The Book of Daniel Unlocked

John Locke · en
The Scriptures everywhere associate a sense of
    completeness and perfection with the numeral 7, also with
    the numeral 10. The Mosaic Law teems with instances of
    this sort. A Sabbatic period covered 7 years. Sprinklings
    were administered 7 times, feasts lasted 7 days, priests
    carried 7 trumpets, Jericho was compassed 7 times, Naaman
    bathed 7 times in the Jordan, a servant bowed 7 times
    to his lord and so on. As to the numeral 10, the Law
    had 10 commandments, the tabernacle had 10 curtains,
    10 pillars, 10 sockets. After the Israelites had tempted
    the Lord 10 times, they were condemned to die in the
    wilderness. Ten plagues were inflicted on the Egyptians.
    In the matter of taxation, the herd was divided into
    10 parts and one part set aside for the Lord.

    When Nebuchadnezzar tested Daniel and his companions, "he
    found them 10 times better than all the magicians and
    astrologers." Thus we see plainly that the numerals 7 and
    10 conveyed the idea of completeness and perfection to the
    Hebrew mind.

[Sidenote: B.C. 603.]

13. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the
countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's
meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

14. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of
the king's meat.

16. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine
that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

17. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in
all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions
and dreams.

    --"Behold art thou wiser than Daniel." Ezekiel XXVIII. 3.

18. Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should
bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before
Nebuchadnezzar.

    --At the end of the 3 years spoken of in verse 5.

19. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found
none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood
they before the king.

20. And in all matters of wisdom _and_ understanding, that the
king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians _and_ astrologers that _were_ in all his realm.

21. And Daniel continued _even_ unto the first year of king Cyrus.