In order that the simple, and those who neither know nor can read history, 4) may nevertheless hear this Book of St. Daniel to some extent, I want to provide with this preface a
4) This is what Freder has expressed: Hui vullava distoriarura coAnitionem Kader", nee distoriis IsMvckis vaoare possuut.
give a little instruction. And first, how Daniel came to Babylon some years before the destruction of Jerusalem, under King Jehoiakim, whom King Nebuchadnezzar had captured and bound, and was about to bring him to Babylon, and yet was advised otherwise, and left him there, but brought some of the best
People (among whom Daniel was also) and vessels from the temple with him; of all this is found in the other book of Kings at chapter 24, vv. 14-16, and in [the second book of] Chronicles at chapter 36, v. 20.
In the first chapter there is a beautiful example of the life of Daniel, how holy, how God-fearing, and how he was of a great, chivalrous faith in God, under such a desolate, pagan nature, and under so many terrible adversities, which he had to see and hear daily at Babylon, and yet remained firm and steadfast, overcoming all this in his heart. Therefore it follows soon after, how God shows him such great grace, and first honors him spiritually, endows him with wisdom and understanding over all men, and then also sets him high worldly, and does mighty, great miracles and works through him. That he may show us all how dear and precious he is to those who fear him and trust in him. And with such a great example, he kindly entices us to fear God and believe.
In the other chapter, Daniel's honor begins with the king's dream, which Daniel finds and interprets from divine revelation. Thereby he becomes a prince in the whole country of Babylon, and a bishop or chief over all clergymen and scholars. This is also done for the comfort of the Jewish people, so that they should not doubt or be impatient in their misery, as if God had rejected them and abandoned his promise of Christ. Therefore a captive Jew must rule such a great kingdom, and no Babylonian must have such honor; just as if he had been led away captive to become such a 2) great lord, even over those who had and held him captive. God leads His faithful so wonderfully, and gives much more than a man can desire.
4. but the dream and the image is clearly interpreted in the text by Daniel himself of the four kingdoms, as there is the first, the Assyrians or Babylonians, the other, the Medes and Persians, the third, the great Alexander, and
1) In the Erlangen edition after the single print: "whole", but this is neither in Freder nor in the Weimar Bible (1686).
2) "a" is missing in the Erlanger.
the Greeks, the fourth, the Romans. In this interpretation and opinion, all the world is unanimous, and the work and the histories also prove it tremendously.
But he talks about the Roman Empire the most and the longest. Therefore, we must also listen diligently. At the end, when the iron thighs begin to divide into toes and feet, he points out three pieces of the Roman Empire.
The first is that the toes are divided, but nevertheless retain the origin of the iron foot, just as in the human body the toes also divide, but nevertheless grow from the foot and belong to the foot. Thus the Roman Empire was divided, since Hispania, France, England, and other parts came from it. But it has nevertheless grown out of it, and like a plant has been transferred (as they call it), translatum, from the Greeks to the Germans; so that nevertheless the iron kind remains there; for it still has its estates, offices, rights and laws, as it had before times. That is why he speaks here: Even though it will be a divided kingdom, iron's root, plant or trunk will still be in it.
The other piece, that such divided toes are unequal, one part iron, one part clay, which he himself interprets, that it should be such a divided empire, that it is either powerful or weak, that is found. For it has often had many a female emperor, as Carolum Magnum, the three Ottones, and the like, who have been unconquerable. Again, also often weak and unfortunate emperors, who have often been overcome. But all this is said so that we may know how the Roman Empire is to be the last, and no one is to break it except Christ alone with his kingdom. Therefore, even if many kings set themselves against the German Empire, and the Turk also rages against it, and they may all win a battle or two, they must not become powerful over such an iron root and plant, or even eradicate it. It must remain until the last day, however weak it may be. For Daniel does not lie, and so far experience has proved, both in popes themselves and in kings.
8 The third part, that such divided, unequal toes are joined together, or that one is exchanged for the other, he himself indicates that it will be such a weak kingdom, which will patch itself up with alliance and friendship with other kings and strengthen itself; but it will still not help, nor find loyalty. And must therefore have its strength and victory by God's providence alone, if it is to be.
(9) Some interpret the mountain, from which the stone is torn without human hands, to be the holy Virgin Mary, from whom Christ was born, without human intervention; and this is not unchristian. But the mountain may also be the whole Jewish kingdom, from which Christ came and is their flesh and blood, and yet is now torn from them and comes among the Gentiles; then he became a Lord in all the world, in all these four kingdoms, and will remain so.
In the third chapter he writes again a great miraculous sign of faith, that 1) the three men are preserved in the fiery furnace. Thus God was known and praised by the king, through the whole kingdom, even with the Scriptures. This is done to comfort the captive Jews, who, together with their God, were despised and were nothing at Babel among the tyrants and false gods. But here their God is highly honored above all gods, so that they may firmly believe that he can and will redeem them in due time, and that they will hold on to and take comfort in his honor and miracles.
In the fourth chapter, there is an excellent example against the madmen and tyrants. For there the great, mighty king is robbed of his reason, and becomes so furious and mad that, like a mad dog, he must be bound with chains and made to walk in the field, whom the people do not like. Now, because it is written in the book, it seems a small thing; but if we had been there and seen it, we would have seen a terrible, horrible judgment of God, so that everyone would have had to take pity from the heart on all overlords and evil tyrants, that they had so
1) Erlanger: da. Freder: auoä. Weim. Bible: that.
cruel judgment must await where they abuse their dominion.
(12) This is also done for the comfort of the wretched captive Jews at that time, and now and forever to all who are tormented by tyrants or suffer injustice, that they may see how God wills and is able to avenge us on our enemies, more than we may desire, as the 58th Psalm, v. 11, also says: "The righteous will see vengeance with joy, and bathe his course in the blood of the wicked. Therefore, we should not only suffer such tyrants patiently, but also have mercy on their future judgment and pray for them heartily. Just as the pious Daniel does here, and grieves that the king (who had captured them and destroyed their land) should suffer so much, and would rather wish it on his enemies.
(13) But again, for the pious lords and princes, this is a comforting, lovely image, that God the Lord also models this tyrannical king by a beautiful tree, which nourishes all animals and lets them rest under its shade, so that God shows that He gives and preserves rest and peace, protection and protection, food and goods, and all this temporal life through authority, and that it is almost pleasing to Him where a lord or prince exercises such his office diligently. For they are beautiful fruits, beautiful branches, beautiful foliage' (he says), that is, they are delicious, noble, good works. Because it pleases God Himself to paint, praise and adorn them so finely, a gentleman should pursue his office with joy and love, even though it is full of toil and labor. So we should not consider how evil the tyrants are, but how deliciously useful an office they have from God, appointed for our good and salvation.
14 In the fifth chapter there is another example against the tyrants. For the preceding example is still tolerable, because the same king allows himself to be punished, and turns to God with right repentance, humility and confession, that he has undoubtedly become a great saint from a tyrant. But here the stubborn, unrepentant tyrant, who is safe and cheerful, is punished in his wickedness, without all mercy, so that he loses body and liver, country and people all at once. Which, of course, is written to the horror of all such tyrants.
In the sixth chapter comes a fine, lovely example, where there is a fine, pious king who loves Daniel. Daniel also has to repay the other great Hansen, who prove him a court treasure, and is also finally thrown into the lions' hole. There the captive, miserable Jews will have been saddened again. But God again proves Himself honest and comforting, and turns the game so finely that Daniel's enemies themselves had to eat up what they had brought him; as the 7th Psalm, v. 15, 17, says: "They are pregnant with misfortune, but they give birth to a mistake. Their calamity falls on their head, and their iniquity on their vertebra." So Daniel's life is nothing else but a fine, pure mirror, in which one sees the struggle and victory of faith by God's grace against all devils and men, and his great fruit and benefit, which he creates through patience and the cross, both before God and the world.
In the seventh chapter the visions and prophecies of the future kingdoms and especially of the kingdom of Christ, for the sake of which all these visions take place. And to the first, the four kingdoms, which he has shown in a large picture in chapter 2, v. 31, he sees here again in another form, namely in four beasts, mostly for the sake of the fourth beast, the Roman Empire, of which he wants to say something further. For under the same Roman empire the greatest thing on earth was to happen, namely Christ was to come, redeem mankind, and the world was to come to an end.
