The Meaning of Daniel 10:1 Explained

Daniel 10:1

KJV: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

YLT: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing is revealed to Daniel, whose name is called Belteshazzar, and the thing is true, and the warfare is great: and he hath understood the thing, and hath understanding about the appearance.

Darby: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing is true, but the appointed time of trial is long; and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

ASV: In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the third  year  of Cyrus  king  of Persia  a thing  was revealed  unto Daniel,  whose name  was called  Belteshazzar;  and the thing  [was] true,  but the time appointed  [was] long:  and he understood  the thing,  and had understanding  of the vision. 

What does Daniel 10:1 Mean?

Study Notes

abominations
(Cf) Matthew 24:15 . The expression occurs three times in Daniel. In; Daniel 9:27 ; Daniel 12:11 the reference is to the "Beast," "man of sin"; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and is identical with Matthew 24:15 . In Daniel 11:31 the reference is to the act of Antiochus Epiphanes, the prototype of the man of sin, who sacrificed a sow upon the altar, and entered the holy of holies.

Verse Meaning

This section can be divided into seven parts.
The background of the vision10:1
The third year of Cyrus" rule as king over Babylon was536 B.C. Cyrus had begun ruling over Persia in558 B.C, but Daniel"s and the other biblical writers" interest in Cyrus was as ruler over Babylon, which he conquered in539 B.C. ( Daniel 5:31). Cyrus had issued his decree allowing the Jews to return to their land and to rebuild their temple in538 B.C. Some of them had departed that same year under Zerubbabel"s leadership. They had reinstituted the sacrifices by537 B.C. ( Ezra 3:6), and by536 B.C. they had begun to rebuild the temple ( Ezra 3:8). Daniel would have been in his80s in536 B.C, and his age may account for his not returning to the Promised Land. Daniel remained in government service until the first year of Cyrus (538 B.C, Daniel 1:21), but he remained in Babylon for several additional years, perhaps in "retirement."
Critics have attacked the Book of Daniel because, they claim, the title "Cyrus king of Persia" was not a contemporary way of referring to him. [1] However, this would have been a perfectly legitimate way of referring to this king unofficially, if not officially. [2] Perhaps Daniel"s Babylonian name appears again here to assure the reader that this was the same Daniel whom we met in preceding chapters (cf. Daniel 1:7). He was the Daniel who had unusual skill in understanding visions and dreams ( Daniel 1:17).
The message that came to Daniel was a revelation from God that included a vision. The emphasis on "message" in this verse may indicate that, in contrast to the preceding visions, this one came primarily as a spoken message, perhaps again from an angel. Daniel claimed that the message was true and that it involved a revelation of great conflict to come. The AV translation "the time appointed was long" has less linguistic support, but the message did involve prophecy yet far distant in the future. Daniel apparently understood this vision better than he had some of the earlier ones (e.g, Daniel 8:27). This verse as a whole prepares the reader for the revelation itself, which has major significance.
"The revelation in the vision given to Daniel on this occasion shattered any hope the prophet might have had that Israel would enjoy her new freedom and peace for long." [3]

Context Summary

Daniel 10:1-21 - The Vision By The River
This chapter gives a glimpse into the great conflict which is always in progress between heaven and hell. For three weeks the radiant Being who came to Daniel as he prayed and fasted by the great river, was withstood by the mighty fallen spirit, who was concerned with the destinies of the kingdom of Persia; and it was only when he was succored and reinforced that he was able to accomplish the divine errand, Daniel 10:13. What a revelation is here-that probably each heathen country is ruled by some wicked spirit in the high places; that the fight is at times almost overpowering even for bright unfallen angels; and that the blessings which are ours are sometimes delayed because of the storms that sweep the ocean through which they come. Perhaps by our prayer we are able to throw an ounce-weight into the scale, and turn the battle. How reassuring the touch of that hand and tender the address of that voice. Who cannot be strong when strengthened by the right hand of God? Go forth into the fight of another day! God holds thy right hand. Be true and strong; thou canst not fail! [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 10

1  Daniel, having humbled himself, sees a vision
10  Being troubled with fear, he is comforted by the angel

What do the individual words in Daniel 10:1 mean?

In year three of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel whose was called name Belteshazzar and [was] true the message but the appointed time [was] long and he understood - the message and understanding had of the vision
בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁל֗וֹשׁ לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס דָּבָר֙ נִגְלָ֣ה לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל אֲשֶׁר־ נִקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר וֶאֱמֶ֤ת הַדָּבָר֙ וְצָבָ֣א גָד֔וֹל וּבִין֙ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֔ר וּבִ֥ינָה ל֖וֹ בַּמַּרְאֶֽה

בִּשְׁנַ֣ת  In  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שָׁל֗וֹשׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙  of  Cyrus 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּורֶשׁ  
Sense: the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
פָּרַ֔ס  of  Persia 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פָּרַס  
Sense: the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south.
דָּבָר֙  a  message 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
נִגְלָ֣ה  was  revealed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל  to  Daniel 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּנִאֵל 
Sense: the 2nd son of David, by Abigail the Carmelitess.
אֲשֶׁר־  whose 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִקְרָ֥א  was  called 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר  Belteshazzar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר  
Sense: the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon; because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel.
וֶאֱמֶ֤ת  and  [was]  true 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
הַדָּבָר֙  the  message 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וְצָבָ֣א  but  the  appointed  time 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
גָד֔וֹל  [was]  long 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּבִין֙  and  he  understood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדָּבָ֔ר  the  message 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וּבִ֥ינָה  and  understanding 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּינָה  
Sense: understanding, discernment.
בַּמַּרְאֶֽה  of  the  vision 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.