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The Prophets · Old Testament

Daniel 10

Daniel 10: the man clothed in linen by the Hiddekel

General context

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing is revealed to Daniel, called Belteshazzar; the narrator says it is true, the time appointed long, and Daniel understands it. Daniel then speaks: he mourns three full weeks, eating no pleasant bread, flesh or wine and not anointing himself. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, by the great river Hiddekel, he sees a man clothed in linen, girded with gold of Uphaz, with a body like beryl, a face like lightning, eyes like lamps of fire, limbs like polished brass and a voice like a multitude. Daniel alone sees it; the men with him flee in fear. His strength leaves him and he falls into a deep sleep on his face. A hand sets him on his knees and palms, and the speaker calls him a man greatly beloved, tells him to stand, and says his words were heard from the first day he set his heart to understand, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood the speaker twenty-one days until Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help. He has come to tell what will befall Daniel's people in the latter days. Daniel becomes dumb; one like the sons of men touches his lips, and Daniel says his sorrows have overwhelmed him and he has no strength or breath. One like a man touches and strengthens him again, and Daniel asks him to speak. The speaker says he will return to fight the prince of Persia, that the prince of Grecia will then come, and that he will show what is noted in the scripture of truth, with none holding with him but Michael, Daniel's prince.

Cited passages: Daniel 10:1, Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:3, Daniel 10:4, Daniel 10:5, Daniel 10:6, Daniel 10:7, Daniel 10:8, Daniel 10:9, Daniel 10:10, Daniel 10:11, Daniel 10:12, Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:14, Daniel 10:15, Daniel 10:16, Daniel 10:17, Daniel 10:18, Daniel 10:19, Daniel 10:20, Daniel 10:21

Daniel 10 (KJV)

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.

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Historical context

The chapter is dated to the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, which lies beyond the first year of Cyrus named in chapter 1 as the point Daniel continued to; the text does not comment on this. Verse 1 is a narrator's frame in the third person before Daniel's first person resumes. The man clothed in linen is not named, and the text does not say whether he is the same as the one whose hand touches Daniel, the one like the sons of men who touches his lips, or the one like a man who strengthens him; the speaker of verses 11 to 14 and 20 to 21 is also unnamed. Michael is named as one of the chief princes and as your prince, addressed to Daniel, and the prince of the kingdom of Persia and the prince of Grecia are named as opponents, all without further definition. The twenty-one days of resistance match the three weeks of mourning, and the text pairs them without explaining the connection. Daniel has companions who see nothing. The chapter is the opening of a single revelation that runs through chapters 11 and 12, and it ends mid-speech.

Cited passages: Daniel 10:1, Daniel 10:5, Daniel 10:16, Daniel 10:18, Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21, Daniel 10:20, Daniel 10:2, Daniel 10:7

Literary context

The chapter is built on touch and strength. Three times a hand or a figure touches Daniel, and each touch restores a faculty: posture, speech, strength. Daniel's own words dwell on what has left him, comeliness turned to corruption, no strength, no breath, and the speaker's words answer with fear not, be strong, yea, be strong. The description of the man in linen moves through loins, body, face, eyes, arms and feet and then to voice, in a list of comparisons, gold, beryl, lightning, fire, brass, multitude. The twice-spoken address, man greatly beloved, repeats Gabriel's word to Daniel in chapter 9. The speaker's account of the twenty-one days reads the human calendar of Daniel's fast against a conflict Daniel could not see, and the chapter ends without the promised message, so that the disclosure of chapter 11 is held back by the narrative until Daniel can stand to hear it. Earlier visions in the book mention no companions; here Daniel has companions who cannot see, and he is the only witness.

Cited passages: Daniel 10:10, Daniel 10:16, Daniel 10:19, Daniel 10:8, Daniel 10:6, Daniel 10:11, Daniel 10:12, Daniel 10:21, Daniel 10:7, Daniel 9:23

Key moments

  1. Three weeks of mourning (Daniel 10:2). Daniel fasts from pleasant food, flesh, wine and anointing for three weeks.
  2. A man clothed in linen (Daniel 10:5). By the Hiddekel Daniel sees a figure girded with gold of Uphaz.
  3. Companions flee (Daniel 10:7). Only Daniel sees the vision; the men with him hide in fear.
  4. Heard from the first day (Daniel 10:12). The speaker says Daniel's words were heard when he began to seek understanding.
  5. The prince of Persia withstood (Daniel 10:13). The messenger was delayed twenty-one days until Michael came to help.
  6. Be strong, yea, be strong (Daniel 10:19). A touch strengthens Daniel and he asks the speaker to go on.
  7. None but Michael (Daniel 10:21). The speaker promises to show the scripture of truth, with Michael his only ally.

For reflection

The speaker says Daniel's words were heard from the first day, yet the answer took three weeks to arrive. How does that account sit beside the experience of praying and hearing nothing?

People in this chapter

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