2<\/strong>. was mourning<\/em> ] or, continued mourning<\/em>. The motive of Daniel’s mourning is not stated; but it may be inferred from Dan 10:12<\/em><\/span> (cf. Dan 9:3<\/span>) to have been grief for his people’s sin (cf. Ezr 10:6<\/span>), and anxiety about its future (cf. Neh 1:4<\/span>).<\/p>\n three full weeks<\/em> ] three weeks long<\/strong>. Lit. three weeks, days<\/em> a pleonastic idiom, which occurs elsewhere (e.g. Gen 41:1<\/span>; Deu 21:13<\/span>; 2Sa 13:23<\/span>) [357] . ‘Full’ emphasizes the expression unduly.<\/p>\n [357] See Ges.-Kautzsch, 131 d.<\/p>\n In those days I Daniel was mourning – <\/B>I was afflicting myself; that is, he had set apart this time as an extraordinary fast. He was sad and troubled. He does not say on what account he was thus troubled, but there can be little doubt that it was on account of his people. This was two years after the order had been given by Cyrus for the restoration of the Hebrew people to their country, but it is not improbable that they met with many embarrassments in their efforts to return, and possibly there may have sprung up in Babylon some difficulties on the subject that greatly affected the mind of Daniel. The difficulties attending such an enterprise as that of restoring a captured people to their country, when the march lay across a vast desert, would at any time have been such as to have made an extraordinary season of prayer and fasting proper.<\/P> Three full weeks – <\/B>Margin, weeks of days. Hebrew, Three sevens of days. He does not say whether he had designedly set apart that time to be occupied as a season of fasting, or whether he had, under the influence of deep feeling, continued his fast from day to day until it reached that period. Either supposition will accord with the circumstances of the case, and either would have justified such an act at anytime, for it would be undoubtedly proper to designate a time of extraordinary devotion, or, under the influence of deep feeling, of domestic trouble, of national affliction, to continue such religious exercises from day to day.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 2<\/span>. I-was mourning three full weeks.<\/B><\/I>] The weeks are most probably dated from the time of the termination of the last vision. Calmet<\/I> proves this by several reasons.<\/P> <\/p>\n There are several causes of Daniels mourning. <\/P> 1. Because the Jews had liberty to go out of captivity, yet many of them staid still in Babylon. <\/P> 2. Because when they were building the temple, walls, and city they were greatly hindered and molested, Ezr 4:4<\/span>. <\/P> 3. Because he foresaw the many calamities of the Jews that would befall them for their sins, especially in destroying the Messiah, and rejecting his gospel. <\/P> Three full weeks; he fasted and mourned all that time, both to declare his deep sense of those calamities ensuing, and to be in a better posture to receive Divine impressions, which usually God reveals to humble souls. <\/P> <\/p>\n 2. mourning<\/B>that is,afflicting myself by fasting from “pleasant bread, flesh andwine” (Da 10:3<\/span>), as a signof sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare Mt9:14<\/span>, “fast,” answering to “mourn” (Da10:15<\/span>). Compare 1Co 8:8<\/span>;1Ti 4:3<\/span>, which prove that”fasting” is not an indispensable Christian obligation; butmerely an outward expression of sorrow, and separation from ordinaryworldly enjoyments, in order to give one’s self to prayer (Ac13:2<\/span>). Daniel’s mourning was probably for his countrymen, who metwith many obstructions to their building of the temple, from theiradversaries in the Persian court.<\/P><\/p>\n In those days I Daniel was mourning<\/strong>,…. Either on account of what had been revealed to him in the last vision or prophecy of the seventy weeks; by which it appeared what wickedness the people of the Jews would be guilty of in cutting off the Messiah; and what desolations would come upon their land, city, and temple, for such usage of him: as also because of the present case of his people; many of them continuing in the country of Babylon, when they had liberty to return to their land: or because of the hinderance the Jews met with in rebuilding their city and temple, who had returned thither; of which Daniel had an account, and which caused him to mourn in secret: and so he continued<\/p>\n three full weeks<\/strong>; or, “three weeks of days” c; so called, to distinguish them from weeks of years, mentioned in the preceding chapter.<\/p>\n c “tribus hebdomadibus dierum”, Munster, Calvin, Tigurine version; “trium hebdomadarum diebus”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, so Junius & Tremellius, Medus.