Daniel 10
New English Translation
An Angel Appears to Daniel
10 [a] In the third[b] year of King Cyrus of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar). This message was true and concerned a great war.[c] He understood the message and gained insight by the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks.[d] 3 I ate no choice food, no meat or wine came to my lips,[e] nor did I anoint myself with oil[f] until the end of those three weeks.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month[g] I was beside the great river, the Tigris.[h] 5 I looked up[i] and saw a[j] man[k] clothed in linen;[l] around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz.[m] 6 His body resembled yellow jasper,[n] and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches;[o] his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice[p] thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.
7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see it.[q] On the contrary, they were overcome with fright[r] and ran away to hide. 8 I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from[s] me, and my vigor disappeared;[t] I was without energy.[u] 9 I listened to his voice,[v] and as I did so[w] I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground. 10 Then[x] a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees.[y] 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are of great value.[z] Understand the words that I am about to[aa] speak to you. So stand up,[ab] for I have now been sent to you.” When he said this[ac] to me, I stood up shaking. 12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind[ad] to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But[ae] Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there[af] with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in future days, for the vision pertains to days to come.”[ag]
15 While he was saying this to me,[ah] I was flat on[ai] the ground and unable to speak. 16 Then[aj] one who appeared to be a human being[ak] was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir,[al] due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength. 17 How, sir, am I able to speak with you?[am] My strength is gone,[an] and I am breathless.” 18 Then the one who appeared to be a human being touched me again[ao] and strengthened me. 19 He said to me, “Don’t be afraid, you who are highly valued.[ap] Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, “Sir, you may speak now,[aq] for you have given me strength.” 20 He said, “Do you know why I have come to you?[ar] Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming. 21 However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book.[as] (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes,[at] except Michael your[au] prince.
Footnotes
- Daniel 10:1 sn This chapter begins the final unit in the book of Daniel, consisting of chapters 10-12. The traditional chapter divisions to some extent obscure the relationship of these chapters.
- Daniel 10:1 tc The LXX has “first.” sn Cyrus’ third year would have been ca. 536 b.c. Daniel would have been approximately eighty-four years old at this time.
- Daniel 10:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צָבָא (tsavaʾ) is uncertain in this context. The word most often refers to an army or warfare. It may also mean “hard service,” and many commentators take that to be the sense here (i.e., “the service was great”). The present translation assumes the reference to be to the spiritual conflicts described, for example, in 10:16-11:1.
- Daniel 10:2 tn Heb “three weeks of days.” The inclusion of “days” here and in v. 3 is perhaps intended to call attention to the fact that these weeks are very different in nature from those of chap. 9, which are “weeks of years.”
- Daniel 10:3 tn Heb “mouth.”
- Daniel 10:3 sn Anointing oneself with oil (usually olive oil) was a common OT practice due to the severity of the Middle Eastern sun (cf. Ps 121:6). It was also associated with rejoicing (e.g., Prov 27:9) and was therefore usually not practiced during a period of mourning.
- Daniel 10:4 sn The first month would be the month of Nisan, during which Passover was observed.
- Daniel 10:4 tn The Hebrew text has חִדָּקֶל (hiddaqel). “Tigris” appears here in the LXX, since it is the Greek name for this river. Elsewhere in the OT “the great river” refers to the Euphrates (e.g., Gen 15:18; Josh 1:4), leading some interpreters to think that a mistake is involved in using the expression to refer to the Tigris. But it is doubtful that the expression had such a fixed and limited usage. The Syriac, however, does render the word here by “Euphrates” (Syr. perat) in keeping with biblical usage elsewhere.
- Daniel 10:5 tn Heb “I lifted up my eyes.”
- Daniel 10:5 tn Heb “one.” The Hebrew numerical adjective is used here like an English indefinite article.
- Daniel 10:5 sn The identity of the messenger is not specifically disclosed. Presumably he is an unnamed angel. Some interpreters identify him as Gabriel, but there is no adequate reason for doing so.
- Daniel 10:5 tn The Hebrew word בַּדִּים (baddim) is a plural of extension. See GKC 396-97 §124.a, b, c and Joüon 2:500 §136.c.
- Daniel 10:5 tn The location of this place and even the exact form of the Hebrew name אוּפָז (ʾufaz) are uncertain. Apparently it was a source for pure gold. (See Jer 10:9.) The Hebrew word פָּז (paz, “refined gold” or “pure gold”) is more common in the OT than אוּפָז, and some scholars emend the text of Dan 10:5 to read this word. Cf. also “Ophir” (1 Kgs 9:28; Isa 13:12; Job 22:24; 28:16).
- Daniel 10:6 tn The Hebrew word translated “yellow jasper” is תַּרשִׁישׁ (tarshish); it appears to be a semiprecious stone, but its exact identity is somewhat uncertain. It may be the yellow jasper, although this is conjectural (cf. NAB, NIV “chrysolite”; NASB, NRSV “beryl”).
- Daniel 10:6 tn Heb “torches of fire.”
- Daniel 10:6 tn Heb “The sound of his words” (cf. v. 9).
