Daniel 10

This chapter belongs to the vision section in the latter half of the Book of Daniel. It follows Daniel's prayer and the revelation of the seventy weeks in chapter 9, and chapters 10 through 12 together form a single final vision. Chapter 10 presents the setting of that vision and the appearance of the one who delivers the revelation.

Outline

• Verse 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a matter concerning a great conflict is revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar.
• Verses 2–3 Daniel mourns for three full weeks, eating no pleasant bread, meat, or wine, and not anointing himself.
• Verses 4–9 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, by the great river Hiddekel, he sees a man clothed in linen. The men with him tremble and flee to hide themselves, and Daniel, drained of strength, falls into a deep sleep with his face toward the ground.
• Verses 10–14 A hand raises him up, and he is told that his words were heard from the first day he set his heart to understand. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood the messenger for twenty-one days, but Michael came to help, and the messenger has come to make known what will befall Daniel's people in the latter days.
• Verses 15–19 One like the similitude of the sons of men touches his lips, then touches him again and strengthens him, saying, "Peace be unto thee, be strong."
• Verses 20–21 The messenger says he will return to fight with the prince of Persia, after which the prince of Grecia will come, and that he will show Daniel what is noted in the scripture of truth.

Key Verses

• Daniel 10:12 "From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand... thy words were heard" — frequently cited in discussions of prayer and delayed answers.
• Daniel 10:13 "The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days" — a rare passage that refers to spiritual beings behind the nations.
• Daniel 10:19 "Peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong" — widely used as a word of comfort and encouragement.

People and Places

• Daniel: His Babylonian name is Belteshazzar.
• Cyrus: King of Persia.
• The man clothed in linen: The being who delivers the revelation to Daniel.
• Michael: Called "one of the chief princes" and "your prince."
• Persia and Grecia: The "prince" of each nation is mentioned.
• Hiddekel: A great river, commonly identified as the Tigris.

Interpretive Considerations

Interpretations differ regarding the man clothed in linen in verses 5–6. Because the description resembles that of the Son of man in Revelation 1, some interpret this as a preincarnate appearance of Christ. Others, noting that he was withstood by the prince of Persia and was helped by Michael, regard him as an angel (sometimes identified as Gabriel). The "prince" in verses 13 and 20 is commonly understood as a spiritual being assigned to a nation. This passage has been cited as a basis for the concept of "territorial spirits" advanced by C. Peter Wagner and others. Critics respond that the text does not teach any practice of binding such spirits. Michael also appears in the New Testament in Jude 1 and Revelation 12.

In the Korean Church

Verses 2–3, together with chapter 1, are cited as the basis for the so-called "Daniel fast," which abstains from meat, wine, and similar foods. Drawing on the twenty-one-day period, some churches hold twenty-one-day dedicated prayer periods or special twenty-one-day prayer meetings.