<\/p>\n Dan 10:2<\/span>, Dan 10:3<\/span> introduce the following revelation by a statement of the occasion of it. refers back to the date named in Dan 10:1<\/span>. The after does not serve to designate the three weeks as common day-weeks, in contrast to the of Dan 9:24<\/span>., but is an accusative subordinated to the definition of time which expresses the idea of continuance: three weeks long, or three whole weeks, as Gen 41:1<\/span>; cf. Gesen. Gramm<\/em>. 118, 3. For three weeks Daniel mourned and fasted, i.e., abstained from the usual food. , precious food<\/em>, delicacies<\/em>; but Hv., v. Leng., Maur., Hitz., and Kran. interpret it of leavened bread<\/em>, so called in contrast to the unleavened paschal bread, the bread of affliction (Deu 16:3<\/span>). But this contrast is not well founded, for the ( unleavened cakes<\/em>) of the passover was not (notwithstanding Deu 16:3<\/span>) bread of sorrow, but pure, holy bread, which Daniel did not eat, in opposition to the law, for three weeks. is not to be limited to bread in its narrower sense, but denotes food<\/em> generally. Flesh and wine are festival food, Isa 22:13<\/span>; Gen 27:25<\/span>, which is not had every day. The anointing with oil was the sign of joy and of a joyous frame of mind, as with guests at a banquet, Amo 6:6<\/span>, and was intermitted in the time of sorrow; cf. 2Sa 14:2<\/span>. Fasting, as an abstaining from the better sustenance of common life, was the outward sign of sorrow of soul.<\/p>\n According to Dan 10:4<\/span>, Daniel mourned and fasted in the first month of the year, the month in the middle of which the paschal feast was kept, in which Israel celebrated their deliverance from their state of slavery in Egypt and their advancement to be the people of God, and were joyful before their God. On the 24th day of this month occurred the Theophany (Dan 10:4<\/span>.), with which, however, his fasting came to an end. According to this, it appears that he fasted from the third to the twenty-third of the month Nisan; thus it began immediately after the feast of the new moon, which was kept for two days (cf. 1Sa 20:18<\/span>., 27, 34 with 6:29; Dan 2:19<\/span>). Thus Hv. and Hitzig conclude; while v. Leng. and Maurer argue, from Dan 10:13<\/span>, that between the time of fasting and the appearance of the angel an interval elapsed, consequently that Daniel fasted from the first to the twenty-first of the month Nisan. But from Dan 10:13<\/span> nothing further follows than that the angel was detained twenty-one days; so that the question as to the beginning and the end of the fast is not certainly answered from the text, and, as being irrelevant to the matter, it can remain undecided. More important is the question as to the cause of such long-continued great sorrow, which is not answered by the remark that he was thus prepared for receiving a divine revelation. According to Dan 10:12<\/span>, Daniel sought , i.e., understanding as to the state of the matter, or regarding the future of his people, which filled him with concern. The word about the restoration of Jerusalem which he had received through the angel Gabriel in the first year of Darius (Daniel 9) had come to pass since that revelation in the first year of Cyrus, but had had only little effect on the religious lukewarmness of the majority of the people. Of the whole people only a very small portion had returned to the land of their fathers, and had begun, after restoring the altar of burnt-offering, to build the house of God in Jerusalem. But while the foundation of the new temple was laid, there mingled with the joyful shoutings of the people also the loud wailings of the old men who had seen the former temple in its glory, when they beheld this building undertaken amid circumstances so depressing and sorrowful (Ezr 3:1-13<\/span>). In addition to this, the Samaritans immediately, when the Jewish rulers refused for conscience sake to permit them to take part with them in the building, sought, by means of influences used at the Persian court, to prevent the carrying on of the building (Ezr 4:1-5<\/span>). This sad state of matters could not but, at the beginning of the new year, fill the heart of Daniel with deep sorrow, and move him at the return of the time of the passover to mourn in fasting and prayer over the delay of the salvation promised to his people, and to supplicate in behalf of Israel the pardon of their sins, and their deliverance out of the hand of their enemies. Therefore he mourned and fasted before and during the paschal days for three weeks, until on the twenty-fourth day of the month he received a revelation from God.