Commentary on Daniel Chapter 10 (No. F027x)

Introduction

This chapter begins the explanation of the last days to Daniel following on as the beginning of the explanation of the prophecies of the Last Days. The period began from the period Sanctification of the Temple of God (P241) and the Sanctification of the Simple and Erroneous (P291) which had been destroyed and proceeded all the way to the end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on 21 Abib.

Daniel Chapter 10

¹In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. ²In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. ³I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. ⁴And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; ⁵Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: ⁶His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. ⁷And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. ⁸Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. ⁹Yet 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. ¹⁰And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. ¹¹And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. ¹²Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. ¹³But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. ¹⁵And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. ¹⁶And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. ¹⁷For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. ¹⁸Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, ¹⁹And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. ²⁰Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.²¹But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. (KJV)

Michael was held to be one of the chief princes (Dan. 10:13). From chapter 12 below we see that he stood for the people of Israel. Messiah is prince of princes (Dan. 8:25). Hence if Messiah has a name in the OT it is Michael who as we see from verse 25 is prince of Israel.

There was held to be a prince of the nation of Persia who withstood the Angel of God for twenty-one days (Dan. 10:20). These princes are part of the fallen Host as they fight against the Lord's messengers, establishing in sequence the empires prophesied to occur in Daniel 2 and 7. Daniel 10:20 states that there was also a prince of Grecia that would come after the prince of Persia. The being that spoke to Daniel had only Michael in support. The Angel that spoke to Daniel was also Gabriel as we see from Chapter 9 etc. Thus the He Goat of Greece had two elements. The Elohim of the Seventy allocated Greece by the One True God Eloah (Deut. 32) and Alexander the human king of the Greeks.

The entire Fallen were given responsibility for the humans that they tried to destroy as we see explained in Deuteronomy 32. Israel was allocated to Messiah.

Bullinger’s Notes on Chapter 10

Verse 1

the third year of Cyrus. Called by his appellative "Darius" (= the Restrainer, or Maintainer, in Daniel 9:1; ...) Two years later than Dan 9. This is Daniel"s latest date; which continues to the end of this book, seventy three years since his deportation: he being now eighty-nine years old.

thing = word, or matter.

Belteshazzar. See Daniel 1:7.

but the time appointed was long = but [concerned] a long warfare.

time appointed. Hebrew. tzaba. Generally rendered "host" or "army" (Daniel 8:10, Daniel 8:11, Daniel 8:12). Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for warfare.

long: or, great.

Verse 2

three full weeks = three sevens of days. See next verse and Daniel 10:13, in contrast with Daniel 9:24, Daniel 9:25. Compare this humiliation with that of Daniel 9:3-19, and see the Structure ("Daniel 9:3-19" and "Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:3", p. 1196).

Verse 3

pleasant bread = bread of desires: i.e. pleasant food.

wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.

three whole weeks = three sevens of days, as in verses: Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:13.

confronting me three sevens of days: but, lo,

Verse 4

the four and twentieth, &c.: i.e. the twenty-fourth of Nisan (i.e. Abib).

Hiddekel: i.e. the Tigris. See Genesis 2:14.

Verse 5

man. Hebrew "ish. App-14.

clothed, &c. Compare the description in Rev 1. Note the Divine and angelic appearances in this book: Daniel 3:25; Daniel 4:13, Daniel 4:17, Daniel 4:23; Daniel 6:22; Daniel 7:16; Daniel 8:13, Daniel 8:14, Daniel 8:16-26; Daniel 9:21; Daniel 10:4-8, Daniel 10:10, Daniel 10:16, Daniel 10:18, Daniel 10:20; Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:5, Daniel 12:6.

Verse 7

men. Hebrew, plural of "enosh. App-14. Compare Acts 9:7.

Verse 9

was I in a deep sleep, &c. Compare Daniel 8:18.

Verse 11

stand upright. Note the Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6), stand upon thy standing: i.e. stand up where thou art.

Verse 12

the first day. See Daniel 9:23.

chasten = humble. See note on Daniel 10:3.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

Verse 13

the prince = ruler. Hebrew. sar = a ruler (from sarar = to rule). Hence Caesar, Tzar or Czar. Generally rendered "prince" in this book. See Daniel 1:7, Daniel 1:8, Daniel 1:9, Daniel 1:10, Daniel 1:11, Daniel 1:18; Daniel 8:11, Daniel 8:25; Daniel 9:6, Daniel 9:8; Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:20, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 11:5; Daniel 12:1. The rulers may be good, angelic (good or evil), or the world-rulers of Ephesians 6:12.

withstood = was standing confronting me.

one and twenty days. See verses: Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:3.

Michael = who is like GOD (Hebrew El)? The second angel named in this book. The special angelic ruler for Israel (Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1. Compare Jude 1:9, and Revelation 12:7).

princes. Hebrew. sar = chief. Not the same word as in Daniel 11:8, Daniel 11:18, Daniel 11:22.

I remained = I was superfluous: i.e. not needed. Hence we may render, "I left him there". Not the same word as in Daniel 10:17.

with = beside.

Verse 14

the latter days. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:1. Numbers 24:14. Deuteronomy 4:30; Deuteronomy 31:29). App-92. See note on Daniel 2:28. Note the bearing of this on the prophecy itself, given in Daniel 11:21, Daniel 12:3.

Verse 15

dumb. Compare Psalms 139:2, Psalms 139:9.

Verse 16

men. Hebrew. "adam. App-14.

Verse 17

remained = continued. Not the same word as in Daniel 10:13.

breath. Hebrew. neshamah. See App-16.

Verse 18

strengthened = strengthened (for endurance). Hebrew. hazak.

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA