Daniel 10:12
in Daniel 10“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words’ sake.
KJV
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
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This verse in Daniel 10
Commentary
14 notes on this verseVerse 12. "And he said to me: 'Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day when thou didst set thine heart to understand and to afflict thyself in the sight of thy God (variant: thy Lord), thy words have been heard and granted, and I have come forth in response to thy words" (Vulgate: on account of thy words).
This site's exposition
an hand touched me
on Daniel 10:10-14
The delay is explained: “the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days” until Michael came to help. Keil and Barnes name these princes as the text does; Michael Heiser reads them as a heavenly host set over the nations.
This site's exposition
your words were heard
For Ephrem, the first day was when Daniel began to fast. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown drew the lesson that words of prayer are heard at once before God, though the response may come later. Adam Clarke reads the man as sent in response to Daniel’s prayers.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"From the first day," that is, from that day when you began to fast, being inflamed by the desire to learn those things that you asked, so that you persevered in praying and supplicating before your God. "Your words have been heard, and I have …
"And he raised me from my knees and said to me, 'Daniel cherished man, understand in the words which I myself will speak to you and stand up in your place because now I am sent to you.' And when he spoke this word I stood trembling and he said to me, 'Do not be afraid Daniel because from the first day which you gave your heart to understand and to be afflicted before God, your words were heard.'" [Daniel 10:10-12] Behold, how strong the piety of the righteous man, so that the future things which have not yet been manifested in this world, are revealed to the worthy alone. First he was made to understand by the angel Gabriel, then secondly, by the Lord himself he was made wise.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. This vision is dated in the third year of Cyrus, that is, of his reign after the conquest of Babylon, his third year since Daniel became acquainted with him and a subject to him. A general idea of this prophecy (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
), to bring thee a gracious answer to thy prayers." Thus, when God's praying people call to him, he says, Here I am ( Isa. lviii. 9 ); what would you have with me? See the power of prayer, what glorious things it has, in its time, fetched from heaven, what strange discoveries!
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Then said he unto me, fear not, Daniel,....
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, As the entrance of God's word is enlightening to the upright, so the entrance of their prayers is pleasing to God, Ps. cxix. From the first day that we begin to look towards God in a way of duty he is ready to meet us in a way of mercy. Thus ready is God to hear prayer.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Prayer is heard at once in heaven, though the sensible answer may seem to be delayed. God's messenger was detained on the way (Da 10:13) by the opposition of the powers of darkness. If in our prayers amidst long protracted sorrows we believed God's angel is on his way to us, what consolation it would give us! for thy words--because of thy prayers.
I am come for thy words - On account of thy prayers I am sent to comfort and instruct thee.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then said he unto me, Fear not - Be not alarmed at my presence; do not fear that your devotions are not accepted, and that your prayers are not heard. For from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand - That is, by a season of extraordinary devotion.
Modern Voices2 voices
In Daniel 10 we see Daniel's prayers fueling a heavenly battle in which Gabriel is sent with a prophetic message but is delayed until Michael, the archangel, comes and fights this Persian principality.
A commentator
Dutch SheetsGive Him 15 daily devotional, "The Prince of Persia" (October 12, 2023) (2023)
As unusual as it sounds, the angel sent to answer Daniel’s prayers had been delayed for 21 days by the demonic resistance in the spiritual realm.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and I have come because of your words I have come on this mission because of your words. Our Rabbis, however, explained in Tractate Yoma (77a): “and I came within the curtain because of you, for I was banned from its midst.”
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
has been standing against me to battle with me in heaven by requesting an extension for the kingdom for Persia to enable them to subjugate you (Israel). Behold twenty-one days that he has been standing against me.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלַי֮ | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֣א | tira' | you fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| דָנִיֵּאל֒ | daniyel | O Daniel | H1840 → | 24 times |
| כִּ֣י׀ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַיּ֣וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן | harishon | <the> first | H7223 → | 182 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָתַ֧תָּ | natata | you gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לִבְּךָ֛ | libekha | heart your | H3820 → | |
| לְהָבִ֧ין | lehavin | to understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| וּלְהִתְעַנּ֛וֹת | ulehitanot | and to humble yourself | H6031 → | |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| נִשְׁמְע֣וּ | nishmeu | they were heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| דְבָרֶ֑יךָ | devareikha | words your | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| וַאֲנִי־ | vaani- | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| בָ֖אתִי | vati | I have come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בִּדְבָרֶֽיךָ׃ | bidvareikha | on words your | H1697 → | 1440 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֵלַי֮to me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֣אyou fear
tira'H3372 →315 times
דָנִיֵּאל֒O Daniel
daniyelH1840 →24 times
כִּ֣י׀for
kiH3588 →4482 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַיּ֣וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן<the> first
harishonH7223 →182 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נָתַ֧תָּyou gave
natataH5414 →2011 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
לִבְּךָ֛heart your
libekhaH3820 →
לְהָבִ֧יןto understand
lehavinH995 →170 times
וּלְהִתְעַנּ֛וֹתand to humble yourself
ulehitanotH6031 →
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
נִשְׁמְע֣וּthey were heard
nishmeuH8085 →1159 times
דְבָרֶ֑יךָwords your
devareikhaH1697 →1440 times
וַאֲנִי־and I
vaani-H589 →874 times
בָ֖אתִיI have come
vatiH935 →2568 times
בִּדְבָרֶֽיךָ׃on words your
bidvareikhaH1697 →1440 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 58:9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Matthew 7:7–8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Through
Daniel 10:19“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord,…
it leads to
- Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Judges 6:23
But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”
- Daniel 9:23
At the beginning of your petitions, an answer went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly precious. So consider the message and understand the vision:
- Isaiah 35:4
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Dutch Sheets, Give Him 15 daily devotional, "The Prince of Persia" (October 12, 2023); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 10:12; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.39.1-3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jane Hamon, Resisting the Prince Of Persia; Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, Chapter Ten; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Michael Heiser, The Unseen Realm.