Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 10:15
And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
15. In spite of the command not to fear ( Dan 10:12), and the encouraging nature of the words which followed (especially Dan 10:12), Daniel does not recover his composure; and is only gradually reassured in the sequel ( Dan 10:16-19).
I set , and was dumb ] As yet, he stood with his eyes fixed on the ground, dreading to look up and speechless.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when he had spoken such words … – Daniel was naturally overcome by the communication which had been made to him. The manner in which the prayer was answered seems to have been entirely different from what he had expected. The presence of a heavenly being; the majesty of his appearance; the assurance that he gave that he had come to answer his prayer; and the fact that he had important revelations to make respecting the future, overcame him, and he laid his face upon the ground in silence. Is there any one of us who would not be awed into profound silence if a heavenly messenger should stand before us to disclose what was to occur to us, to our families, to our friends, to our country, in far-distant years?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. I set my face toward the ground] He was standing upright, Da 10:11, and he now bent his body in reverence, and looked down upon the ground.
And became dumb.] Found himself unable to speak.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He was not yet quite free of all his fear, of which we heard, Dan 10:9; haply this pressed him down the more, when he considered the majesty of the angel, the greatness of the vision, and his own frailty; this transported him with astonishment; and above all, that he saw so much of God in it, in his favour to him and his poor church.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. face toward the groundinhumble reverence (Ge 19:1).
dumbwith overwhelmingawe.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he had spoken such words unto me,…. As before related, concerning the contest between him and the prince of Persia; and especially concerning what would befall the people of the Jews in the latter day:
I set my face toward the ground; not being able to look up; his eyes were fixed upon the earth like one confounded and thunderstruck, filled with amazement and wonder:
and I became dumb; not able to speak a word, as is the case of persons sometimes in surprise, or through excess of any of the passions: this arose either from the majesty of the angel; or rather from the nature and importance of the things he said; or from a consciousness of his own impurity, and so of his unworthiness to converse with so exalted a creature, and to be favoured with such secrets. The Arabic version is, “and I supplicated”; very wrongly.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In these verses it is further related how Daniel was gradually raised up and made capable of receiving the revelation of God. The communication of the angel hitherto had not fully gained this object. Daniel “stood trembling,” but he could not yet speak. With his face bent towards the earth he was as yet speechless. Then one having the likeness of a man touched his lips, whereby he received the power of speech, and could address him who stood before him, and utter the complaint: “By the vision anguish, i.e., violent terror, has fallen upon me: woes are turned upon me.” For this style of speech cf. 1Sa 4:19, and for the matter itself, cf. Isa 21:3; Isa 13:8. For the following ( and I have no strength, Dan 10:16), cf. Dan 10:8.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Daniel again signifies by these words that he was so inspired by reverence for the angel as to be unable to stand. This tends to recommend the prophecy to our notice, — to shew us how the holy Prophet was not only instructed by the angel, but to confirm what he will afterwards record in the 11th chapter, and free it from all doubt. Lastly, he enables us to confide in the angel’s words, which were not uttered in an ordinary way, but were so obviously divine as to cast Daniel headlong upon the earth. In my judgment those expounders of the phrase, he became dumb, are in error when they refer it to his repenting of his prophetic office, through supposing his prayers to have been disregarded. This is much too forced, because the Prophet expresses nothing more than his seizure by fear, causing both his feet and his tongue to refuse their usual duties. Thus he was apparently carried beyond himself. By becoming prostrate on the ground, he manifested his reverence, and by becoming dumb displayed his astonishment. I have already briefly explained the object of all these assertions — to prove to us how the angel was adorned with his own attributes, and what full authority should be assigned to his words. It follows: —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
c. ANGELIC ACTIVITY
TEXT: Dan. 10:15-21
15
And when he had spoken unto me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was dumb.
16
And, behold, one in the likeness 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 reason of the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I retain no strength.
17
For 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 was there breath left in me.
18
Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.
19
And he said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he spake unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
20
Then said he, knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I go forth, lo, the prince of Greece shall come.
21
But I will tell thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me against these, but Michael your prince.
QUERIES
a.
Why does Daniel grow weak again?
b.
Who is the prince of Greece?
c.
What is the writing of truth?
