ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Daniel 10

Dan. 10:1–12:13 Conflicts on earth reflect conflicts in the heavens, and this will continue to the end, when God will ultimately win the battle.

Dan. 10:1–11:1 A heavenly visitor tells Daniel about conflict in heaven. He explains that he has met resistance from other spiritual powers. He has come to tell Daniel about future events.

Dan. 10:1 Chapters 10–12 form a single vision, received in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia. Two years earlier, the first party of Jewish exiles had returned to Jerusalem, but they faced severe opposition and had stopped their rebuilding work.

Dan. 10:2–3 As a sign of identification with the trials of his brothers and sisters in Judah, Daniel was in mourning for three weeks. He went without meat or wine and did not use the lotions that made life more comfortable.

Dan. 10:5–6 Daniel received a vision of a heavenly being, dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold . . . around his waist. His body glowed with inner light, like beryl, a gemstone. His face shone like lightning. His eyes were like torches and his arms and legs like polished bronze. The sound of his words echoed like the roar of a crowd. Yet this glorious figure was unable to complete his task without the help of Michael (v. 13), so it is unlikely that this is a physical manifestation of God or Christ.

Dan. 10:10–12 This messenger encouraged Daniel by telling him that he was greatly loved by God. He had been sent to Daniel to give him insight in response to his prayer about the situation in Jerusalem.

Dan. 10:13 The angelic messenger was delayed on his journey twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia, an evil angel associated with the Persian Empire. Although this spiritual opponent was powerful enough to delay God’s messenger for a period of three weeks, all he could do was delay him. When Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help him, the angel was finally able to complete his journey.

Dan. 10:15–16 On hearing of the power of the evil spiritual forces, Daniel was overtaken by such a sense of weakness that he was bowed to the ground, unable even to speak until the angel touched him on the lips.

Dan. 10:20 The angel declared that he would return to the fight against the prince of Persia, and after that against the prince of Greece.

Dan. 10:21 The book of truth most likely refers to God’s plan for Israel and the world.