Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
After Melsar saw it possible to gratify Daniel and his companions without danger and promote his own profit, he was humane and easily dealt with, and had no need of long disputation. For an intervening obstacle often deters us from the pursuit of gain, and we forbear to seek what we very much crave when it requires oppressive labor; but when our profit is at...
Daniel kept his conscience clean, refusing the king's meat and wine, though his name was changed by his captors. God gave him favour with the official, and his steadfast principle, not sullenness, but genuine scruple, showed that a tractable spirit and firm religion are not opposed but joined together.
AI summary
Commenting on Daniel 1:8-16
Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat,.... To himself, as the Syriac version adds; he took and carried it to his own family, and made use of it himself; and the portion of four such young gentlemen, maintained at the king's expense, and who had their provision from his table, must be, especially in the course of three years, of great advantage to...