PARAPHRASE
All this time I was looking down, being abased in the presence of deity, and unable to speak a word. Then the heavenly beingwho looked like a mantouched my lips and I was able to begin speaking again. Then I said to the heavenly being, O my lord, this supernatural visit and your holiness has made me so aware of my unholiness, I havent even the strength left to stay in your presence. How can such a person as I even dare assume the same level of existence as you? I have no ability in me to even live in your presence, let alone converse with you. Then the same heavenly being touched me again and I felt a superhuman strength in me to sustain me in the presence of this holy one. And the angel said, O man, greatly loved and blessed, do not be afraid, for Gods peace is with you. Have the boldness and strength, therefore, which His grace suppliesbe strong! And as he was speaking to me, I took courage and said, Then let my lord speak for I am ready now to receive Gods awful word. Then the angel said, Do you remember what I told you about my purpose for coming to you? Well, now, I will return to continue my conquest and rule over the demon-angel who influences the king of Persia; and after this I will have to conquer and rule the demon-angel who will be influencing the empire of Greece in order to fulfill Gods purpose with the covenant people. But before I go I will tell you what God has predicted in His history book, the only accurate writing of history on record, concerning the last era of history before the coming of the promised Messiah. Do not worry, even though only I and Michael, your prince-angel, are the only two angels protecting the covenant people in the troubled times to come; we shall be sufficient to carry out Gods purposes.
Daniel and the Ministering Spirit
COMMENT
Dan. 10:15-17 . . . ONE IN THE LIKENESS OF THE SONS OF MEN TOUCHED MY LIPS . . . Daniel was still dumb-founded. Being in the presence of the divine being, he still found himself in abject abasement, unable to find words in human language to adequately express himself to this glorious one. The angel (undoubtedly the same angel as before) touched his lips (cf. Isaiah 6) and enabled him through divine assistance to find boldness to address supernaturalness. It was the unutterable awfulness of the glory of this angelic visitor that intensified Daniels human limitations. Daniel found there are groanings of the human spirit which have no adequate way of finding expression unless the Divine Spirit helps (cf. Rom. 8:26). This divine appearance took Daniels breath away! How often we treat the things of glory lightlywe who are so familiar with divine things need to beware for they are not to be taken lightly. If the angels can strike such awe and abasement in sinful man, how much more we ought to be thankful for the gracious blood of Jesus which provides us with bold access to the majestic Throne of God!
Dan. 10:18-19 . . . I WAS STRENGTHENED, AND SAID, LET MY LORD SPEAK . . . Daniel, the sinner, realized that there must exist enmity between him and the Holy God and so he was weak with fear. But the angel assured him of Gods peace. Daniels faith appropriated for him the grace of God and thus the message from the throne for Daniel was peace, be strong, fear not. This knowledge of being approved of and at peace with God brings strength to the weakest sinner. This is the very essence of the message of the New Testament (especially those two great treatises, Romans and Hebrews).
Dan. 10:20-21 . . . NOW I WILL RETURN TO FIGHT THE PRINCE OF PERSIA . . . THE PRINCE OF GREECE . . . The angels question is rhetorical, Do you remember what I told you about my purpose for coming to you? The angel expects Daniel to remember some of what he had been told earlier. Daniel should remember that the angel had been sent to overcome the evil-angel who was being allowed to influence the decisions and actions of the rulers of Persia. Gods angel had overcome this evil-spirit and now announces that he is about to return and continue such overruling. Evidently Gods angelic helper to Persia will not go unchallenged, but he will have to continue in the spiritual struggle (in the realm of the unseen spiritual world) just so long as God deems it necessary to fulfill His work with the covenant people in preparing them to bring forth the Messiah.
As soon as the one conflict ends with Persia, the angel will be engaged in the same sort of conflict with another demon-angel sent from hell to attempt to thwart Gods plans by influencing the rulers of Greece. If Gods angel were not there, demon influence might well meet with success. So Daniel is apprized of some of the undercover movements in history and also of the type of checking that God employs to keep them within proper bounds. One of the interesting revelations of such angelic help for Gods people when God deems necessary is found in 2Ki. 6:14-19, where Elishas servant had his eyes opened and was enable to see mountain . . . full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that are with them. The same God is alive today and He can, if He wishes, and will, if necessary, provide a great host of heavenly beings to minister to those who inherit salvation (cf. Heb. 1:14).
