Daniel 10:17

17 And how shall the servant of my Lord be able to speak with my Lord? nothing of strengths dwelled in me, but also my breath is closed betwixt, [or stopped]. (And how shall my lord's servant be able to speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me, and also my breath is taken away.)

Daniel 10:17 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 10:17

For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my
lord?
&c.] Or, "talk with that my lord?" F26 pointing to the man clothed in linen, who appeared so glorious, and whom Daniel knew to be more than a man; and therefore he, who was a mere mortal sinful man, and reckoned himself a servant of the angel of the Lord that was now before him, and had touched him, and was conversing with him, and to whom he was greatly inferior, must be very unfit and unworthy to have conversation with one that was infinitely above him; "with such an one", his Lord, as Noldius F1 renders it, as Christ the Son of God, the Head of angels, King of kings, and Lord of lords; what was he, dust and ashes, that he should speak unto him, or be admitted to any discourse with him? so sensible was he of the greatness of Christ, and of his own frailty, sinfulness, and nothingness; for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me;
as soon as ever he saw this great and glorious person; (See Gill on Daniel 10:8): neither is there breath left in me:
when he fainted away, and became like a dead man; and though he was raised up again, and set upon his feet, and had a little recovered his speech, yet it was with great difficulty that he breathed and spoke; as it is with men when their spirits are greatly oppressed, it is as if their life and soul were gone out of them, and they move more like dead than living men.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (hz ynda Me) "cum domino meo illo", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Junius & Tremellius.
F1 Concord. Ebr. Part. p. 353.

Daniel 10:17 In-Context

15 And when he spake to me by such words, I casted down my cheer to the earth, and was still. (And when he spoke to me with such words, I cast down my face to the ground, and was silent.)
16 And lo! as the likeness of son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spake, and said to him that stood before me, My Lord, in thy sight my joints be unknit, and nothing of strengths dwelled in me. (And lo! one like the son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said to him who stood before me, My lord, this vision hath caused my joints to be unknit, and no strength remaineth in me.)
17 And how shall the servant of my Lord be able to speak with my Lord? nothing of strengths dwelled in me, but also my breath is closed betwixt, [or stopped]. (And how shall my lord's servant be able to speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me, and also my breath is taken away.)
18 Therefore again (the one) as the sight of a man touched me, and comforted me, (And so again the one with the appearance of a man touched me, and strengthened me,)
19 and said, Man of desires, do not thou dread; peace be to thee, be thou comforted, and be thou strong. And when he spake with me, I waxed strong, and said, My Lord, speak thou, for thou hast comforted me. (and said, O man much beloved, do not thou fear; peace be to thee, be thou strengthened, and be thou strong. And when he spoke with me, I grew strong, and said, My lord, speak thou, for thou hast strengthened me.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.