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Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Daniel 8

1 ! A vision of a battel betwene a ramme and a goat

1 a After the general vision, he cometh to certeine particular visions;as touching the destruction of the monarchie of the Persians, and Macedonians: for the runie of tthe Babylonian was at hand, and also, he had sufficiently spoken thereof.

3 c Which represented the kinddome of the Persians, and Medes, which were joyned together.

3 d Meaning, Cyrus, which after grewe greater power then Darius his vncle and father in lawe.

5 g Thogh he came in the name of all Grecia, yet he bare the title & dignitie of the general captaine, so that the strength was attributed to him, which is ment by this horne.

5 f Meaning, Alexander that came from Grecia with great spede and expedition.

7 h Alexander ouercame Darius in two sondry battels and so had the two kingdomes of the Medes and Persians.

8 i Alexanders great power was borken for when he had ouercome all the East, he thoght to returne towarde Grecia to subdue them that there had rebelled, and so dyed by the way.

8 k That is, which were famous: for almoste in the space of fiftene yere there were fiftene diuers successours before this monarchie was deuided to these foure, whereof Cassander had Macedonia, Seleucus, Syria, Antigonus Asia the lesse, and Ptolomeus Egypt.

9 l Which was Antiocus Epiphanes, who was of a seruile and flattering nature, and also there were other betwene him & the kingdome, and therefore is here called the little horne, because nether princelie conditions, nor any other thing was in him why he shulde obteine this kingdome.

9 m That is, toward Egypt.

9 n Whereby he meaneth Ptolomais.

9 o That is, Judea.

10 p Antiochus raged against the elect of God, and trod his precious starres vnder fete which are so called, because they are spearated from the worlde.

11 q That is, God, who gouerneth and mainteineth his Church.

11 r He labored to abolish all religion, & therefore case Gods seruice out of his Temple, which God had chosen as a litle corner from all the rest of the worlde to haue his Name there truely called vpon.

12 t This horne shal abolish for a time the true doctrine & so corrupt Gods seruice.

12 s He sheweth that their sinnes are the cause of these horrible afflictions: and yet comforteth them, in that he appointeth this tyrant a time, whome he wolde not suffer vtterly to abolish his religion.

13 x That is, the Jewes sinnes which were cause of this destruction.

13 y That is, which suppresseth Gods religion & his people.

13 u Meaning, that he heard one of the Angels asking this question of Christ, whome he calleth a certeine one, or a secret one, or a maruelous one.

14 z Christ answered me for the comforte of the Church.

14 a That is, vnto so many natural daies be past, which make six yeres thre moneths & an half: for so long vnder Antiochus was the Temple prophaned.

15 b Which was Christ, who in this maner declared himselfe to the olde fathers how he wolde be God manifested in flesh.

16 c This power to commande the Angel, declared that he was God.

17 d The effect of this vision shal not yet appeare, but a long time after.

19 e Meaning the great rage which Antiochus shulde shewe against the Church.

22 g They shal not haue like power as had Alexander.

23 h Noting that this Antiochus was impudent and cruel, and also craftie that he colde not be deceiued.

24 k Bothe the Gentils that dwel about him, & also the Jewes.

24 i That is, not like Alexanders strength.

25 o For God wolde destroy him with a notable plague, & so comforte his Church, {2 Mac. 9,9}.

25 n Meaning against God.

25 m That is vnder pretence of peace or as it were in sporte.

25 l Whatsoeuer he goeth about by his craft he shal bring it to passe.