This is thought by some to be Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, intrusted with the management of affairs in the court of Persia when his father was absent on some expedition, and set against the Jews by their enemies, and now endeavouring to embarrass their affairs: over his designs the angel had been watching, in order to defeat them. and Tremel., referring it to an earthly prince. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me - Hebrew, עמד לנגדי, stood before me. It may be remarked that from this time onward the Persian kings were, upon the whole, favourable to the interests of Israel.īenson Commentary Daniel 10:13-14.

By the kings of Persia are meant all the successors of Cyrus. There had been a conflict between the powers of light and darkness, in which the former had gained the victory, which had been decisive. The person is explaining to Daniel how it had happened that he had received no visible answer to a prayer that had been offered with success three weeks previously.

I remained there.-Literally, I prevailed there, as Genesis 49:4. The title “chief princes,” rightly explained in the margin, shows that the charge of Israel had been entrusted by God to the highest of the heavenly powers but the name “first prince” points out that, great though he is, he is inconsiderable when compared with God. Michael.-Mentioned only in the Book of Daniel and Jude 1:9, Revelation 12:7. It must be borne in mind that the vision occurred at the time of the Samaritan intrigues with the Persian Court in opposition to Zerubbabel. The verse implies that the spiritual powers attached to Persia were influencing Cyrus in a manner that was prejudicial to the interests of God’s people. Withstood me.-The phrase is identical with “stood over against him” ( Joshua 5:13). Further passages in the New Testament bearing upon the question are 1Corinthians 8:5 Colossians 1:16. The doctrine of the ministry of angels is taught in Psalm 34:7 Psalm 91:11 Psalm 96:5 (LXX.) Isaiah 24:21 Isaiah 46:2 Jeremiah 46:25 Jeremiah 49:3. The “princes” of the heathen powers are devils, according to 1Corinthians 10:20. From this chapter we not only learn that Israel had a spiritual champion ( Daniel 10:21) to protect her in her national life, and to watch over her interests, but also that the powers opposed to Israel had their princes, or saviours, which were antagonists of those which watched over Israel. But revelation points out that as spiritual beings carry out God’s purpose in the natural world ( Exodus 12:23 2Samuel 24:16) and in the moral world ( Luke 15:10), so also they do in the political world. If we were without a revelation, we should have thought it congruent that God Himself should direct all events in the world without using any intervening means. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) The prince of the kingdom.-Perhaps no single verse in the whole of the Scriptures speaks more clearly than this upon the invisible powers which rule and influence nations.

Prince of perian