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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 1:8-16

We observe here, very much to our satisfaction, I. That Daniel was a favourite with the prince of the eunuchs (Dan. 1:9), as Joseph was with the keeper of the prison; he had a tender love for him. No doubt Daniel deserved it, and recommended himself by his ingenuity and sweetness of temper (he was greatly beloved, Dan. 9:23); and yet it is said here that it was God that brought him into favour with the prince of the eunuchs, for every one does not meet with acceptance according to his merits.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 1:12

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days , Here Daniel manifestly includes his companions, and makes his request for himself and them; desiring that they might be tried ten days with different sort of food and drink, and see whether any alteration would be made in them for the worse; which was a proper time for such a trial; for in that time it might be reasonably supposed that their food, if it had any bad effect on them, would appear. Saadiah makes these ten days to be the days between... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 1:12

Give us pulse to eat - הזרעים hazzeraim , seeds or grain, such as barley, wheat, rye, and peas, etc. Though a vegetable diet might have produced that healthiness of the system in general, and of the countenance particularly, as mentioned here; yet we are to understand that there was an especial blessing of God in this, because this spare diet was taken on a religious account. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 1:3-21

Training for imperial office and work. The name and the nature of a king are not always yoked together. Jehoiakim had been professedly a king, but was, in truth, a slave. Daniel and his companions, though led into exile as captives, had within them kingly qualities, which could not be degraded by strangers. As living water from the flinty rock will rise through every kind of strata, and find its way to the surface, so, through all adversities, innate nobleness will assert its imperial... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 1:5-21

Moral heroism. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" (verse 8). I. THE VARYING CONDITIONS OF IMMORTALITY . The reference is to subjective immortality, i.e. in the memories of men. The principal stable condition seems to be the possession of soul-power (see Luke 1:80 ; Luke 2:40 ). But this may develop itself: 1 . Evilly. The immortality then is one of infamy. 2 . Continuously ; e.g. Daniel, through a long life. 3 . Specially... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 1:12

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. The Septuagint seems to have read yutan , "let there be given," instead of yitnu , "let them give." Zero ‛im , "seeds" ( σπερμάτων , Theodotion), "pulse". This word occurs only here; it differs, however, only by the second vowel from zērūim in Isaiah 61:11 , and there it is rendered as by Theodotion here, σπέρματα . As the vowels were not written for centuries... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 1:12

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days - A period which would indicate the probable result of the entire experiment. If during that period there were no indications of diminished health, beauty, or vigour, it would not be unfair to presume that the experiment in behalf of temperance would be successful, and it would not be improper then to ask that it might be continued longer.And let them give us pulse to eat - Margin, “of pulse that we may eat.” Hebrew, “Let them give us of pulse, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Daniel 1:11-12

Daniel 1:11-12. Then said Daniel, Prove thy servants, I beseech, thee To satisfy him that there would be no danger of any ill consequence, Daniel desires the matter might be put to a trial for ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat The word הזרעים , here used, seems to signify fruits or vegetables; or rather, according to the Greek interpreter, seeds in general. At the 16th verse the word is זרענים , seeds, and some MSS. read it so in this verse. The sense is doubtless the same in... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Daniel 1:1-21

1:1-6:28 STORIES ABOUT DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDSTraining for Nebuchadnezzar’s court (1:1-21)Babylon’s first attack on Jerusalem came in 605 BC, during the reign of the Judean king Jehoiakim. In keeping with the usual practice among conquerors in ancient times, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple of the conquered people, carried off its sacred objects and placed them in his own temple. In this way Nebuchadnezzar demonstrated his belief that Babylon’s gods were superior to the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Daniel 1:12

pulse = vegetable food (to avoid the idol-tainted meat). read more

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