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| 1 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a matter, was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and faithful was the matter, but [concerned] a great warfare, and he marked the word, and had understanding in the revelation. |
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| 2 In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three sevens of days: |
Mourning three full weeks – Because of his inability to understand. R1866:4
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| 3 food to delight in, did I not eat, neither flesh nor wine, came into my mouth, nor did I so much as, anoint, myself,–until were fulfilled three sevens of days. |
No pleasant bread – Representing self-denial and deadness to the world, which should be the attitude of all true believers at all times. R2022:4
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| 4 And, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month,–when, I, was by the side of the great river, the same, is Tigris, |
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| 5 then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and lo! a man, clothed in linen,–whose loins, were girded with the bright gold of Uphaz; |
A certain man – An angel in his glorious spirit body. A183
An angel can also assume a human body of flesh. R1952:3
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| 6 whose body, was like Tarshish-stone, and, his face, like the appearance of lightning, and, his eyes, were like torches of fire, and, his arms and his feet, like the look of bronze burnished,–and, the sound of his words, was like the sound of a multitude. |
Body – A spiritual body, as described here and in Rev. 1:13-15, is very nice; and we shall be "fashioned like unto his (Christ's) glorious body." (Phil. 3:21) R119:6, R315:6*
Like the beryl – Spiritual bodies are glorious in their normal condition. R18:3, R261:6, R579:1; HG28:6
Eyes as lamps – Expressive of their piercing brightness. "The Lord seeth not as man seeth." (1 Sam. 16:7) R388:6*
Polished brass – Fine brass, as it burns in a furnace, so bright that you can scarcely look at it. R18:4, R261:6
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| 7 And, I, Daniel, alone, beheld the revelation, and, the men who were with me, beheld not the revelation,–in truth, a great terror, had fallen upon them, and they had fled while hiding themselves. |
I Daniel alone saw – Without a miracle, either by opening our eyes to see them, or their appearing in the flesh as men, spiritual bodies are invisible. R579:1, R18:4, R262:1; A183
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| 8 I, therefore, was left alone, and beheld this great revelation, and there remained in me no strength,–but, my freshness, was turned upon me into disfigurement, and I retained no strength. |
No strength in me – Had our Lord appeared after his resurrection in the glory of the spirit body, the glory would have been greater than the witnesses could have borne. B124
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| 9 So then I heard the sound of his words,–and, when I heard the sound of his words, then, I myself, came to be in a deep sleep upon my face, with, my face, to the earth. |
Toward the ground – Daniel fell as a dead man. R18:4, R261:6
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| 10 And lo! a hand, touched me; and roused me up on my knees and the palms of my hands. |
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| 11 Then said he unto me, O Daniel! man greatly delighted in! have understanding in the words which, I, am about to speak unto thee, and stand up where thou art, for, now, have I been sent unto thee. And, when he had spoken with me this word, I stood up trembling. |
Man greatly beloved – Margin: "man of desires." R2022:4
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| 12 Then said he unto me, Do not fear, Daniel, for, from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard; and, I, am come, by reason of thy words. |
From the first day – Not the end of the third week. R1866:4
At the beginning of our supplications God begins to shape circumstances to work out the intended blessing for us. R1866:4
"Before they call (reading the desire of the heart even before it finds expression in words) I will answer (begin to shape events to bring the answer sooner or later); and while they are yet speaking I will hear." (Isa. 65:23, 24) R1866:5
To chasten thyself – Sought, by the practice of self-denial, to bring himself into a special condition of heart and mind pleasing to God. R2022:4
How many prayers are not heard, or are hindered, because the one who asks does not first purify himself of evil in his own heart? R1866:5
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| 13 But, the ruler of the kingdom of Persia, withstood me twenty-one days, but lo! Michael, one of the chief rulers, came in to help me,–and, I, left him there, beside the kings of Persia. |
Withstood me – Either invisibly present with him, or else appearing as a man. R579:1[R579], R262:1[R262:1], R18:4[R18:10]; A184[A183:3]
But, lo, Michael – Christ. D414[D414:1]
The superior of Gabriel. R490:4[R490]
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| 14 So then I am come to let thee understand that which shall befall thy people in the afterpart of the days,–for yet is the vision for [those] days. |
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| 15 And, when he had spoken with me such words as these,–I set my face towards the earth, and was dumb. |
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| 16 Then lo! like the similitude of the sons of men, one was touching my lips,–so I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him who was standing before me, O my lord! By the revelation, my pains have seized me, and I retain no strength. |
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| 17 How then can the servant of this my lord speak with this my lord,–seeing that, as for me–henceforth, there remaineth in me no strength, and no, spirit, is left in me? |
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| 18 Then again there touched me one like in appearance to a son of earth, and he strengthened me. |
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| 19 And he said, Do not fear, O man greatly delighted in! peace to thee, be strong, yea be strong! And, as he spake with me, I gained strength, and said, Let my lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me. |
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| 20 And he said, Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? But, now, must I return to fight with the ruler of Persia; I, therefore am going forth, and lo! the ruler of Greece, is coming. |
Knowest thou – Or, Thou knowest. HG61:6
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| 21 Howbeit I will tell thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth,–but there is no one who holdeth strongly with me concerning these things, save Michael your ruler. |
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