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" and it shall devour every green tree in "thee, and every dry tree (h): the flam"ing flame shall not be quenched, and "all faces from the south (i) to the north "shall be burnt therein. 48. And all "flesh shall see that I the LORD have "kindled it: it shall not be quenched." 49. Then said I, "Ah Lord God, they say "of me, "Doth he not speak parables() ?"

CHAP. XXIV. (1)

GAIN in the ninth year (m), in the

A tenth month, in the tenth day of the

month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2. "Son of man, write thee "the name of the day, even of this same "day: the king of Babylon set himself "against Jerusalem (n) this same day. (6 3. And utter a parable unto the rebel"lious house (o), and say unto them, "Thus saith the Lord GOD, Set on a pot (p), "set it on, and also pour water into it. 65 4. Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh and the shoul

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(b) v. 47. “Every green tree, and every "dry tree," i. e. " young and old, rich and "poor, all ranks and ages.'

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(i) v. 47. "From the south, &c."" the de"struction shall be general: from one end of "the land to the other."

(k) v. 49. "Parables," i. e. " what they do "not understand:" and accordingly in the next chapter God proceeds to tell more distinctly the judgment he was bringing upon Judea and Jerusalem.

(1) A prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in Zedekiah's time. The prophecy was about 590 years before Christ, the destruction in about 18 months afterwards.

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"der, fill it with the choice bones. 5. Take "the choice of the flock, and burn also the "bones under it, and make it boil well, and "let them seethe the bones of it therein. "6. Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD, "Woe to the bloody city (g), to the pot "whose scum (r) is therein, and whose "scum is not gone out of it; bring it out "piece by piece (s), let no lot fall upon "it (t). 7. For her blood (u) is in the "midst of her, she set it upon the top of "a rock (x), she poured it not (y) upon "the ground to cover it with dust: "8. That it might cause fury to come up "to take vengeance: I have set (z) her "blood upon the top of a rock, that it "should not be covered. 9. Therefore "thus saith the Lord GOD, "Woe to the "bloody city, I will even make the pile "for fire (a) great. 10. Heap on wood, "kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and "spice it well, and let the bones be "burned. 11. Then set it (b) empty upon "the coals thereof, that the brass of it may "be hot, and may burn, and that the filthi

thereof, the good pieces and the choice of the flock the chief men and rulers.

(q) v. 6. "The bloody city," i. e. "Jeru "salem."

(r) v. 6. "Whose scum is therein," i. e. "Which is full of impurity."

(s) v. 6. " Piece by piece," so as to include every one.

(t) v. 6. "Let no lot fall upon it," that none may escape: It was usual to cast lots, when there were many captives, to decide which of them should be spared; this therefore was an intimation of more than common vengeance. In the instance here prophetically referred to, "the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of "Judah. Jer. xxxix. 6."

(u) v.7. (x) v.7. "She set it up upon a rock i. e." daringly and presumptuously," "she took no pains to conceal her sins or cruelties."

"Her blood," i. e. "her sins."

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(y) v. 7. "Poured it not, &c." alluding to the Levitical injunction as to beasts and fowls that might be eaten ; they were to pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. Levit. vii. 13.

(z) v. 8. "I have set, &c." so that her sins shall not be unnoticed or unpunished.

(a) v. 9. "For fire," " to consume the city." (b) v. 11. "It," i.e." the pot" mentioned 3. Jerusalem.

in v.

of it may be molten in it, that the scum t may be consumed. 12. She hath ried herself with lies (c), and her great n went not forth (d) out of her: her n shall be in the fire (e). 13. In thy iness is lewdness: because I have ged (f) thee, and thou wast not ged, thou shalt not be purged from filthiness any more, till I have caused fury to rest upon thee. 14. I the RD have spoken it: it shall come to s, and I will do it: I will not go back, ther will I spare, neither will I repent; cording to thy ways, and according to ⚫ doings, shall they judge thee (g), th the Lord GOD." 15. Also the of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, Behold, I take away m thee the desire of thine eyes (b) th a stroke; yet neither shalt thou ɔurn nor weep, neither shall thy tears n down. 17. Forbear to cry, make > mourning for the dead, bind (i) the e of thine head upon thee, and put on by shoes upon thy feet, and cover not y lips (k), and eat not the bread of nen (1)." 18. So I spake unto the people the morning and at even my wife ; and I did in the morning as I was manded. 19. And the people said o me, "Wilt thou not tell us what these hings are to us, that thou doest fo?" Then I answered them, "The word

Le) v.12. "Lies," i. e. "idols."

d) v. 12. "Went not forth," i. e. " ceased ot, she did not refrain from the greatest sins." e) v. 12. "Her scum shall be in the fire," "her iniquities shall be visited with de

struction."

