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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Daniel 10:10–21. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Much ado here is to bring Daniel to be able to bear what Christ has to say to him. Still we have him in a fright, hardly and very slowly recovering himself; but he is still answered and supported with good words and comfortable words. Let us see how Daniel is by degrees brought to himself, and gather up the several passages that are to the same purport.
I.Daniel is in a great consternation and finds it very difficult to get clear of it.
The hand that touched him set him at first upon his knees and the palms of his hands, Dan 10:10. Note, Strength and comfort commonly come by degrees to those that have been long cast down and disquieted; they are first helped up a little, and then more. After two days he will revive us, and then the third day he will raise us up. And we must not despise the day of small things, but be thankful for the beginnings of mercy. Afterwards he is helped up, but he stands trembling (Dan 10:11), for fear lest he fall again. Note, Before God gives strength and power unto his people he makes them sensible of their own weakness. I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble, Hab 3:16. But when, afterwards, Daniel recovered so much strength in his limbs that he could stand steadily, yet he tells us (Dan 10:15) that he set his face towards the ground and became dumb; he was as a man astonished, who knew not what to say, struck dumb with admiration and fear, and was loth to enter into discourse with one so far above him; he kept silence, yea, even from good, till he had recollected himself a little. Well, at length he recovered, not only the use of his feet, but the use of his tongue; and, when he opened his mouth (Dan 10:16), that which he had to say was to excuse his having been so long silent, for really he durst not speak, he could not speak: "O my lord" (so, in great humility, this prophet calls the angel, though the angels, in great humility, called themselves fellow-servants to the prophets, Rev 22:9), "by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me; they break in upon me with violence; the sense of my sinful sorrowful state turns upon me when I see thy purity and brightness." Note, Man, who has lost his integrity, has reason to blush, and be ashamed of himself, when he sees or considers the glory of the blessed angels that keep their integrity. "My sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength to resist them or bear up a head against them." And again (Dan 10:17), like one half dead with the fright, he complains, "As for me, straightway there remained no strength in me to receive these displays of the divine glory and these discoveries of the divine will; nay, there is no breath left in me." Such a deliquium did he suffer that he could not draw one breath after another, but panted and languished, and was in a manner breathless. See how well it is for us that the treasure of divine revelation is put into earthen vessels, that God speaks to us by men like ourselves and not by angels. Whatever we may wish, in a peevish dislike of the method God takes in dealing with us, it is certain that if we were tried we should all be of Israel's mind at Mt. Sinai, when they said to Moses, Speak thou to us, and we will hear, but let not God speak to us lest we die, Exo 20:19. If Daniel could not bear it, how could we? Now this he insists upon as an excuse for his irreverent silence, which otherwise would have been blame-worthy: How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? Dan 10:17. Note, Whenever we enter into communion with God it becomes us to have a due sense of the vast distance and disproportion that there are between us and the holy angels, and of the infinite distance, and no proportion at all, between us and the holy God, and to acknowledge that we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. How shall we that are dust and ashes speak to the Lord of glory?
II.The blessed angel that was employed by Christ to converse with him gave him all the encouragement and comfort that could be.
It should seem, it was not he whose glory he saw in vision (Dan 10:5, Dan 10:6) that here touched him, and talked with him; that was Christ, but this seems to have been the angel Gabriel, whom Christ had once before ordered to instruct Daniel, Dan 8:16. That glorious appearance (as that of the God of glory to Abraham, Act 7:2) was to give authority and to gain attention to what the angel should say. Christ himself comforted John when he in a like case fell at his feet as dead (Rev 1:17); but here he did it by the angel, whom Daniel saw in a glory much inferior to that of the vision in the verses before; for he was like the similitude of the sons of men (Dan 10:16), one like the appearance of a man, Dan 10:18. When he only appeared, as he had done before (Dan 9:21), we do not find that Daniel was put into any disorder by it, as he was by this vision; and therefore he is here employed a third time with Daniel.
1.He lent him his hand to help him, touched him, and set him upon his hands and knees (Dan 10:10), else he would still have lain grovelling, touched his lips (Dan 10:16), else he would have been still dumb; again he touched him (Dan 10:18), and put strength into him, else he would still have been staggering and trembling. Note, The hand of God's power going along with the word of his grace is alone effectual to redress all our grievances, and to rectify whatever is amiss in us. One touch from heaven brings us to our knees, sets us on our feet, opens our lips, and strengthens us; for it is God that works on us, and works in us, both to will and to do that which is good.
