Daniel 10:5-6

10:5 I looked up ¹  and saw a ²  man ³  clothed in linen; ⁴  around his waist was a belt made of gold from Upaz. ⁵  10:6 His body resembled yellow jasper, ⁶  and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; ⁷  his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice ⁸  thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.

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¹ tn Heb “I lifted up my eyes.”

² tn Heb “one.” The Hebrew numerical adjective is used here like an English indefinite article.

³ sn The identity of the messenger is not specifically disclosed. Presumably he is an unnamed angel. Some interpreters identify him as Gabriel, but there is no adequate reason for doing so.

⁴ tn The Hebrew word בַּדִּים (baddim) is a plural of extension. See GKC 396-97 §124.a, b, c and Joüon 2:500 §136.c.

⁵ tn The location of this place and even the exact form of the Hebrew name אוּפָז (’ufaz) are uncertain. Apparently it was a source for pure gold. (See Jer 10:9.) The Hebrew word פָז (paz, “refined gold” or “pure gold”) is more common in the OT than אוּפָז, and some scholars emend the text of Dan 10:5 to read this word. Cf. also “Ophir” (1 Kgs 9:28; Isa 13:12; Job 22:24; 28:16).

⁶ tn The Hebrew word translated “yellow jasper” is תַּרשִׁישׁ (tarshish); it appears to be a semiprecious stone, but its exact identity is somewhat uncertain. It may be the yellow jasper, although this is conjectural. Cf. NAB, NIV “chrysolite”; NASB, NRSV “beryl.”

⁷ tn Heb “torches of fire.”

⁸ tn Heb “The sound of his words” (cf. v. 9).