Daniel 10:1-9

Daniel Is Terrified by a Vision

1 In the third year of ¹Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to ²Daniel, who was named * Belteshazzar; and the ³message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an ⁴understanding of the vision.

2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been ⁵mourning for three entire weeks.

3 I ⁶did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

4 On the twenty-fourth * day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great ⁷river, that is, the Tigris,

5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man ⁸dressed in linen, whose waist was ⁹girded with a belt of pure ¹⁰gold of Uphaz.

6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, ¹¹his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.

7 Now I, Daniel, ¹²alone saw the vision, while the ¹³men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great ¹⁴dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.

8 So I was ¹⁵left alone and saw this great vision; yet ¹⁶no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.

9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I ¹⁷fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

Daniel 10:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 10

This chapter is an introduction to the prophecies contained in the two following chapters; and begins with an account of Daniel's mourning and fasting, preparatory to the vision he had, Da 10:1-3, and of the appearance of Christ to him, with the time and place of it; who is described by his clothing, and the several parts of his body, which were very glorious, he appearing in a human form, Da 10:4-6, then follows an account of the effects it had upon him, Da 10:7-9, and of what encouragement and strength he received from him, by words and touches, to listen to what he said; and to expect a discovery and an understanding of things of moment and importance, which should be in future times, Da 10:10-21.

Cross References

• 1. Daniel 1:21; Daniel 6:28
• 2. Daniel 1:7
• 3. Daniel 8:26
• 4. Daniel 1:17; Daniel 2:21
• 5. Ezra 9:4, 5; Nehemiah 1:4
• 6. Daniel 6:18
• 7. Ezekiel 1:3; Daniel 8:2
• 8. Ezekiel 9:2; Daniel 12:6, 7
• 9. Revelation 1:13; Revelation 15:6
• 10. Jeremiah 10:9
• 11. Revelation 1:14; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 19:12
• 12. 2 Kings 6:17-20
• 13. Acts 9:7
• 14. Ezekiel 12:18
• 15. Genesis 32:24
• 16. Daniel 7:28; Daniel 8:27; Habakkuk 3:16
• 17. Genesis 15:12; Job 4:13; Daniel 8:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "word"
• [b]. Lit "word"
• [c]. Or "warfare"
• [d]. Lit "word"
• [e]. Lit "bread of desirability"
• [f]. Heb "Hiddekel"
• [g]. Or "yellow serpentine"
• [h]. Lit "like"
• [i]. Or "roaring"
• [j]. Lit "splendor"
• [k]. Lit "corruption"