Daniel Chapter 10 verse 21 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 21. - But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. The LXX. rendering is, "And in very truth (μάλα) I will show thee the first things in the writing of truth: and there was no one helping with me against these, but Michael the angel." The Septuagint translator read הָרָאשִׁים (hara'sheem), "the heads," instead of הָרָשׁוּם (harashoom), written with a inserted as mater lectionis. Theodotion is in accordance with our English Version. The Peshitta renders, "Yet will I show thee something noted in the writing of truth; and there was none in all these who helped me but Michael your prince." The Vulgate agrees with the Massoretic and the English. But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth. אָבֲל ('abal) is a strongly adversative conjunction. The use of it is explained by Kranichfeld and Zockler as due to the fears for the theocracy aroused by the thought that the Greek power was rising against Israel. If the idea had been that Gabriel was called to hurry back to his post because of the threatened approach of the Prince of Grecia, then it might be defended; only even then either the fact of the necessity for speedy return to the Persian court would have been emphasized, or the fact that he is delaying to make known the contents of the writing of truth. It is, perhaps, better rendered by "nevertheless," as it is in 2 Chronicles 19:3. We can see the force of this particle by turning to ver. 7, "I Daniel alone saw the vision, for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but (equivalent to 'nevertheless') a great quaking fell upon them." This clause, we see, then, has all the appearance of being intruded violently into the text; it interrupts the progress of thought, and does not suit the context. There is no indication that he, Gabriel, will have to hasten back to the court of Persia with such rapidity as would necessitate the introduction of אֲבָל (abal), "nevertheless." But even so, why revert in the next clause to the contents of ver. 20, without the slightest indication that the line of thought in the past clause was dropped as soon as taken up? The last clause of this verse reads much better in connection with ver. 20 than with ver. 21a. Behrmann transposes the clauses in this verse, so as to get over tiffs difficulty, and Professor M. Stuart puts the first clause in brackets. "The scripture of truth" is a phrase that might have been suggested by Psalm 139:16, "In thy book were all my members written." It is in line with a great number of phrases in apocalyptic literature; thus Enoch 93:1, "And after that Enoch began to recount from the books;" the Book of Jubilees, 1:24; 4:31; 5:15, etc., "the tablets of the heavens." The idea was that all the events that were to happen in the world's history were record, d beforehand in the books or tablets of the heavens. It is from failing to notice this that the late Professor Fuller was led to say "the scripture of truth "is the title for the ensuing section. Against this view is the preposition "in;" it is in the scripture of truth, among other matters, that these things are noted which form the succeeding section. At the same time, the form the representation of the heavenly books, which note beforehand what was to happen, assumes here is simpler than that in Enoch or the Book of Jubilees. And there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. As we have above said, this clause is closely connected with ver. 20. In these things. This is rendered in the Revised Version "against these," in accordance with the majority of recent commentators, Ewald, Hitzig, Fuller, Zockler, Bevan, Stuart, Kranlohfeld Keil, Kliefoth, Behrmann, etc., and, among older commentators, Jephet-ibn-Ali; but none of the older versions have it. The LXX. renders, ὑπὲρ τούτων; Theodotion, περὶ τούτων; the Peshitta has the preposition; the Vulgate renders, in his omnibus. With these Calvin agrees, though Luther renders, wider jene. Certainly, the most common meaning of עַל in such a connection is "against." So, notwithstanding the weight of the versions, we feel constrained to translate, "against these persons," and not "in regard to these things." In the first place, "in" is a far less frequent meaning of the preposition, and next, אֵלֵה (aylayh), "these," most naturally refers to the persons last named. Although "the Prince of Grecia" was to be the instrument of the overthrow of the power of Persia, it was to become oppressive afterwards, as had been revealed to Daniel in the vision of the ram and the he-goat. Gabriel, the angel of prophecy, the special guardian of God's great ideal kingdom of heaven, was assisted in his guardianship only by Michael, the angelic Prince of Israel. The fact that along the line of the development of Israel as a nation ran, so far at least, the Divine plan concerning the kingdom of heaven, made it natural that Michael should favour that which furthered the interests of the race that was more specially under his care. As we have already said, we cannot even guess at the nature of these angelic conflicts.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) But.--A further contrast is introduced by the adversative. This may be brought out by paraphrasing the verse as follows: "It is true that the prince of Javan will attack you, but do not despair at the thought of one persecuting empire succeeding another. It is all written in the Scripture of truth:" that is, in the revelations which God had already conveyed, or shortly would convey, to Daniel, and in the book of Providence (Psalm 139:16). We have here a striking parallel to our Saviour's words, "Lo, I have told you before."And there is none . . .--A still further ground of encouragement. Michael, who stood up as Israel's champion under the Persian troubles, will prove himself strong against the evil powers which lead Javan.