How is Daniel strengthened to hear the messenger?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Mourning and a disabling vision precede repeated touches, reassurance and news about Persia, Greece and Michael.

Chapter breakdown

In Cyrus's third year a true word of great strength is revealed to Daniel, also called Baltassar, and he understands the vision. He mourns for three weeks, eating no desirable bread, flesh or wine and using no ointment. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, beside the Tigris, he sees a man in linen with a girdle of fine gold. His body is like chrysolite, his face like lightning, eyes like burning lamps, arms and lower parts like glittering brass, and voice like a multitude.

Daniel alone sees the vision; those with him do not see it, but terror drives them to flee and hide. His strength leaves him and his countenance changes. Hearing the voice, he falls face down in consternation. A hand touches him and raises him to his knees and hands. Addressed as a man of desires, he is told to stand and hears that his words were heard from the first day he sought understanding and afflicted himself. The prince of Persia resisted for twenty-one days, until Michael, one of the chief princes, helped; the messenger remained there beside the king of Persia. He has come to tell what will befall Daniel's people in latter days, for the vision concerns days still to come.

Daniel looks down silently. A likeness of a son of man touches his lips, and he describes his loosened joints, lack of strength and stopped breath. The man touches him again, tells him peace and courage, and strengthens him; Daniel asks him to speak. The messenger asks whether Daniel knows why he came, says he will return to fight Persia's prince and reports that, when he went forth, Greece's prince appeared coming. He will announce what is written in the scripture of truth; only Michael, Daniel's prince, helps in these things.

The edition interprets Persia's prince as that kingdom's guardian spirit, who desired many Jews to remain there. It calls Michael guardian of the Church in general. The messenger is not named Gabriel in this chapter, and the account does not supply a general timetable for how prayers produce spiritual conflicts.

The story inside

Daniel’s companions flee in terror although they do not see the vision. The messenger says Daniel’s words were heard from the first day. The chapter does not name the messenger Gabriel; guardian explanations belong to the edition.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Daniel’s companions flee in terror although they do not see the vision.
2
The messenger says Daniel’s words were heard from the first day.
3
The chapter does not name the messenger Gabriel; guardian explanations belong to the edition.

Test your recall

What food and ointment restrictions describe Daniel’s mourning?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 98381–98390
10:1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, a word was revealed to Daniel, surnamed Baltassar, and a true word, and great strength: and he understood the word: for there is need of understanding in a vision. 10:2. In those days I, Daniel, mourned the days of three weeks. 10:3. I ate no desirable bread, and neither flesh, nor wine, entered into my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment: till the days of three weeks were accomplished.
Lines 98395–98405
10:5. And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw: and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with the finest gold: 10:6. And his body was like the chrysolite, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as a burning lamp: and his arms, and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering brass: and the voice of his word like the voice of a multitude. 10:7. And I, Daniel alone, saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw it not: but an exceeding great terror fell upon them, and they fled away, and hid themselves.
Lines 98414–98427
10:10. And behold a hand touched me, and lifted me up upon my knees, and upon the joints of my hands. 10:11. And he said to me: Daniel, thou man of desires, understand the words that I speak to thee, and stand upright: for I am sent now to thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood trembling. 10:12. And he said to me: Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, to afflict thyself in the sight of thy God, thy words have been heard: and I am come for thy words. 10:13. But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians.
Lines 98429–98434
The prince, etc.... That is, the angel guardian of Persia: who according to his office, seeking the spiritual good of the Persians was desirous that many of the Jews should remain among them. 10:14. But I am come to teach thee what things shall befall thy people in the latter days, for as yet the vision is for days.
Lines 98439–98452
10:16. And behold as it were the likeness of a son of man touched my lips: then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to him that stood before me: O my lord, at the sight of thee my joints are loosed, and no strength hath remained in me. 10:17. And how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me; moreover, my breath is stopped. 10:18. Therefore, he that looked like a man, touched me again, and strengthened me. 10:19. And he said: Fear not, O man of desires, peace be to thee: take courage, and be strong. And when he spoke to me, I grew strong, and I said: Speak, O my lord, for thou hast strengthened me.
Lines 98454–98461
10:20. And he said: Dost thou know wherefore I am come to thee? And now I will return, to fight against the prince of the Persians. When I went forth, there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. 10:21. But I will tell thee what is set down in the scripture of truth: and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince. Michael your prince.... The guardian general of the church of God.