Vision of a Glorious One

10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,(A) a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.(B) The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.(C)

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.(D) I didn’t eat any rich food,(E) no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[a] as I was standing on the bank of the great river,(F) the Tigris, I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,(G) with a belt of gold(H) from Uphaz[b](I) around his waist. His body was like beryl,[c] his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,(J) his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.(K)

Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.(L) The men who were with me did not see it,(M) but a great terror fell on them,(N) and they ran and hid. I was left alone, looking at this great vision.(O) No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,[d](P) and I was powerless. I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,[e](Q) with my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.[f](R) Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,(S) for I have now been sent to you.”(T) After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

12 “Don’t be afraid,(U) Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,(V) your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.(W) 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,(X) one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.(Y) 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,(Z) for the vision refers to those days.”(AA)

15 While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.(AB) 16 Suddenly one with human likeness(AC) touched my lips.(AD) I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.(AE) 17 How can someone like me,(AF) your servant,[g] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

18 Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.(AG) 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid,(AH) you who are[h] treasured by God.(AI) Peace to you; be very strong!” (AJ)

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”(AK)

20 He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.(AL) 21 However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,(AM) your prince.

Footnotes

  1. 10:4 = Nisan (March–April)
  2. 10:5 Some Hb mss read Ophir
  3. 10:6 The identity of this stone is uncertain.
  4. 10:8 Lit my splendor was turned on me to ruin
  5. 10:9 Lit a sleep on my face
  6. 10:11 by God added for clarity, also in v. 19
  7. 10:17 Lit Can I, a servant of my lord
  8. 10:19 Lit afraid, man

Vision of a man

10 In the third year of Persia’s King Cyrus, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true: there would be a great conflict. Daniel understood the message, having discerned the meaning of the vision.

During that time, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. I didn’t eat any rich foods. Neither meat nor wine passed my lips, and I didn’t clean up at all until the three weeks were up. Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was on the bank of the great Tigris River, I looked up and suddenly saw a man clothed in linen in front of me. He had a brilliant gold belt around his waist, and his body was like topaz. His face was like a flash of lightning, and his eyes were like burning torches. His arms and feet looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, it sounded like the roar of a crowd. Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The other people who were with me didn’t see it. Despite that, they were terrified and ran away to hide.

So I was left alone to see this great vision all by myself. All my strength left me. My energy was sapped, and I couldn’t stay strong. Then I heard the sound of the man’s words. When I heard it, I fell into a trance with my face on the ground. 10 But then a hand touched me, lifting me up to my hands and knees.

11 The man said to me, “Daniel, you are greatly treasured. Now grasp the meaning of what I’m saying to you. And stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.”

As he said this to me, I stood up, shaking.

12 Then the man said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, because from the day you first set your mind to understand things and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I’ve come because of your words! 13 For twenty-one days the leader of the Persian kingdom blocked my way. But then Michael, one of the highest leaders, came to help me. I left Michael there with the leader of the Persian kingdom.[a] 14 But I’ve come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the future, because there is another vision concerning that time.”

15 While he said this to me, I turned my face to the ground and kept quiet. 16 But then someone who looked like a human being[b] touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to the person standing in front of me: “My lord, the vision bothered me deeply, and I couldn’t stay strong during it. 17 So how can I, my lord’s servant, speak with you, my lord? Even now there’s no strength in me, and I can barely breathe.”

18 The one who looked like a human being touched me again and gave me strength. 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid. You are greatly treasured. All will be well with you. Be strong!”

As he spoke to me, I suddenly felt strong. Then I said: “My lord can go on, because you’ve made me strong.”

20 Then he said: “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must go back to fight the leader of Persia. As I leave, the leader of Greece will come! 21 But I will tell you what is written in the Scroll of Truth. No one stands strong with me against these leaders except your leader Michael.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 10:13 LXX; Heb after I was detained there with the kings of Persia
  2. Daniel 10:16 Heb bene adam (a son of a man) is an idiom that means human being; cf 7:13.