(17) Now the first beast is the kingdom of Assyria and Babylon, that is, the lion with the two eagle's wings; for it is the noblest and best, and (as said above) has been the golden kingdom above all. The two wings are the two pieces of the kingdom, Assyria and Babylon. And a human heart is given to it, and it stands on its feet, for none of the other kingdoms has had such a king, who has come to the knowledge of God so wonderfully, nor has had so many great, holy, wise people at court as this kingdom.
18. the other animal, the bear, is the kingdom of Persia and Medes, which destroyed the previous one at Babylon and gave it its wings.
gel. And has under his teeth three ribs (which are three large, long teeth), which are the most distinguished kings, Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes, who have done the most in this kingdom, and have eaten much flesh, that is, have won great lands.
The third animal, the Parde, with four wings and four heads, is the kingdom of the great Alexander in Greece, from which afterwards four kingdoms have become, as we will hear in the following chapter.
The fourth beast, with the iron teeth, is now the righteous, 1) the last, namely, the Roman kingdom, with which the world shall have an end. As Daniel here says much about the last judgment and about the holy kingdom, which is to follow after this kingdom. But he paints the same Roman kingdom in such a way that [it] shall first be divided into ten kingdoms; these are the ten horns, as Syria, Egypt, Asia, Grecia, Africa, Hispania, Gallia, Italia, Germania, Anglia; And that one little horn should repel three horns from the foremost ten horns, that is, Mahomet, or the Turk, who now has Egypt, Asia, and Graecia; and how that same little horn should impugn the saints, and blaspheme Christ; which all we know, and see before our eyes. For the Turk has had great victory over the Christians, and yet denies Christ, and exalts his Mahomet above all things, so that we now certainly have nothing to wait for but the last day; for the Turk will no longer cast off horns over the three.
In the eighth chapter Daniel has a special vision, not concerning the whole world, as in the previous chapter, but concerning his people, the Jews, how they would fare before the Roman Empire, and before Christ came, that is, under the third kingdom of the great Alexander: that they might be comforted once more, and not despair in the affliction that would come upon them, as if Christ would leave them once more, and not come.
022 And Daniel's own vision shows that the ram with the two horns is the one with the two horns.
1) rechtschuldige - right, that which is actually meant. This is how the word "rechtschuldig" is still used in Low German, so it is not to be written in two words. The Weimar Bible has it correctly.
be the king in Medes and Persia. The he-goat is the great Alexander, who defeated Darium, the last king in Persia, and won his kingdom. And Daniel says that the goat also flew so that it did not touch the earth. For Alexander went so swiftly that in twelve years he conquered the world, and began when he was twenty years old, and died in the thirty-second year; that, to be sure, for one person no greater man (to speak after the world) has come on earth, nor will come. But what soon rises, that also soon passes away, because his kingdom disintegrated immediately, when he died, and became the 1) four kingdoms, Syria, Egypt, Asia, Graecia.
023 Now Daniel left the two, Asia and Grecia, and took the two, Syria and Egypt, before him. For between these two is the land of the Jews, having Syria on the north side, and Egypt on the south side, which had perpetual strife with one another. Therefore the Jews were troubled on both sides because they were caught between them. Now they fell to Egypt, now to Syria, after which one kingdom was superior to the other, and they had to repay their neighbors badly, as happens in wars. Especially when the loose man was king in Syria, whom the histories call Antiochum the Noble, he attacked the Jews atrociously, strangled and raged as a devil among them: he put down the worship at Jerusalem, disgraced the temple, plundered and took all the treasures, set up idolatry and idols inside, chased away and killed the priests, and everything that did not want what he wanted. He wanted to turn all kinds of faith into one faith, and that was to be the faith of the Greeks. For this purpose he was helped by some apostate boys from the Jews, who otherwise could not rise, as it is found in the first chapter of the first book of the Maccabees. But he did not do it for long.
24 Now of this Antiocho Daniel says here, that after Alexander there came out of the four horns one little horn, that is, Antiochus the noble, out of the horn of Syria; who was mighty toward the south, toward the east, and toward the precious land, that is, the Jewish land.
1) Erlanger: this.
