的人，也不可自視在工作之上；與神相交的甘甜，不當使我們放下自己的本業，倒要在其中 與神同住。凡受託辦理公眾事務的，更當盡心盡忠，恪盡其託。
英文原文
The Vision of the Ram and Goat (553 BC)
¹⁵ And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
¹⁶ And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
¹⁷ So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
¹⁸ Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
¹⁹ And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
²⁰ The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
²¹ And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
²² Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
²³ And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
²⁴ And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
²⁵ And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
²⁶ And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
²⁷ And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Here we have,
I. Daniel's earnest desire to have this vision explained to him (Da 8:15): I sought the meaning. Note, Those that rightly know the things of God cannot but desire to know more and more of them, and to be led further into the mystery of them; and those that would find the meaning of what they have seen or heard from God must seek it, and seek it diligently. Seek and you shall find. Daniel considered the thing, compared it with the former discoveries, to try if he could understand it; but especially he sought by prayer (as he had done Da 2:18), and he did not seek in vain.
II. Orders given to the angel Gabriel to inform him concerning this vision. One in the appearance of a man (who, some think, was Christ himself, for who besides could command angels?) orders Gabriel to make Daniel understand this vision. Sometimes God is pleased to make use of the ministration of angels, not only to protect his children, but to instruct them, to serve the kind intentions, not only of his providence, but of his grace.
III. The consternation that Daniel was in upon the approach of his instructor (Da 8:17): When he came near I was afraid. Though Daniel was a man of great prudence and courage, and had been conversant with the visions of the Almighty, yet the approach of an extraordinary messenger from heaven put him into this fright. He fell upon his face, not to worship the angel, but because he could no longer bear the dazzling lustre of his glory. Nay, being prostrate upon the ground, he fell into a deep sleep, (Da 8:18), which came not from any neglect of the vision, or indifference towards it, but was an effect of his faintness and the oppression of spirit he was under, through the abundance of revelations. The disciples in the garden slept for sorrow; and, as there, so here, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. Daniel would have kept awake, and could not.
IV. The relief which the angel gave to Daniel, with great encouragement to him to expect a satisfactory discovery of the meaning of this vision. 1. He touched him, and set him upon his feet, Da 8:18. Thus when John, in a similar case, was in similar consternation, Christ laid his right hand upon him, Re 1:17. It was a gentle touch that the angel here gave to Daniel, to show that he came not to hurt him, not to plead against him with his great power, or with a hand heavy upon him, but to help him, to put strength into him (Job 23:6), which God can do with a touch. When we are slumbering and grovelling on this earth we are very unfit to hear from God, and to converse with him. But, if God design instruction for us, he will be his grace awaken us out of our slumber, raise us from things below, and set us upright. 2. He promised to inform him: "Understand, O son of man! Da 8:17. Thou shalt understand, if thou wilt but apply thy mind to understand." He calls him son of man to intimate that he would consider his frame, and would deal tenderly with him, accommodating himself to his capacity as a man. Or thus he preaches humility to him; though he be admitted to converse with angels, he must not be puffed up with it, but must remember that he is a son of man. Or perhaps this title puts honour upon him: the Messiah was lately called the Son of man (Da 7:13), and Daniel is akin to him, and is a figure of him as a prophet and one greatly beloved. He assures him that he shall be made to know what shall be in the last end of the indignation, Da 8:19. Let it be laid up for a comfort to those who shall live to see these calamitous times that there shall be an end of them; the indignation shall cease (Isa 10:25); it shall be overpast, Isa 26:20. It may intermit and return again, but the last end shall be glorious; good will follow it, nay, and good will be brought out of it. He tells him (Da 8:17), "At the time of the end shall be the vision; when the last end of the indignation comes, when the course of this providence is completed, then the vision shall be made plain and intelligible by the event, as the event shall be made plain and intelligible by the vision." Or, "At the time of the end of the Jewish church, in the latter days of it, shall this vision be accomplished, 300 or 400 years hence; understand it therefore, that thou mayest leave it on record for the generations to come." But is he ask more particularly, "When is the time of the end? And how long will it be before it arrive?" let this answer suffice (Da 8:19): At the time appointed the end shall be; it is fixed in the divine counsel, which cannot be altered and which must not be pried into.