<\/p>\n We gather from this passage why the angel appeared to the Prophet in the third year of Cyrus. He says, he was then in the greatest sorrow; and what was the cause of it? At that period we know an interruption of the work of rebuilding the temple and city to have taken place. Cyrus was gone to a distance; he had set out for Asia Minor, and was carrying on war with the Scythians. his son Cambyses was corrupted by his couriers, and forbade the Jews to proceed with the rebuilding of their city and temple. The freedom of the people might then seem in vain. For God had promised the Jews in glowing language a return to their country with their standards unfurled. Besides this, we know the splendid language of the prophets respecting the glory of the second temple. (Isa 52:12<\/span>; Hag 2:9<\/span>, and elsewhere.) When thus deprived of all opportunity of rebuilding their temple, what could the Jews determine except that they had been deluded after returning to their country, and God had made a shew of disappointing expectations which had turned out a mere laughing-stock and deception? This was the cause of the grief and anxiety which oppressed the holy Prophet. We now understand why he mentions the third year of Cyrus, as the circumstances of that period, even at this day, point out the reason of his abstinence from all delicacies. <\/p>\n He says, He was in affliction for three weeks of days The Hebrews often use the phrase weeks or times of days for complete periods. Very possibly, Daniel uses the word “days” here, to prevent a mistake which might easily occur through his so lately speaking of weeks of years. The distinction is thus more clearly marked between the seventy weeks of years previously explained, and these three weeks of days here mentioned. And the angel appears to have dwelt purposely on the completion of these three weeks, as this was the third year of King Cyrus’s reign. He says, He did not eat delicate bread, and he abstained from flesh and wine, implying his practice of uniting fasting with mourning. The holy Prophet is here represented as freely using flesh and other food, while the Church of God remained in a state of tranquillity; but when there was danger, lest the few who had returned home should be diminished, and many were still suffering at Babylon those grievous calamities to which they were subject during their exile from neighboring enemies, then the Prophet abstained from all delicacies. In the beginning of this book, he had stated the contentment of himself and his companions with bread, and pulse, and water for meat and drink. This statement is not contrary to the present passage. There is no necessity to fly to that refinement, which allows an old man to use wine, which he never touched in his youth and the flower of his age. This comment is far too frigid. We have shewn, how at the beginning of his exile the only reason for the Prophet’s abstaining from the delicacies of the palace, was the desire of preserving himself free from all corruption. For what was the object of the king’s designing shrewdness in commanding Daniel and his companions to be treated thus daintily and luxuriously? He wished them to forget their nation by degrees, and to adopt the habits of the Chaldeans, and to be withdrawn by such enticements from the observance of the law, from the worship of God, and from the exercises of piety. When Daniel perceived the artful manner in which he and his companions were treated, he requested to be fed upon pulse, he refused to taste the king’s wine, and despised all his dainties. His reason, therefore, concerned the exigencies of the times, as I then pointed out at full length. Meanwhile, we need not hesitate to suppose, that after giving this proof of his constancy, and escaping from these snares of the devil and of the Chaldean monarch, he lived rather freely than frugally, and made use of better bread, and fresh, and wine than before. This passage, then, though it asserts his abstinence from flesh and wine, need not imply actual fasting. Daniel’s method of living was clearly after the common practice of the Chaldeans, and by no means implies the rejection of wine, or flesh, or viands of any kind. When he says, he did not eat delicate bread, this was a symbol of sorrow and mourning, like abstinence from flesh and wine. Daniel’s object in rejecting delicate bread and wine during those three weeks, was not merely the promotion of temperance, but suppliantly to implore the Almighty not to permit a repetition