1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. And the word was true, but the appointed time was long. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. 2In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3I ate no pleasant food, and no flesh or wine came into my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were fulfilled. 4And in the twenty fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Tigris, 5then I lifted up my eyes and looked: And behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold from Uphaz. 6His body was also like the beryl, and his face looked like lightning. And his eyes were like torches of fire; and his arms and his feet in color like polished bronze; and the sound of his words was like the sound of a multitude. 7And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision. For the men who were with me did not see the vision. But a great trembling fell on them so that they fled to hide themselves. 8Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me. For my glory was turned within me into corruption, and I had no strength. 9Yet I heard the sound of his words. And when I heard the sound of his words, then I was on my face, in a deep sleep, and my face was toward the ground. 10And, behold, a hand touched me, which made me tremble in my knees and in the palms of my hands. 11And he said to me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you and stand up, for I am now sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood, trembling. 12And he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel. For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come because of your words. 13But the ruler of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But, lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me; for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14Now I have come to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is yet for many days. 15And when he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face to the ground, and I became speechless. 16And, behold, one resembling the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, O my lord, my distress has overwhelmed me because of the vision, and I have no strength left. 17For how can this servant of my lord speak with you my lord? For as for me, there is no strength left in me; nor is there breath left in me. 18Then again, one resembling a man touched me and strengthened me. 19And he said, O man greatly beloved, do not fear. Peace to you. Be strong. Yea, be strong! And when he had spoken to me I was strengthened. And I said, Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me. 20And he said, Do you know why I have come to you? And now I will return to fight with the ruler of Persia. And when I have gone out, then indeed, the ruler of Greece shall come. 21But I will tell you what is written in the Scripture of Truth. (And no one holds strong with me in these things, except Michael your ruler.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 DANIEL COMFORTED BY AN ANGELIC VISION. (Dan. 10:1-21)
third year of Cyrus--two years after Cyrus' decree for the restoration of the Jews had gone forth, in accordance with Daniel's prayer in Dan. 9:3-19. This vision gives not merely general outlines, or symbols, but minute details of the future, in short, anticipative history. It is the expansion of the vision in
Dn 8:1-
Dn 8:14. That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood"; the messenger being sent to him for this (
Dn 10:11,
Dn 10:14), to make him understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; for in
Dn 1:21, it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus"; not that he died then. See on
Dn 1:21.
but the time appointed was long--rather, "it (that is, the prophecy) referred to great calamity" [MAURER]; or, "long and calamitous warfare" [GESENIUS]. Literally, "host going to war"; hence, warfare, calamity.
2 mourning--that is afflicting myself by fasting from "pleasant bread, flesh and wine" (
Dn 10:3), as a sign of sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare
Mt 9:14, "fast," answering to "mourn" (
Dn 10:15). Compare
1Co 8:8;
1Ti 4:3, which prove that "fasting" is not an indispensable Christian obligation; but merely an outward expression of sorrow, and separation from ordinary worldly enjoyments, in order to give one's self to prayer (
Hch 13:2). Daniel's mourning was probably for his countrymen, who met with many obstructions to their building of the temple, from their adversaries in the Persian court.
3 no pleasant bread--"unleavened bread, even the bread of affliction" (
Dt 16:3).
anoint--The Persians largely used unguents.
4 first month--Nisan, the month most suited for considering Israel's calamity, being that in which the feast of unleavened bread reminded them of their Egyptian bondage. Daniel mourned not merely for the seven days appointed (
Ex 12:18), from the evening of the fourteenth to the twenty-first of Nisan, but thrice seven days, to mark extraordinary sorrow. His mourning ended on the twenty-first day, the closing day of the passover feast; but the vision is not till the twenty-fourth, because of the opposition of "the prince of Persia" (
Dn 10:13).
I was by . . . the . . . river--in waking reality, not a trance (
Dn 10:7); when younger, he saw the future in images, but now when old, he receives revelations from angels in common language, that is, in the apocalyptic mode. In the patriarchal period God often appeared visibly, that is, theophany. In the prophets, next in the succession, the inward character of revelation is prominent. The consummation is when the seer looks up from earth into the unseen world, and has the future shown to him by angels, that is, apocalypse. So in the New Testament there is a parallel progression: God in the flesh, the spiritual activity of the apostles and the apocalypse [AUBERLEN].
Hiddekel--the Tigris.
5 lifted up mine eyes--from the ground on which they had been fixed in his mourning.
certain man--literally, "one man." An angel of the highest order; for in
Dn 8:16 he commands Gabriel to make Daniel to understand the vision, and in
Dn 12:6 one of the two angels inquires of him how long it would be till the end predicted.
linen--the raiment of priests, being the symbol of sanctity, as more pure than wool (
Ex 28:42); also of prophets (
Jer 13:1); and of angels (
Ap 15:6).
girded with . . . gold--that is, with a girdle interwoven with gold (
Ap 1:13).
