Daniel 6:10

6:6-10 To forbid prayer for thirty days, is, for so long, to rob God of all the tribute he has from man, and to rob man of all the comfort he has in God. Does not every man's heart direct him, when in want or distress, to call upon God? We could not live a day without God; and can men live thirty days without prayer? Yet it is to be feared that those who, without any decree forbidding them, present no hearty, serious petitions to God for more than thirty days together, are far more numerous than those who serve him continually, with humble, thankful hearts. Persecuting laws are always made on false pretences; but it does not become Christians to make bitter complaints, or to indulge in revilings. It is good to have hours for prayer. Daniel prayed openly and avowedly; and though a man of vast business, he did not think that would excuse him from daily exercises of devotion. How inexcusable are those who have but little to do in the world, yet will not do thus much for their souls! In trying times we must take heed, lest, under pretence of discretion, we are guilty of cowardice in the cause of God. All who throw away their souls, as those certainly do that live without prayer, even if it be to save their lives, at the end will be found to be fools. Nor did Daniel only pray, and not give thanks, cutting off some part of the service to make the time of danger shorter; but he performed the whole.

(10) Toward Jerusalem.— On the custom of praying thus see 1Kings 8:33 ; 1Kings 8:35 ; Psalm 5:7 ; Psalm 28:2 ; and on prayer at the intervals mentioned here, see Psalm 55:17 . There is nothing ostentatious in Daniel’s prayer. He removed the lattices (see Ezekiel 40:16 ) from his window, that he might see as far as possible in the direction of Jerusalem, and then continued his devotions just as though the king’s decree had not been recorded. The prophet must by this time have been close upon ninety years of age, but still his faith is as firm and unwavering as that of his three companions many years before.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his {e} 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. (e) Because he would not by his silence show that he consented to this wicked decree, he set open his windows toward Jerusalem when he prayed: both to stir up himself with the remembrance of God's promises to his people, when they should pray toward that temple, and also that others might see that he would neither consent in heart nor deed for these few days to anything that was contrary to God's glory.

His windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem: this was, 1 Kings 8:47-49 , according to Solomon’s prayer, which doubtless all the devout Jews in their captivity did observe. Toward Jerusalem; not towards the east, which was the manner of the Gentiles; nor towards the king’s palace, lest that, in compliance with the king’s edict, he should seem to worship him; but towards the west and the temple in Jerusalem, where the holy of holies stood in the west end, and because the temple was the place where the Lord placed his name and worship, and promised to appear, and accept his people and their sacrifices, all being a type of Christ, through whom only the saints are accepted; which doubtless Daniel by faith had an eye to; believing also that God in his own time would deliver them out of this captivity, and bring them back again, and that he faithfully minded these things in the midst of his honours, and riches, and employments. Kneeled upon his knees: this posture was always used in times of mourning and danger; not that we are tied to this gesture, but it is a comely posture before the great God; noting of guilt at the bar of God’s tribunal, and begging for our lives, by humble confession and humiliation, and craving pardon, and blessing God for his mercies. Three times a day: thus David, Psalm 55:17 .

These three times were, one at nine in the morning, which was their third hour of the day, Acts 2:15 ; the sixth hour was at twelve o’clock, then Peter prayed, Acts 10:9 ; the ninth hour was our three in the afternoon, which was the time of the evening sacrifice, 1 Kings 18:36 Acts 3:1 ; it is called the hour of prayer, and at that our Saviour Christ offered up himself a sacrifice for us, Matthew 27:46,50 . Now Daniel ordered his affairs so, that, though great, they should not hinder his solemn devotions to God. As he did aforetime; by which we see he was a holy man, also that he did not abate his prayers for the king’s command, nor did he rashly break the law, by doing it purposely, because he did no more than he was wont to do in serving his God. Daniel did not imprudently, much less sinfully, in this action. 1. Because he would have declared by it that he preferred man before God. 2. It was against the law of nature, which commands God to be worshipped. 3. Against the dictates and peace of his own conscience. 4. Against the people of God, whom he would grieve and stumble by this forbearance. 5. Against his enemies, by hardening them in their evil way, and giving them occasion of triumphing and blaspheming.

Daniel 6:10 . Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, &c. — He did not retire to the country, or abscond for some time, though he knew that the law was levelled against him; but because he knew it was so, therefore he stood his ground, knowing that he had now a fair opportunity of honouring God before men, and showing that he preferred his favour, and his own duty to him, before life itself. And his windows being open in his chamber — The LXX. read, εν τοις υπερωοις αυτου , in his upper rooms. It seems to have been a custom among the devout Jews to set apart some upper room, or rooms, in their houses, for their oratories, as places the farthest from any noise or disturbance. So we read, Tob 3:17 , that Sarah came down from her upper chamber: and, the apostles assembled in an upper room, Acts 1:13 . Toward Jerusalem — According to the ancient custom of the Jews; for those who were in the country, or in foreign lands, turned themselves toward Jerusalem; and those who were in Jerusalem turned themselves toward the temple to pray, conformably to Solomon’s consecration-prayer, 1 Kings 8:48-49 .