For Antiochus took from the king in Egypt much land and cities by great treacherousness and mischievousness, as will follow in the 11th chapter. He also threw many stars to the earth, so that many holy people among the Jews perished; he devastated and desecrated the worship of God from heaven in the temple and put idolatry 2) there. Against such devils God raised up Judah Maccabee and his brothers, who fought and did great and righteous deeds, killing almost two hundred thousand men in five years, Macc. Book 2, and cleansed the land and the temple, and restored all things. As it says here in the text that the temple is to be cleansed after two thousand and three hundred days, which make six years and a quarter of a year; for Antiochus also raged against the Jews just as long, and died also in the seventh year. And the number is fine, as the Book of Maccabeorum proves.
(25) Therefore the angel says here that the king Antiochus will do great harm, and is an insolent, impudent king. For he also led a loose, shameful life for his person, in all fornication, as the histories write. But he shall be broken (he says) without hand. Because he wanted to get money in Persia, he ordered his captain Lysias to exterminate the Jews. But since he could not get money, and heard that Judas Maccabaeus had defeated and put down Lysiam with his army, he was sickened with great anger and impatience that [it] had not gone according to his mind, and so died of great sorrow and lamentation in foreign lands [1 Macc. 6:1-16].
This is what will happen to the tyrants. For this Antiochus is here set as an example of all evil kings and princes, especially of those who rage against God and his word. That is why all previous teachers have called and interpreted this Antiochus a figure of the end of Christ, and they have hit it right. For such a fierce filth, and such a fierce tyrant should be chosen as a model of the last abomination, as also some words in this
2) Erlanger: "Abgötter". The Weimar offers "Abgötterei", and Freder translates: 6t oultus iäolatrioos kntrstituit.
and in the 12th chapter [Cap. 11, 36.] to be remembered and secretly indicated.
The ninth chapter has first a very beautiful prayer, in which Daniel prays for his people, who were captives at Babylon, and for the city of Jerusalem, and the temple, that the Jews may return home and restore the service of God. The prayer is heard, and more is revealed to him, because he asks, 1) how many years are left until Christ comes and his eternal kingdom begins. And this is an excellent, great revelation of Christ, which so certainly and exactly determines the time.
(28) The seventy weeks, which the angel decrees, all teachers keep together, they are weeks of years and not weeks of days (that is), one week keeps seven years and not seven days. Which also experience enforces. For seventy weeks of days do not yet make two years; that would not be a special time for such a glorious revelation. So these seventy weeks make four hundred and ninety years. That is how long one should wait for Christ, and then he should begin his kingdom.
29 Now here it is to be inquired where and when these seventy weeks begin? The angel indicates them, and begins in the year when the word goes out that Jerusalem is to be built again etc. For thus he saith [v. 25], From the time that the word shall go forth that Jerusalem shall be built again, etc. which some 2) have stretched and drawn out desolately. Our opinion is, that one should begin 3) with these seventy weeks at the other year of the king Darii, who was called Longhand. For in the same year the word of God came through the prophets Haggaeus and Zechariah, and called Zorobabel to build the temple, as is found in both prophets, Hagg. 1, 1. 2. Zech. 1, 1. 7. The same Darms also commanded the same, and his commandment was also based on it, Ezr. 6, 1.
30. 31. For from the first year of Cyri, who released the captive Jews, to
1) Erlanger: "heard, and is revealed to him". The Weimar Bible and Freder have our reading.
2) Weimar Bible: "viel haben so und so"; Freder: yuiäuna ooaotiuk. The Erlanger has our reading.
3) In the 1530 edition: "But that we act properly from it, one should anfahen" etc.
The other year, Darii, is forty-six years, during which they could not build, nor were they allowed to build, because of the prohibition of Cambyses, the son of Cyri, so that they also despaired, and said (as Haggaeus Cap. 1, 2. says), "It will not yet be time to build the house of the Lord. And this may be the forty-six years, of which the Jews say to Christ Joh. 2, 20: "This temple was built in forty-six years, and you want to build it in three days?" that is, it took forty-six years before the temple could be properly begun to be built; so it was difficult; for after that it was quickly built in four years, Esr. 6, 15. 4)
32 Thus the angel divides the whole seventy 5) weeks into three parts. In the first seven weeks, that is, from the other year of Darii.
