Daniel 10:4

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

Daniel 10:4 in Other Translations

4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)

4 On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River,

4 "On the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

Daniel 10:4 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 10:4

And in the four and twentieth day of the first month
Of the third year of Cyrus, as Jacchiades; or rather of the Jewish year, the month Ab or Nisan, which answers to part of March and April; so that Daniel's fast began on the third day of the month, and lasted to the twenty fourth, in which time was the Jewish passover; and by this it seems it was not now kept; and perhaps in those times was not used to be observed by the Jews in a foreign land: as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;
the same with the Tigris, called by both names from the swiftness and rapidity of its motion, "hiddekel" signifying both sharp and swift; and tigris, in the Persian language, a dart; see ( Genesis 2:14 ) . This is the same river the Targum of Jonathan on ( Genesis 2:14 ) calls Diglath; and is by Pliny ^F5 called Diglito, who observes that it has the name of Tigris from its swiftness; so he says the Medes call an arrow; likewise Curtius ^F6 takes notice of the same, and says that it is named Tigris from the celerity with which it flows; for in the Persian language they call a dart "tigris": so (dx) signifies in the Hebrew language "sharp" or "polished", as an arrow is; and (lq) , "swift", as an arrow flies, and both make Hiddekel: now this river was near Shushan, where Daniel resided; nay, Benjamin of Tudela ^F7 says, that the river Hiddekel divides the city of Shushan, over which is a bridge, on one side of which Jews dwelt, at the time he was there; unless he means that it cuts and divides the province of Elam in Persia, he had before been speaking of; and so Diodorus Siculus ^F8 says, that both Euphrates and Tigris pass through Media into Mesopotamia; wherefore it is no wonder to hear of Daniel by the side of the river Hiddekel or Tigris: here Daniel was, not in vision, but in person, having others with him, as appears from a following verse; by it he was walking, contemplating, praying, or conversing.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 27.
F6 Hist. l. 4. c. 9.
F7 Itinerarium, p. 86.
F8 Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 99.

Daniel 10:4 In-Context

2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.

3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,

5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.

6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

Cross References

• 1. Daniel 12:5
• 2. S Genesis 2:14