In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia
This phrase situates the narrative in a specific historical context. Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, is a pivotal figure in biblical history. His decree in 538 BC allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 44:28). The "third year" of his reign would be around 536 BC. This period marks a time of transition and hope for the Jewish people, as they begin to see the fulfillment of God's promises. The historical accuracy of Cyrus's reign is well-documented through archaeological findings, such as the Cyrus Cylinder, which corroborates the biblical account of his policies of religious tolerance and restoration.

a message was revealed to Daniel
The word "message" here is significant, as it indicates divine communication. The Hebrew word used is "dabar," which can mean word, matter, or thing. This suggests that what Daniel received was not just a vision but a profound revelation from God. Daniel, known for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams, is once again chosen as the recipient of God's message. This highlights the ongoing relationship between Daniel and God, emphasizing Daniel's role as a prophet and a trusted servant.

who was called Belteshazzar
This phrase reminds the reader of Daniel's Babylonian name, given to him by Nebuchadnezzar's chief official (Daniel 1:7). The name Belteshazzar, which means "Bel, protect his life," reflects the Babylonian attempt to assimilate Daniel into their culture. However, throughout the book, Daniel remains faithful to his Hebrew identity and God. This duality of names underscores the tension between living in a foreign land and maintaining one's faith and identity.

The message was true
The assertion of the message's truthfulness is crucial. In a world where false prophets and deceptive visions were common, the reliability of God's revelation to Daniel is emphasized. The Hebrew word for "true" is "emet," which conveys faithfulness, reliability, and certainty. This assurance of truth is foundational for believers, as it reinforces the trustworthiness of God's word and His promises.

and concerned a great conflict
The phrase "great conflict" indicates the gravity and intensity of the vision. The Hebrew word "tsaba" can mean warfare, struggle, or service. This suggests that the message pertains to significant spiritual and earthly battles. Historically, this could refer to the struggles faced by the Jewish people during the Persian period and beyond. Spiritually, it points to the cosmic battle between good and evil, a theme prevalent throughout the book of Daniel.

He understood the message
Daniel's understanding of the message is noteworthy. The Hebrew word "bin" implies discernment and insight. Daniel's ability to comprehend the vision is a testament to his wisdom and the divine enlightenment he receives. This understanding is not just intellectual but spiritual, as Daniel is able to grasp the deeper implications of the revelation.

and had understanding of the vision
The repetition of the concept of understanding emphasizes its importance. The word "vision" in Hebrew is "mareh," which can refer to a sight or appearance. Daniel's comprehension of the vision signifies his role as an interpreter of divine mysteries. This understanding is a gift from God, enabling Daniel to convey the message to others and fulfill his prophetic mission. The clarity and depth of Daniel's insight serve as an inspiration for believers to seek wisdom and understanding through prayer and study of God's word.

(1) A thing.--A revelation, as Daniel 9:25. The contents of the revelation are specified in the perplexing words, "the thing was true, and the time appointed (comp. Daniel 8:12) was long," by which is meant apparently that truth and long tribulation were the subject of their vision. "Time appointed" is translated "warfare" (Isaiah 40:2), and is here used in the same sense, meaning "hardship" or "tribulation." This revelation, however, speaks of the "warfare" which not Israel only, but all God's people must undergo before the coming of the Messiah in His kingdom.

And he understood.--Comp. Daniel 8:27. It appears from Daniel 12:8 that the whole was not understood by him. Certainly the duration of the tribulation was not clearly revealed to the prophet, though he received enigmatic declarations respecting it (Daniel 12:10, &c.). . . .