of those sufferings to his Church under which it had previously labored. But I cannot here treat at any length the object and use of fasting. I have done so elsewhere; even if I wished to do so, I have no time now. To-morrow, perhaps, I may say a few words on the subject, and then proceed with the rest of my observations. <\/p>\n 2-4<\/strong>. <\/strong> Daniel observes another period of mourning over the sins of the people, the desolation of Jerusalem, and his own ignorance of the future (see Dan 10:14<\/span>; compare Dan 9:3<\/span>, etc.), and after three weeks, in which he had eaten no “dainties” and observed the usual external marks of one in great sorrow or of one who fasted before the Lord, hoping for some special divine token of favor (compare 2Sa 14:2<\/span>), finally, on the 29th of Abib (Nisan), as he was on the bank of the great river Hiddekel, another vision burst upon him in answer to his prayers. It is interesting to remember that this was the month in which the great Passover Feast was held, and the date given shows that instead of feasting at the passover as was customary, he was fasting. This may be the reason why the date is given so explicitly. The Hiddekel (Gen 2:14<\/span>) is without doubt the Tigris, one Assyrian form of that name being Idiglat.<\/p>\n ‘In those days I Daniel was mourning three whole weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, nor did flesh or wine come in my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were fulfilled.’<\/p>\n We are not told why Daniel was mourning. Perhaps news had reached him of the dire straits of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem at the instigation of Cyrus, or perhaps he was mourning over the significance of the visions that he had received, praying for God’s mercy on those to be involved. But the seriousness of his mourning comes out in that it lasted ‘three whole week’ (‘three weeks, days’). The days is added to demonstrate that the three weeks was to be taken literally (‘three weeks’ could usually signify one and a bit to three weeks).<\/p>\n During that time he only drank water and had plain fare. And he refrained from the usual preparations for meeting people. (The emphasis on what he avoided counts against him having no food at all).<\/p>\n Dan 10:2<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>I Daniel was mourning three full weeks<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Various causes are assigned for this mourning of the prophet. Usher thinks that it was on account of the interruption given by the Samaritans to the rebuilding of the temple. But I am persuaded, says Calmet, that it arose principally from the obscurity which the prophet found in the prophesies revealed to him; which indeed may be collected from the angel’s touching upon no other cause of mourning. In consequence of Daniel’s fasting, &c. he appears, and explains to him, in a clearer manner, what had been more obscurely revealed in the preceding visions. <\/p>\n Dan 10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.<\/p>\n Ver. 2. In those days I Daniel was mourning.<\/strong> ] Though a great man still, and in great account, yet not now so great at court as to hinder and defeat the malicious designs of Cambyses’s counsellors; who, being bribed by the Jews’ adversaries, put a stop to the temple work at Jerusalem. Ezr 4:1-4 This disaster cast good Daniel into his dumps, so that he fasted three full weeks, a tanto et tali, sed non a toto,<\/em> and longer might, had not the angel taken him off by an answer of peace. Dan 10:12 Abstinet ab omni cura cultuque corporis, sua sponte.<\/em> See the like, 1Sa 31:13<\/span> . <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Three full weeks.<\/strong> ] Heb., Weeks of days, to distinguish them from those seventy weeks of years. Dan 9:24 <\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Dan 10:2-9<\/p>\n 2In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, 5I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. 6His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult. 7Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. 8So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. 9But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.<\/p>\n Dan 10:2 mourning This refers to fasting (Dan 10:3) and prayer. The exact reason is not stated: (1) for the sinning of God’s people as in Dan 9:1-19; (2) for God’s mercy on His people both now and in the tension-filled future (Dan 10:1); (3) for God’s destruction of Israel’s enemies and God’s redemptive plan for all the world through Israel; or (4) for greater understanding relating to this vision.