It is still the custom in the east to testify their respect for
persons of distinction by music and dancing. When Baron Du Tott, who was
sent by the French government to inspect their factories in the Levant,
approached an encampment of Turcomans, between Aleppo and Alexandretta,
the musicians of the different hordes turned out, playing and dancing
before him all the time he and his escort were passing by their camp.
Thus, it will be recollected, “the women came out of all the cities of
Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tabrets, with joy,
and with instruments of music,” when he returned in triumph from the
slaughter of the Philistines. In the oriental dances, in which the women
engage by themselves, the lady of highest rank in the company takes the
lead, and is followed by her companions, who imitate her steps, and if
she sings, make up the chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and lively,
yet with something in them wonderfully soft. The steps are varied
according to the pleasure of her who leads the dance, but always in
exact time. This statement may enable us to form a correct idea of the
dance, which the women of Israel performed under the direction of
Miriam, on the banks of the Red Sea. The prophetess, we are told, “took
a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with
timbrels and dances.” She led the dance, while they imitated her steps,
which were not conducted according to a set, well-known form, as in this
country, but extemporaneous. The conjecture of Mr. Harmer is extremely
probable, that David did not dance alone before the Lord, when he
brought up the ark, but, as being the highest in rank, and more skilful
than any of the people, he led the religious dance of the males.
DANIEL was a descendant of the kings of Judah, and is said to have been
born at Upper Bethoron, in the territory of Ephraim. He was carried away
captive to Babylon when he was about eighteen or twenty years of age, in
the year 606 before the Christian æra. He was placed in the court of
Nebuchadnezzar, and was afterward raised to situations of great rank and
power, both in the empire of Babylon and of Persia. He lived to the end
of the captivity, but being then nearly ninety years old, it is most
probable that he did not return to Judea. It is generally believed that
he died at Susa, soon after his last vision, which is dated in the third
year of the reign of Cyrus. Daniel seems to have been the only prophet
who enjoyed a great share of worldly prosperity; but amidst the
corruptions of a licentious court he preserved his virtue and integrity
inviolate, and no danger or temptation could divert him from the worship
of the true God. The book of Daniel is a mixture of history and
prophecy: in the first six chapters is recorded a variety of events
which occurred in the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius;
and, in particular, the second chapter contains Nebuchadnezzar’s
prophetic dream concerning the four great successive monarchies, and the
everlasting kingdom of the Messiah, which dream God enabled Daniel to
interpret. In the last six chapters we have a series of prophecies,
revealed at different times, extending from the days of Daniel to the
general resurrection. The Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, and the
Roman empires, are all particularly described under appropriate
characters; and it is expressly declared that the last of them was to be
divided into ten lesser kingdoms; the time at which Christ was to appear
is precisely fixed; the rise and fall of antichrist, and the duration of
his power, are exactly determined; and the future restoration of the
Jews, the victory of Christ over all his enemies, and the universal
prevalence of true religion, are distinctly foretold, as being to
precede the consummation of that stupendous plan of God, which “was laid
before the foundation of the world,” and reaches to its dissolution.
Part of this book is written in the Chaldaic language, namely, from the
fourth verse of the second chapter to the end of the seventh chapter;
these chapters relate chiefly to the affairs of Babylon, and it is
probable that some passages were taken from the public registers. This
book abounds with the most exalted sentiments of piety and devout
gratitude; its style is clear, simple, and concise; and many of its
prophecies are delivered in terms so plain and circumstantial, that some
unbelievers have asserted, in opposition to the strongest evidence, that
they were written after the events which they describe had taken place.
With respect to the genuineness and authenticity of the hook of Daniel,
there is abundance both of external and internal evidence; indeed all
that can well be had or desired in a case of this nature: not only the
testimony of the whole Jewish church and nation, who have constantly
received this book as canonical, but of Josephus particularly, who
recommends him as the greatest of the prophets; of the Jewish Targums
and Talmuds, which frequently cite and appeal to his authority; of St.