4) Instead of this paragraph, the following is found in the 1530 edition and in the first complete Bible edition of 1534: And does the account also apply. For from the same command or word that went out through Haggum until Christ's baptism, when he took his office and began his kingdom or new testament (as the angel here describes a prince), there are casually four hundred and eighty-three years, which make these weeks sixty-nine, of which the angel here says: "Until Christ the prince, there are seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks," which is sixty-nine weeks. The calculation stands thus: After the other year Darii, up to the great Alexander, are hundred and forty-five years, as Metasthenes writes. From Alexander to the birth of Christ, three hundred and eleven years, as the Histories testify. From the birth of Christ to his baptism, thirty years, Luc. 3, 23. All this together makes four hundred and eighty-six years, which are the sixty-nine weeks. Three years remain, which must be added to the account, because in such accounts and histories it often happens that half a year is called a whole year. One cannot hit and grasp all days and hours so exactly when one writes histories; it) is enough for us that one hits it so close, especially because we have so certain writing of the main thing. From this opinion are not far, who began such seventy weeks at the twentieth and last year of Cambyses, the Darii father, who let Nehemiah go to build Jerusalem; Nehem. 2, 6. For the twentieth year of Cambyses was two years before the Darii other year. But if a great thing happens within three years, it must be summarized as one year or one time, and say, "It happened at that time," just as we must say here: The word of God went out that Jerusalem should be built in the other year of Darios, about the time that Nehemiah came from Cambyse and began to build Jerusalem etc. For there was a great Dina, and it was begun by many, even by the angels themselves, Zech. 1:13, and yet not by all at the same time in one day or hour.
5) In the 1530 edition: "Weiter theilet der Engel diese siebenzig" etc.
Until the forty-ninth year, the walls and streets will be rebuilt in a short time. For they were also sore because the surrounding countries were very repugnant to them, 1) as Nehemiah 2:10 is written, who came to their aid from Persia in the twentieth year of Darii, that is, in the eighteenth year after the outgoing words of Haggai, sent by Dario, or rather permitted by grace. For also Daniel Cap. 10, 13. complains that the prince in Persia resisted him at court twenty-one days; perhaps means angelic days, or twenty-one years.
33 [Cap. 9, 26.:] "After that sixty-two weeks Christ shall be cut off." These sixty-two, and those seven together, make sixty-nine weeks, that is, four hundred and eighty-three years. So there remains one and the last week (that is, seven year) of the seventy weeks. For the angel clearly says that Christ is not to be killed in the middle of the last week (as we thought), but after the sixty-two weeks, that is, in the first year of the last week, or in the beginning of the last week, in which, he says, he will confirm the covenant to many. For in the same last week, or seven years, the gospel went forth mightily with signs and wonders by the Holy Spirit, and many thousands of Jews were converted, and also many Gentiles, as Lucas writes in the Acts of the Apostles, that it may well be called the right Easter week, from the Paschal day, that is, from the resurrection of Christ.
But in the middle of the same week the sacrifice and grain offering were to fall and cease. For almost three years after the resurrection of Christ, the Apostle Concilium was held, Apost. 15:6, and the law of Moses was publicly abolished, and the Gentiles, and even all the Jews, were absolved from it, v. 28, so that it would not have to be kept, nor would it be necessary for salvation, and it would also be infallible, as St. Peter preaches there. So it turns out that the seventy weeks end with the
1) Instead of what follows in this paragraph, the statement of 1530: "Here it is agreed, when the Jews said to Christ Joh. 2, 20: This temple was built in forty-six years, and you want to build it in three days? After that about sixty-two weeks (saith he) Christ shall be slain."
seventh year after Christ's resurrection. Then the stubborn Jews and the stiff-necked Jerusalem are finished, and the apostles turn to the Gentiles, as St. Paul says Apost. 13, 46.
35 And we see from this that the angel [v. 25] calls Christ a prince, not from his baptism or preaching ministry (as we meant before), but from his resurrection, when, having entered into his glory through his suffering and sat at the right hand of God, he became a reigning Lord; as all kings and princes in Scripture are called princes from their beginning reign. For from his baptism he became a servant of the circumcision, as St. Paul says Rom. 15:8, yes, of all the world through his suffering etc.
36. the angel looks with the word [Cap. 9, 26.]: "Christ will be cut off, and nothing will be anymore", to the saying Is. 53, 8. (although they are different letters): "He is cut off from the land of the living." And the opinion is that Christ's kingdom should be a new, spiritual, heavenly kingdom, retaining nothing everywhere, neither of the law of Moses, nor of the worldly kingdom, but leaving all this, and beginning and having another, new, eternal, heavenly kingdom, as the 16th Psalm, v. 4, also says: "I will not sacrifice her libation and her blood, nor use her name in my mouth. As the prophets all speak of the kingdom of Christ.
