Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 9:22

And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

22. and he informed me] better, made (me) to understand, as in Dan 8:16. But the pron. is (in the Heb.) much desiderated; and very probably we should read, with LXX, Pesh., And he came ( for ): so Bevan, Behrm., Marti.

to give thee skill and understanding ] R.V. (from A.V. marg.) to make thee skilful (cf. Dan 1:4; Dan 1:17) of understanding. The verb might also be rendered to give thee discernment or make thee wise (cf. Dan 9:13 end).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And he informed me – Hebrew, Gave me intelligence or understanding. That is, about the design of his visit, and about what would be hereafter.

And talked with me – Spake unto me.

O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill – Margin, make thee skillful of. The Hebrew is, literally, to make thee skillful, or wise, in understanding. The design was to give him information as to what was to occur.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

That is, to make thee know great and secret things concerning the city and sanctuary of Jerusalem, of the rebuilding of it, and of the Messiah, &c.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

22. to give thee . . .understanding Da 8:16;Da 8:26 shows that thesymbolical vision had not been understood. God therefore now gives”information” directly, instead of by symbol, whichrequired interpretation.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And he informed me, and talked with me,…. He informed him, by talking with him, of the will of God, to restore the captivity of his people, to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, and of the coming of the Messiah: or, “he caused me to attend” n, “and talked with me”; he excited his attention to what he had to say, and caused him to advert to his discourse, in order to understand it:

and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth; just now come from heaven, from the presence of God, and by his order:

to give thee skill and understanding; or, “to instruct thee in understanding” o; to teach thee the knowledge and give thee the understanding of secret things, which otherwise could not be known; such as particularly the time of the coming of Christ, which the angels themselves knew not till it was revealed; and being made acquainted with it, one of them is employed to make it known to Daniel; who is the only prophet that fixes the exact time of it, and was favoured with this divine and heavenly skill of knowing it, and of being the publisher of it to others.

n “attendere fecit”, Michaelis. o “ad imbuendum te intelligentia”, Piscator; “ad docendum te intelligentiam”, Micaelis.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

, he gave understanding, insight, as Dan 8:16. The words point back to Dan 9:2. First of all Gabriel speaks of the design and the circumstances of his coming. , now, viz., in consequence of thy morning prayer, I am come, sc. from the throne of God. , to instruct thee in knowledge. This is more particularly declared in Dan 9:23. At the beginning of Daniel’s prayer a word, i.e., a communication from God, came forth, which he brought. , not a commandment, or the divine commandment to Gabriel to go to Daniel, but a word of God, and particularly the word which he announced to Daniel, Dan 9:24-27. The sentence, “for thou art a man greatly beloved” ( = , Dan 10:11, Dan 10:19, vir desideriorum, desideratissimus ), does not contain the reason for Gabriel’s coming in haste, but for the principal thought of the verse, the going forth of the word of God immediately at the beginning of Daniel’s prayer. stands not for revelation, but is the vision, the appearance of the angel by whom the word of God was communicated to the prophet. is accordingly not the contents of the word spoken, but the form for its communication to Daniel. To both – the word and the form of its revelation – Daniel must give heed. This revelation was, moreover, not communicated to him in a vision, but while in the state of natural consciousness.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Here the angel prepares the Prophet’s mind by saying, he came from heaven to teach him. I went forth, says he, to cause thee to understand. For Daniel ought to understand from this angel’s duty, what he ought himself to do. As God had deigned to honor him so highly by setting before him one of his angels as his master and teacher, the Prophet ought not to neglect so singular a favor, lest he should seem ungrateful to God. We now understand why the angel testifies to his coming to teach the Prophet And we also ought to reflect upon this whenever we enter God’s Temple, or read any passage of holy Scripture, and acknowledge teachers to be sent to us from God to assist us in our ignorance, and to interpret the Scriptures for us. We ought also to admit Scripture to be given to us to enable us to find there whatever would otherwise be hidden from us. For God opens, as it were, his own heart to us, when he makes known to us his secrets by means of the Law, and the Prophets, and his Apostles also. Thus, Paul shews the gospel to be preached for the obedience of the faith, (Rom 1:5😉 as if he had said, we shall not escape with impunity, unless we obediently embrace the doctrine of the gospel; otherwise, we do our utmost to frustrate the designs of God and elude his counsels, unless we faithfully obey his word. It follows, —

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(22) He informed mei.e., gave me understanding (as Dan. 9:2, Dan. 8:16). The angel gave Daniel understanding in the perplexing words of Jeremiah, showing him that what affected his people was a period of seventy weeks that were yet to come, rather than seventy years which were already passed.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