Paul and St. John, who have copied many of his prophecies; and of our
Saviour himself, who cites his words, and styles him, “Daniel the
prophet.” Nor is the internal less powerful and convincing than the
external evidence; for the language, the style, the manner of writing,
and all other internal marks and characters, are perfectly agreeable to
that age; and finally he appears plainly and undeniably to have been a
prophet by the exact accomplishment of his prophecies.
DARIUS was the name of several princes in history, some of whom are
mentioned in Scripture.
1. DARIUS the Mede, spoken of in Daniel v, 31; ix, 1; xi, 1, &c, was the
son of Astyages, king of the Medes, and brother to Mandane, the mother
of Cyrus, and to Amyit, the mother of Evil-merodach, and grandmother of
Belshazzar. Darius the Mede, therefore, was uncle by the mother’s side
to Evil-merodach and Cyrus. The Septuagint, in Daniel vii, give him the
name of Artaxerxes; the thirteenth, or apocryphal chapter of Daniel,
calls him Astyages; and Xenophon designates him by the name of Cyaxares.
He succeeded Belshazzar, king of Babylon, his nephew’s son, or his
sister’s grandson, in the year of the world, 3448, according to Calmet,
or in 3468, according to Usher. Daniel does not inform us of any
previous war between them; but the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah supply
this deficiency. Isa. xiii, xiv, xlv, xlvi, xlvii; Jer. l, li.
2. DARIUS, the son of Hystaspes, has been supposed by some, on the
authority of Archbishop Usher and Calmet, to be the Ahasuerus of
Scripture, and the husband of Esther. But Dr. Prideaux thinks, that
Ahasuerus was Artaxerxes Longimanus. This prince recovered Babylon after
a siege of twenty months. This city, which had been formerly the capital
of the east, revolted from Persia, taking advantage of the revolutions
that happened, first at the death of Cambyses, and afterward on the
massacre of the Magi. The Babylonians employed four years in
preparations, and when they thought that their city was furnished with
provisions for a long time, they raised the standard of rebellion.
Darius levied an army in great haste, and besieged Babylon. The
Babylonians shut themselves up within their walls, whose height and
thickness secured them from assault; and as they had nothing to fear but
famine, they assembled all their women and children, and strangled them,
each reserving only his most beloved wife, and one servant. Thus was
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, xlvii, 7–9. Some believe that the Jews
were either expelled by the Babylonians, as being too much in the
interest of Darius; or that, in obedience to the frequent admonitions of
the prophets, they quitted that city when they saw the people determined
to rebel, Isa. xlviii, 20; Jer. l, 8; li, 6–9; Zech. xi, 6, 7. Darius
lay twenty months before Babylon, without making any considerable
progress; but, at length, Zopyrus, one of his generals, obtained
possession of the city by stratagem. Darius ordered the hundred gates of
brass to be taken away, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, li, 58,
“Thus saith the Lord, The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly
broken, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire, and the people
shall labour in vain.” This is related in Herodotus.
3. DARIUS CODOMANUS was of the royal family of Persia, but very remote
from the crown. He was in a low condition, when Bagoas, the eunuch, who
had procured the destruction of two kings, Ochus and Arses, placed him
on the throne. His true name was Codoman, and he did not take that of
Darius till he was king. He was descended from Darius Nothus, whose son,
Ostanes, was father to Arsames, that begat Codomanus. He was at first
only a courier to the emperor Ochus. But one day when he was at this
prince’s army, one of their enemies challenged the bravest of the
Persians. Codomanus offered himself for the combat, and overcame the
challenger, and was made governor of Armenia. From this situation,
Bagoas placed him on the throne of Persia. Alexander the Great invaded
the Persian empire, and defeated Darius in three successive battles.
