And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I [was] at Shushan [in] the palace, which [is] in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
Ver. 2. I saw in a vision.] God revealed himself to men waking in vision, as well as in dreams, Heb 1:1 wherein the prophets saw things actually done, which hereby they knew were to be done. 1Ki 22:17
I was at Shushan.] Which signifieth a lily, a so it was called for the pleasantness of the place: now it is called Valdac, of the poverty of the place. Here it was that Alexander found fifty thousand talents of gold, besides silver great store. It was once the royal seat of the kings of Persia, and gave name to the whole province Susiane. See Neh 1:1 Esther 1:1 .
And I was by the river of Ulai.] Called by heathen authors Eulaeus, but better ολυαιος. It compassed the temple of Diana at Shushan round, and, as some say, the whole city. Pliny b saith that the waters of this river were highly esteemed, so that the Persian kings drank thereof.
a Athenaeus.
b Pliny, lib. vi. cap. 27.