Daniel 10:13
But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Princeps autem regni Persarum restitit mihi viginti et uno diebus : et ecce Michaël, unus de principibus primis, venit in adjutorium meum, et ego remansi ibi juxta regem Persarum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ὁ ἄρχων βασιλείας Περσῶν ἱστήκει ἐξ ἐναντίας μου εἴκοσι καὶ μίαν ἡμέραν· καὶ ἰδοὺ Μειχαὴλ εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων ἦλθεν βοηθῆσαί μοι, καὶ αὐτὸν κατέλειπον ἐκεῖ μετὰ τοῦ ἄρχοντος βασιλείας Περσῶν.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְשַׂ֣ר מַלְכ֣וּת פָּרַ֗ס עֹמֵ֤ד לְנֶגְדִּי֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וְאֶחָ֣ד י֔וֹם וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִֽיכָאֵ֗ל אַחַ֛ד הַשָּׂרִ֥ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים בָּ֣א לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי וַאֲנִי֙ נוֹתַ֣רְתִּי שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖צֶל מַלְכֵ֥י פָרָֽס
Haydock's commentary
The prince, &c. That is, the angel guardian of Persia: who, according to his office, seeking the spiritual good of the Persians, was desirous that many of the Jews should remain among them. (Challoner)
St. Jerome, &c. explain it of the angel guardian. (Worthington)
Each country has an archangel over it, as individuals have an angel. Others assert that this was an evil angel; for how could a good one oppose so long the will of God? Yet this argument may be retorted, as evil spirits themselves must comply. It seems, therefore, that Cyrus was exhorted by the good angels to invade the Chaldeans, and thus to liberate God's people. He was afraid of the hazardous attempt, and free-will may resist the inspirations of God.
One, or "prince." (Calmet)
Michael, and the guardian of Daniel, joined their prayers for the liberation of the Jews, ver. 20. (Worthington)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians, Ephesians 3:8-11
Angels knew only this, that “The Lord’s portion was His people.” ( Deut. xxxii. 8, 9 .) And again it is said, “The Prince of Persia withstood me.” ( Dan. x. 13 .) So that it is nothing to be wondered at that they were ignorant of this; for if they were ignorant of the circumstances of the return from the Captivity, much more would they be of these things. For this is the gospel. “It is He that shall save,” it saith, “His people.” ( Matt. i. 21 .) Not a word about the Gentiles. But what concerns the Gentiles the Spirit revealeth. That they were called indeed, the Angels knew, but that it was to the same privileges as Israel, yea, even to sit upon the throne of God, this, who would ever have expected? who would ever have believed?
St John Cassian The Conferences of John Cassian. Part I. Containing Conferences I-X, Chapter XIII. Of the fact that opposing powers turn the attack, which they aim at men, even against each other
For it is quite clear that they aim these attacks, with which they assault men, even against each other, for in like manner they do not cease to promote with unwearied strife the discords and struggles which they have undertaken for some peoples because of a sort of innate love of wickedness which they have: and this we read of as being very clearly set forth in the vision of Daniel the prophet, where the angel Gabriel speaks as follows: “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, to afflict thyself in the sight of thy God, thy words have been heard: and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days: and behold Michael one of the chief princes came to help me, and I remained there by the king of the Persians. …