V. The exposition which he gave him of the vision.
1. Concerning the two monarchies of Persia and Greece, Da 8:20-22. The ram signified the succession of the kings of Media and Persia; the rough goat signified the kings of Greece; the great horn was Alexander; the four horns that rose in his room were the four kingdoms into which his conquests were cantoned, of which before, Da 8:8. They are said to stand up out of the nations, but not in his power; none of them ever made the figure that Alexander did. Josephus relates that when Alexander had taken Tyre, and subdued Palestine, and was upon his march to Jerusalem, Jaddas, who was them high priest (Nehemiah mentions one of his name, Da 12:11), fearing his rage, had recourse to God by prayer and sacrifice for the common safety, and was by him warned in a dream that upon Alexander's approach he should throw open the gates of the city, and that he and the rest of the priests should go forth to meet him in their habits, and all the people in white. Alexander, seeing this company at a distance, went himself alone to the high priest, and, having prostrated himself before that God whose name was engraven in the golden plate of his mitre, he first saluted him; and, being asked by one of his own captains why he did so, he said that while he was yet in Macedon, musing on the conquest of Asia, there appeared to him a man like unto this, and thus attired, who invited him into Asia, and assured him of success in the conquest of it. The priests led him to the temple, where he offered sacrifice to the God of Israel as they directed him; and there they showed him this book of the prophet Daniel, that it was there foretold that a Grecian should come and destroy the Persians, which animated him very much in the expedition he was now meditating against Darius. Hereupon he took the Jews and their religion under his protection, promised to be kind to those of their religion in Babylon and Media, whither he was now marching, and in honour of him all the priests that had sons born that year called them Alexander. Joseph. lib. 11.
2. Concerning Antiochus, and his oppression of the Jews. This is said to be in the latter time of the kingdom of the Greeks, when the transgressors are come to the full (Da 8:23); that is, when the degenerate Jews have filled up the measure of their iniquity, and are ripe for this destruction, so that God cannot in honour bear with them any longer then shall stand up this king, to be flagellum Dei—the rod in God's hand for the chastising of the Jews. Now observe here, (1.) His character: He shall be a king of fierce countenance, insolent and furious, neither fearing God nor regarding man, understanding dark sentences, or (rather) versed in dark practices, the hidden things of dishonesty; he was master of all the arts of dissimulation and deceit, and knew the depths of Satan as well as any man. He was wise to do evil. (2.) His success. He shall make dreadful havoc of the nations about him: His power shall be mighty, bear down all before it, but not by his own power (Da 8:24), but partly by the assistance of his allies, Eumenes and Attalus, partly by the baseness and treachery of many of the Jews, even of the priests that came into his interests, and especially by the divine permission. it was not by his own power, but by a power given him from above, that he destroyed wonderfully, and thought he made himself a great man by being a great destroyer. He destroys wonderfully indeed, for he destroys, [1.] The mighty people, and they cannot resist him by their power. The princes of Egypt cannot stand before him with all their forces, but he practises against them and prospers. Note, The mighty ones of the earth commonly meet with those at length that are too hard for them, that are more mighty than they. Let not the strong man then glory in his strength, be it ever so great, unless he could be sure that there were none stronger than he. [2.] He destroys the holy people, or the people of the holy ones; and their sacred character does neither deter him from destroying them nor defend them from being destroyed. All things come alike to all, and there is one event to the mighty and to the holy in this world. [3.] The methods by which he will gain this success, not by true courage, wisdom, or justice, but by his policy and craft (Da 8:25), by fraud and deceit, and serpentine subtlety: He shall cause craft to prosper; so cunningly shall he carry on his projects that he shall gain his point by the art of wheedling. By peace he shall destroy many, as others do by war; under the pretence of treaties, leagues, and alliances, with them, he shall encroach on their rights, and trick them into a subjection to him. Thus sometimes what a nation truly brave has gained in a righteous war a nation truly base has regained in a treacherous peace, and craft has been caused to prosper. [4.] The mischief that he shall do to religion: He shall magnify himself in his heart, and think himself fit to prescribe and give law to every body, so that he shall stand up against the Prince of princes, that is, against God himself. He will profane his temple and altar, prohibit his worship, and persecute his worshippers. See what a height of impudence some men's impiety brings them to; they openly bid defiance to God himself though he is the Kings of kings. [5.] The ruin that he shall be brought to at last: He shall be broken without hand, that is, without the hand of man. He shall not be slain in war, nor shall he be assassinated, as tyrants commonly were, but he shall fall into the hand of the living God and die by an immediate stroke of his vengeance. He, hearing that the Jews had cast the image of Jupiter Olympius out of the temple, where he had placed it, was so enraged at the Jews that he vowed he would make Jerusalem a common burial-place, and determined to march thither immediately; but no sooner had he spoken these proud words than he was struck with an incurable plague in his bowels; worms bred so fast in his body that whole flakes of flesh sometimes dropped from him; his torments were violent, and the stench of his disease such that none could endure to come near him. He continued in this misery very long. At first he persisted in his menaces against the Jews; but at length, despairing of his recovery, he called his friends together, and acknowledged all those miseries to have fallen upon him for the injuries he had done to the Jews and his profaning the temple at Jerusalem. Then he wrote courteous letters to the Jews, and vowed that if he recovered he would let them have the free exercise of their religion. But, finding his disease grow upon him, when he could no longer endure his own smell, he said, It is meet to submit to God, and for man who is mortal not to set himself in competition with God, and so died miserably in a strange land, on the mountains of Pacata near Babylon: so Ussher's Annals, A.M. 3840, about 160 years before the birth of Christ.