After the third battle, Darius fled toward Media, in hopes of raising
another army. At Ecbatana, the capital of Media, he gathered the remains
of his forces, and some new levies. Alexander having wintered at Babylon
and Persepolis, took the field in search of Darius, who quitted
Ecbatana, with an intention of retreating into Bactria; but, changing
his resolution, Darius stopped short, and determined to hazard a battle,
though his army at this time consisted only of forty thousand men. While
he was preparing for this conflict, Bessus, governor of Bactria, and
Narbazanes, a grandee of Persia, seized him, loaded him with chains,
forced him into a covered chariot, and fled, carrying him with them
toward Bactria. If Alexander pursued them, they intended to purchase
their peace by delivering Darius into his hands; but if not, to kill
him, seize the crown, and renew the war. Eight days after their
departure, Alexander arrived at Ecbatana, and set out in pursuit of
them, which he continued for eleven days: at length he stopped at Rages,
in Media, despairing to overtake Darius. Thence he went into Parthia,
where he learned what had happened to that unfortunate prince. After a
precipitate march of many days, he overtook the traitors, who, seeing
themselves pressed, endeavoured to compel Darius to get upon horseback,
and save himself with them; but he refusing, they stabbed him in several
places, and left him expiring in his chariot. He was dead when Alexander
arrived, who could not forbear weeping at so sad a spectacle. Alexander
covered Darius with his own cloak, and sent him to Sisygambis his wife,
that she might bury him in the tombs of the kings of Persia. Thus were
verified the prophecies of Daniel, viii, who had foretold the
destruction of the Persian monarchy, under the symbol of a ram, which
butted with its horns westward, northward, and southward, and which
nothing could resist; but a goat which had a very large horn between his
eyes, and which denoted Alexander the Great, came from the west, and
overran the world without touching the earth; springing forward with
impetuosity, the goat ran against the ram with all his force, attacked
him with fury, struck him, broke his two horns, trampled him under foot,
and no one could rescue the ram. Nothing can be clearer than these
prophecies.
persons of distinction by music and dancing. When Baron Du Tott, who was
sent by the French government to inspect their factories in the Levant,
approached an encampment of Turcomans, between Aleppo and Alexandretta,
the musicians of the different hordes turned out, playing and dancing
before him all the time he and his escort were passing by their camp.
Thus, it will be recollected, “the women came out of all the cities of
Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tabrets, with joy,
and with instruments of music,” when he returned in triumph from the
slaughter of the Philistines. In the oriental dances, in which the women
engage by themselves, the lady of highest rank in the company takes the
lead, and is followed by her companions, who imitate her steps, and if
she sings, make up the chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and lively,
yet with something in them wonderfully soft. The steps are varied
according to the pleasure of her who leads the dance, but always in
exact time. This statement may enable us to form a correct idea of the
dance, which the women of Israel performed under the direction of
Miriam, on the banks of the Red Sea. The prophetess, we are told, “took
a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with
timbrels and dances.” She led the dance, while they imitated her steps,
which were not conducted according to a set, well-known form, as in this
country, but extemporaneous. The conjecture of Mr. Harmer is extremely
probable, that David did not dance alone before the Lord, when he
brought up the ark, but, as being the highest in rank, and more skilful
than any of the people, he led the religious dance of the males.
