Daniel 1:3
And the king spoke to Asphenez the master of the eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed and of the princes,
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et ait rex Asphenez præposito eunuchorum ut introduceret de filiis Israël, et de semine regio et tyrannorum,
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀσφανὲζ τῷ ἀρχιευνούχῳ αὐτοῦ εἰσαγαγεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς βασιλείας καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν φορθομμείν,
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְאַשְׁפְּנַ֖ז רַ֣ב סָרִיסָ֑יו לְהָבִ֞יא מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וּמִזֶּ֥רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה וּמִן הַֽפַּרְתְּמִֽים
Haydock's commentary
Eunuchs, or chief officers. The Jews assert that Daniel was made an eunuch, Isaias xxxix. 7. But he might be so styled on account of his dignity. (Calmet)
Princes. Literally, "tyrants." (Haydock)
This name was afterwards only rendered odious by the misconduct of several kings. (Calmet)
Hebrew parthemim, (Haydock) seems to be of Greek derivation, alluding to protimoi, or protoi, "the first or most honoured." (Drusius)
We find here other Greek words. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Jerome Against Jovinianus, Book I
25. What folly it was to include Elijah and Elisha in a list of married men, is plain without a word from me. For, since John Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and John was a virgin, it is clear that he came not only in Elijah’s spirit, but also in his bodily chastity. Then the passage relating to Hezekiah might be adduced (though Jovinianus with his wonted stupidity did not notice it), in which after his recovery and the addition of fifteen years to his life he said, “Now will I beget children.” It must be remembered, however, that in the Hebrew texts the passage is not so, but runs thus: “The father to the children shall make known thy faithfulness.” Nor need we wonder that Huldah, the prophetess, and wife of Shallum, was consulted by Josiah, King of Judah, when the captivity was approaching and the wrath of the Lord was falling upon Jerusalem: since it is the rule of Scr …