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(f) v. 13. to purge." (g) v. 14. "Shall they judge thee," i. e. shalt thou be judged."

"" Purged," i. e. " endeavoured

(b) v. 16. "The desire of thine eyes,” i. e. thy wife." See verse 18.

(i) v. 17. Bind, &c." "adopt none of the signs of mourning ;" an intimation that the ublic distress would be such as to make them isregard all private causes of sorrow. Shaving he head was one of the mourning signs; going arefoot another; covering the face a 3d; paraking of mourning feasts prepared by relations r friends a 4th.

(k) v. 17. "Lips," i. e. "thy face." (v. 17. "The bread of men," i. e. “ 'friends mourning feasts." Park. Heb. Dict. 33.

your

"of the LORD came unto me, saying, "21. Speak unto the house of Israel, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I "will profane my sanctuary (m), the ex"cellency of your strength, the desire of

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your eyes, and that which your soul "pitieth; and your sons and your daugh"ters whom ye have left (n) shall fall by "the sword. 22. And ye shall do as I "have done: ye shall not cover your lips, "nor eat the bread of men. 23. And 66 your tires shall be upon your heads, and "" your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. 24. Thus Ezekiel "is unto you a sign: according to all that " he hath done shall ye do: and when this "cometh, ye shall know that I am the "Lord GOD. 25. Also, thou son of man, "shall it not be in the day when I take "from them their strength, the joy of "their glory, the desire of their eyes, and "that whereupon they set their minds, "their sons and their daughters, 26. That "he that escapeth (0) in that day shall "come unto thee to cause thee to hear it "with thine ears? 27. In that day shall' "thy mouth be opened to him which is "escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no

more dumb and thou shalt be a sign "unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD."

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(m) v. 21. My sanctuary," i. e. "the tem"ple at Jerusalem;" and in less than two years the Babylonians spoiled it of its brass, and all its gold and silver utensils, and burnt the temple with fire. 2 Kings xxv. 9. & 13 to 17. and Jer. lii. 13. and 17 to 23.

(n) v. 21. "Left," i. e. (probably) "at "Jerusalem :" the persons he was addressing were in Chaldea.

(o) v. 26. "He that escapeth, &c." Ezekiel afterwards gives an account of his receiving the intelligence and having his speech restored, Ezek. xxxiii. 21. 22. "It came to pass in the "12th year of our captivity, in the 10th month, "in the 5th day of the month, that one that

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CHAP. III.

DANIEL.

TEBUCHADNEZZAR the king (p) made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image, which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together (g) unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4. Then an herald cried aloud, "To you "it is commanded, O people, nations and "languages, 5. That at what time ye "hear the sound of the cornet, flute, "harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and "all kinds of music, ye fall down and wor"ship the golden image that Nebuchadnez"zar the king hath set up. 6. And whoso "falleth not down and worshippeth, shall "the same hour be cast into the midst of a "burning fiery furnace." 7. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image, that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 8. Wherefore at that time certain Chal

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deans came near and accused the Jews. 9. They spake and said to the king Nebu chadnezzar, "Oking, live forever. 10. Thou, "O king, hast made a decree, that every "6 man that shall hear the sound of the "cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, "and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, "shall fall down and worship the golden "image: 11. And whoso falleth it "down and worshippeth, that he shoul "be cast into the midst of a burning fiery "furnace. 12. There are certain Jews "whom thou hast set over the affair "of the province of Babylon, Shad "rach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (r); "these men, O king, have not regarded "thee; they serve not thy gods, nor wor "ship the golden image which thou hast "set up." 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: then they brought these men before the king. 14. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, "and Abed-nego? do ye not servemygods, "nor worship the golden image which l "have set up? 15. Now if ye "that at what time ye hear the sound "the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, pal "tery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of "music, ye fall down and worship the "image which I have made, well: but

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ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same "hour into the midst of a burning fiery "furnace; and who is that God that sh "deliver you out of my hands?" 16.Shidrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, 66 we are not careful to answer thee in th

