Daniel 12:10
in Daniel 12Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but they that are wise shall understand.
KJV
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
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This verse in Daniel 12
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThey maintain that Daniel also set forth the same thing when he begged of the angels explanations of the parables, as being himself ignorant of them. But the angel, hiding from him the great mystery of Bythus, said unto him, "Go thy way quickly, Daniel, for these sayings are closed up until those who have understanding do understand them, and those who are white be made white." Moreover, they vaunt themselves as being the white and the men of good understanding.
This site's exposition
purified, and made white, and tried
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried, while the wicked continue in wickedness and understand nothing of what is unfolding, and only the wise are given to understand. The verse gives coming suffering a refining purpose rather than a merely punishing one, the same purging the chapter eleven corridor named at verse 35, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white. Wesley and the older writers read the line as the book's own answer to the trouble named at verse 1, affliction sent to sift rather than only to destroy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
After these things were spoken in this way, the prophet, wishing to more precisely investigate what would be the kind of things which would happen after the resurrection, he answered him and said, "'Lord what will be the end of these?' And he said, 'Come Daniel, because these words are closed and sealed until the end of time, until many are chosen and are made white and are tried with fire and the lawless shall be lawless and the wise shall understand and you, come and rest. For there are still many days to the fulfillment of the consummation and to the resurrection, to your inheritance at the consummation of days.'" [Daniel 12:8-10] For since what God prepared for the saints a man is now not able to describe, for neither his eye sees, nor his ear hears, nor the heart of a man ascends to it, for which even the angels desire to glimpse, he spoke in this way to him, "These words are sealed until the end of time until many are chosen and are made white and are tried with fire." [Daniel 12:9-10] But who are the chosen, but they who are found worthy of the kingdom? And who is whitened, but they who believe the word of truth so that they are whitened through it and casting off the filth of sins they are clothed with purity from heaven and the radiant Holy Spirit, so that when the cloud is present they may immediately enter with him? And who are they who are tried with fire except they who pass through fire and water through the washing of rebirth of the Spirit and do the will of the Father through many fiery trials and afflictions. "And the lawless shall be lawless and the wise shall understand." [Daniel 12:10] They who are lawless are that way through their own choice and the wise again, through their own choice, are satisfied.
"And I heard, and understood not. And I said, 'O my lord, what shall happen after these things?' And he said, 'Go, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be chosen and made white and shall be tried as fire; and the wicked shall deal wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the learned shall understand.'" The prophet wished to comprehend what he had seen, or rather, what he had heard, and he desired to understand the reality of the things to come. For he had heard of the various wars of kings, and of battles between them, and a detailed narrative of events; but he had not heard the names of the individual persons involved. And if the prophet himself heard and did not understand, what will be the case with those men who presumptuously expound a book which has been sealed, and that too unto the time of the end, a book which is shrouded with many obscurities? But he comments that when the end comes, the ungodly will lack comprehension, whereas those who are learned in the teaching of God will be able to understand. "For wisdom will not enter the perverted soul, nor can it impart itself to a body which is subject to sins."
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Piety is profitable for knowing truths. God gives His gifts upon every creature: but the knowledge of truth He gives only to those who act piously. It is said in Daniel: "Moreover the impious shall act impiously": revelation shall be closed to the impious. If …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And no relief is so sovereign, of such general application, so easily accommodated to every case, and of such powerful efficacy, as those that are fetched from Christ and the future state; thence the comforts here are fetched. Jesus Christ shall appear his church's patron and protector: At that time, when the persecution is at the hottest, Michael shall stand up,
And tried - The afflictions of the church are to prepare them, by taking away their filth, for the bridegroom, as gold and silver are tried and refined.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Many shall be purged, and made white, and tried,....
Note, The afflictions of good people are designed for their trial; but by these trials they are purified and made white, their corruptions are purged out, their graces are brightened, and made both more vigorous and more conspicuous, and are found to praise, and honour, and glory, 1 Pet. i.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The fulfilment of God's decree is not a mere arithmetical problem which the profane may understand by arithmetical calculations, but a holy enigma to stimulate to a faithful observance of God's ways, and to a diligent study of the history of God's people [AUBERLEN]. To this Christ refers (Mt 24:15), "Whose readeth, let him understand."