2.He assured him of the great favour that God had for him: Thou art a man greatly beloved (Dan 10:11); and again (Dan 10:19), O man greatly beloved! Note, Nothing is more likely, nothing more effectual, to revive the drooping spirits of the saints than to be assured of God's love to them. Those are greatly beloved indeed whom God loves; and it is comfort enough to know it.
3.He silenced his fears, and encouraged his hopes, with good words and comfortable words. He said unto him, Fear not, Daniel (Dan 10:12); and again (Dan 10:19), O man greatly beloved! fear not; peace be unto thee; be strong, yea, be strong. Never did any tender mother quiet her child, when any thing had grieved or frightened it, with more compassion and affection than the angel here quieted Daniel. Those that are beloved of God have no reason to be afraid of any evil; peace is to them; God himself speaks peace to them; and they ought, upon the warrant of that, to speak peace to themselves; and that peace, that joy of the Lord, will be their strength. Will God plead against us with his great power? will he take advantage against us of our being overcome by his terror? No, but he will put strength into us, Job 23:6. So he did into Daniel here, when, by reason of the lustre of the vision, no strength of his own remained in him; and he acknowledges it (Dan 10:19): When he had spoken to me I was strengthened. Note, God by his word puts life, and strength, and spirit into his people; for if he says, Be strong, power goes along with the word. And, now that Daniel has experienced the efficacy of God's strengthening word and grace, he is ready for any thing: "Now, Let my lord speak, and I can hear it, I can bear it, and am ready to do according to it, for thou hast strengthened me." Note, To those that (like Daniel here) have no might God increases strength, Isa 40:29. And we cannot keep up our communion with God but by strength derived from him; but, when he is pleased to put strength into us, we must make a good use of it, and say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears. Let God enable us to comply with his will, and them, whatever it is, we will stand complete in it. Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis - Give what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt.
4.He assured him that his fastings and prayers had come up for a memorial before God, as the angel told Cornelius (Act 10:4): Fear not, Daniel, Dan 10:12. It is natural to fallen man to be afraid of an extraordinary messenger from heaven, as dreading to hear evil tidings thence; but Daniel need not fear, for he has by his three weeks' humiliation and supplication sent extraordinary messengers to heaven, which he may expect to return with an olive-branch of peace: "From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand the word of God, which is to be the rule of thy prayers, and to chasten thyself before thy God, that thou mightest put an edge upon thy prayers, thy words were heard," as, before, at the beginning of thy supplication, Dan 9:23. Note, As the entrance of God's word is enlightening to the upright, so the entrance of their prayers is pleasing to God, Psa 119:130. From the first day that we begin to look towards God in a way of duty he is ready to meet us in a way of mercy. Thus ready is God to hear prayer. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest.
5.He informed him that he was sent to him on purpose to bring him a prediction of the future state of the church, as a token of God's accepting his prayers for the church: "Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? If thou knewest on what errand I come, thou wouldst not be put into such a consternation by it." Note, If we rightly understood the meaning of God's dealings with us, and the methods of his providence and grace concerning us, we should be better reconciled to them. "I have come for thy words (Dan 10:12), to bring thee a gracious answer to thy prayers." Thus, when God's praying people call to him, he says, Here I am (Isa 58:9); what would you have with me? See the power of prayer, what glorious things it has, in its time, fetched from heaven, what strange discoveries! On what errand did this angel come to Daniel? He tells him (Dan 10:14): I have come to make thee understand what shall befal thy people in the latter days. Daniel was a curious inquisitive man, that had all his days been searching into secret things, and it would be a great gratification to him to be let into the knowledge of things to come. Daniel had always been concerned for the church; its interests lay much upon his heart, and it would be a particular satisfaction to him to know what its state should be, and he would know the better what to pray for as long as he lived. He was now lamenting the difficulties which his people met with in the present day; but, that he might not be offended in those, the angel must tell him what greater difficulties are yet before them; and, if they be wearied now that they only run with the footmen, how will they contend with horses? Note, It would abate our resentment of present troubles to consider that we know not but much greater are before us, which we are concerned to provide for. Daniel must be made to know what shall befal his people in the latter days of the church, after the cessation of prophecy, and when the time drew nigh for the Messiah to appear, for yet the vision is for many days; the principal things that this vision was intended to give the church the foresight of would come to pass in the days of Antiochus, nearly 300 years after this. Now that which the angel is entrusted to communicate to Daniel, and which Daniel is encouraged to expect from him, is not any curious speculations, moral prognostications, nor rational prospects of his own, though he is an angel, but what he has received from the Lord. It was the revelation of Jesus Christ that the angel gave to St. John to be delivered to the churches, Rev 1:1. So here (Dan 10:21): I will show thee what is written in the scriptures of truth, that is, what is fixed in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. The decree of God is a thing written, it is a scripture which remains and cannot be altered. What I have written I have written. As there are scriptures for the revealed will of God, the letters-patent, which are published to the world, so there are scriptures for the secret will of God, the close rolls, which are sealed among his treasures, the book of his decrees. Both are scriptures of truth; nothing shall be added to nor taken from either of them. The secret things belong not to us, only now and then some few paragraphs have been copied out from the book of God's counsels, and delivered to the prophets for the use of the church, as here to Daniel; but they are the things revealed, even the words of this law, which belong to us and to our children; and we are concerned to study what is written in these scriptures of truth, for they are things which belong to our everlasting peace.
