Daniel 4:10
I saw in the vision of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy one came down from heaven.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Videbam in visione capitis mei super stratum meum, et ecce vigil, et sanctus, de cælo descendit.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐθεώρουν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης μου, καὶ ἰδοὺ εἲρ καὶ ἅγιος ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ κατέβη
- Hebrew (WLC)
- חָזֵ֥ה הֲוֵ֛ית בְּחֶזְוֵ֥י רֵאשִׁ֖י עַֽל מִשְׁכְּבִ֑י וַאֲלוּ֙ עִ֣יר וְקַדִּ֔ישׁ מִן שְׁמַיָּ֖א נָחִֽת
Haydock's commentary
A watcher. A vigilant angel, perhaps the guardian of Israel. (Challoner)
Chaldean hir; (Haydock) whence Iris the messenger of the gods, is derived. (St. Jerome)
Theodotion retains eir. See St. Jerome in Psalm lxxvi. 4. The scholiast (Rom. ed.) says: "the Septuagint render it an angel, the rest a watcher." These supernatural agents (Haydock) and saints are represented as judges, ver. 14. (Calmet)
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 Ephrem the Syrian Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh, Hymn I
Joyous were to-day the Watchers, that the Wakeful came to wake us! Who would pass this night in slumber, in which all the world was watching? Since Adam brought into the world the sleep of death by sins, the Wakeful came down that He might awake us from the deep sleep of sin. Watch not we as usurers, who thinking on money put to interest, watch at night so oft, to reckon up their capital, and interest. Wakeful and cautious is the thief, who in the earth hath buried and concealed his sleep. His wakefulness all [comes to] this, that he may cause much wakefulness to them that be asleep. Wakeful likewise is the glutton, who hath eaten much and is restless; his watching is to him his torment, because he was impatient of stint. Wakeful likewise is the merchant; of a night he works his fingers telling over what pounds are coming, and if his wealth doubles or trebles. …