Many shall be purified - During the interim, the great work of God’s providence and grace shall be carried on in the salvation of men; who, in the midst of trials, temptations, and difficulties, shall be purified and made white - be fully saved from their sins. None of the wicked shall understand - Because they are wicked, and will continue in their sins, the eyes of their understanding shall be closed, and their hearts hardened; so that they shall not see the light of the glorious Gospel.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Many shall be purified - In future times. That is, as the connection would seem to require, there will be a system introduced by which many will become purified, and made holy. Daniel might hope and expect that under the arrangements which God would make, many of the human race would be cleansed from sin. To what he would apply this we cannot determine, but it is a great truth of immense importance in regard to the human family, that, before the “end,” or the consummation, “many” will be made holy. And made white - White is the emblem of innocence or purity, and hence, the term is so often applied to the righteous. “They have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” “they shall walk before me in white,” etc. Hence, the angels are represented as appearing in white raiment. The meaning here is, that many on the earth would be made holy before the end would come. The mind of Daniel was thus directed onward to one of the most glorious truths pertaining to future times - that multitudes of the human race would be redeemed, and would be prepared for a holy heaven. And tried - Tried as in a furnace; that is, they will be subjected to persecutions, and to various other forms of suffering, that will test the strength of their faith, and the nature of their religion. This language, also, is of a general character, and would in itself apply to the times of Antiochus, but it is also fitted to describe what would occur in other ages. Perhaps the meaning is, that it would be a prominent thing in the future, in introducing the triumphs of religion; and in preparing the people of God for heaven, that they would be subjected to various forms of trial. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
They will be clarified and whitened [i.e.,] these calculations.
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
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִ֠תְבָּֽרֲרוּ | yitbararu | they will purge themselves | H1305 → | |
| וְיִֽתְלַבְּנ֤וּ | veyitlabenu | and they may purify themselves | H3835 → | |
| וְיִצָּֽרְפוּ֙ | veyitzarefu | so they may be refined | H6884 → | |
| רַבִּ֔ים | rabim | many [people] | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְהִרְשִׁ֣יעוּ | vehirshiu | and they will act wickedly | H7561 → | 34 times |
| רְשָׁעִ֔ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָבִ֖ינוּ | yavinu | they will understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| רְשָׁעִ֑ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | |
| וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִ֖ים | vehamaskilim | and those [who] have insight | H7919 → | 62 times |
| יָבִֽינוּ׃ | yavinu | they will understand | H995 → | 170 times |
יִ֠תְבָּֽרֲרוּthey will purge themselves
yitbararuH1305 →
וְיִֽתְלַבְּנ֤וּand they may purify themselves
veyitlabenuH3835 →
וְיִצָּֽרְפוּ֙so they may be refined
veyitzarefuH6884 →
רַבִּ֔יםmany [people]
rabimH7227 →454 times
וְהִרְשִׁ֣יעוּand they will act wickedly
vehirshiuH7561 →34 times
רְשָׁעִ֔יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָבִ֖ינוּthey will understand
yavinuH995 →170 times
כָּל־any
kol-H3605 →5413 times
רְשָׁעִ֑יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →
וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִ֖יםand those [who] have insight
vehamaskilimH7919 →62 times
יָבִֽינוּ׃they will understand
yavinuH995 →170 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
Revelation 22:11Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
- Ezekiel 3:27
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Whoever listens, let him listen; and whoever refuses, let him…
- 2 Timothy 3:13
while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
- Matthew 15:14
Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
- Job 17:9
Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
- Proverbs 4:18
Through
Hosea 14:9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:29
The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil.
- Psalms 107:43
Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.
- Proverbs 10:29
Through
John 8:47Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
it leads to
- John 10:26–27
But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
- John 10:26–27
Where this verse is studied
About Daniel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.58.1-6; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book I; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Daniel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.