Daniel Removed to Babylon 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 Wishing to precisely demonstrate the times of the captivity which befell the sons of Israel and the prophetic dreams of the blessed Daniel, and also the manner of his life from childhood in Babylon, I myself come forward to speak in order to testify to the holy and righteous prophetic man, even to him who became a witness of Christ, who not only then in those times, revealed th…
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 1. "In the third year of the reign of Joacim (Jehoiakim) king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it." Jehoiakim, son of the Josiah in whose thirteenth regnal year Jeremiah began to prophesy, and under whom the woman Hulda prophesied, was the same man as was called by the other name of Eliakim, and reigned over the tribes of Judah and J…
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 Naturally, at the outset, the king who ruled is revealed and the year made clear, when the capture first occurred. And so by calling to mind the king that reigned at that point, he [Daniel] demonstrates … that he is a prophet. For other prophets begin in the very same way.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "And the Lord gave," etc. These words, "and the Lord gave," are written, that no one, in reading the introduction to the book, may attribute their capture to the strength of the captors and the slackness of their chief. And it is well said.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 2. "And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand." The fact that Jehoiachim is recorded to have been given over shows that it was not a victory for the might of his enemies but rather it was of the will of the Lord.
3 And the king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring some of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 And Scripture says, "And the king told Ashpenaz the chief of the eunuchs to bring in some of those from the sons of the captivity of Israel and from the seed of the king and from the princes, young men, who have no blemish, who are beautiful in appearance and are understanding in all wisdom, being well versed in knowledge, disposed to prudence, and who have in themselves the st…
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 3. "And the king said to Ashpenaz the overseer of his eunuchs, that he should out of the number of the children of Israel and, of the royal seed and (the seed of) the rulers bring in some young lads who were free from all blemish." Instead of Ashpenaz ("Asphanez") I found Abriesdri written in the Vulgate edition.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 And so the God of all makes evident the foolishness, infirmity and loathsome ways of the world in order to put to shame its power and wisdom. People who care for bodily things and seek beauty, greatness and great bodily strength know nothing of divine wisdom but rather only a false and artificial sort of eloquence. And thus is the distance between humanity and God.
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilled in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s food, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at its end they might stand before the king.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 So here he informs us of the king's generosity in providing them with nourishment that was not of an ordinary kind fit for captives and slaves; instead, he gave orders for them to share in the king's table.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 To whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 7. "And the overseer of the eunuchs imposed names upon them, calling Daniel Belteshazzar (Balthasar), and Hananiah Shadrach, and Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abednego." It was not only the overseer or master of the eunuchs (as others have rendered it, the "chief-eunuch") who changed the names of saints, but also Pharaoh called Joseph in Egypt Somtonphanec (Genesis 41:45),…
Daniel’s Faithfulness 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 For these, having acquired the fear of God from boyhood, did not want to partake from the table of the king nor to drink from the wine which he drank. O blessed boys, who guarded the covenant of the fathers and did not transgress the law which was given through Moses, but who feared God on account of his preaching!
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 8. "Daniel, however, purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled by food from the king's table, nor by the wine which he drank, and he asked the chief of the eunuchs that he might not be polluted." He who would not eat or drink of the king's food or wine lest he be denied (especially if he should be aware that the wisdom and teaching of the Babylonians is mistaken)…
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 For those who love God do not seek after the God of all in just one place, but even in the midst of this misfortune they worshiped as if in the house of the Creator. In that place there are many wondrous moments to be found.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "And God gave Daniel mercy and favor before the chief eunuch. But the chief eunuch was saying to them, 'I myself fear my lord the king who has marked out your bread and your drink, lest he see that your face is sullen compared to the other youths at your assembly and you condemn my head to the king.'" [Daniel 1:9-10] And so what was spoken by Melgad was true.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 9. "God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the prince of eunuchs..." He who was taken into captivity on account of the sins of his forebears received an immediate recompense for the magnitude of his own virtues.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall you make me endanger my head to the king.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 This pointless objection of the eunuch was cowardly. He [the eunuch] was a man whose spirit did not know grace but took pleasure in his own sensuality. Of this man and human morality, take heed as there is the opinion that sumptuous feeding on nutritious foods provides for the body nourishment enough for it to flourish.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Tertullian · AD 220 The exception of certain kinds from use as food is a partial fast.… Daniel and his companions, preferring as they did a diet of vegetables and the beverage of water to the royal dishes and decanters, were found "more handsome" … and in addition were more spiritually cultured.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 12. "I beg thee, try us thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be given us to eat and water to drink." His faith was so incredibly great that he not only promised he would be in good flesh by eating the humbler food, but he even set a time-limit. Therefore it was not a matter of temerity but of faith, for the sake of which he despised the sumptuous fare of the king.
Leander of Seville · AD 601 A fish is caught by being enticed by a hook. A bird falls into a net while trying to get food. Animals that are tough by nature's endowment fall into a pit from the desire to eat, and what nature does not soften, food deceives.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before you, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s food: and as you see, deal with your servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 And so Scripture says, "And the chief eunuch heard them and tested them for ten days and after the end of the ten days their appearances appeared better and stronger in body compared to the boys who ate at the table of the king." [Daniel 1:14-15] And so these boys, though nourished with bread and water alone, were equipped with heavenly wisdom, and they had grace beyond all the…
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s food.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their food, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 At the end of the 10 days, Daniel and his three companions looked healthier; this was a miracle, not a proof that fasting is physically beneficial. (Fr. Most)
Daniel’s Wisdom 17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 In regard to the prophets among the Jews, some of them were wise men before they became divinely inspired prophets, while others became wise by the illumination that their minds received when divinely inspired.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 17. "But God gave these lads knowledge and learning in every book and branch of wisdom, and He gave to Daniel besides an understanding of all visions and dreams." Note that God is said to have given the holy lads knowledge and learning in secular literature, in every book and branch of wisdom.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Of Daniel and his companions, who were continent, it is said that "God gave them knowledge and discipline in every book and wisdom." Delight concerning touch assails the gift of understanding most greatly: drunkenness from the anterior part and lust from the posterior part.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 18. "Therefore when the days had been completed at the end of which the king had bidden them to be presented to him, the chief of the eunuchs presented them in the presence of Nebuchadnezzar." By the "completed days" understand the period of three years which the king had appointed, so that after they had been nourished and trained for three years, they should then stand…
19 And the king spoke with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 "For God gave them understanding and prudence in all learning and wisdom and Daniel understood all visions and dreams. And after the end of the days the chief eunuch brought them before the king and the king spoke with them and none were found from all of them like Daniel and Hanniah and Mishael and Azariah." [Daniel 1:17-19] And so the Word brought them forth in all wisdom, di…
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 20. "And every word of wisdom and understanding the king inquired of them, he found it in them ten times as great as all the soothsayers and magicians put together who were to be found in his entire realm." For "soothsayers" and "magicians" the Vulgate edition translated "sophists" and "philosophers" - terms to be understood not in the sense of the philosophy and sophisti…
21 And Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.
Jerome · AD 420 Verse 21. "Daniel therefore continued unto the first year of Cyrus the king." In the later discussion we shall explain how it was that Daniel who is here described as having continued till the first year of king Cyrus afterwards held office in the third year of that same Cyrus and is even recorded to have lived in the first year of Darius.