37 With this calculation the other calculation may easily agree, as, from the other year Darii to the great Alexandrum are a hundred and forty-five years, as Metasthenes writes. From Alexandro to the birth of Christ three hundred and five, as the Histories testify. (Alii 310.) From the birth of Christ to his baptism thirty years. After that, three years until his passion. Makes all four hundred and eighty-three, that is sixty-nine weeks. But that there are some who dispute about the five remaining years, let us not be mistaken. It is a pity that the pagan and other histories correspond so exactly with Daniel. 2)
2) Instead of U 33-37, the following is found in the 1530 edition and in the first complete Bible edition of 1534: Here he indicates what is to happen when these sixty-nine weeks are over, and Christ has now begun, namely, Christ is to be crucified (which happened in the fourth year after the sixty-nine weeks,
The tenth chapter is a preface to the eleventh. In it, however, Daniel writes something special about the angels that is not found anywhere else in Scripture, namely, that the good angels fight with the evil ones and defend mankind. And he also calls the evil angels princes, and says, the prince from Greece. Hence it may be understood why things are so wild and wild in the courts of kings and princes, and the good is so hindered, and war and misfortune are wrought. For the devils are there, agitating and inciting, or hindering so much that it does not want to go anywhere. For example, when the Jews were to be delivered from Babylon by the kings of Persia, it would not go anywhere, even though the kings were glad to do it. This angel says here [v. 20] that he has to fight against the prince of Persia, and yet he worries about where he is going, because the prince is from Greece. As if he should say: Where we steer one misfortune, there the devil always causes another: If ye be loosed from Babylon, the Greeks shall afflict you.
and after its beginning) and the city Jerusalem shall finally be destroyed over it, and Judaism shall have an end (which happened by the Romans afterwards). The one and last week, that is, seven years, is the time that follows after the sixty-nine weeks, in which (as it is said) Christ was to be killed. And this is thus come to pass (saith he), "He shall perform the covenant unto many one week." For the preaching of Christ went on mightily these seven years, both by Christ himself into the fourth year, and afterward by the apostles, preaching to them the promised grace. And in the middle of the same week, that is, in the fourth year after Christ's baptism, he was killed. And there fell the sacrifice, that is, by Christ's death, which is the true sacrifice, the Jewish sacrifice and worship was taken up. After that, the Romans under Emperor Caius Caligula put an idol in the temple (as he says here), as a sign that the temple and Judaism should be finished.
Enough of that now, because it takes more space and time to talk about it further.
39 In the eleventh chapter Daniel prophesies to his people, the Jews, almost in the same way as he does in the eighth chapter, about the great Alexandra, and the two kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, mostly for the sake of Antiochus (who is called Noble), who should plague the Jews. But he paints him in such a way that he finally ends his words by describing the end of Christ under the person of Antiochus, and thus this meets our last time, hard before the last day. For also all teachers unanimously point such prophecy of Antiocho to the end-Christ. And the words give it and also force it that he does not mean the noble one alone, but mixes the noble one and the end-Christ under each other, and thus confuses his bright, light words willingly.
40 "Yet three kings," saith he [Cap. 11:2], "shall stand in Persia." He does not mean that Persia should have so few kings as the Jews indicate, for they had at least ten kings. But these four are called standing in Persia because they were something special before the others: as, after Cores came Cambyses, Darius, Xerxes, these are the four most distinguished. And this Xerxes was the richest, and fought with countless people against the Greeks; but he lost shamefully, and barely escaped himself. After him came Alexander and his four descendants, not of his tribe or blood.
Forty-one: Now the two kingdoms of Syria and Egypt are seen scratching and wrestling with each other. Here the names of the kings must be written on a sheet of paper, so that the history and the text are not misleading:
The great Alexander.
King Seleucus Nicanor*) in Syria.
King Antigonus in Asia.
King Antipater in Graecia.
King Ptolemy in Egypt.
Antiochus Soter.
Ptolemy Philadelphus.
' > -- - -
Ptolemy Euergetes.
Seleucus Callinicus.**) Antiochus Hierax.
