Daniel 10:3
New International Version
I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

New Living Translation
All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.

English Standard Version
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

Berean Standard Bible
I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed.

King James Bible
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

New King James Version
I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

New American Standard Bible
I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

NASB 1995
I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

NASB 1977
I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed.

Legacy Standard Bible
I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were fulfilled.

Amplified Bible
I ate no tasty food, nor did any meat or wine enter my mouth; and I did not anoint (refresh, groom) myself at all for the full three weeks.

Christian Standard Bible
I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.

American Standard Version
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Contemporary English Version
I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair.

English Revised Version
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I didn't eat any good-tasting food. No meat or wine entered my mouth. I didn't wash myself until the entire three weeks were over.

Good News Translation
I did not eat any rich food or any meat, drink any wine, or comb my hair until the three weeks were past.

International Standard Version
I ate no fancy foods—neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn't use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks.

Majority Standard Bible
I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed.

NET Bible
I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips, nor did I anoint myself with oil until the end of those three weeks.

New Heart English Bible
I had no pleasing food, neither meat nor wine came into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Webster's Bible Translation
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

World English Bible
I ate no pleasant food. No meat or wine came into my mouth. I didn’t anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I have not eaten desirable bread, and no flesh and wine came into my mouth, and I have not anointed myself at all, until the completion of three weeks of days.

Young's Literal Translation
desirable bread I have not eaten, and flesh and wine hath not come in unto my mouth, and I have not anointed myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days.

Smith's Literal Translation
Bread of desires I ate not, and flesh and wine came not into my mouth, and anointing, I did not anoint myself even to the filling up of three weeks of days.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I ate no desirable bread, and neither meat, nor wine, entered my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment, until the three weeks of days were completed.

New American Bible
I ate no savory food, took no meat or wine, and did not anoint myself at all until the end of the three weeks.

New Revised Standard Version
I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I ate no dainty food, neither meat nor wine entered into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till fully three times seven weeks of days were fulfilled.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I did not eat pleasant bread and meat, and wine did not enter my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until three weeks of days were finished
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I ate no pleasant bread, and no flesh or wine entered into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself with oil, until three whole weeks were accomplished.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Daniel's Vision by the Tigris
2In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. 3I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed. 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,…

Cross References
Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. / But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, / so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Joel 2:12
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Esther 4:16
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

Acts 13:2-3
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Ezra 9:3-5
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror. / Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat there in horror until the evening offering. / At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

2 Samuel 12:16-17
David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground. / The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

Isaiah 58:3-5
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers. / You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high. / Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Jonah 3:5-9
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. / When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. / Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. ...

1 Kings 21:27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Matthew 9:14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Acts 10:30
Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me

1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

Zechariah 7:3-5
by asking the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts, as well as the prophets, “Should I weep and fast in the fifth month, as I have done these many years?” / Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying, / “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?


Treasury of Scripture

I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

I ate.

Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

Isaiah 24:6-11
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left…

1 Corinthians 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

pleasant bread.

Daniel 11:8
And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.

Job 33:20
So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

Amos 5:11
Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

neither did.

2 Samuel 19:24
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

Matthew 6:17
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

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














I ate no rich food
The phrase "rich food" in Hebrew is "lechem chamudot," which can be translated as "desirable bread" or "pleasant food." This indicates that Daniel abstained from foods that were considered luxurious or indulgent. In the historical context, such foods would have been reserved for special occasions or for those in positions of wealth and power. Daniel's choice to abstain reflects a deliberate act of humility and self-denial, aligning with the biblical principle of fasting as a means to seek God earnestly. This act of abstaining from rich foods symbolizes a deeper spiritual hunger and a desire to prioritize spiritual nourishment over physical pleasures.

no meat or wine entered my mouth
The abstention from "meat or wine" further emphasizes Daniel's commitment to a period of fasting and mourning. In ancient Near Eastern culture, meat and wine were often associated with celebration and joy. By refraining from these, Daniel was not only practicing self-discipline but also expressing a state of lamentation and earnest seeking of God's presence. This mirrors the Nazarite vow, where individuals would abstain from wine and other luxuries to dedicate themselves wholly to God. Daniel's actions here can be seen as a form of consecration, setting himself apart to receive divine revelation.

and I did not anoint myself with oil
Anointing with oil was a common practice in ancient times for personal grooming and refreshment, especially in the arid climate of the Middle East. It was also a symbol of joy and festivity. By choosing not to anoint himself, Daniel was visibly demonstrating his mourning and humility. This act of self-denial is reminiscent of other biblical figures who fasted and mourned, such as David and the people of Nineveh. It underscores the seriousness of Daniel's spiritual pursuit and his desire to humble himself before God, seeking divine intervention and understanding.

until the three weeks were over
The specific mention of "three weeks" indicates a set period of time dedicated to this fast. The number three in biblical numerology often signifies completeness or divine perfection. This period of three weeks, or twenty-one days, suggests a complete cycle of seeking and waiting upon the Lord. It reflects Daniel's perseverance and commitment to prayer and fasting, despite the lack of immediate answers. This duration also highlights the importance of patience and persistence in spiritual disciplines, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their pursuit of God, trusting that He will respond in His perfect timing.

(3) Pleasant bread--i.e., delicate food. Abstaining from this as well as from the use of oil (comp. 2Samuel 12:20; Amos 6:6) were the outward signs of Daniel's grief.

Verse 3. - I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. The versions are in perfect agreement with the Massoretic text. Pleasant bread; "bread of desires" is the rendering of the Septuagint and of Theodotion; the word is the same in Hebrew and Greek as that applied to Daniel. Neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth. This shows that the practice adopted by Daniel and his fellows during their training was not regarded by Daniel, at least as incumbent on him after he could regulate his own affairs. His ordinary habit was to eat flesh and to drink wine; but during these weeks of fast, he denied himself these dainties. Neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. The pleasure of anointing the body with oil was highly esteemed among the ancients. It is impossible to fail to recognize, in this passage, the origin of the Essenian discipline. The Essenes abstained, from flesh, from wine, and from anointing themselves. Daniel thus abstained, as a sign of sorrow for the sin of his people; they made this fast a perpetual discipline. They waited for the salvation of Israel, and endeavoured, by fasting, to hasten the coming of the Lord. The converse of this, that Daniel's fast is derived from the Essene discipline, is not to be thought cf. It is a sign of a later development, when such practices of self-denial, from being the incidents of a life which occur on special occasions, become its rule. As early as B.C. 106 an Essene is mentioned teaching in the temple, and mentioned with no evidence that his sect was a thing of recent origin. The limits are narrow between the critical date of Daniel and this date that within them so prominent a sect as the Essenes should spring up.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I ate
אָכַ֗לְתִּי (’ā·ḵal·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 398: To eat

no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

rich
חֲמֻד֞וֹת (ḥă·mu·ḏō·wṯ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2530: To desire, take pleasure in

food,
לֶ֣חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

no
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

meat
וּבָשָׂ֥ר (ū·ḇā·śār)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1320: Flesh, body, person, the pudenda of a, man

or wine
וָיַ֛יִן (wā·ya·yin)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3196: Wine, intoxication

entered
בָ֥א (ḇā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

my mouth,
פִּ֖י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

and I did not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

anoint myself with oil
וְס֣וֹךְ (wə·sō·wḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5480: To pour (in anointing), anoint

until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

the three
שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת (šə·lō·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

weeks
שָׁבֻעִ֖ים (šā·ḇu·‘îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7620: A period of seven (days, years), heptad, week

were completed.
מְלֹ֕את (mə·lōṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of


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OT Prophets: Daniel 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread neither came (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 10:2
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