22. Daniel knew concerning the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity and its end (Dan 9:2); but the angel is now to make him “skillful of understanding” (R.V.) concerning the larger deliverance which shall come in the Messianic era.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Dan 9:22. And he informed me, &c. And standing with me, he spoke thus; O Daniel! &c. Houbigant.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Observe the gracious condescension of the man Gabriel. (I say the man Gabriel, because I wish to use the very same name as the Scripture.) Supposing him to have been a created angel, his kindness in his message deserves our thanks. We know that angels are ministering spirits, and commissioned by our Lord God to our good. Heb 1:14 ; Psa 34:7 . But supposing, (what I confess I am rather inclined to believe,) that this man Gabriel was the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh! Reader! contemplate his love! Well might Paul desire, as the chiefest of all blessings, to be able to comprehend with all saints, the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Eph 3:18-19 . When Daniel is said to be greatly beloved, or as the Hebrew hath it, greatly desired, or a man of desires; how blessed is it to consider the loveliness of the Lord’s people in Jesus. Eze 16:14 ; Son 4:7 . I must detain the Reader with one observation more on this passage. The man Gabriel tells Daniel, that it was at the beginning of his supplication he came forth, to show him the matter of this vision. Consequently, it was not for any arguments Daniel had used in prayer: neither was it for the merit of his prayer that the message came. Sweet consideration this to encourage the Lord’s people in prayer! For when the Lord sets his people to pray, he is coming forth in mercy to bless; and their prayers become not the motive for divine favor, but the preparation of the Lord’s grace in their hearts to qualify them for the mercy. The Lord teacheth them to ask for what he hath already prepared for them, and is about to give, so that the promise is fulfilled; before my people call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isa 65:24 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Dan 9:22 And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

Ver. 22. And he informed me, and talked with me. ] Rather than the saints shall want information and comfort, God will spare one out of his own train to do them any good office; Luk 1:19 Gal 3:19 neither will the greatest angel in heaven grudge to serve them.

I am now come forth to give thee skill. ] Not by infusion, for so the Holy Ghost only, but by instruction, as was before noted. It is well observed by one, that this following oration of the angel containeth an abridgment of the New Testament, and a light to the Old; for confirming Daniel, as touching the ensuing deliverance out of Babylon’s captivity, he further advertiseth and assureth him of the spiritual deliverance which Christ shall effect by his gospel at his coming; and therefore, describing the times most accurately, he plainly setteth forth the salvation of the Church Christian, and the destruction of the stubborn and rebellious Jews, who judge themselves unworthy of eternal life.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

And he informed me. The Syriac reads “Yea, he came”.

to give thee skill, &c. = to teach thee understanding, or to make thee wise as to, &c. Note the special emphasis as to the admonition for ourselves in the Structures below. It is not a vision that requires interpretation, but a direct prophecy given in simple words by the angel Gabriel, sent by God for the express purpose of making everything clear, and solving the most weighty problems that perplex the human mind. There is no “difficulty”, as supposed. All that is required of US is to understand, and consider, and believe what is thus written for our learning.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Dan 9:22

Dan 9:22 And he informedH995 me, and talkedH1696 withH5973 me, and said,H559 O Daniel,H1840 I am nowH6258 come forthH3318 to give thee skillH7919 and understanding.H998

Dan 9:22

“And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.”

Gabriel was talking with Daniel. Not in a vision obscurely, but with audible words in the same way we would speak to each other in a conversation and he is going to help Daniel understand.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

he informed: Dan 9:24-27, Dan 8:16, Dan 10:21, Zec 1:9, Zec 1:14, Zec 6:4, Zec 6:5, Rev 4:1

give thee skill and understanding: Heb. make thee skilful of understanding

Reciprocal: Dan 10:1 – and he Dan 10:11 – understand Amo 3:7 – but

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Dan 9:22. Skill and understanding means mental skill, that which comes from special understanding. Gabriel Informs Daniel he was sent to him for the purpose of giving him this favor. God could have inspired the prophet directly with the information as had been done previously, but He saw fit to do it in a different manner this time by sending an angel to him. In this circumstance we have an instance that Is spoken of in two passages of the New Testament; Heb 1:1; Heb 1:14.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Dan 9:22-23. And he informed me Namely, on what errand he came; and talked with me That is, familiarly, as one friend talks with another. And said, O Daniel, I am come to give thee skill and understanding To reveal to thee things of infinite importance, and to make thee understand them. Mr. Wintle reads this verse in connection with the preceding, as follows: Even as I was yet speaking the man Gabriel reached me, about the time of the evening oblation; when he brought information, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to improve thee in understanding. At the beginning of thy supplication the commandment came forth Gods command to me, to instruct thee further in what should hereafter befall the city and temple of Jerusalem, in the behalf of which thou didst pour forth thy supplications. Here was a remarkable completion of that promise, Isa 65:24, While they are yet speaking I will hear. For thou art greatly beloved Learned men have observed a near affinity between the prophecy of Daniel and the Revelation of St. John; and we may take notice that much the same title is given to both. Daniel is styled here, and chap. Dan 10:11; Dan 10:19, a man greatly beloved; and the character given to St. John is, that of the disciple whom Jesus loved, Joh 21:20; Joh 21:24. Therefore, understand the matter, and consider the vision Apply thy mind carefully to what is said, for this prophecy contains in it truths of the greatest importance. Our Saviour plainly refers to these words, which are repeated Dan 9:25, when, explaining the latter part of this prophecy of the final destruction of Jerusalem, he adds, Let him that readeth understand, Matthew 24.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Daniel’s concern for God’s reputation (Dan 9:4-14) doubtless made him special to God (Dan 9:23). The vision that God had sent Gabriel to convey constituted an answer to Daniel’s prayer. It revealed what would happen to the Jews.

"For the first time in the book Daniel’s initiative occasions a revelation." [Note: Baldwin, p. 162.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)