He prayed, it seems, with his windows quite open to view, the shutters being removed, since he chose to make his testimony to the exclusive worship of God, neglected by others, as public as might be, that he might show he was neither ashamed of worshipping Jehovah, the God of his fathers, nor afraid of any thing he might suffer on that account; and he had them open toward Jerusalem, to signify his affection for the holy city, though now in ruins, and the remembrance he had of its concerns daily in his prayers. He kneeled upon his knees — The most proper posture in prayer, most expressive of humility before God, of reverence for him, and submission to him; three times a day — Morning, noon, and evening, the hours of prayer observed by devout men of former times, Psalm 55:17 ; which religious custom was continued by the apostles, with whom the third, the sixth, and the ninth hours were times of prayer; and prayed, and gave thanks before his God — He joined prayer and thanksgiving together in all his devotions, in which he is an example for our imitation. Thanksgiving ought to make a part of every one of our prayers; for when we pray to God for the mercies we want, we ought to praise him for those we have received.

10. when Daniel knew … writing … signed—and that, therefore, the power of advising the king against it was taken from him. went into his house—withdrawing from the God-dishonoring court. windows … open—not in vainglory, but that there might be no obstruction to his view of the direction in which Jerusalem, the earthly seat of Jehovah under the Old Testament, lay; and that the sight of heaven might draw his mind off from earthly thoughts. To Christ in the heavenly temple let us turn our eyes in prayer, from this land of our captivity (1Ki 8:44, 48; 2Ch 6:29, 34, 38; Ps 5:7). chamber—the upper room, where prayer was generally offered by the Jews (Ac 1:13). Not on the housetop (Ac 10:9), where he would be conspicuous. upon his knees—Humble attitudes in prayer become humble suppliants. three times a day—(Ps 55:17). The third, sixth, and ninth hour; our nine, twelve, and three o'clock (Ac 2:15; 10:9; 3:1; 10:30; compare Da 9:21). as … aforetime—not from contempt of the king's command.

10 . and his windows , &c.] more exactly, and also more clearly, now he had in his roof-chamber open windows fronting Jerusalem . The clause is parenthetical, and describes the constant and habitual arrangement of Daniel’s windows. roof-chamber ] usually rendered upper chamber , which however does not at all suggest to an English reader what is intended. The ‘roof-chamber’ was (and still is) an apartment ‘raised above the flat roof of a house at one corner, or upon a tower like annex to the building, with latticed windows giving free circulation to the air’ (Moore on Jdg 3:20 ). It was thus cool in summer (Judg. l. c. ), and a part of the house to which anyone would naturally retire if he wished to be undisturbed (cf. 1 Kings 17:19 ; 2 Kings 1:2 ; 2 Kings 4:10-11 ). In the N.T. the roof-chamber is mentioned as a place of meeting for prayer ( Acts 1:13 ; Acts 20:8 ; cf. Acts 10:9 : see also Acts 9:37 ; Acts 9:39 ). Comp.

Thomson’s The Land and the Book , ed. 2, ii. 634, 636 (with an illustration). open ] i.e., either without lattices at all, or without fixed lattices (cf. 2 Kings 1:2 ; 2 Kings 13:17 ) opp. to ‘closed windows’ ( Ezekiel 40:16 ; Ezekiel 41:16 ; Ezekiel 41:26 ), or ‘windows with closed wood-work’ ( 1 Kings 6:4 ), the lattices of which did not admit of being opened. toward Jerusalem ] To pray, turning towards Jerusalem—or, if in Jerusalem, towards the Temple—became in later times a standing Jewish custom: we do not know how early it began; but it was based doubtless upon 1 Kings 8:35 ; 1 Kings 8:38 ; 1 Kings 8:44 ; 1 Kings 8:48 (in this verse with reference to exiles in a foreign land), cf. Psalm 5:7 ; Psalm 28:2 . The custom is alluded to in the Mishna ( Běrâchôth , iv. 5, 6); and in Sifrê 71b it is said that those in foreign lands turn in prayer towards the land of Israel, those in the land of Israel towards Jerusalem, and those in Jerusalem towards the Temple. Mohammed at first commanded his disciples to pray towards Jerusalem; but afterwards he altered the ḳibla (‘facing-point’) to Mecca. and he continued kneeling.… and praying, and giving thanks before his God , forasmuch as he had been wont to do (it) aforetime ] inasmuch as it had been his regular custom, he still adhered to it. three times a day ] Cf. Psalm 55:17 (‘at evening, and at morning, and at noonday will I complain and moan’).