Ptolemy Philopator.
Seleucus Ceraunus. The great Antiochus.
Ptolemy Epiphanes.
Seleucus Philopator. Antiochus Epiphanes, the Noble. Cleopatra.
Ptolemy Philometor.
*) Instead of "Nicanor" in the editions should be put "Nicator".
**) In the editions: Gallinicus; likewise also below.
After Alexander, the kingdom in Egypt became very powerful, of which Daniel says here. Likewise, the kingdom in Syria also, that none of them could overcome the other, nor bring it under itself, as they often tried and would have liked to do.
The first war was between Antiochus Theos and Ptolemy Philadelphus, but since they fought for a long time, they got along. And Ptolemy Philadelphus was especially a fine king, who was fond of peace and all kinds of arts, and contained many learned people, gathered a beautiful liberei from all over the world, did much good to the Jews, and beautifully decorated the temple and worship at Jerusalem, so that I think he was also one of the holy kings. The same gave his only daughter, called Bernice, to Antiocho Theo, so that the peace would be the more firm, and died afterwards. She, Bernice, as the daughter of a powerful king, and now a powerful queen and woman at court, wanted her son to inherit the kingdom of Syria. But it failed; for Laodicea, the former queen Antiochi Thei, together with her two sons, Seleuco Callinico and Antiocho Hierax, were hostile to her and her son, and wanted to inherit the kingdom themselves. And she gave poison to her lord, Antiocho Theo, and after that she set the two sons on Bernice, her stepmother, who chased them away, and finally killed them with child and with all the court servants. This is what Daniel means here, since he says [Cap. 11, 6.]: "She will not remain with the power of the arm, nor will her seed stand, but will be delivered up to death with child, servants, even with her lord king, by whom she had been so powerful."
43) Bernice's brother, 1) Ptolemy Euergetes, punished and avenged such misdeeds, fought the two brothers, Seleucum and Antiochum, chased them away, and plundered their kingdoms, and went home again. And at last, shortly after, these two brothers (as befits matricide) perished miserably and wretchedly. Daniel says here [v. 7.) that the king will overtake the king at noon with army strength and will be victorious.
44 After Ptolemai Euergeti's death, the
1) Erlanger: "rächent Bernice Brüder."
In turn, the sons of the late Seleuci Callinici, namely Seleucus Ceraunus and the great Antiochus. But Seleucus Ceraunus died in armor, so that Antiochus had to come in haste from Babylonia and carry out the battle against Ptolemy, Euergeti's son, called Ptolemy Philopator. But Ptolemy Philopator defeated the great Antiochum with his army. This is what Daniel says here, that the sons of Callinici would be angry and overrun Ptolemy Philopator. But Philopator will defeat them and become proud by such victory. For the same Philopator then committed fornication, and finally slew his queen Euridice, who was also his sister, for the sake of a harlot.
45 But Antiochus the Great, after Philopator's death, again made a stronger stand against Philopator's son, named Ptolemy Epiphanes, who was still a child, about four or five years old. And as it happens when the lords have to have guardians, other kings, such as Philip in Graecia, joined forces with Antiocho against him and wanted to divide the land of the child Epiphanes. And there was also discord in the land itself, and the Jews also fell away from him to Antiocho. Therefore Daniel speaks here that the king Antiochus comes again, and that many set themselves against the child Epiphanes, that "the arms of the south" [v. 15], that is, the captains of Epiphanes, whom he had in the land of Phoenice and Judea and at Jerusalem, could not resist, but Antiochus won such land all. And also came to the precious land of Jerusalem, 2) where the Jews helped him to drive out Epiphanes' captains completely. Antiochus honored them highly and gave them great property and many freedoms.
46 But since he wanted to go on and win Egypt, Ptolemy Epiphanes called the Romans. Then Antiochus had to desist, and made an agreement with Ptolemy Epiphanes, and gave him his daughter Cleopatra, but not in good faith, but, as Daniel says here [v. 17], "that he might corrupt him," for with the daughter he intended to deprive the young boy of his kingdom. But the queen and the Egyptians came to ruin.
2) The Weimar Bible and Freder have our reading: Erlanger: zu Jerusalem.