3. As to the time fixed for the continuance of the cessation of the daily sacrifice, it is not explained here, but only confirmed (Da 8:26). That vision of the evening and morning is true, in the proper sense of the words, and needs no explication. How unlikely soever it might be that God should suffer his own sanctuary to be thus profaned, yet it is true, it is too true, so it shall be.
VI. Here is the conclusion of this vision, and here, 1. The charge given to Daniel to keep it private for the present: Shut thou up the vision; let it not be publicly know among the Chaldeans, lest the Persians, who were now shortly to possess the kingdom, should be incensed against the Jews by it, because the downfall of their kingdom was foretold by it, which would be unseasonable now that the edict for their release was expected from the king of Persia. Shut it up, for it shall be for many days. It was about 300 years from the time of this vision to the time of the accomplishment of it; therefore he must shut it up for the present, even from the people of the Jews, lest it should amaze and perplex them, but let it be kept safely for the generations to come, that should live about the time of the accomplishment of it, for to them it would be both most intelligible and most serviceable. Note, What we know of the things of God should be carefully laid up, that hereafter, when there is occasion, it may be faithfully laid out; and what we have not now any use for, yet we may have another time. Divine truths should be sealed up among our treasures, that we may find them again after many days. 2. The care he took to keep it private, having received such a charge, Da 8:27. He fainted, and was sick, with the multitude of his thoughts within him occasioned by this vision, which oppressed and overwhelmed him the more because he was forbidden to publish what he had seen, so that his belly was as wine which has no vent, he was ready to burst like new bottles, Job 32:19. However, he kept it to himself, stifled and smothered the concern he was in; so that those he conversed with could not perceive it, but he did the king's business according to the duty of his place, whatever it was. Note, As long as we live in this world we must have something to do in it; and even those whom God has most dignified with his favours must not think themselves above their business; nor must the pleasure of communion with God take us off from the duties of our particular callings, but still we must in them abide with God. Those especially that are entrusted with public business must see to it that they conscientiously discharge their trust.
本章的異象與預言，只單單且完全地看那不久將在波斯和瑪代兩王朝中發生的事，似乎並無任何更深遠的指涉。此處沒有論及迦勒底王朝，因它如今正瀕臨終結；所以本章不是像前六章那樣為迦勒底人的益處用亞蘭文寫成，而是用希伯來文，並且本書其餘各章也都如此——是為服事猶太人，使他們知道前面將有何等患難、其結局將如何，並可因而預備。本章中我們看到：I. 公綿羊、公山羊以及那將與神的百姓爭戰並得一時優勢之小角的異象，期限有定（Da 8:1-14）。II. 一位天使對這異象的解釋，表明公綿羊指波斯帝國，公山羊指希臘帝國，小角指希臘王朝中一位將自己設立起來敵擋猶太人和信仰的王——就是安提阿古·伊皮法尼（Da 8:15-27）。猶太教會從起初以來，或多或少都蒙先知賜福——他們是受神感動的人，向百姓解明神在其護理中的心意，並給他們一些關於將臨之事的預見；但在以斯拉之後不久，屬靈的感動就止息了，直到福音之日破曉，再沒有先知。所以那時期的事件在此由但以理預言並留作記錄，為使神即使在當時也不致沒有見證，他們也不致沒有指引。