<\/p>\n for three entire weeks This is the same period as the angelic conflict of Dan 10:13. Again, in Daniel, time is often expressed in weeks. For a good discussion of week see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, vol. 1, pp. 186-188.<\/p>\n Dan 10:3 did not eat This was not a total fast.<\/p>\n any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth The implication of these words is that Daniel normally ate and drank these items, obviously he had come to some arrangement about his food (cf. Dan 1:8-13, for the same concept).<\/p>\n Dan 10:4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month This date reveals that Daniel fasted through the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (cf. Exodus 12; Hag 1:15; Hag 2:10; Hag 2:18; Hag 2:20; Zec 1:7).<\/p>\n I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris Apparently he was on a governmental assignment, as in Dan 8:27.<\/p>\n Dan 10:5 a certain man dressed in linen It is interesting that the angels in Daniel look like human males.<\/p>\n 1. Adam, Dan 8:16; Dan 10:16; Dan 10:18<\/p>\n 2. Ish, Dan 9:21; Dan 10:5; Dan 12:6-7<\/p>\n 3. Gebar, Dan 3:25; Dan 8:15<\/p>\n All angels in the Bible are masculine except in Zec 5:9.<\/p>\n This bright white linen (BDB 94 I) is often associated with angelic appearances (cf. Gen 18:2; Jdg 13:3; Jdg 13:6; Eze 9:2-3; Eze 9:11; Eze 10:2; Eze 10:6-7; Dan 8:16; Dan 9:21; Dan 12:6-7; Luk 24:4 and Act 1:10). This angel is described in ways that often depict God and the resurrected Christ in Revlation 1. This angel is associated with YHWH’s throne.<\/p>\n gold of Uphaz This could refer to a place of origin (cf. Jer 10:9, possibly the same as Ophir of 1Ki 9:28; 1Ch 29:4; Job 22:24; Job 28:16; Isa 13:12) or a grade of smelted ore (cf. 1Ki 10:18), but this would require a textual emendation (cf. TEV, NJB, NIV).<\/p>\n The exalted Christ is also described this same way in Rev 1:13 and the seven angels with seven plagues are described this way in Rev 15:6. This dress denotes a heavenly origin, near the throne of God.<\/p>\n Dan 10:6 His body This description is similar to the exalted Christ of Rev 1:13-16 (E. J. Young thinks it is the pre-incarnate Christ); however, Dan 10:11 ff show that he is an angel sent to inform Daniel. Could the pre-incarnate Christ be thwarted for three weeks by a national angel? I think not!<\/p>\n beryl This (BDB 1076 I) was a type of jewel (cf. Eze 28:13) either yellow jasper (cf. Exo 28:20; Exo 39:13) or golden in color (cf. Eze 1:16; Eze 10:9), associated with<\/p>\n 1. one of the stones on the High Priest’s vest (cf. Exo 28:20)<\/p>\n 2. part of Ezekiel’s vision of God’s throne chariot (cf. Eze 1:16; Eze 10:9)<\/p>\n 3. one of the precious stones of the Garden of Eden in Ezekiel’s vision of Eze 28:13<\/p>\n 4. part of the new Jerusalem (cf. Rev 21:20)<\/p>\n his face had the appearance of lightning This brightness of face matches the brightness of the linen. The term appearance (BDB 909) is used of Daniel’s visions in Dan 8:16; Dan 8:26-27; Dan 9:23; Dan 10:1.<\/p>\n his eyes were like flaming torches This is used of the Exalted Christ in Rev 1:14; Rev 2:18; Rev 19:12, where it refers to His knowledge and insight.<\/p>\n his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze This is used of the cherubim’s feet in Eze 1:7 and of the exalted Christ in Rev 1:15; Rev 2:15. All of these descriptions emphasize the brightness or radiance of the angel. He was dressed as those who are close to God.<\/p>\n NASBa tumult<\/p>\n NKJV, NRSV,<\/p>\n NJBa multitude<\/p>\n TEVa great crowd<\/p>\n This Hebrew term (BDB 242) is translated murmur, roar, crowd, or multitude. In Ezekiel this word and the sound of many waters are parallel (cf. Eze 1:24; Eze 43:2). It is used of the exalted Christ in Rev 1:15. In Rev 14:2; Rev 19:6, it is used of the sound of the authoritative voice of one from God.<\/p>\n Dan 10:7 while the men who were with me did not see the vision Daniel, along with other Persian officials, was on a government mission (cf. Dan 8:27). This sounds very much like Paul’s description of Jesus’ appearances to him in Acts, chapters 9, 22, 26. This vision was for only one!<\/p>\n dread fell on them They sensed a supernatural presence.<\/p>\n Dan 10:8 natural color turned to a deathly pallor The Hebrew phrase is very intense. This vision scared Daniel badly (cf. Dan 10:16-17; Dan 7:28; Dan 8:27).<\/p>\n Dan 10:9 sound of his word Twice in this verse Daniel heard this voice, but passed out before he could receive the message (cf. Dan 8:18; Jer 31:26; Zec 4:1; Rev 1:17).