Daniel 10:18
in Daniel 10Again the one with the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.
KJV
Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,
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This verse in Daniel 10
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"And he came close," he says, "and he touched me as an appearance of a man and he strengthened me and he said to me, 'Do not fear cherished man. Peace to you, be strong like a man.'" [Daniel 10:18-19] For when all the strength and glory of our life is ended, then we are empowered by the outstretched hand of Christ, who also raises us as the living from the dead and as from Hades to the resurrection of life.
This site's exposition
one like the appearance of a man
on Daniel 10:18-19
One like the appearance of a man touches Daniel again and strengthens him, calling him a man greatly beloved a third time across these two chapters, the same title given at 9:23 and 10:11, each time preceding words Daniel needed courage to hear. Peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong is spoken twice for emphasis, and only after it does Daniel find enough strength to ask the messenger to speak. The bench reads the doubled strengthening, hand then voice, as the pattern proper to a man facing what no unaided strength can carry.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
When the strength of our life fails and we leave behind all earthly glory, so that we are no longer strong in it, then we receive the power from God, as Christ stretches out his hand upon us and says, "Be bold and strong."
He meant, "Do not be in distress at all; for I did not come to harm you but to make known to you what you desired to know. Cast off your fear, be brave, and be strong." And the deed followed word.
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
Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man,.... Or one like a man again touched him; the same that touched him before, Dan 10:16, perhaps Gabriel, since he uses the same language in the following verse as he does Dan 10:11, and he strengthened me; both in body and mind, by his free and familiar conversation with him, and the comfortable words he spoke to him, a divine power accompanying them for that purpose.
When he only appeared, as he had done before ( ch. ix. 21 ), we do not find that Daniel was put into any disorder by it, as he was by this vision; and therefore he is here employed a third time with Daniel.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, The hand of God's power going along with the word of his grace is alone effectual to redress all our grievances, and to rectify whatever is amiss in us. One touch from heaven brings us to our knees, sets us on our feet, opens our lips, and strengthens us; for it is God that works on us, and works in us, both to will and to do that which is good.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
again . . . touched me--It was gradually that Daniel recovered his strength. Hence there was need of the second touch, that he might hear the angel with composure.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
WE are not able, as yet, to bear the full revelation of Divine things. If any intellect had been strong enough, if any heart had been pure enough to see the exceeding glory of the Covenant angel, surely Daniel possessed such a head and heart. But even he fell upon his face and was cast into a dead swoon, for he was unable to bear the sight of the man clothed in linen, whose "body was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning." We ought to be thankful that our God has revealed no more. The Word of God is as excellent in its darkness as in its brightness. Had it unveiled more, its discoveries would have been no more beneficial—perhaps they had been less profitable. As it is, there is far more within this Book than you and I have seen as yet, and we need not wish that more had been written. If we entertain such a desire, our loving Lord may silence us with the words, "I have many things to show unto you, but you cannot bear them now." It appears from our text that, when weighed down under a sense of the Divine Presence, the readiest method of consolation is found in the touch of a certain sublime, mysterious, human hand. I know it is very usual to say that the personage who appeared to Daniel was the angel, Gabriel, but I cannot bring myself to believe that he is the angel of this chapter.
WE are not able, as yet, to bear the full revelation of Divine things. If any intellect had been strong enough, if any heart had been pure enough to see the exceeding glory of the Covenant angel, surely Daniel possessed such a head and heart. But even he fell upon his face and was cast into a dead swoon, for he was unable to bear the sight of the man clothed in linen, whose "body was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning." We ought to be thankful that our God has revealed no more.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then there came again, and touched me ... - The same one is here referred to doubtless who is mentioned in Dan 10:16 - the angel. He came to him again in this condescending and familiar manner in order to allay his fears, and to prepare him to receive his communications with entire calmness.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧סֶף | vaiyosef | and he repeated | H3254 → | |
| וַיִּגַּע־ | vaiyiga'- | and he touched | H5060 → | 150 times |
| בִּ֛י | bi | <in> me | ||
| כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה | kemareh | like [the] appearance of | H4758 → | 103 times |
| אָדָ֖ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽנִי׃ | vaychazekeni | and he strengthened me | H2388 → | 291 times |
וַיֹּ֧סֶףand he repeated
vaiyosefH3254 →
וַיִּגַּע־and he touched
vaiyiga'-H5060 →150 times
בִּ֛י<in> me
bi
כְּמַרְאֵ֥הlike [the] appearance of
kemarehH4758 →103 times
אָדָ֖םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽנִי׃and he strengthened me
vaychazekeniH2388 →291 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
Luke 22:43Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.
it leads to
- Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.
- Matthew 26:53
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Psalms 91:11–12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- 1 Timothy 3:16
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world,…
- Matthew 4:11
Through
Daniel 10:10Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 10:16
And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 1:17
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
- Jeremiah 1:9
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, FRAGMENTS ON DANIEL 10:19; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1295: “Our Lord's Humanity a Sweet Source of Comfort” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.39.7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Prophet Daniel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 10:18-19.