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"matter. 17. If it be so, our God whom "we serve is able to deliver us from the "burning fiery furnace, and he will de"liver us out of thine hand, O king. 18. But "if not, be it known unto thee, O king, "that we will not serve thy gods, nor "worship the golden image which thou "hast set up." 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burn22. Therefore being fiery furnace. cause the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound. into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his counsellors, "Did not "we cast three men bound into the midst "of the fire?" They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." 25. He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men "loose, walking in the midst of the fire, " and they have no hurt; and the form of

(s) v. 25. "The son, &c." or rather "a "son" i. e. an angel. The definite article is not in Heb. or Sept. Daniel says in verse 28. "God had sent his angel ;" and angels are called "sons of God," Job i. 6.—xxxviii. 7.

(t) v. 29. "A decree, &c." So that this miraculous display of power had one effect beyond the preservation of the three lives, in protecting the Jews from insult on account of their religious persuasions and worship: but this was by no means the whole: it would naturally procure them greater consideration from the government, and more respect from the people; it would satisfy themselves that even in their captivity God had an eye over their ways, it would tend to keep them stedfast in his worship, and would confirm their

"the fourth is like the Son (s) of God.” 26. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, " and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most "high God, come forth, and come hither." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, "Blessed be the "God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed

nego, who hath sent his angel, and de"livered his servants, that trusted in him, "and have changed the king's word, and

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yielded their bodies, that they might not 66 serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29. Therefore I make a "decree (t), That every people, nation, "and language, which speak any thing "amiss against the God of Shadrach, Me

shach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in "pieces, and their houses shall be made a "dunghill; because there is no other God "that can deliver after this sort." 30. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon."

CHAP. VI. (u)

T pleased Darius (x) to set over the king.

dom (y) an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom.

expectation of ultimate deliverance, and future. prosperity. So much beyond the immediate occasion does an interference of Omnipotence extend ! !

(u) The occurrence stated in this chapter happened after Cyrus had taken Babylon, about 537 years before Christ, when the 70 years fixed for the duration of the Babylonish captivity were drawing to a close. Daniel therefore, who had been carried to Babylon at the commencement of the captivity (See Dan. i. 1 to 7.) must have been far advanced in years. (x) v. 1. "Darius" also called Cyaxares: the uncle and father-in-law of Cyrus.

(y) v.1. "The kingdom" either " of Per"of what had formed the kingdom " of Babylon."

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or

2. And over these three presidents (of whom Daniel was first) that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none occasion nor fault: forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5. Then said these men, "We shall not find any occasion "against this Daniel, except we find it "against him, concerning the law of his "God." 6. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, "King Darius, live "for ever. 7. All the presidents of the "kingdom, the governors,and the princes, "the counsellors and the captains have con"sulted together to establish a royal statute, "and to make a firm decree, that whosoever "shall ask a petition of any god or man for "thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall "be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, O "king, establish the decree, and sign the "writing; that it be not changed, according

to the law of the Medes and Persians, "which altereth not." 9. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. II. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying, and making supplication before his God. 12. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; "Hast thou not signed a "decree, that every man that shall ask a "petition of any god or man, within thirty "days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast "into the den of lions?" The king answered, and said, "The thing is true, "according to the law of the Medes and

(z) v. 23. "No manner of hurt, &c." This miraculous deliverance had most important consequences. Is there indeed any one of God's interpositions which has not? It naturally

"Persians, which altereth not." 13. Then answered they and said before the king, "That Daniel, which is of the children of "the captivity of Judah, regardeth not "thee, O king, nor the decree that thou "hast signed, but maketh his petition three "times a day." 14. Then the king when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15. Then these men assembled unto the king, ad said unto the king, "Know, O king, tha "the law of the Medes and Persians, "that no decree nor statute which the king "establisheth, may be changed.” 16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, "Thy God, whom thou servest continu "ally, he will deliver thee." 17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed co cerning Daniel. 18. Then the king we to his palace, and passed the night fast ing neither were instruments of music brought before him, and his sleep went from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel, and the king spake and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living "God, is thy God, whom thou servest "continually, able to deliver thee from the "lions?" 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, “O king, live for ever. 22. My "God hath sent his angel, and hath shut "the lions mouths that they have not hurt 66 me: forasmuch as before him innoce

was found in me; and also before the "O king, have I done no hurt." 23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den: so Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt (3) was found upon him, because he believed in

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