And in the four and twentieth day of the first
month
Of the third year of Cyrus, as Jacchiades; or rather of the
Jewish year, the month Ab or Nisan, which answers to part of
March and April; so that Daniel's fast began on the third day of
the month, and lasted to the twenty fourth, in which time was the
Jewish passover; and by this it seems it was not now kept; and
perhaps in those times was not used to be observed by the Jews in
a foreign land: as I was by the side of the great river,
which is Hiddekel;
the same with the Tigris, called by both names from the swiftness
and rapidity of its motion, "hiddekel" signifying both sharp and
swift; and tigris, in the Persian language, a dart; see (
Genesis
2:14 ) . This is the same river the Targum of Jonathan on (
Genesis
2:14 ) calls Diglath; and is by Pliny F5 called
Diglito, who observes that it has the name of Tigris from its
swiftness; so he says the Medes call an arrow; likewise Curtius
F6 takes notice of the same, and says
that it is named Tigris from the celerity with which it flows;
for in the Persian language they call a dart "tigris": so
(dx) signifies in the
Hebrew language "sharp" or "polished", as an arrow is; and
(lq) , "swift", as an
arrow flies, and both make Hiddekel: now this river was near
Shushan, where Daniel resided; nay, Benjamin of Tudela
F7 says, that the river Hiddekel
divides the city of Shushan, over which is a bridge, on one side
of which Jews dwelt, at the time he was there; unless he means
that it cuts and divides the province of Elam in Persia, he had
before been speaking of; and so Diodorus Siculus F8 says,
that both Euphrates and Tigris pass through Media into
Mesopotamia; wherefore it is no wonder to hear of Daniel by the
side of the river Hiddekel or Tigris: here Daniel was, not in
vision, but in person, having others with him, as appears from a
following verse; by it he was walking, contemplating, praying, or
conversing.