6.He gave him a general account of the adversaries of the church's cause, from whom it might be expected that troubles would arise, and of its patrons, under whose protection it might be assured of safety and victory at last.
(1.)The kings of the earth are and will be its adversaries; for they set themselves against the Lord, and against his Anointed, Psa 2:2. The angel told Daniel that he was to have come to him with a gracious answer to his prayers, but that the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood him one and twenty days, just the three weeks that Daniel had been fasting and praying. Cambyses king of Persia had been very busy to embarrass the affairs of the Jews, and to do them all the mischief he could, and the angel had been all that time employed to counter-work him; so that he had been constrained to defer his visit to Daniel till now, for angels can be but in one place at a time. Or, as Dr. Lightfoot says, This new king of Persia, by hindering the temple, had hindered those good tidings which otherwise he should have brought him. The kings and kingdoms of the world were indeed sometimes helpful to the church, but more often they were injurious to it. "When I have gone forth from the kings of Persia, when their monarchy is brought down for their unkindness to the Jews, then the prince of Grecia shall come," Dan 10:20. The Grecian monarchy, though favourable to the Jews at first, as the Persian was, will yet come to be vexatious to them. Such is the state of the church-militant; when it has got clear of one enemy it has another to encounter: and such a hydra's head is that of the old serpent; when one storm has blown over it is not long before another rises.
(2.)The God of heaven is, and will be, its protector, and, under him, the angels of heaven are its patrons and guardians.
[1.]Here is the angel Gabriel busy in the service of the church, making his part good in defence of it twenty-one days, against the prince of Persia, and remaining there with the kings of Persia, as consul, or liege-ambassador, to take care of the affairs of the Jews in that court, and to do them service, Dan 10:13. And, though much was done against them by the kings of Persia (God permitting it), it is probably that much more mischief would have been done them, and they would have been quite ruined (witness Haman's plot) if God had not prevented it by the ministration of angels. Gabriel resolves, when he has despatched this errand to Daniel, that he will return to fight with the prince of Persia, will continue to oppose him, and will at length humble and bring down that proud monarchy (v. 20), though he knows that another as mischievous, even that of Grecia, will rise instead of it.
[2.]Here is Michael our prince, the great protector of the church, and the patron of its just but injured cause: The first of the chief princes, Dan 10:13. Some understand it of a created angel, but an archangel of the highest order, Th1 4:16; Jde 1:9. Others think that Michael the archangel is no other than Christ himself, the angel of the covenant, and the Lord of the angels, he whom Daniel saw in vision, Dan 10:5. He came to help me (Dan 10:13); and there is none but he that holds with me in these things, Dan 10:21. Christ is the church's prince; angels are not, Heb 2:5. He presides in the affairs of the church and effectually provides for its good. He is said to hold with the angels, for it is he that makes them serviceable to the heirs of salvation; and, if he were not on the church's side, its case were bad. But, says David, and so says the church, The Lord takes my part with those that help me, Psa 118:7. The Lord is with those that uphold my soul, Psa 54:4.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
"And he strengthened me." For whenever the Word has made us of good hope with regard to the future, we are able also readily to hear His voice.
When the strength of our life fails and we leave behind all earthly glory, so that we are no longer strong in it, then we receive the power from God, as Christ stretches out his hand upon us and says, “Be bold and strong.”
He meant, “Do not be in distress at all; for I did not come to harm you but to make known to you what you desired to know. Cast off your fear, be brave, and be strong.” And the deed followed word.
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Summary
Daniel 10:18 records a pivotal moment in the prophet Daniel's profound vision, where, overwhelmed by the immensity of a divine encounter, he receives a second, distinct supernatural touch from an angelic being. This touch is specifically designed to restore his physical and spiritual strength, enabling him to stand and receive the crucial prophetic revelation that follows, highlighting God's compassionate provision for His servants in their moments of extreme frailty.