The writing of truth is a phrase to inform Daniel that the history which is about to be revealed (chapter 11) contains events of which Gods wisdom alone bears record, and, as always, infallibly accurate. In other books of prophecy, future history which God is prepared to unfold before the eyes of man is represented by a scroll (cf. Ezekiel and Revelation). And one need only compare Daniel 11 with profane history to realize that God knows with infinite accuracy and in minute detail what is to come to pass before it ever passes through the mind of man! (cf. Deuteronomy 32; Deuteronomy 34; Rev. 5:1; Psa. 139:16).
QUIZ
1.
What would be a good description of Daniels attitude even after the angel had set him upon his feet?
2.
What should be our attitude toward things divine?
3.
How was Daniel strengthened?
4.
Why did the angel have to be prepared to fight against the prince of Greece?
5.
Is there a warfare in the unseen realm of the spirit-world?
6.
May we expect God to use angels to help Christians today? How?
7.
What is the writing of truth?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) I set my face.The conduct of Daniel described in this verse is not to be ascribed to his fear, for that had been already driven away (Dan. 10:12), but to his reverence for the majestic person who was before him, and to the gratitude that he felt for the answer to his prayer. (Comp. Dan. 9:3-4.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Daniel drops his eyes which had previously been uplifted in hope (Dan 10:11-12) and becomes speechless with grief because of the delay of this complete deliverance, which (from the study of Jeremiah’s writings) he had been led to believe would immediately follow the end of the Babylonish captivity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when he had spoken to me in accordance with these words I set my face towards the ground and was dumb. And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, as a result of the vision my pangs have come on me, and I am without strength. For how can the servant of this my lord speak with this my lord?” For as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me, nor was there breath left in me.’
The impact of the angel’s words on Daniel was immediate. He bowed his head and did not speak. ‘I was dumb’ may simply mean that he did not speak (Psa 37:2; Psa 37:9) or it may refer to a supernatural dumbness as later with Zacharias (Luk 1:20). In view of the sequel the latter is probably correct. It was not easy to be a Daniel.
‘One like the similitude of the sons of men.’ Also called ‘a man clothed in linen’ (Dan 10:5), ‘one like the appearance of a man’ (Dan 10:18) (but not ‘one like to a son of man’, this phrase is carefully avoided). The point was that he looked like a man and yet was not a man.
‘Touched my lips.’ throughout the visions Daniel has made clear how dependent he was on supernatural help (Dan 10:10; Dan 8:18). The visions were hugely physically demanding and without this sustenance he could not have coped. As a result of this touch he was again able to speak. But all he could do was declare his weakness and his unworthiness. This was then followed by another period of sustained weakness, and he felt breathless.
‘My lord.’ The usual address by an inferior to a superior.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
There is some little difficulty to apprehend the whole of this passage. Daniel had before described a very glorious person, at whose presence he put his face to the ground. And here it should seem, at the first reading, to be another person who touched his lips; for he describes him as one like the similitude of the sons of men, and like the appearance of a man. But, is it not, (for I humbly ask the question, and presume not to decide upon it,) is it not probable to be one and the same person? In the former manifestation, displaying somewhat greater brightness of his glory Mediator. And in the latter, of his human nature? Jesus is always found to make the sweetest and most soul-strengthening manifestations of himself, when he comes down to us under the lovely and endearing character of our brother. We feel encouraged, and we delight to go to him. As to what is said of Michael, the prince of the people, this serves to confirm it more than lessen it. For the battle in heaven is said to have been by Michael against the old serpent the Devil. And though some may be found, who speak of archangels as well as angels; yet, the scriptures uniformly speak only of one archangel, for there is but one; and this one can be no other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Angel of the covenant. Mal 3:1 ; 1Th 4:16 ; Jud 1:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 10:15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
Ver. 15. I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. ] Coharrui totus, et vex faucibus haesit. See how deeply God’s darlings are again affected at the hearing of his holy Word. Hab 3:16
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Dan 10:15-17
15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.
Dan 10:15-17 A paraphrase of Daniel’s words in Dan 10:16-17 is, I know I am blessed to have this vision, but I am so drained physically that I can’t comprehend it.
Dan 10:16
NASBone who resembled a human being
NKJVone having the likeness of the sons of men
NRSVone in human form
TEVthe angel who looked like a human being
NJBsomeone looking like a man
This is literally one in the likeness of the sons of men this concept has been used for
1. the Messiah, Dan 7:13
2. Daniel, Dan 8:17
3. an angel, Dan 10:16
Angels are identified as male humans.
