Daniel 10:9

9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,^[a] with my face to the ground.

Daniel 10:9 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 10:9

Yet heard I the voice of his words
Though he was struck with so much awe, and his spirits so greatly depressed, and his body reduced to so low a condition; yet he was capable of attending to the voice, and of hearing the articulate sounds pronounced, and of understanding what was said: 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;
as soon as he heard his words, he fell upon his face to the ground, either in a way of worship and adoration, of prayer and supplication, as the Arabic version suggests; or through awe and reverence of the speaker, as well as through faintness of spirits; and these being quite exhausted, as it were, might be the reason of his falling into a deep sleep; unless it can be thought he was lulled into it, through the sweetness of the voice he had heard.

Daniel 10:9 In-Context

7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision. The men who were with me did not see it, but a great terror fell on them, and they ran and hid.

8 I was left alone, looking at this great vision. No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,and I was powerless.

9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and raised me to my hands and knees.

11 He said to me, "Daniel, you are a man treasured [by God]. Understand the words that I'm saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you." After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit a sleep on my face