In this chapter we see that when Daniel got a glimpse of the last days he was so overcome that he was physically weakened by the vision. How much more so will it be for those who have to live in the midst of it? Without prayer (and prophetic understanding of those times) those who are alive at that time will fail. It is vital to understand what is going to happen in the last days so that we can prayerfully prepare for it, and so that we will be found to be a faithful testimony in the midst of it. 

Verse 1: “In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia the word was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. True was this word, and it concerned a large army. It gave him understanding of this word and also understanding of the vision.” 

The word was revealed to Daniel: Daniel received these visions and dreams as an outcome of worship and prayer. Large army: ולֹ דָג  א ב צ In this context we are going to see that this is not speaking about a physical army but a spiritual one. This is an army that fights in the heavenly domains. Although we cannot see it with our eyes it is very real. 

Verse 2: “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks of days.” 

Days: ים מָי: This word makes it very clear that we are not speaking about a week being a sevenyear period, but in this case it is referring to a week of seven days. 

Three weeks of days: i.e. That is a total of 21 days. On the 17th day of the month of Tammuz Nebuchadnezzar breached the walls of Jerusalem and began three weeks of atrocities upon the Jewish people that ended on the 9th day of Av when the temple was set ablaze and destroyed. This destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple took place within a three-week period and, even 71 to this day, there is a requirement to mourn, lament, what took place a little more than 2500 years ago. Daniel was remembering these three weeks, and he was lamenting, he was mourning.

Verse 3: “No pleasant food nor meat did I eat, and wine did not enter into my mouth. Nor did I anoint myself with oil until these three weeks of days were fulfilled.” 

Fulfilled: Completed. 

Verse 4: “It was on the 24th day of the first month that I was by that great river, the river Tigris.” 

The first month: Called Nisan after the Babylonian captivity – it was called Abib before it (quite a few months have transpired since the months of mourning spoken about in the verses above – Tammuz and Av). The first month is a month of redemption because Passover takes place in it (Exodus 12:2). The 24th day of this month is 10 days after Passover. 

River: See Daniel 8:2. The fact that he was by the river is a hermeneutical clue that reveals to us that Daniel was worshipping and praying. 

Verse 5: “And I lifted up my eyes and I saw. Behold! A man clothed in linen, and he had a belt around his waist of fine gold from Uphaz.” 

Lifted up my eyes: A Hebrew idiom for prayer. 

A man: Most commentators see this as an angel. Daniel is praying and is going to get angelic revelation, sent by God to him. 

Verse 6: “And his body and his face were as the appearance of lightning; his eyes were like the torches of fire, and his arms and his feet were like burnished bronze, his words were like the voice of a multitude.” 

יש ִׁ֗ ש ר ת: No one knows exactly what this stone is. Some suggestions are yellow jasper, beryl, topaz, chrysolite etc. It is most likely a beautiful, coloured crystal rock that comes in a variety of different colours.

Note: This is a description of a heavenly being – not someone who looks like we do.

The voice of a multitude: Words that describes a heavenly voice (also used to sometimes describe the sound of G-d’s voice – Revelation 1:15) 

Verse 7: “And I, Daniel, was looking, and by myself I saw the vision. There were men who were with me, but they did not see the vision; but they trembled a great trembling and fell down and they fled and they hid themselves.” 

The vision: Divine revelation Men: Other human men 

Note: This is a very similar description to the revelation that Paul received on the road to Damascus. There were also people with him who heard the voice but were unable to see who the words had come from. A great fear and trembling also fell on them (Acts 9:7).