1. MASCULINE, SINGULAR PRONOUN, Dan 7:16
2. Gabriel called man (geber) in Dan 8:15 and ish in Dan 9:21
3. several powerful angels
a. Adam, Dan 8:16
b. Adam, Dan 10:16; Dan 10:18
c. ish, Dan 10:5
d. ish, Dan 12:6-7
touching my lips This is a symbolic gesture of empowering to speak. It is used in the sense of a prophetic call in Isa 6:7 and Jer 1:9. In this context Daniel was still physically and emotionally unable to interact with the angelic messenger (cf. Dan 10:16-17) so the angel had to touch him again (there is even a third touch in Dan 10:18).
as a result of the vision These supernatural revelations were overwhelming (cf. Dan 4:19; Dan 7:15; Dan 7:28; Dan 8:17; Dan 8:27; Dan 10:8-9). See note at Dan 4:19.
NASB, NJBanguish
NKJVsorrows
NRSVsuch pains
TEVmakes me so weak
This Hebrew term (BDB 852 IV) originally referred literally to the pain of childbirth (cf. 1Sa 4:19). It came to be used as a metaphor of terrible circumstances (cf. Isa 13:8; Isa 21:3). This same metaphorical usage of the birth pains of the new age is found in Mar 13:8. Daniel’s vision of the latter days and its interpretation use this word play about pain and the end-time events about to unfold to him.
Dan 10:17 This is obviously symbolic language describing Daniel’s awe at the vision he has seen and the majesty of the angelic visitor. This figurative hyperbolic language is characteristic of apocalyptic literature.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
dumb. Compare Psa 139:2, Psa 139:9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 10:15
Dan 10:15 And when he had spokenH1696 suchH428 wordsH1697 untoH5973 me, I setH5414 my faceH6440 toward the ground,H776 and I became dumb.H481
Dan 10:15
“And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.”
At this time, Daniel probably realizes that he is never going to see the temple rebuilt in his lifetime. What a disappointment this must have been for Daniel as evidenced by his reaction. He bowed his face to the ground and was rendered unable to speak. As we see in the next verse, he lost his strength and in Dan 10:17 he said he lost his breath. Daniel would never get to offer his worship to God in the temple again. Daniel would never live to see the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. Daniel would never get to see his countrymen offer sacrifice again. Seventy years in captivity, faithful to God in the face of extreme opposition, and he realized and understood at this moment that he was never going to see the temple again and his reaction plainly demonstrated his distress over this news.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
I set: Dan 10:9, Dan 8:18, Eze 24:27, Eze 33:22, Luk 1:20
Reciprocal: Num 24:4 – falling Mar 9:6 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 10:15. Daniel was again overcome by the presence and communication of the man, but nothing is said about his being frightened as before. He was rendered dumb or speechless but it did not affect his body Otherwise, and he could ouly bend his head toward the ground.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 10:15-17. I set my face toward the ground The fear with which Daniel had been struck at the sight of the angel Michael still continued in some degree, so that he was afraid to look up at this angel, or to speak to him. And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men Daniel, gathering courage to look up, perceived that the angel Gabriel had not that angelic form, or brightness, which Michael appeared in, Dan 10:5, but that he was in a human form. Gabriel, then advancing, and touching Daniels lips, gave him the power of utterance, as he had before (Dan 10:11) of standing on his feet. Then I opened my mouth, and said unto him that stood before me This angel stood upon the earth near Daniel, not above the waters of the river, as the person did whose appearance was so glorious, Dan 10:5. By the vision my sorrows are turned upon me By beholding thee, although in a human form, I am greatly affected, or terrified. For how can the servant of this my lord talk, &c. How can thy servant, a poor mortal man, maintain a discourse with a person of such rank and dignity? see Noldius, p. 353. The words may be translated thus: How can the servant of this my lord talk with that my lord? that is, with the other person that first appeared to me with so majestic a presence, at whose sight I was perfectly confounded, Dan 10:5-9. Straightway there remained no strength in me As soon as ever I saw him, all my strength went from me, and I could not support myself. Neither is there Or rather, was there, breath left in me I fell breathless in a swoon.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Daniel’s continuing weakness 10:15-17
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Apparently the angel’s explanation about the angelic conflict was something about which Daniel had known nothing. His only reaction to this information, on top of the vision that he had just seen, was to bow his head and silently accept this revelation.