Daniel 10:2

KJV

In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

KJV (with Strong's)

In those days {H3117} I Daniel {H1840} was mourning {H56} three {H7969} full {H3117} weeks {H7620}.

Complete Jewish Bible

At that time I, Dani'el, had been mourning for three whole weeks.

Berean Standard Bible

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.

American Standard Version

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Daniel 10:2 introduces the prophet Daniel in a state of profound spiritual discipline and deep distress, setting the stage for one of the most significant and detailed prophetic visions in the Old Testament. This verse encapsulates a period of intense personal mourning, likely involving fasting and prayer, undertaken by Daniel for three full weeks, underscoring the deep spiritual preparation and cost often associated with receiving divine revelation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Daniel 10 opens the final major prophetic section of the book of Daniel, spanning chapters 10-12. This vision is distinct from the previous visions in chapters 7-9, which were often presented as dreams or direct angelic interpretations. Chapter 10 serves as a detailed prologue to the extensive prophecy concerning the future of Persia, Greece, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom, culminating in the resurrection. The immediate literary context establishes Daniel's physical and spiritual state—a state of profound mourning and self-abasement—which is presented as the prerequisite for receiving such a weighty and challenging revelation. The subsequent verses (Daniel 10:3-4) elaborate on the nature of his mourning (no choice food, meat, wine, or anointing oil) and the specific time and location (the great river Hiddekel, or Tigris), further emphasizing the intensity and duration of his spiritual discipline before the divine encounter.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events described in Daniel 10 occur in the "third year of Cyrus king of Persia" ([Daniel 10:1](/daniel/10-1 "Daniel 10:1 - Time of the Vision")), which places it around 536 BC. This is approximately two years after Cyrus's decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple ([Ezra 1:1-4](/ezra/1-1-4 "Ezra 1:1-4 - Cyrus's Decree")). Despite this initial positive development, the returnees faced significant opposition, and the rebuilding efforts were stalled ([Ezra 4:1-5](/ezra/4-1-5 "Ezra 4:1-5 - Opposition to Rebuilding")). Daniel, though likely in his late 80s and still in Babylon (or Persia), would have been keenly aware of the struggles of his people. His mourning reflects not personal grief, but a deep burden for the welfare of Israel, the delay in the Temple's reconstruction, and perhaps foreboding concerning the future Gentile empires and their impact on God's people, which his previous visions had revealed. Such extended periods of mourning, often accompanied by fasting and prayer, were a common expression of national lament and seeking divine intervention in ancient Israelite culture, as seen in times of crisis.
* **Key Themes:** Daniel 10:2 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Daniel and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Spiritual Discipline and Preparation for Revelation**. Daniel's twenty-one days of mourning underscore that profound spiritual insight and divine encounter often require intense self-denial and earnest seeking, echoing the principle found in [Jeremiah 29:13](/jeremiah/29-13 "Jeremiah 29:13 - Seeking God with All Your Heart"). Secondly, the verse emphasizes **Intercession and Burden for God's People**. Daniel's sorrow is not for himself, but for the destiny of Israel and the fulfillment of God's promises amidst geopolitical turmoil. This reflects the heart of a prophetic intercessor, a theme seen throughout the Old Testament, such as in [Moses' intercession](/exodus/32-11-14 "Exodus 32:11-14 - Moses' Intercession for Israel"). Lastly, it subtly introduces the theme of **Spiritual Conflict and Divine Delay**. While Daniel's prayers are heard immediately, the answer is delayed by a spiritual battle ([Daniel 10:12-13](/daniel/10-12-13 "Daniel 10:12-13 - Angelic Conflict")), demonstrating that even earnest prayer can encounter unseen resistance in the spiritual realm, a concept further developed in the subsequent verses of this chapter.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Daniel (Hebrew, _Dânîyêʼl'_):** From the root meaning "judge" and "God," signifying "judge of God." This name is highly significant, as Daniel consistently acts as an interpreter of divine decrees and a righteous judge of circumstances throughout the book. His character embodies the meaning of his name, as he seeks God's judgment and understanding for his people.
* **Mourning (Hebrew, _ʼâbal'_):** This primitive root means "to bewail," "lament," or "mourn." It denotes a deep, inward sorrow often accompanied by outward expressions of grief, such as fasting, abstaining from luxuries, and wearing sackcloth. In Daniel's context, it signifies a profound spiritual anguish over the state of his people and the prophetic future, rather than personal loss.
* **Full (Hebrew, _yôwm'_):** While _yôwm_ primarily means "day," in this context, as part of the phrase "three full weeks," it functions adverbially to emphasize the completeness and unbroken nature of the period. The KJV's "full" captures the sense that the entire duration of each day within the three weeks was dedicated to this state of mourning and spiritual discipline, without interruption.
* **Weeks (Hebrew, _shâbûwaʻ'_):** Literally meaning "sevened," this term refers to a period of seven days, or a week. The use of "three weeks" (21 days) signifies an extended, concentrated period of spiritual devotion, often associated with intense seeking or a significant prophetic event, as seen in the "seventy weeks" prophecy in [Daniel 9:24](/daniel/9-24 "The Seventy Weeks Prophecy").