Context
Literary Context
Daniel 10:18 is situated within Daniel's third and final major vision, which commences in Daniel 10:1. The chapter opens with Daniel in a state of deep mourning and fasting for three weeks, indicating profound spiritual distress and a heightened sensitivity to divine revelation. Prior to this verse, a glorious angelic being, described as having a radiant appearance, had appeared to Daniel, causing him to fall into a deep sleep and lose all his strength (Daniel 10:9). An initial touch in Daniel 10:10 lifted him to his hands and knees, followed by a message in Daniel 10:11 declaring him "greatly beloved." Despite these initial interactions, Daniel remained weak, speechless, and prostrate, unable to fully engage with the messenger. Verse 18 marks a crucial, repeated intervention, a second touch, explicitly for the purpose of strengthening Daniel so he could stand and comprehend the weighty prophetic message about the future spiritual conflicts and the end times, which unfolds in Daniel 11.
Historical & Cultural Context
Daniel's visions occur during the period of the Babylonian and Persian empires, specifically in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia (Daniel 10:1). This places Daniel as an elderly statesman, still living in exile, long after the initial deportation of the Jews to Babylon. The cultural backdrop is one where powerful empires dominated the geopolitical landscape, and the Jewish people were a subjugated minority, yearning for restoration. In this context, divine revelations, often mediated by angelic beings, provided comfort, warning, and insight into God's sovereign plan amidst human history. The concept of human frailty in the face of divine glory was well-understood in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where encounters with the divine were often depicted as overwhelming and potentially dangerous. Daniel's physical collapse and need for strengthening would have resonated with the common understanding of such encounters, emphasizing the immense gap between the human and the divine.
Key Themes
Daniel 10:18 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Daniel and biblical theology. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Divine Strengthening and Compassion. God does not abandon His servants in their weakness but actively intervenes to empower them for His purposes, as seen in Daniel's repeated need for and reception of strength. Secondly, the passage highlights the Ministry of Angels, portraying them as active agents in God's service, ministering to humans, particularly in times of spiritual or physical distress. The "one like the appearance of a man" is a heavenly messenger, sent to assist Daniel and enable him to stand. Thirdly, this strengthening is a crucial Preparation for Revelation. Daniel needed to be physically and mentally capable of receiving and comprehending the weighty prophetic truths that were yet to be revealed, particularly concerning the future conflicts and the end times described in Daniel 11. Finally, Daniel's long period of fasting and prayer (Daniel 10:3) underscores the theme of Perseverance in Prayer and Spiritual Warfare. Even when answers seem delayed or spiritual battles intense, God provides the necessary strength to endure until His purposes are fulfilled, demonstrating that the spiritual realm is intensely active and impacts human events.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)." In this context, it signifies a repetition of the action. This is not the first time Daniel has been touched or addressed by the angelic being in this chapter, emphasizing the persistent and necessary nature of divine intervention to sustain Daniel.
Meaning "properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose); by implication, to reach... violently, to strike." This word denotes a direct, impactful physical contact, not a casual brush. The touch is deliberate and purposeful, designed to impart something to Daniel, rather than merely making contact.
Meaning "to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate." This is the core outcome of the touch. It signifies an impartation of resilience, vigor, and resolve, enabling Daniel to stand, speak, and endure the profound revelation that is about to unfold.
Verse Breakdown
"Then there came again"
This phrase connects the action of verse 18 directly to the previous interactions in Daniel 10, particularly the initial touch in Daniel 10:10 and the subsequent message. The word "again" (from H3254, yâçaph') emphasizes the repeated, persistent, and necessary nature of the divine messenger's intervention. Daniel's weakness was so profound that a single touch was insufficient; a renewed impartation of strength was required.
"and touched me [one] like the appearance of a man"
This describes the agent of strengthening. The being is angelic, but its form is described as "like the appearance of a man" (from H4758, marʼeh' and H120, ʼâdâm'), indicating a discernible, perhaps even relatable, form, yet still divine or heavenly in origin. The touch (from H5060, nâgaʻ') is a direct, physical, and purposeful act. It is not a mere symbolic gesture but a tangible impartation of divine energy or power to Daniel's physical being.
"and he strengthened me"
This clause reveals the immediate and intended effect of the touch. The angelic being's touch directly imparted strength (from H2388, châzaq') to Daniel, restoring his physical and perhaps emotional and spiritual faculties. This strengthening was essential, not merely for comfort, but to enable Daniel to stand and receive the profound and weighty prophetic message that was about to be delivered, as evidenced by his subsequent ability to speak in Daniel 10:19.
