Daniel 10:10-21

10:10 Then ¹  a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees. ²  10:11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are of great value. ³  Understand the words that I am about to ⁴  speak to you. So stand up, ⁵  for I have now been sent to you.” When he said this ⁶  to me, I stood up shaking. 10:12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind ⁷  to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 10:13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But ⁸  Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there ⁹  with the kings of Persia. 10:14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to future days.”

10:15 While he was saying this to me, ¹⁰  I was flat on ¹¹  the ground and unable to speak. 10:16 Then ¹²  one who appeared to be a human being ¹³  was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir, ¹⁴  due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength. 10:17 How, sir, am I able to speak with you? ¹⁵  My strength is gone, ¹⁶  and I am breathless.” 10:18 Then the one who appeared to be a human being touched me again ¹⁷  and strengthened me. 10:19 He said to me, “Don’t be afraid, you who are valued. ¹⁸  Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, “Sir, you may speak now, ¹⁹  for you have given me strength.” 10:20 He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? ²⁰  Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming. 10:21 However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book. ²¹  (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes, ²²  except Michael your ²³  prince.

¹ tn Heb “Behold.”

² tc Theodotion lacks “and the palms of my hands.”

³ tn Or “a treasured person”; KJV “a man greatly beloved”; NASB “man of high esteem.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew participle is often used, as here, to refer to the imminent future.

⁵ tn Heb “stand upon your standing.”

⁶ tn Heb “spoke this word.”

⁷ tn Heb “gave your heart.”

⁸ tn Heb “and behold.”

⁹ tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).

¹⁰ tn Heb “speaking to me according to these words.”

¹¹ tn Heb “I placed my face toward.”

¹² tn Heb “Behold.”

¹³ tc So most Hebrew MSS; one Hebrew MS along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX read “something that looked like a man’s hand.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “my lord,” here a title of polite address. Cf. v. 19.

¹⁵ tn Heb “How is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord?”

¹⁶ tn Heb “does not stand.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “He added and touched me.” The construction is a verbal hendiadys.

¹⁸ tn Heb “treasured man.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “my lord may speak.”

²⁰ sn The question is rhetorical, intended to encourage reflection on Daniel’s part.

²¹ tn Heb “a book of truth.” Several English versions treat this as a title of some sort (cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), although the NAB’s rendering “the truthful book” regards “truth” as an attributive adjective, as does the present translation.

²² tn The word “princes” is supplied for clarity.

²³ tn The pronoun is plural in Hebrew, suggesting that Michael is the angelic prince of Daniel and his people.