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.
Ver. 18. Now at the end of the days,] i.e., After three years' time of studying. See on Daniel 1:5. Account is to be exacted of time and profiting. Pliny a said to his nephew, when he saw him walk out some hours without studying, Poteras has horas non perdere, You might have spent these hours better. Ignatius, when he heard a clock strike, would say, Here is one hour more now past that I have to answer for. Archbishop Ussher, b on his death bed, begged hard of God to pardon his omissions, who yet was never known to omit an hour, but ever employed in his Master's business, reading, writing, preaching, resolving doubts, &c.
a Plin. Epist.
b His Life by Dr Bernard.