“Tenta nos, obsecro, servos tuos, diebus decem, et dentur nobis legumina ad vescendum, et aqua ad bibendum :”
“Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. pulse: Heb. of pulse to eat: Heb. that we may eat, etc”
““Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.”
“Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink.”
“Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.”
Pulse. That is, pease, beans, and such like. (Challoner) — St. Basil hence shews the advantages of fasting; and Catholics, who imitate Daniel, may expect the like reward in heaven: and hope that such a pattern would not displease their dissenting brethren, but rather screen them from their profane sarcasms. (Haydock)
Verses 8-16 The interest we think we make for ourselves, we must acknowledge to be God's gift. Daniel was still firm to his religion. Whatever they called him, he still held fast the spirit of an Israelite. These youths scrupled concerning the meat, lest it should be sinful. When God's people are in Babylon they need take special care that they partake not of her sins. It is much to the praise of young people, not to covet or seek the delights of sense. Those who would excel in wisdom and piety, must learn betimes to keep the body under. Daniel avoided defiling himself with sin; and we should more fear that than any outward trouble. It is easier to keep temptation at a distance, than to resist it when near. And we cannot better improve our interest in any with whom we have found favour, than to use it to keep us from sin. People will not believe the benefit of avoiding excess, and of a spare diet, nor how much they contribute to the health of the body, unless they try. Conscientious temperance will always do more, even for the comfort of this life, than sinful indulgence.
“And God said: Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees that have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your meat:”