I heard the sound of his words
This phrase indicates a direct encounter with a divine or angelic being, often associated with receiving a revelation or message from God. In the context of Daniel 10, the "his" refers to a heavenly messenger, possibly Gabriel, who is delivering a message to Daniel. The sound of the words suggests authority and power, reminiscent of other biblical instances where God's voice is described as overwhelming, such as in Exodus 19:19 and Revelation 1:15. The auditory experience signifies the importance and divine origin of the message.

and as I listened
Daniel's attentive listening underscores his role as a prophet and servant of God, emphasizing the importance of being receptive to divine communication. This act of listening is a common theme in Scripture, where hearing God's word is crucial for understanding and obedience (Romans 10:17). It also reflects Daniel's humility and readiness to receive God's guidance, a characteristic seen throughout his life and ministry.

I fell into a deep sleep
The deep sleep signifies a state of being overwhelmed by the divine presence, often associated with receiving visions or revelations. This is similar to the experiences of other biblical figures, such as Abram in Genesis 15:12 and Peter in Acts 10:10. The deep sleep can symbolize a transition from the natural to the supernatural realm, where God imparts wisdom and understanding beyond human comprehension.

with my face to the ground
This posture of humility and submission is common in biblical accounts of encounters with the divine. It reflects reverence and awe in the presence of God's holiness, as seen in Ezekiel 1:28 and Revelation 1:17. The act of falling with one's face to the ground is a physical manifestation of worship and acknowledgment of God's supreme authority. It also highlights the human response to the overwhelming glory and majesty of God, which is a recurring theme in prophetic literature.

1. Daniel
A prophet and a man of God who is receiving a vision. Known for his faithfulness and wisdom, Daniel is in a state of spiritual and physical exhaustion due to his fasting and mourning for three weeks.

2. The Heavenly Messenger
Although not named in this verse, the context suggests this is a divine being, possibly an angel, delivering a message to Daniel. The presence of this being is overwhelming to Daniel.

3. The Vision
Daniel is experiencing a profound vision that leaves him physically weak and spiritually awestruck. This vision is part of a larger revelation concerning future events.

4. The Tigris River
The location where Daniel receives this vision. It is significant as a place of revelation and divine encounter.

5. The Deep Sleep
A state of unconsciousness that Daniel falls into, symbolizing the overwhelming nature of the divine encounter and the human inability to fully comprehend the divine without God's help.The Power of God's Word
God's words are powerful and can bring us to a place of humility and reverence. We should approach Scripture with a heart ready to listen and be transformed.

Human Frailty in the Presence of the Divine
Recognize our limitations and the need for God's strength. In moments of spiritual encounter, our human frailty is evident, reminding us of our dependence on God.

The Importance of Spiritual Preparedness
Daniel's fasting and mourning prepared him for this encounter. Spiritual disciplines can prepare us to receive and understand God's revelations.

The Role of Angels and Divine Messengers
Angels are often used by God to deliver messages. We should be open to the various ways God communicates with us, whether through Scripture, prayer, or other means.

The Significance of Humility
Daniel's posture of falling with his face to the ground is a physical expression of humility. We should cultivate a humble heart in our walk with God.(9) His words.--He refers to the unrecorded words of Daniel 10:6. (Comp. Daniel 8:17-18.)

Verse 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. The Septuagint rendering here is briefer than the Massoretic, "And I heard the sound of his speech (λαλιᾶς, ' talking'), and I was fallen upon my face upon the earth." The Septuagint translator seems to have read נְפַלְתִּי (nephalti) instead of נִרְדַם (nir'dam). Theodotion is somewhat nearer the Massoretic text, but renders nirdam by "stupefied." The Pesifitta is an accurate rendering of the text behind the Septuagint. Jerome agrees with Theodotion, rendering nirdam by consternatus; he strengthens the phrase, "my face toward the ground," by inserting haerebat. It would seem that nirdam is of doubtful authenticity. It may be said this was omitted because of the difficulty of imagining the prophet seeing while in a deep sleep. But a state of sleep does not preclude the possibility of seeing a vision. In the parallel passage (Daniel 8:18) the LXX. has no difficulty in translating, נִרְדַמְתִּי ἐκοιμήθην. By assuming the reading of the LXX. and the Peshitta to be correct, we make the process of events more natural; according to the Massoretic reading, though we have an account of his sense of weakness, we have no record that he fell to the ground, and yet we are told that he was "in a deep sleep, with his face toward the ground" The resemblance is very great to Job 4:12, "A thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof in thoughts from the vision of the night, when sleep falleth on men (תַּרְדֵמָה, tardaymah)." If there has been imitation, the originality and beauty of the passage in Job render it certain that it is the original. It seems more likely to be a change introduced to bring the revelation to Daniel in line with other prophetic revelations. The attitude Daniel assumed was one which implied the deepest abasement - the envoy of the great king kisses the ground at the feet of the envoy of the King of kings. Even the revelation given while sleep had fallen on the subject of the revelation, seems paralleled with what took place at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:32, "And Peter and those that were with him were heavy with sleep," yet it was when they were awaked that they saw the glory). So with Gethsemane. The Hebrew word is the same as that used when Eve was taken out of the side of Adam; he then was asleep - a deepsleep had fallen on him, תַּרְדֵמָה (tardaymah)." (For further illustrations, see Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 3:23; Zechariah 4:1; Revelation 1:17.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


I heard
וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע (wā·’eš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the sound
ק֣וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of his words,
דְּבָרָ֑יו (də·ḇā·rāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

and as I listened,
וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙ (ū·ḵə·šā·mə·‘î)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

I
וַאֲנִ֗י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

fell into a deep sleep,
נִרְדָּ֥ם (nir·dām)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7290: To be in or fall into heavy sleep

with my face
פָּנַ֖י (pā·nay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

to the ground.
אָֽרְצָה׃ (’ā·rə·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT Prophets: Daniel 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his (Dan. Da Dn)