Daniel 10:15
And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Prophetic experience throughout Scripture involves repeated cycles of overwhelming revelation, divine strengthening, renewed weakness, and further enabling. This prevents prophets from claiming personal capacity or treating revelation casually. Ancient Near Eastern oracles often involved ecstatic states producing confident pronouncements; biblical prophecy produces humble dependence, emphasizing message's divine origin rather than prophet's personal capacity. Daniel's advanced age (probably mid-80s) and the vision's scope (covering centuries of future history) contributed to overwhelming response. The physical toll of revelation (weakness, speechlessness, need for repeated strengthening) validated its supernatural character—this wasn't theatrical performance but genuine encounter requiring divine grace for survival.
Questions for Reflection
- Why do prophets require repeated strengthening rather than single empowerment for sustained ministry?
- What does Daniel's speechlessness teach about human inadequacy before divine revelation?
- How does the physical toll of revelation validate its supernatural origin?
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Analysis & Commentary
Daniel's continued physical weakness: 'And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.' The message's weight produces renewed prostration and speechlessness. This demonstrates that even with angelic reassurance and strengthening, the revelation's magnitude overwhelms. The inability to speak shows complete human inadequacy before divine revelation—Daniel literally has no words. This pattern appears throughout prophetic experience: Ezekiel made speechless (Ezekiel 3:26), Zechariah struck dumb (Luke 1:20), John overwhelmed by Revelation's visions (Revelation 1:17). The repeated cycles of strengthening and renewed weakness emphasize that sustained prophetic ministry requires continual divine enabling, not single empowerment.