- Daniel 10:7 tn Heb “the vision.”
- Daniel 10:7 tn Heb “great trembling fell on them.”
- Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “did not remain in.”
- Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “was changed upon me for ruin.”
- Daniel 10:8 tn Heb “strength.”
- Daniel 10:9 tc Heb “I heard the sound of his words.” These words are absent in the LXX and the Syriac.
- Daniel 10:9 tn Heb “as I listened to the sound of his words.”
- Daniel 10:10 tn Heb “Behold.”
- Daniel 10:10 tc Theodotion lacks “and the palms of my hands.”tn Heb “on my knees and the palms of my hands.”
- Daniel 10:11 tn Or “a treasured person”; KJV “a man greatly beloved”; NASB “man of high esteem.”
- Daniel 10:11 tn The Hebrew participle is often used, as here, to refer to the imminent future.
- Daniel 10:11 tn Heb “stand upon your standing.”
- Daniel 10:11 tn Heb “spoke this word.”
- Daniel 10:12 tn Heb “gave your heart.”
- Daniel 10:13 tn Heb “and behold.”
- Daniel 10:13 tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).
- Daniel 10:14 tn Heb “days.”
- Daniel 10:15 tn Heb “speaking to me according to these words.”
- Daniel 10:15 tn Heb “I placed my face toward.”
- Daniel 10:16 tn Heb “Behold.”
- Daniel 10:16 tc So most Hebrew mss; one Hebrew ms along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX read: “something that looked like a man’s hand.”
- Daniel 10:16 tn Heb “my lord,” here a title of polite address (cf. v. 19).
- Daniel 10:17 tn Heb “How is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord?”
- Daniel 10:17 tn Heb “does not stand.”
- Daniel 10:18 tn Heb “He added and touched me.” The construction is a verbal hendiadys.
- Daniel 10:19 tn Heb “treasured man.”
- Daniel 10:19 tn Heb “my lord may speak.”
- Daniel 10:20 sn The question is rhetorical, intended to encourage reflection on Daniel’s part.
- Daniel 10:21 tn Heb “a book of truth.” Several English versions treat this as a title of some sort (cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), although the NAB’s rendering, “the truthful book,” regards “truth” as an attributive adjective, as does the present translation.
- Daniel 10:21 tn The word “princes” is supplied for clarity.
- Daniel 10:21 tn The pronoun is plural in Hebrew, suggesting that Michael is the angelic prince of Daniel and his people.
Daniel 10
Contemporary English Version
Daniel's Vision beside the Tigris River
10 In the third year[a] of Cyrus the king of Persia, a message came to Daniel[b] from God, and it was explained in a vision. The message was about a dreadful war, and it was true. 2 Daniel wrote:
For three weeks I was in sorrow. 3 I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair.[c] 4 Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[d] I was standing on the banks of the great Tigris River, 5 (A) when I looked up and saw someone dressed in linen and wearing a solid gold belt.[e] 6 His body was like a precious stone,[f] his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming fires, his arms and legs like polished bronze, and his voice like the roar of a crowd. 7 (B) Although the people who were with me did not see the vision, they became so frightened that they scattered and hid. 8 Only I saw this great vision. I became weak and pale, 9 and at the sound of his voice, I fell facedown in a deep sleep.
10 He raised me to my hands and knees 11 and then said, “Daniel, your God thinks highly of you, and he has sent me. So stand up and pay close attention.” I stood trembling, while the angel said:
12 Daniel, don't be afraid! God has listened to your prayers since the first day you humbly asked for understanding, and he has sent me here. 13 (C) But the guardian angel[g] of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, who is one of the strongest guardian angels,[h] came to rescue me from the kings of Persia.[i] 14 Now I have come here to give you another vision about what will happen to your people in the future.
15 While this angel was speaking to me, I stared at the ground, speechless. 16 Then he appeared in human form and touched my lips. I said, “Sir, this vision has brought me great pain and has drained my strength. 17 I am merely your servant. How can I possibly speak with someone so powerful, when I am almost too weak to get my breath?”
18-19 The angel touched me a second time and said, “Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong.”
At this, I regained my strength and replied, “Please speak! You have already made me feel much better.”
20 Then the angel said:
Now do you understand why I have come? Soon I must leave to fight against the guardian angel of Persia. Then after I have defeated him, the guardian angel of Greece will attack me. 21 I will tell you what is written in The Book of Truth. But first, you must realize that no one except Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, is on my side.
Footnotes
- 10.1 third year: 536 b.c.
- 10.1 Daniel: See the note at 2.26.
- 10.3 olive oil … hair: On special occasions, it was the custom to put olive oil on one's face and hair.
- 10.4 first month: Nisan (also known as Abib), the first month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-March to mid-April.
- 10.5 solid gold belt: Hebrew “belt of gold from Uphaz.”
- 10.6 a precious stone: The Hebrew text has “beryl,” which is green or bluish-green.
- 10.13 guardian angel: Hebrew “prince.”
- 10.13 one of the strongest guardian angels: Hebrew “chief prince.”
- 10.13 came … Persia: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
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