<\/p>\n three full weeks = three sevens of days. See next verse and Dan 10:13, in contrast with Dan 9:24, Dan 9:25. Compare this humiliation with that of Dan 9:3-19, and see the Structure (“Dan 9:3-19” and “Dan 10:2, Dan 10:3”, p. 1196). <\/p>\n Dan 10:2-3<\/p>\n Dan 10:2 In thoseH1992 daysH3117 IH589 DanielH1840 wasH1961 mourningH56 threeH7969 fullH3117 weeks.H7620 <\/p>\n Dan 10:3 I ateH398 noH3808 pleasantH2530 bread,H3899 neitherH3808 cameH935 fleshH1320 nor wineH3196 inH413 my mouth,H6310 neitherH3808 did I anoint myself at all,H5480 H5480 tillH5704 threeH7969 wholeH3117 weeksH7620 were fulfilled.H4390 <\/p>\n Dan 10:2-3<\/p>\n “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I 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.”<\/p>\n It was about three years after the decree went out to rebuild the temple, so by now the Samarian opposition to the Jews rebuilding of the city had arisen and construction had been stopped. The Samaritan opposition began in the second year after the release of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 3-4). They came to Zerubbabel and offered to help in the rebuilding but were rejected. Because of their idolatrous practices which had so utterly corrupted them, the Israelites who returned to rebuild Jerusalem refused to have anything to do with them. The Samaritans being frustrated over their rejection set out to inhibit the progress of the Israelites of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah from rebuilding the city and the temple. They knew after their help was rejected that if Jerusalem rose again, they would have a mighty enemy at their doorstep. <\/p>\n Daniel’s distress which drove him to the mourning and fasting he was subjecting himself to is probably over the ceasing of the work on the temple in Jerusalem. This would explain why Daniel was in such distress at a time when one would think he would be jubilant with the news of the temple being rebuilt. There also has to be some reason why Daniel chose not to return to Jerusalem. He was an aged man at this time and doubtless would have been of little help in the labor end of the process. The Samaritan opposition started rather quickly upon the arrival of the freed Israelites to Jerusalem and it is probable that the aged Daniel, who was highly respected in the courts of Babylon, felt that his influence with the kings would better serve the cause. Daniel was likely mourning and fasting because he was unsure over the chain of events that was unfolding and he was concerned about what would befall his people as a nation in the future. <\/p>\n Of significance here is the great distress which had overcome Daniel at this time. This was no spur of the moment decision for him to go into mourning. Daniel did not wake up one day out of the blue and decide he would go on a fast. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Abib which was when the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was observed. The Passover was to begin on 14th day (Exo 23:15) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread beginning on the 15th and going through the 21st. This was a time when the old city of Jerusalem would have been filled with Israelites who had made their yearly journey to Jerusalem for this occasion. <\/p>\n Soon upon the arrival of the freed Israelites in Jerusalem to rebuild it the daily sacrifices were set up and they observed the Feast of the Tabernacles. The keeping of the feasts and the daily burnt offerings were very important to the Israelites. And the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was one such significant observance of Levitical Law. Instead of making the trip to Jerusalem and participating in this feast, Daniel chose to remain in Babylon and mourn. We need to be aware of the distress of this man. The Decree went out in the first year of Cyrus to rebuild the temple and the city, now here it is the third year of his reign and the rebuilding effort had been frustrated. It was the first month of the Jewish year and the time for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread had arrived and Daniel went into a three week fast right before the time appointed for that Jewish event and continued his fast through that and beyond. This vision came to Daniel three days after the conclusion of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins. The temple had little more than a foundation at that time, the Samaritans had frustrated the rebuilding effort and Daniel, who at this time was an aged man, realized that he would probably never live to see Jerusalem and the temple restored. It had been over seventy years since