Literary Devices
The passage employs several significant literary devices. Repetition is prominent, with the angelic being touching Daniel multiple times (first in Daniel 10:10, then again in Daniel 10:18), emphasizing the profound weakness of Daniel and the persistent, compassionate nature of divine intervention. This repetition underscores the necessity of supernatural empowerment for human beings to endure divine encounters. Symbolism is also at play, as the "touch" itself becomes a powerful symbol of divine impartation—not just physical contact, but the transfer of strength, resolve, and enablement from the spiritual realm to the human. The "appearance of a man" offers a degree of Anthropomorphism or Theophany/Angelophany, making the divine messenger somewhat comprehensible and approachable to Daniel, despite its overwhelming glory. Finally, the strengthening serves as a form of Foreshadowing, preparing Daniel for the arduous task of receiving and understanding the complex and often disturbing prophetic revelations that follow in Daniel 11, indicating that divine enablement is prerequisite for divine service.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Daniel 10:18 profoundly illustrates God's compassionate care for His servants, demonstrating that divine revelation and service often require supernatural enablement. Daniel's extreme weakness in the presence of the angelic being underscores the vast chasm between human frailty and divine glory, yet God, in His mercy, bridges this gap by providing the necessary strength. This act of strengthening is not merely for Daniel's comfort but is instrumental for his prophetic mission, highlighting that God equips those He calls. It teaches us that moments of deep spiritual or physical exhaustion are often precisely when God's power is most clearly manifested, enabling us to persevere and fulfill His purposes.
Reflection and Application
Daniel's experience in Daniel 10:18 offers profound encouragement for believers navigating the challenges of life and ministry today. We, too, can find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances, spiritual battles, or the sheer weight of God's call. Like Daniel, we may feel physically, emotionally, or spiritually drained to the point of collapse. This verse reminds us that our weakness does not disqualify us from God's service; rather, it creates an opportunity for His power to be made perfect in us. When we reach the end of our own strength, God's compassionate touch can infuse us with renewed vigor, enabling us to stand, speak, and fulfill the tasks He has set before us. It challenges us to acknowledge our limitations, to humble ourselves before God, and to rely not on our own might or power, but on His Spirit to empower us for every good work, trusting that He will provide the strength needed to endure and to receive His truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who was "one like the appearance of a man" who touched Daniel?
While the text does not explicitly name him, biblical scholars generally interpret "one like the appearance of a man" as a high-ranking angelic being, possibly Gabriel, who is often God's messenger to Daniel (Daniel 8:16 and Daniel 9:21). Some theological traditions also consider the possibility of a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, given the glorious description of the being in Daniel 10:5-6, which bears similarities to descriptions of Christ in the New Testament (e.g., Revelation 1:13-16). Regardless of the precise identity, the being is clearly a divine messenger sent directly from God to minister to Daniel.
Why did Daniel need to be strengthened again, after already being touched in Daniel 10:10?
Daniel's initial encounter with the glorious angelic being was so overwhelming that he completely lost his strength and fell into a deep sleep (Daniel 10:9). The first touch in Daniel 10:10 merely lifted him to his hands and knees, and he remained trembling and speechless. His human frailty was immense in the face of such divine glory. The "again" in Daniel 10:18 indicates that a further, more profound impartation of strength was necessary to enable him to fully stand upright and be capable of receiving and comprehending the extensive and weighty prophetic message that the angel was about to deliver, as he was still unable to speak or stand on his own. This highlights the depth of Daniel's spiritual and physical exhaustion and the persistent compassion of God in sustaining His servant.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Daniel 10:18 describes an angelic touch empowering a prophet, it beautifully foreshadows the ultimate divine strengthening found in Jesus Christ. Just as the "one like the appearance of a man" ministered to Daniel in his weakness, so too does Christ, the true Son of Man, continually minister strength to His people. He himself experienced profound human weakness, yet was strengthened by the Father (e.g., in Gethsemane, Luke 22:43). Through His atoning work, Christ became the source of all spiritual strength, enabling believers to overcome sin, endure trials, and fulfill their divine calling. The Holy Spirit, whom Christ sends, is the ultimate "strengthener," empowering believers "with power through his Spirit in your inner being" (Ephesians 3:16). Where Daniel received a temporary, physical strengthening for a specific prophetic task, believers in Christ receive an abiding, spiritual strength that enables them to live victoriously, proclaim the Gospel, and persevere until the end, knowing that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). His touch, through His Spirit, transforms our weakness into a vessel for His perfect power.