DANIEL was a descendant of the kings of Judah, and is said to have been
born at Upper Bethoron, in the territory of Ephraim. He was carried away
captive to Babylon when he was about eighteen or twenty years of age, in
the year 606 before the Christian æra. He was placed in the court of
Nebuchadnezzar, and was afterward raised to situations of great rank and
power, both in the empire of Babylon and of Persia. He lived to the end
of the captivity, but being then nearly ninety years old, it is most
probable that he did not return to Judea. It is generally believed that
he died at Susa, soon after his last vision, which is dated in the third
year of the reign of Cyrus. Daniel seems to have been the only prophet
who enjoyed a great share of worldly prosperity; but amidst the
corruptions of a licentious court he preserved his virtue and integrity
inviolate, and no danger or temptation could divert him from the worship
of the true God. The book of Daniel is a mixture of history and
prophecy: in the first six chapters is recorded a variety of events
which occurred in the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius;
and, in particular, the second chapter contains Nebuchadnezzar’s
prophetic dream concerning the four great successive monarchies, and the
everlasting kingdom of the Messiah, which dream God enabled Daniel to
interpret. In the last six chapters we have a series of prophecies,
revealed at different times, extending from the days of Daniel to the
general resurrection. The Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, and the
Roman empires, are all particularly described under appropriate
characters; and it is expressly declared that the last of them was to be
divided into ten lesser kingdoms; the time at which Christ was to appear
is precisely fixed; the rise and fall of antichrist, and the duration of
his power, are exactly determined; and the future restoration of the
Jews, the victory of Christ over all his enemies, and the universal
prevalence of true religion, are distinctly foretold, as being to
precede the consummation of that stupendous plan of God, which “was laid
before the foundation of the world,” and reaches to its dissolution.
Part of this book is written in the Chaldaic language, namely, from the
fourth verse of the second chapter to the end of the seventh chapter;
these chapters relate chiefly to the affairs of Babylon, and it is
probable that some passages were taken from the public registers. This
book abounds with the most exalted sentiments of piety and devout
gratitude; its style is clear, simple, and concise; and many of its
prophecies are delivered in terms so plain and circumstantial, that some
unbelievers have asserted, in opposition to the strongest evidence, that
they were written after the events which they describe had taken place.
With respect to the genuineness and authenticity of the hook of Daniel,
there is abundance both of external and internal evidence; indeed all
that can well be had or desired in a case of this nature: not only the
testimony of the whole Jewish church and nation, who have constantly
received this book as canonical, but of Josephus particularly, who
recommends him as the greatest of the prophets; of the Jewish Targums
and Talmuds, which frequently cite and appeal to his authority; of St.
Paul and St. John, who have copied many of his prophecies; and of our
Saviour himself, who cites his words, and styles him, “Daniel the
prophet.” Nor is the internal less powerful and convincing than the
external evidence; for the language, the style, the manner of writing,
and all other internal marks and characters, are perfectly agreeable to
that age; and finally he appears plainly and undeniably to have been a
prophet by the exact accomplishment of his prophecies.
DARIUS was the name of several princes in history, some of whom are
mentioned in Scripture.
1. DARIUS the Mede, spoken of in Daniel v, 31; ix, 1; xi, 1, &c, was the
son of Astyages, king of the Medes, and brother to Mandane, the mother
of Cyrus, and to Amyit, the mother of Evil-merodach, and grandmother of
Belshazzar. Darius the Mede, therefore, was uncle by the mother’s side
to Evil-merodach and Cyrus. The Septuagint, in Daniel vii, give him the
name of Artaxerxes; the thirteenth, or apocryphal chapter of Daniel,
calls him Astyages; and Xenophon designates him by the name of Cyaxares.
He succeeded Belshazzar, king of Babylon, his nephew’s son, or his
sister’s grandson, in the year of the world, 3448, according to Calmet,
or in 3468, according to Usher. Daniel does not inform us of any
previous war between them; but the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah supply
this deficiency. Isa. xiii, xiv, xlv, xlvi, xlvii; Jer. l, li.
2. DARIUS, the son of Hystaspes, has been supposed by some, on the
authority of Archbishop Usher and Calmet, to be the Ahasuerus of
Scripture, and the husband of Esther. But Dr. Prideaux thinks, that
Ahasuerus was Artaxerxes Longimanus. This prince recovered Babylon after
a siege of twenty months. This city, which had been formerly the capital
of the east, revolted from Persia, taking advantage of the revolutions
that happened, first at the death of Cambyses, and afterward on the
massacre of the Magi. The Babylonians employed four years in
preparations, and when they thought that their city was furnished with
provisions for a long time, they raised the standard of rebellion.
