Daniel 10:1

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Daniel 10:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Daniel 10:1 — American Standard Version

Context — Daniel 10

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1In 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.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, etc.] Not of his being king of Persia only, but of the Medopersian empire, after he had subdued the Babylonian empire, and annexed it to his dominions; and this is not to be reckoned from the time of his taking Babylon, and putting the government of it into the hands of his uncle Darius, with whom he jointly reigned; but from the time of his uncle’s death, when he was sole monarch of the whole empire: he reigned thirty years, as Cicerof450, from a Persian writer, relates; which is to be reckoned from the time of his being appointed by his uncle commander-in-chief of the Persian and Median armies; for from his taking of Babylon to his death were but…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“DANIEL COMFORTED BY AN ANGELIC VISION. (Dan. 10:1-21) third year of Cyrus--two years after Cyrus' decree for the restoration of the Jews had gone forth, in accordance with Daniel's prayer in Dan. 9:3-19. This vision gives not merely general outlines, or symbols, but minute details of the future, in short, anticipative history. It is the expansion of the vision in Dan 8:1-14. That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood"; the messenger being sent to him for this (Dan 10:11, Dan 10:14), to make him understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; for in Dan 1:21, it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus"; not that he died then. See…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia - In regard to Cyrus, see the notes at Isaiah 41:2. In Daniel 1:21, it is said that “Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.” But it is not necessarily implied in that passage that he “died” then. It may mean only that he continued in authority, and was employed, in various ways, as a public officer, until that time. See the note at that passage. For anything that appears, he may have lived several years after, though, for causes now unknown, he may have retired from the court after the accession of Cyrus. This vision may have occurred when he was no longer a public officer, though the whole narrative leads us to suppose that he had…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“10:1–12:13 This final vision reaches historically from 536 BC to a distant future when Daniel would be raised from the dead and receive his inheritance. All earthly kingdoms would be destroyed, the eternal kingdom of the Son of Man would arise, God’s people would finally be rescued, and death—the ultimate enemy—would be defeated. 10:1 The third year of the reign of King Cyrus was 536 BC, not long after Cyrus issued his decree for the peoples and nations to return to their ancestral homes (2 Chr 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-2). Daniel’s prayer (Dan 9:4-19) had been answered—the Exile had ended. • Belteshazzar: See 1:7.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“am 3470, bc 534 Cyrus: Dan 1:21, Dan 6:28; Ch2 36:22, Ch2 36:23; Ezr 1:1, Ezr 1:2, Ezr 1:7, Ezr 1:8, Ezr 3:7, Ezr 4:3, Ezr 4:5, Ezr 5:13-17, Ezr 6:3, Ezr 6:14; Isa 44:28, Isa 45:1 whose: Dan 1:7, Dan 4:8, Dan 5:12 and the: Dan 8:26, Dan 11:2; Gen 41:32; Luk 1:20; Rev 19:9 but: Dan 10:14, Dan 12:4, Dan 12:9 long: Heb. great and he: Dan 1:17, Dan 2:21, Dan 5:17, Dan 8:16, Dan 9:22, Dan 9:23 Daniel 10:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The Theophany - Daniel 10-11:2a The Introduction to the Following Manifestation of God - Dan 10:1-3 This verse is to be regarded as an inscription or general statement of the substance of it. Therefore Daniel speaks of himself in the third person, as in Dan 7:1, and in the historical portions Daniel 1-6. The definition of the time, "In the first year of Cores (Cyrus) king of Persia," refers us back to Dan 1:21, but it does not, as has been there already remarked, stand in contradiction to the first year of Cyrus named there. דּבר is the following revelation, which was communicated to the prophet not by a vision (חזון), but by a manifestation of God (מראה), and was given in the form of simple…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification