John Calvin on Daniel 10:15

Daniel again signifies by these words that he was so inspired by reverence for the angel as to be unable to stand. This tends to recommend the prophecy to our notice, — to shew us how the holy Prophet was not only instructed by the angel, but to confirm what he will afterwards record in the 11th chapter, and free it from all doubt. Lastly, he enables us to confide in the angel’s words, which were not uttered in an ordinary way, but were so obviously divine as to cast Daniel headlong upon the earth. In my judgment those expounders of the phrase, he became dumb, are in error when they refer it to his repenting of his prophetic office, through supposing his prayers to have been disregarded. This is much too forced, because the Prophet expresses nothing more than his seizure by fear, causing both his feet and his tongue to refuse their usual duties. Thus he was apparently carried beyond himself. By becoming prostrate on the ground, he manifested his reverence, and by becoming dumb displayed his astonishment. I have already briefly explained the object of all these assertions — to prove to us how the angel was adorned with his own attributes, and what full authority should be assigned to his words. It follows: —

Daniel 10:16-18

16. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.

16. Et ecce secundum similitudinem filiorum hominis, That is, some one wearing the form of the sons of man. — Calvin tetgit labia mea, et aperui os meum, et loquutus sum; et dixi ad eum qui stabat ad conspectum meum, That is, who stood opposite me, or at a distance from me. — Calvin Domine, in visione conversi sunt dolores mei super me, et non continui robur.

17. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

17. Et quomodo poterit servus Domini mei hujus loqui cum domino meo hoc? Et exinde non stetit in me There is in the original the pleonasm of the words, “and I,” of which the Latin language does not admit. — Calvin robur; et anima, halitus, non fuit residuus in me.

18. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

18. Et addidit, hoc est, secundo, tetigit me secundum similitudinem That is, he who bore a human appearance. — Calvin hominis, et roboravit me.