Verses 1-21. - THE ANGELS OF THE NATIONS. The three chapters (10, 11, and 12.) form a section apart from the rest of Daniel. One marked peculiarity is the long and very old interpolation which occupies nearly the whole of ch. 11. Not improbably something has dropped out, and. not a few things have been modified in consequence of this interpolation. Verse 1. - 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. The Septuagint rendering is, "In the first year of Cyrus King of the Persians." This is at variance with all other versions. As, however, these other versions are derived from the Palestinian recension, they unitedly do not much more than counterbalance the LXX, "A decree (πρόσταγμα) was revealed to Daniel who was called Beltasar, and the vision is true and the decree." This is a case of doublet. Evidently some Egyptian manuscripts read חָזון (hazon) instead of חַדָּבָר (haddabar), and this, or the rendering of it, has slipped into the text from the margin. "And a strong multitude understood the decree." The translator here has had יבין, not ובין, before him. Aquila has the same reading; here צָבָא (tzaba) is taken in its usual sense of "host," "And I understood it in vision." Here the LXX. has לִי instead of לו. From the fact that the first person appears in the next verse, there is at least a probability in favour of this reading. Theodotion is, as usual, closer to the Massoretic. צָבָא is rendered δύναμις. The text before him has had הוּבין, the hophal, instead of ובין, which is possibly the kal. The Peshitta seems to have used a text practically identical with that of the Massoretes; the same is true of the Vulgate. The Peshitta renders צָבָא by heel, and the Vulgate by fortitudo. In the third year of Cyrus. The various reading of the Septuagint is of value. It is not to be dismissed as due to a desire to harmonize this date with that in Daniel 1:21, for the numeral "third" might easily be an accidental mistake present in some few Palestinian manuscripts due to the beginning of the eighth chapter. The first chapter, as we have seen, has many traces that it is at once an epitome and a compilation. It is evident that the writer in the first chapter would have the rest of the book before him, and would mean to harmonize his statements with that of the chapter before us. It seems difficult to imagine that the compiler of the first chapter could have this statement before him, and yet write as he did. We should therefore be inclined to leave the question doubtful. Even if it should be admitted that the Massoretic date is correct, as we have already seen, the difficulties created are by no means insuperable. Hitzig has made it a difficulty that Daniel did not avail himself of the permission to return to his own country, granted by Cyrus. Professor Bevan says, "For those who believe Daniel to be an ideal figure, no explanation is necessary." In that assertion he is mistaken. If Daniel were presented as an ideal Jew, why does he not conform to the ideal of Judaism? The statement that Daniel was a man of nearly ninety years of age at the date of Cyrus's proclamation is a sufficient answer to this difficulty. Hitzig thinks he rebuts this answer of Havernick's by referring to the old men (Ezra 3:12) who remembered the former temple; but these might have been children of ten or twelve when they were carried away captive eighteen years after Daniel, and thus might not be more than sixty when Cyrus's decree came. Further, we know that only a very limited number of Jews returned, and that so many of the best of the Jews remained that it was declared that the chaff came to Jerusalem, but that the finest of the wheat remained in Babylon. A thing was revealed unto Daniel whose name was called Belteshazzar. "Thing" is the general term dabar, which means sometimes "decree," sometimes "word," or sometimes, as rendered by the Authorized, " thing." As Professor Fuller remarks, this is to be taken as the title of the rest of the remaining sections. The recurrence of the Babylonian name "Belteshazzar" may be due to the recency of the overthrow of the Babylonian monarchy. And the thing was true, but the time appointed was long. Hitzig thinks that in the first clause the author betrays his standpoint, as he would not know the thing was true till fact had proved it so. But, besides that an editor might have added this clause, a man might well be certain of the truth of a thing he had got from God; he might wish to impress this upon his hearers. The last clause here is certainly mistranslated in the Authorized. The time appointed was long. צָבָא (tzaba) never means "appointed time," although it is twice translated so in Job, as here; but in all these cases with greater accuracy render "warfare." With this sense is to be compared the use we find in Numbers 15:23-43, where the Levites' service in the sanctuary is called צָבָא (tzaba). If we are to keep to the Massoretic reading, then the rendering of the Revised is really the only one to be thought cf. Professor Bevan, following Ewald, thinking that tzaba means in ch. 8:1:4 "temple service," would apply this meaning here. As we saw, in considering that verse, the word there was of very doubtful authenticity, we need not apply that meaning here, as it would only suit by being twisted into "obligation." Hitzig, Kranichfeld, Zockler, Keil, and others regard this word as meaning "difficulty," "oppression." Something may, however, be said for the Septuagint rendering, all the more that it was adopted by Aquila. According to these renderings, we conjoin these words, great hosts, צָבָא גָדול, with the next, which they understand read as third person singular imperfect kal, or omit the conjunction, "And a great multitude understood the decree." "The host" in this interpretation would here naturally mean "the host of heaven." We find that throughout this chapter, and in the twelfth, we have to do with the angels, so it is natural that in this title and summary of what is to follow the fact that the great host of heaven understood this mystery should be stated. Theodotion's rendering, "power," though supported by Jerome in the Vulgate, need not detain us. The view of Jephet-ibn-Ali is that the host may be of Edom, probably meaning by this Rome. And he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. This is a fairly correct rendering of the Hebrew. Von Lengerke would make the verbs imperative, which certainly they might be, so far as form goes, but the intrusion of imperatives here into the title of a section seems violent. The main difficulty, moreover, is not touched. As they stand, these two clauses assert the same thing, and if with Yon Lengerke we make them both imperatives, we have the difficulty still present with us. It may be a case of "doublet." This is an hypothesis we scarcely would adopt except in necessity, since the Septuagint has both clauses. Theodotion, however, has only one of them. We feel ourselves inclined to follow the reading of the Septuagint. The angels understood the matter, and he - Daniel - understood it also by the vision.

Parallel Commentaries ...


In the third
שָׁל֗וֹשׁ (šā·lō·wōš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

year
בִּשְׁנַ֣ת (biš·naṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8141: A year

of Cyrus
לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ (lə·ḵō·w·reš)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3566: Cyrus -- a person king

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Persia,
פָּרַ֔ס (pā·ras)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6539: Persia -- a country in west Asia which conquered Babylon

a message
דָּבָר֙ (dā·ḇār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

was revealed
נִגְלָ֣ה (niḡ·lāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

to Daniel,
לְדָֽנִיֵּ֔אל (lə·ḏā·nî·yêl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1840: Daniel -- 'God is my judge', the name of several Israelites

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

was called
נִקְרָ֥א (niq·rā)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

Belteshazzar.
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר (bê·lə·ṭə·šaṣ·ṣar)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1095: Belteshazzar -- Babylonian name of Daniel

The message
הַדָּבָר֙ (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

was true,
וֶאֱמֶ֤ת (we·’ĕ·meṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

and it concerned a great
גָד֔וֹל (ḡā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

conflict.
וְצָבָ֣א (wə·ṣā·ḇā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

And the understanding
וּבִ֥ינָה (ū·ḇî·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 998: An understanding

of the message
הַדָּבָ֔ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

was given to him
וּבִין֙ (ū·ḇîn)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

in a vision.
בַּמַּרְאֶֽה׃ (bam·mar·’eh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4758: Sight, appearance, vision


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OT Prophets: Daniel 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king (Dan. Da Dn)