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Jehoiakim's first captivity, ver. 1, 2.
The choice made of Daniel and some other young men, to be brought
up for Nebuchadnezzar's service, ver. 3 - 7.
Their preferring pulse before the king's meat, ver. 8 - 16.
Their wonderful improvement, ver. 17 - 21.
2: With part of the vessels - In this expedition Nebuchadnezzar
carried away some captives, among whom were Daniel and his friends.
His god - Baal, or Bell, and Nebo, which words they put into
the names of their kings and favourites.
3: Of the eunuchs - These were chief among the king's servants; and
they are called eunuchs, because many of them were such. And of the
princes - Here was fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had foretold,(Isa 39:7).
4: The learning and the tongue - The Chaldeans were skilled above
any other nation, in natural philosophy. Their tongue differed from
the Hebrew in dialect and in pronunciation, which they learned that
they might be the more acceptable to the king, and court.
5: The king's meat - Such as he had at his own table.
6: And Azariah - Probably all of the royal lineage of Judah.
7: Gave names - That is, other names, relating to the idol - gods.
Belteshazzar - So Daniel had the name of Belteshazzar, from the
great Babylonian idol Baal or Bell.
This was by the king's command, and herein he put forth an act: of
his sovereignty.
8: But Daniel purposed - There may be several weighty reasons
assigned why Daniel did this.
- Because many of those meats provided for the king's table,
were forbidden by the Jewish law.
- Daniel knew these delicates would too much gratify the flesh.
- He did not dare to eat and drink things consecrated to idols.
- He was sensible, how unsuitable delicate fare would be to
the afflicted state of God's people.
Therefore he was herein a rare pattern of avoiding all the occasions of
evil.
15: Fairer and fatter - The blessing of God upon homely fare, affords
often more health and strength, than more costly fare to them that eat
the fat, and drink the sweet.
19: Before - Both in the presence chamber, and in the council
chamber, to try their proficiency; this shews the king's ability and
judgment, how else could he discern their fitness, and their excellency
above others.
20: The king enquired - This is a farther confirmation of the king's
noble endowments, and of his great care whom he chose to be in offices
of trust, namely persons excellently qualified to serve him in the great
affairs of the kingdom. And thus did God pour contempt upon the pride of
the Chaldeans, and put honour on the low estate of his people.
21: Continued - in the court of Babylon until Cyrus, and then
he was in the Persian court, and he lived in honour and high
employment all that time, yea, after Cyrus began to reign.
For chap.(Da 10:1), he had visions and revelations in the third year
of Cyrus.