Daniel had been able to offer his worship to God in the temple in Jerusalem. To say that Daniel was distressed is a gross understatement of fact. Daniel was in severe mental anguish, his grief and anxiety were of such proportions that he refused to eat and he refused to anoint himself with oil which was a big personal hygiene practice of the times. Daniel had been laboring all his life on behalf of his countrymen and in service to God, even while in captivity and now in the sunset of his life when he should have been making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God, he was still in Babylon with the city and the temple of God still laying in ruins. <\/p>\n I Daniel: Ezr 9:4, Ezr 9:5, Neh 1:4, Psa 42:9, Psa 43:2, Psa 137:1-5, Isa 66:10, Jer 9:1, Mat 9:15, Rom 9:2, Jam 4:9, Rev 11:5 <\/p>\n full weeks: Heb. weeks of days, Dan 9:24-27 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Lev 23:27 – afflict Ecc 7:3 – is better Isa 58:3 – in Dan 8:1 – me Daniel Dan 9:3 – with Dan 9:20 – whiles Dan 10:12 – from Mat 6:17 – anoint<\/p>\n Dan 10:2-3. Fasting or making of vows was not required as a general practice under the law of Moses. However, such devotions were approved when entered into by servants of God, and they were generally done in times of great anxiety or sorrow. Daniel put on a threeweek fast because of his concern for the Jews, who, though formerly released from the Babylonian captivity, were yet in an unsettled state due to the desolated condition of their city of Jerusalem, Ate no pleasant bread means he abstained from the food of bis choice and ale only what was necessary to support an existence. The people among whom Daniel then dwelt used aromatic ointments upon their bodies for the purpose of its pleasant odor and sensation, but he abstained from the use of that costly delicacy during the period of his fast.<\/p>\n Dan 10:2-3. I Daniel was mourning The reason of Daniels fasting and mourning might be, either because many of the Jews, through slothfulness and indifference, still remained in the land of their captivity, though they had liberty to return to their own land, not knowing how to value the privileges offered them; or, as Usher thinks, because he had heard that the adversaries of the Jews had begun to obstruct the building of the temple. Calmet, however, is of opinion, that his sorrow arose principally from the obscurity which the prophet found in the prophecies revealed to him; which, indeed, may be partly collected from the angels touching upon no other cause of mourning. In consequence of Daniels fasting, &c., the angel appears, and explains to him, in a clearer manner, what had been more obscurely revealed in the preceding visions. Three full weeks Hebrew, three weeks of days. So we read of a month of days, Gen 29:4; Num 11:20, where the English reads, a whole month. But the phrase may be used here to distinguish them from the weeks of years prophesied of in chap. 9. I ate no pleasant bread There seems to have been two sorts of fasting among the Jews; either a total abstinence from food of all sorts for at least a whole day, which David observed at the funeral of Abner, 2Sa 3:35; or a partial abstinence from the better kinds of food, which lasted for a considerable time, as in the case before us. The prophet made likewise an alteration in his dress, and did not anoint himself as usual after the eastern manner, 2Sa 12:20; Mat 6:17; for the Jews never anointed themselves in times of mourning and humiliation.<\/p>\n Daniel’s personal preparations 10:2-3<\/span><\/p>\n The vision in chapter 9 came after Daniel had been praying and fasting (Dan 9:3). The vision that follows also came to him after he had been mourning, fasting, and undoubtedly praying, for three weeks (cf. Dan 1:11-13). Obviously these were literal weeks of days. Evidently, the previous revelations from God, and the welfare of the Jews-who had returned to Palestine but were encountering opposition, were the reasons for Daniel’s grave concern (cf. Ezr 4:1-5; Ezr 4:24; Php 4:6-7). Even though many Israelites were returning to Palestine, God had already revealed that they would experience trouble there.<\/p>\n In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 2. was mourning ] or, continued mourning. The motive of Daniel’s mourning is not stated; but it may be inferred from Dan 10:12 (cf. Dan 9:3) to have been grief for his people’s sin (cf. Ezr 10:6), and anxiety about its future (cf. Neh 1:4). … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 10:2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22028\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"