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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Daniel 10:1 - 10:9
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The Beginning of the Vision
v. 1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, two years after his decree concerning the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple had gone forth, a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar, both his names being given here, one as a member of the people of God, the other as an official of the Persian court, who could render his nation a better service by remaining at court than by joining them in the restoration of their city, especially since he was now of advanced age; and the thing, the word of God revealed to the prophet in this vision, was true, but the time appointed was long, literally, "and great tribulation," that is, the revelation was concerned with misery, wretchedness, and trouble on earth; and he understood the thing and had understanding of the vision, he observed the word which the Lord made known to him and gave close attention to the vision.
v. 2. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks, very likely on account of the conditions in the land of his fathers, where the small handful of Jews were trying, under peculiar difficulties, to rebuild the Temple and restore the city, a fact which caused Daniel, at the beginning of a new year, to give himself to fasting and prayer.
v. 3. I ate no pleasant bread, partaking only of the unleavened bread of affliction, Deu_16:3, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, thus discarding all food otherwise used on festival days, neither did I anoint myself at all, he abstained from all expressions of joy and happiness, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Daniel thus observed a complete fast, with all the expressions of sorrow and mourning assumed by men at such a time.
v. 4. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, of the month Nisan, apparently at the end of his fast, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel, the Tigris River,
v. 5. then I lifted up mine eyes and looked, as in the vision on the banks of the Eulaeus, 8:3, and behold a certain Man clothed in linen, the color symbolizing holiness, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz, the gold indicating His princely rank.
v. 6. His body also was like the beryl, or chrysolite, so that it shone with the golden luster of topaz or amber, and His face as the appearance of lightning, blindingly bright, and His eyes as lamps of fire, Cf Rev_1:14, and His arms and His feet like in color to polished brass, gleaming like glowing brass, and the voice of His words like the voice of a multitude, the voice of roaring like that of the ocean or of a great concourse of people.
v. 7. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, so that all its details were clear to him; for the men that were with me saw not the vision, as was the case also with the companions of Saul on the way to Damascus, Act_9:7; Act_22:11; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves, literally, "they fled by hiding themselves," an expression showing the greatness of their fear.
v. 8. Therefore I was left alone and saw this great vision, Cf Exodus 3, 3, and there remained no strength in me, on account of the overwhelming terror of the vision; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, literally, "the healthy appearance of my face changed to me for disfigurement," and I retained no strength, It is evident from the entire description that Daniel here had a vision of the Angel of the Presence, the Angel of the Countenance, the Messiah Himself, as He revealed Himself to the believers of the Old Testament. Cf Rev_1:13-15.
v. 9. Yet heard I the voice of His words; and when I heard the voice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.