Discovery BoxDaniel 4:5 
Context4:5 I saw a dream that 1 frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed – these visions of my mind – were terrifying me.
Daniel 8:2
Context8:2 In this 2 vision I saw myself in Susa 3 the citadel, 4 which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal. 5
Daniel 8:15
Context8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision, I sought to understand it. Now one who appeared to be a man was standing before me.
Daniel 10:3
Context10:3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips, 6 nor did I anoint myself with oil 7 until the end of those three weeks.
Daniel 10:8
Context10:8 I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from 8 me, and my vigor disappeared; 9 I was without energy. 10
1 tn Aram “and it.”
2 tn Heb “the.”
3 sn Susa (Heb. שׁוּשַׁן, shushan), located some 230 miles (380 km) east of Babylon, was a winter residence for Persian kings during the Achaemenid period. The language of v. 2 seems to suggest that Daniel may not have been physically present at Susa, but only saw himself there in the vision. However, the Hebrew is difficult, and some have concluded that the first four words of v. 2 in the MT are a later addition (cf. Theodotion).
4 tn The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah, “castle, palace”) usually refers to a fortified structure within a city, but here it is in apposition to the city name Susa and therefore has a broader reference to the entire city (against this view, however, see BDB 108 s.v. 2). Cf. NAB “the fortress of Susa”; TEV “the walled city of Susa.”
5 tn The term אוּבַל (’uval = “stream, river”) is a relatively rare word in biblical Hebrew, found only here and in vv. 3 and 6. The Ulai was apparently a sizable artificial canal in Susa (cf. NASB, NIV, NCV), and not a river in the ordinary sense of that word.
6 tn Heb “mouth.”
7 sn Anointing oneself with oil (usually olive oil) was a common OT practice due to the severity of the Middle Eastern sun (cf. Ps 121:6). It was also associated with rejoicing (e.g., Prov 27:9) and was therefore usually not practiced during a period of mourning.
8 tn Heb “did not remain in.”
9 tn Heb “was changed upon me for ruin.”
10 tn Heb “strength.”