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"In those days":** This phrase connects the verse to the preceding context, specifically the "third year of Cyrus king of Persia" mentioned in [Daniel 10:1](/daniel/10-1 "Time of the Vision"). It grounds Daniel's spiritual experience within a specific historical timeframe, emphasizing that his mourning was not an isolated event but a response to the ongoing historical and spiritual realities of his time, particularly concerning the Jewish exiles and the geopolitical landscape.
* **"I Daniel was mourning":** This deeply personal statement highlights Daniel's active engagement in a state of profound sorrow and spiritual discipline. The Hebrew word for "mourning" (_ʼâbal_) implies more than mere sadness; it suggests a deliberate act of lamentation, often accompanied by fasting, prayer, and abstention from luxuries, as confirmed by [Daniel 10:3](/daniel/10-3 "Daniel's Fast"). This was a period of intense spiritual seeking and self-humiliation before God, driven by a burden for his people and a desire for divine understanding.
* **"three full weeks":** This specifies the duration of Daniel's mourning as twenty-one consecutive days. The "full" emphasizes the unbroken nature of this period of intense spiritual devotion. This extended duration underscores the depth of Daniel's commitment and the seriousness of the spiritual burden he carried. It was a sustained period of focused intercession and preparation, a testament to his unwavering dedication to God and his nation.

#### Literary Devices
Daniel 10:2 employs several literary devices to convey its profound spiritual message. The most prominent is **Foreshadowing**, as Daniel's intense period of mourning and spiritual preparation directly precedes and sets the stage for the dramatic angelic encounter and the weighty prophecy that follows in chapters 10-12. This period of self-abasement **Symbolizes** the necessary spiritual posture for receiving profound divine revelation, suggesting that deep understanding of God's will often requires significant personal sacrifice and seeking. The phrase "three full weeks" also functions as **Hyperbole** or **Emphasis**, stressing the extraordinary length and completeness of Daniel's spiritual discipline, thereby highlighting the gravity of the subsequent vision and the spiritual conflict involved in its delivery.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Daniel's profound mourning in Daniel 10:2 is a powerful testament to the spiritual discipline required for deep communion with God and for receiving divine revelation. It underscores the biblical principle that seeking God earnestly, often through prayer and fasting, is a prerequisite for understanding His will and participating in His purposes. Daniel's burden for his people and his sustained intercession exemplify the heart of a true prophet and intercessor, one who identifies deeply with the struggles and destiny of God's chosen people. This passage also subtly introduces the theme of spiritual warfare, as the angel later reveals that Daniel's prayers were heard from the first day, but the answer was delayed by a cosmic battle, emphasizing that behind earthly events, there are often unseen spiritual conflicts.

