Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Book: Daniel
Chapters: 1 ·
2 ·
3 ·
4 ·
5 ·
6 ·
7 ·
8 ·
9 ·
10 ·
11 ·
12 ·
Daniel was of noble
Birth, if not one of the royal family of
Judah. He was carried
Captive to
Babylon in the fourth
Year of
Jehoiachin, B. C. 606, when a youth. He was there taught the
learning of the Chaldeans, and held high offices, both under the
Babylonian and Persian empires. He was persecuted for his
religion, but was miraculously delivered; and lived to a great
Age, as he must have been about ninety-four years old at the
time of the last of his visions. The
Book of
Daniel is partly
historical, relating various circumstances which befell himself
and the Jews, at
Babylon; but is chiefly prophetical, detailing
visions and prophecies which foretell numerous important events
relative to the four great empires of the world, the coming and
Death of the
Messiah, the restoration of the Jews, and the
Conversion of the
Gentiles. Though there are considerable
difficulties in explaining the prophetical meaning of some
passages in this
Book, we always find encouragement to
Faith and
Hope, examples worthy of imitation, and something to direct our
thoughts to
Christ Jesus upon the
Cross and
On his glorious
Throne.