Darius levied an army in great haste, and besieged Babylon. The
Babylonians shut themselves up within their walls, whose height and
thickness secured them from assault; and as they had nothing to fear but
famine, they assembled all their women and children, and strangled them,
each reserving only his most beloved wife, and one servant. Thus was
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, xlvii, 7–9. Some believe that the Jews
were either expelled by the Babylonians, as being too much in the
interest of Darius; or that, in obedience to the frequent admonitions of
the prophets, they quitted that city when they saw the people determined
to rebel, Isa. xlviii, 20; Jer. l, 8; li, 6–9; Zech. xi, 6, 7. Darius
lay twenty months before Babylon, without making any considerable
progress; but, at length, Zopyrus, one of his generals, obtained
possession of the city by stratagem. Darius ordered the hundred gates of
brass to be taken away, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, li, 58,
“Thus saith the Lord, The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly
broken, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire, and the people
shall labour in vain.” This is related in Herodotus.
3. DARIUS CODOMANUS was of the royal family of Persia, but very remote
from the crown. He was in a low condition, when Bagoas, the eunuch, who
had procured the destruction of two kings, Ochus and Arses, placed him
on the throne. His true name was Codoman, and he did not take that of
Darius till he was king. He was descended from Darius Nothus, whose son,
Ostanes, was father to Arsames, that begat Codomanus. He was at first
only a courier to the emperor Ochus. But one day when he was at this
prince’s army, one of their enemies challenged the bravest of the
Persians. Codomanus offered himself for the combat, and overcame the
challenger, and was made governor of Armenia. From this situation,
Bagoas placed him on the throne of Persia. Alexander the Great invaded
the Persian empire, and defeated Darius in three successive battles.
After the third battle, Darius fled toward Media, in hopes of raising
another army. At Ecbatana, the capital of Media, he gathered the remains
of his forces, and some new levies. Alexander having wintered at Babylon
and Persepolis, took the field in search of Darius, who quitted
Ecbatana, with an intention of retreating into Bactria; but, changing
his resolution, Darius stopped short, and determined to hazard a battle,
though his army at this time consisted only of forty thousand men. While
he was preparing for this conflict, Bessus, governor of Bactria, and
Narbazanes, a grandee of Persia, seized him, loaded him with chains,
forced him into a covered chariot, and fled, carrying him with them
toward Bactria. If Alexander pursued them, they intended to purchase
their peace by delivering Darius into his hands; but if not, to kill
him, seize the crown, and renew the war. Eight days after their
departure, Alexander arrived at Ecbatana, and set out in pursuit of
them, which he continued for eleven days: at length he stopped at Rages,
in Media, despairing to overtake Darius. Thence he went into Parthia,
where he learned what had happened to that unfortunate prince. After a
precipitate march of many days, he overtook the traitors, who, seeing
themselves pressed, endeavoured to compel Darius to get upon horseback,
and save himself with them; but he refusing, they stabbed him in several
places, and left him expiring in his chariot. He was dead when Alexander
arrived, who could not forbear weeping at so sad a spectacle. Alexander
covered Darius with his own cloak, and sent him to Sisygambis his wife,
that she might bury him in the tombs of the kings of Persia. Thus were
verified the prophecies of Daniel, viii, who had foretold the
destruction of the Persian monarchy, under the symbol of a ram, which
butted with its horns westward, northward, and southward, and which
nothing could resist; but a goat which had a very large horn between his
eyes, and which denoted Alexander the Great, came from the west, and
overran the world without touching the earth; springing forward with
impetuosity, the goat ran against the ram with all his force, attacked
him with fury, struck him, broke his two horns, trampled him under foot,
and no one could rescue the ram. Nothing can be clearer than these
prophecies.