fpoiling the city and temple, thefe things were done according to the fame author (I. 20.) in the 143d year; fo that this reckoning would fall fhort of the term affigned, as the other exceeds it. The difficulty or impoffibility rather of making these two thousand and three hundred days accord with the times of Antiochus, I fuppose, obliged the ancients to confider Antiochus as a type of Antichrift: and therefore (3) Jerome faith in his comment, that this place most Chriftians refer to Antichrift; and affirms, that what was tranfacted in a type under Antiochus, will be fulfilled in truth under Antichrift. The days without doubt are to be taken, agreeably to the ftile of Daniel in other places, not for natural, but for prophetic days or years: and as the question was asked, not only how long the daily facrifice shall be taken away and the tranfgreffion of defolation continue, but also how long the vifion fhall laft; fo the answer is to be understood, and these two thousand and three hundred days denote the whole time from the beginning of the vifion to the cleansing of the fanctuary. The fanctuary is not yet cleanfed, (3) Hunc locum plerique noftrorum ad Antichriftum referunt: et quod fub Antiocho in typo factum eft, fub illo in ve and ritate dicunt effe complendum. (4) ήμεραι and confequently thefe years are not yet expired. When these years fhall be expired, then their end will clearly fhow from whence their beginning is to be dated, whether from the vifion of the ram, or of the he-goat, or of the little horn. It is difficult to fix the precife time, when the prophetic dates begin, and when they end, till the prophecies are fulfilled, and the event declares the certainty of them. And the difficulty is increased in this cafe by reason of fome variety in the copies. For the (4) Seventy have four hundred in this place; and others, as (5) Jerome informs us, read two hundred inftead of three hundred. If we follow the reading of the Seventy, Unto two thousand and four hundred days or years, then perhaps they are to be computed from the vision of the ram, or the establishment of the Perfian empire. If we follow the other reading mentioned by Jerome, Unto two thousand and two hundred days or years, then perhaps they are to be computed from the vifion of the little horn, or the Romans invading the Grecian empire: And it is remarkable, (6) that the Romans first paffed over with an army, and made war upon Philip king of Macedonia, just 200 years before Chrift. But if we ftill retain the common reading, (which probably is the trueft and best) Unto two thousand and three hundred day's or years, then I conceive they are to be computed from the vifion of the he-goat, or Alexander's invading Afia. Alexander invaded Afia (7) in the year of the world 3670, and in the year before Chrift 334. Two thoufand and three hundred years from that time will draw towards the conclufion of the fixth millennium of the world, and about that period, according to (8) an old tradition, which was current before our Saviour's time, and was probably founded upon the prophecies, great changes and revolutions are expected; and particularly as (9) Rabbi Abraham Sebah faith, Rome is to be overthrown, and the Jews are to be reftored. The angel farther affirms the truth and certainty of the vifion, and of the time allotted for it. (ver. 26.) The vifion of the evening and the morning, which was told, is true: wherefore fhut thou up the vifion, for it shall be for many days. The futting Mede's Works, B. 3. P. 535. and Placita Doctorum Hebræorum de Babylonis feu Romæ excidio, in Mede's Works, B. 5. P. 902. up (9) R. Abraham Sebah in Gen. 1. ait, currente fexto annorum mundi millenario Romam evertendam, et Judæos reducendos. Ibid. p. 903. (1) See up of the vifion implies, that it fhould not be understood of fome time; and we cannot fay that it was fufficiently understood, fo long as Antiochus Epiphanes was taken for the little horn. The vifion being for many days, must neceffarily infer a longer term, than the calamity under Antiochus of three years or three years and a half, or even than the whole time from the first beginning of the vifion in Cyrus to the cleanfing of the fanctuary under Antiochus, which was not (1) above 371 years. Such a vision could not well be called long to Daniel, who had seen fo much longer before; and efpecially as the time affigned for it is two thousand and three hundred days, which fince they cannot by any account be natural days, muft needs be prophetic days, or two thousand and three hundred years. Such a vifion may properly enough be faid to be for many days. Daniel was much affected with the misfortunes and afflictions, which were to befall the church and people of God. (ver. 27.) And I Daniel fainted and was fick certain days; afterward I rofe up, and did the king's bufinefs, and I was aftonished at the vifion, but none underflood it. (1) See Ufher, Prideaux, &c. The first year of Cyrus was A. M. 3468, before Chrift 536. The fanctuary was clean Mun fed. A. M. 3839, before Chrift pro Munster, and Clarius who generally transcribes Munster, (2) are of opinion that Daniel was vifited by this fickness, left he fhould be lifted up by the sublimity of the vifions. I prefume they thought his cafe somewhat like St. Paul's, (2 Cor. XII. 7.) who had a thorn in the flesh, or a bodily infirmity, left be fhould be exalted above measure thro' the abundance of the revelations. But it is much more probable, that Daniel's sickness proceeded from his grief for his religion and country as in the former vifion he was grieved in his Spirit, his cogitations much troubled him, and his countenance changed in him, at the fuccefs of the little horn there defcribed. And this is another moft conclufive argument, that the calamities under Antiochus Epiphanes could not poffibly be the main end and ultimate scope of this prophecy. For the calamities under Antiochus were of fmall extent and of fhort duration, in comparison with what the nation had fuffered, and was then fuffering under Nebuchadnezzar and his fucceffors. Antiochus took the city, but Nebuchadnezzar burnt it to the ground. Antiochus profaned the temple, but Nebuchadnezzar utterly deftroyed it. Antio prophetæ immiffam, ne extolleretur fublimitate vifionum, quas folus intelligebat. Munfterus. Et quod de ægrotatione chus fua dicit, oftenditur, illam prophetæ immiffam, ne extolleretur fublimitate vifionum, quas folus intelligebat. Clarius." |