914 Grl. 41, SSS-SS8. Interpretations on the Prophets. W. VI. I4SS-I4S6. 915
47 Then he fought against the isles of Asia (as Daniel [v. 18] says) and gained much of them. But the Romans met him and drove him back, stripping him of a good skirt, almost all of Asia. After that he returned home, and went into Persia, and wanted to get great money to Elimaide, from a temple. But the country people were up and beat him to death with their whole army. So he remained in foreign lands, and "was nowhere found" [v. 19].
48 Now he had previously sent his son Antiochum, called Noble, the least and most unimportant, to Rome as a scourge or pledge, because the Romans had prevailed against him. When he was dead, his son Seleucus Philopator became king. But an unfit man, as Daniel says here [v. 20], better sent as a henchman or bailiff than as a king, as he did nothing princely or righteous, died soon.
49 Then Antiochus the noble secretly escaped from Rome, and even though he was unaware and the kingdom was not intended for him (as Daniel [v. 21] says), yet he came sneaking and pretended so well that he became king with tricks. This is the last king Daniel writes about, the noble, pious child, who does everything with trickery and deceit, with lies and deceitfulness, not as a king, but as a loose knave. For his wiles were rude, coarse, and impudent, that he asked for no semblance of honor, as will follow. For the sake of this rascal and loose cousin most of all the face happened, to comfort the Jews, whom he should plague with all plagues.
50 As he had now treacherously overtaken the kingdom, he attacked with the same art, and because the king in Egypt, his sister's son, called Ptolemy Philometor, was still too young, he pretended that he wanted to be a faithful guardian of his cousin, and took the cities in Syria, Phoenice and Judea. Now that the powerful in Egypt demanded them again, he did not want to cede [them]. Then the battle began, of which Daniel says here [v. 22.] that, like a flood, he overwhelmed the Egyptian armies (that is, Philometor's mighty and chief men), for he retained the victory.
51 He did not stop at the deceit, but he also thought to destroy the whole land of Egypt.
He made an agreement with Philometor's captains, pretending that he was doing everything for the good of his cousin as a faithful guardian. In this way, as Daniel says here [v. 23], he went into Egypt with the few people, because they opened all the gates for his dear cousin. And he put on the crown and made himself king in Egypt, robbed, plundered and washed away the whole land of Egypt with such cunning (as the text says here [v. 24 ff.]), which 2) until then none of his ancestors could do with power, and went home again.
52 When King Philometor had grown up and taken the kingdom, he wanted to take back his own by force, so the two kings armed themselves against each other. But when the noble child Antiochus saw that Philometor wanted to be too strong for him, he held on to his virtue, and with money he caused Philometor's own people to strike at him, and thus many were slain over it; but he did not win the country. After that he made peace with his cousin again, ate and talked with him over tables, and would have liked to be in Egypt one more time; but they did not believe him; and, as Daniel says here [v. 27], both kings intended to destroy each other under the appearance of peace. So he returned home with great goods, and on the way he was also admitted to Jerusalem by trickery and deceit; there he robbed the temple and the city shamefully; as 4 Macc. 1, 23. says, and here [v. 28.] Daniel also says that he will judge his heart against the holy covenant.
After that, about two years, when his lies and tricks would no longer help, he took upon himself to win Egypt by force, and overran his cousin, now not as a guardian, but as an enemy. But Daniel says [v. 29.), "he shall not succeed as at the first." For the Romans, who were the guardians and protectors of King Philometor by his father's will, sent a councilor, Marcum Popilium, to him with warriors, and commanded him to go out of Egypt. But he also wanted to use his art here, and reject the Romans from him.
1) flush - to rob, plunder; in the Bible (Dan. 11:24.) Luther gave it by "exploit."
2) Erlanger: that; Freder: iä guvä.
with good words, pretending that he wanted to discuss the matter with his friends. Then Marcus Popilius, with a staff in his hand, made a circle in the sand where Antiochus stood by the sea, and said, "This is what the council of Rome says: Do not leave the circle, but give your answer, whether you want war or peace. Then he had to leave in disgrace and returned home.
54 And it came upon Jerusalem, and upon God's house, and upon His service, and upon His people: for he had nowhere else to expiate his wrath, nor to avenge his reproach, but upon God and upon His kingdom. And many evil men of the Jews helped him, and clung to him, until God raised up Judam Maccabaeum and his brethren against him; as all this is shown above in chapter 8, and here Daniel tells in the text.