Daniel 10

Da 10:1-21.

DANIEL

COMFORTED BY AN

ANGELIC

VISION.

The tenth through twelfth chapters more fully describe the vision in the

eighth chapter by a second vision on the same subject, just as the

vision in the seventh chapter explains more fully that in the second.

The tenth chapter is the prologue; the eleventh, the prophecy itself;

and the twelfth, the epilogue. The tenth chapter unfolds the spiritual

worlds as the background of the historical world

(Job 1:7; 2:1,

&c.; Zec 3:1, 2;

Re 12:7),

and angels as the ministers of God's government of men. As in the world

of nature

(Joh 5:4;

Re 7:1-3),

so in that of history here; Michael, the champion of Israel, and with

him another angel, whose aim is to realize God's will in the heathen

world, resist the God-opposed spirit of the world. These struggles are

not merely symbolical, but real

(1Sa 16:13-15;

1Ki 22:22;

Eph 6:12).

1. 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

Da 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

Da 8:1-14.

That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood"; the

messenger being sent to him for this

(Da 10:11, 14),

to make him understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at

court; for in

Da 1:21,

it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus";

not that he died then. See on

Da 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"

(Da 10:3),

as a sign of sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare

Mt 9:14,

"fast," answering to "mourn"

(Da 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

(Ac 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"

(De 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"

(Da 10:13).

I was by . . . the . . . river--in waking

reality, not a trance

(Da 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

Da 8:16

he commands Gabriel to make Daniel to understand the vision, and in

Da 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

(Re 15:6).

girded with . . . gold--that is, with a girdle interwoven with gold

(Re 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

(Da 5:6; 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

(Da 8:16)

[THEODORET].

set me upon my knees--GESENIUS

translates, "cause me to reel on my

knees," &c.

11. man . . . beloved--(See on

Da 9:23).

understand--"attend to." See

Da 8:17, 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

Da 10:14).

chasten thyself--

(Da 10:2, 3).

thy words were heard--

(Ac 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

(Da 10:13)

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"

(Da 10:12),

the good angel did not come to him until more than three weeks had

elapsed

(Da 10:4).

one and twenty days--answering to the three weeks of Daniel's mourning

(Da 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

(Da 10:21; 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

(Ge 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

(Isa 6:6, 7;

Eph 6:19),

enabling one to "open the mouth boldly." The same one who makes dumb

(Da 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

Jud 13:21, 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

(Da 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

(Ps 139:16;

Re 5:1),

which are truth, that is, the things which shall most surely come to

pass, being determined by God (compare

Joh 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.