In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.
Daniel 10:1-21; Daniel 11:1-45; Daniel 12:1-13 more fully describe the vision in Daniel 8:1-27, by a second vision on the same subject, just as the vision in the seventh chapter explains more fully that in the second. The tenth chapter is the prologue; the eleventh, the prophecy itself; and the twelfth, the epilogue. The tenth chapter unfolds the spiritual world as the background of the historical world (Job 1:7; Job 2:1, etc.; Zechariah 3:1-2), and angels as the ministers of God's government of men. As in the world of nature angels counteract, by God's will, much of the evil and misery caused by Satan (as the angel troubled the waters of Bethesda, so as to give them medicinal power, John 5:4; and as the angel would not allow the four angels to let loose the four destructive winds on the earth, the sea, and the trees, until he had first sealed the servants of God in their foreheads, Revelation 7:1-3), so in that of history here, Michael, the champion of Israel, and with him another angel, whose aim is to realize God's will in the pagan world, resist the God-opposed spirit of the world (Revelation 12:7, "There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven"). These struggles are not merely symbolical, but real (so "the evil spirit from the Lord troubled Saul," when "the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him;" whereas "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David," 1 Samuel 16:13-15; "a lying spirit" also was "in the mouth of the prophets of Ahab," 1 Kings 22:22; Ephesians 6:12).
In the third year of Cyrus - two years after Cyrus' decree for the restoration of the Jews had gone forth, in accordance with Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9:1-27. This vision gives not merely general outlines or symbols, but minute details of the future, in short, anticipative history. It is the expansion of the vision in Daniel 8:1-27. That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood;" the messenger being sent to him for this (Daniel 10:11; Daniel 10:14), to make him understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; because in Daniel 1:21 it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus;" not that he died then, but that he then ceased to hold office under the king; probably owing to his advanced age. See note there.
A thing was revealed unto Daniel ... and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long - rather, 'it
(i:e., the prophecy) referred to great calamity' (Maurer); or, 'long and calamitous warfare' (Gesenius). х tsaabaa' (H6635), literally, a host going to war; hence, warfare, calamity.] The same Hebrew word in Job 7:1 is translated "an appointed time" in the text, and 'a warfare' in the margin. However, the English version is not against the Hebrew, which, from the times of military service being a fixed period, came to mean an appointed time: and agrees with Daniel 10:14, "for yet the vision is for many days" - i:e., refers to 'events yet distant.'