* [Psalm 42:3](/psalm/42-3 "Psalm 42:3 - Tears as Food") - "My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'" (Illustrates deep sorrow and lament).
* [Nehemiah 1:4](/nehemiah/1-4 "Nehemiah 1:4 - Nehemiah's Prayer and Fasting") - "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Example of mourning, fasting, and prayer for national distress).
* [Isaiah 58:6](/isaiah/58-6 "Isaiah 58:6 - The True Fast") - "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (Connects fasting with spiritual purpose and justice).

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Daniel's example in Daniel 10:2 provides a profound model for contemporary believers, challenging us to consider the depth of our own spiritual commitment and the nature of our intercession. His "three full weeks" of mourning, likely involving fasting and intense prayer, demonstrate that genuine spiritual breakthrough and clarity often require sustained, disciplined seeking of God. This is not a formulaic approach, but an invitation to cultivate a heart so burdened by the spiritual realities of our world—the suffering, the injustice, the spiritual blindness—that it drives us to extended periods of humble, earnest seeking before God. Daniel's intercession was not for personal gain but for the destiny of his people and the unfolding of God's sovereign plan. This calls us to broaden our prayer horizons beyond our immediate needs, to intercede for our communities, nations, and the global Church, recognizing that our prayers can indeed influence spiritual realities and align us with God's redemptive work. Ultimately, Daniel's preparation reminds us that profound spiritual insights and effective service are often birthed in seasons of deep spiritual discipline and self-denial, making us more receptive vessels for God's truth and power.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What burdens for your community, nation, or the Church are you carrying that might prompt a season of deeper spiritual discipline?**
* **How might a sustained period of focused prayer and fasting, inspired by Daniel's example, deepen your understanding of God's will or bring breakthrough in a difficult situation?**
* **In what ways can you cultivate a more intercessory heart, moving beyond personal petitions to pray for the broader purposes of God in the world?**

### FAQ

**What exactly did Daniel's "mourning" entail during these three weeks?**

Answer: Daniel's "mourning" was a profound spiritual discipline, not merely an emotional state. As clarified in [Daniel 10:3](/daniel/10-3 "Daniel's Fast"), during these "three full weeks," Daniel "ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all." This indicates a partial fast, abstaining from rich foods, meat, and wine, and refraining from personal grooming like anointing with oil (a common practice for refreshment and celebration). This was a period of intense self-denial, humility, and focused prayer and lamentation before God, likely for the struggles of his people and the future of Israel.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Daniel's profound mourning and sustained intercession in Daniel 10:2, undertaken for the sake of his people and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, finds its ultimate fulfillment and perfection in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Daniel mourned and interceded as a prophet, Jesus is the quintessential Intercessor, who not only bore the burdens of humanity but perfectly identified with our suffering, becoming "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" ([Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - Man of Sorrows")). His forty days of fasting in the wilderness ([Matthew 4:2](/matthew/4-2 "Matthew 4:2 - Jesus' Fasting")) and His nights spent in prayer ([Luke 6:12](/luke/6-12 "Luke 6:12 - Jesus Prays on the Mountain")) exemplify a spiritual discipline far surpassing Daniel's, preparing Him for His ultimate mission. Moreover, Jesus's intercession is not limited to a period of time but is an ongoing reality; He "always lives to make intercession" for us ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Jesus' Eternal Intercession")). Daniel's burden for Israel's future finds its resolution in Christ, who, through His sacrificial death and resurrection, established the new covenant and secures the eternal destiny of all who believe, both Jew and Gentile, bringing about the true and lasting peace that Daniel longed for. Thus, Daniel's deep spiritual preparation points forward to the perfect High Priest who fully embodies and eternally fulfills the role of intercessor and bringer of divine revelation.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Nehemiah 1:4

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [certain] days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Daniel 9:24

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Daniel 9:27

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Ezra 9:4

Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.

Ezra 9:5

¶ And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

Isaiah 66:10

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

Matthew 9:15

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.