¹sn This chapter begins the final unit in the Book of Daniel, consisting of chapters 10-12. The traditional chapter division to some extent obscures the relationship of these chapters.

²tc The LXX has “first.”

sn Cyrus’ third year would have been ca. 536 b.c. Daniel would have been approximately eighty-four years old at this time.

³tn The meaning of the Hebrew word saba’ is uncertain. The word most often refers to an army or warfare. It may also mean “hard service,” and many commentators take that to be the sense here (i.e., “the service was great”). The present translation assumes the reference to be to the spiritual conflicts described, for example, in 10:16-11:1.

⁴tn Heb “three weeks of days.” The inclusion of “days” here and in v. 3 is perhaps intended to call attention to the fact that these weeks are very different in nature from those of chap. 9, which are “weeks of years.”

⁵tn Heb “mouth.”

⁶sn Anointing oneself with oil was a common OT practice due to the severity of the Middle Eastern sun (cf. Ps 121:6). It was also associated with rejoicing (e.g., Prov 27:9) and was therefore usually not practiced during a period of mourning.

⁷sn Twenty-four days would be about three and a half weeks, a measure of time that takes on interest in light of its similarity to the time mentioned in Dan 9:27.

⁸sn The first month would be the month of Nisan, during which Passover was observed.

⁹tn The Hebrew text has Hiddaqel. “Tigris” appears here in the LXX, since it is the Greek name for this river. Elsewhere in the OT “the great river” refers to the Euphrates (e.g., Gen 15:18; Josh 1:4), leading some interpreters to think that a mistake is involved in using the expression to refer to the Tigris. But it is doubtful that the expression had such a fixed and limited usage. The Syriac, however, does render the word here by “Euphrates” (Syr., perat), in keeping with biblical usage elsewhere.

¹⁰tn Heb “I lifted up my eyes.”

¹¹tn Heb “one.” The Hebrew numerical adjective is used here like an English indefinite article.

¹²sn The identity of the messenger is not specifically disclosed. Presumably he is an unnamed angel. Some interpreters identify him as Gabriel, but there is no adequate reason for doing so.

¹³tn The Hebrew word baddim is a plural of extension. See GKC §124.a, b, c and Joüon-Muraoka, Grammar, §136.c.

¹⁴tn The location of this place and even the exact form of the Hebrew name (aWp*z) are uncertain. Apparently it was a source for pure gold. (See Jer 10:9.) The Hebrew word p*z (“refined gold” or “pure gold”) is more common in the OT than aWp*z, and some scholars emend the text of Dan 10:5 to read this word. Cf. also “Ophir” (1 Kgs 9:28; Isa 13:12; Job 22:24; 28:16).

¹⁵sn Yellow jasper (Heb. tarsis) was a valuable stone. Its exact identity is somewhat uncertain. It may be the yellow jasper, although this is conjectural. Cf. NAB, NIV “chrysolite”; NASB, NRSV “beryl.”

¹⁶tn Heb “The sound of his words” (cf. v. 9).

¹⁷tn Heb “the vision.”

¹⁸tc The first words of v. 9 are absent in the LXX and the Syriac.

¹⁹tn Heb “as I listened to the sound of his words.”

²⁰tc Theodotion lacks “and the palms of my hands.”

tn Heb “on my knees and the palms of my hands.”

²¹tn The Hebrew participle is often used, as here, to refer to the imminent future.

²²tn Heb “stand upon your standing.”

²³tn Heb “spoke this word.”

²⁴tn Heb “gave your heart.”

²⁵tc 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).

²⁶tn Heb “speaking to me according to these words.”

²⁷tc So most Hebrew mss; one Hebrew ms along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX read “something that looked like a man’s hand.”

²⁸tn Heb “my lord,” here a title of polite address. Cf. v. 19.

²⁹tn Heb “How is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord?”

³⁰tn Heb “He added and touched me.” The construction is verbal hendiadys.

³¹sn The question is rhetorical, intended to encourage reflection on Daniel’s part.