6 beryl--literally, "Tarshish," in Spain. The beryl, identical with the chrysolite or topaz, was imported into the East from Tarshish, and therefore is called "the Tarshish stone."
7 they fled--terrified by the presence of the presence of the angel.
8 comeliness--literally, "vigor," that is, lively expression and color.
into corruption--"deadliness," that is, death-like paleness (
Dn 5:6;
Dn 7:28).
9 voice of his words--the sound of his words.
was I in a deep sleep--"I sank into a deep sleep" [LENGKERKE].
10 an hand--namely, of Gabriel, who interpreted other revelations to Daniel (
Dn 8:16) [THEODORET].
set me upon my knees--GESENIUS translates, "cause me to reel on my knees," &c.
11 man . . . beloved--(See on
Dn 9:23).
understand--"attend to." See
Dn 8:17-
Dn 8:18.
12 Fear not--Be not affrighted at my presence.
didst set thine heart to understand--what shall come to pass to thy people at the last times (compare
Dn 10:14).
chasten thyself-- (
Dn 10:2-
Dn 10:3).
thy words were heard-- (
Hch 10:4). Prayer is heard at once in heaven, though the sensible answer may seem to be delayed. God's messenger was detained on the way (
Dn 10:13) by the opposition of the powers of darkness. If in our prayers amidst long protracted sorrows we believed God's angel is on his way to us, what consolation it would give us!
for thy words--because of thy prayers.
13 prince of . . . Persia--the angel of darkness that represented the Persian world power, to which Israel was then subject. This verse gives the reason why, though Daniel's "words were heard from the first day" (
Dn 10:12), the good angel did not come to him until more than three weeks had elapsed (
Dn 10:4).
one and twenty days--answering to the three weeks of Daniel's mourning (
Dn 10:2).
Michael--that is, "Who is like God?" Though an archangel, "one of the chief princes," Michael was not to be compared to God.
help me--Michael, as patron of Israel before God (
Dn 10:21;
Dn 12:1), "helped" to influence the Persian king to permit the Jews' return to Jerusalem.
I remained--I was detained there with the kings of Persia, that is, with the angel of the Persian rulers, with whom I had to contend, and from whom I should not have got free, but for the help of Michael. GESENIUS translates, "I obtained the ascendency," that is, I gained my point against the adverse angel of Persia, so as to influence the Persian authorities to favor Israel's restoration.
14 what shall befall thy people in the latter days--an intimation that the prophecy, besides describing the doings of Antiochus, reaches to the concluding calamities of Israel's history, prior to the nation's full restoration at Christ's coming--calamities of which Antiochus' persecutions were the type.
vision is for many days--that is, extends far into the future.
15 face toward the ground--in humble reverence (
Gn 19:1).
dumb--with overwhelming awe.
16 touched my lips--the same significant action wherewith the Son of man accompanied His healing of the dumb (
Mr 7:33). He alone can give spiritual utterance (
Is 6:6-
Is 6:7;
Ef 6:19), enabling one to "open the mouth boldly." The same one who makes dumb (
Dn 10:15) opens the mouth.
sorrows--literally, "writhings" as of a woman in travail.
17 this . . . this my lord--to avoid the tautology in English Version, join rather "this," with "servant," "How can this servant of my lord (that is, how can I who am so feeble) talk with this my lord (who is so majestic)?" Thus Daniel gives the reason why he is so overwhelmed with awe [MAURER].
18 again . . . touched me--It was gradually that Daniel recovered his strength. Hence there was need of the second touch, that he might hear the angel with composure.
19 peace be unto thee--God is favorable to thee and to thy people Israel. See
Jue 13:21-
Jue 13:22, as to the fear of some evil resulting from a vision of angels.
20 Knowest thou wherefore--The angel asks, after Daniel had recovered from his fright, whether he has understood what was revealed (
Dn 10:13). On Daniel, by his silence, intimating that he did understand, the angel declares he will return to renew the fight with the evil angel, the prince of Persia. This points to new difficulties to the Jews' restoration which would arise in the Persian court, but which would be counteracted by God, through the ministry of angels.
prince of Grecia shall come--Alexander the Great, who conquered Persia, and favored the Jews [CALVIN]. Rather, as the prince of Persia is an angel, representing the hostile world power, so the prince of Grecia is a fresh angelic adversary, representing Greece. When I am gone forth from conquering the Persian foe, a fresh one starts up, namely, the world power that succeeds Persia, Greece; Antiochus Epiphanes, and his antitype Antichrist, but him, too, with the help of Michael, Israel's champion, I shall overcome [GEJER].
21 noted in the scripture of truth--in the secret book of God's decrees (
Sal 139:16;
Ap 5:1), which are truth, that is, the things which shall most surely come to pass, being determined by God (compare
Jn 17:17).
none . . . but Michael--To him alone of the angels the office of protecting Israel, in concert with the angelic speaker, was delegated; all the world powers were against Israel.