Daniel 9:20-22

‘And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before YHWH my God for the mountain of holiness of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly in weariness, touched me (or ‘reached me') at about the time of the evening oblation. And he instructed me and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come to make you to make you wise in understanding.” '

The first part of these verses summarises Daniel's petition. He has been praying audibly, and confessing both his own sinfulness, and also the sinfulness of his people Israel. And secondly he has been praying audibly for the restoration of God's mountain of holiness, for the establishment of a new Israel in a new temple and a new Jerusalem. To Daniel that was the ultimate hope. From there would spring forth the purposes of God for the future. It was only in chapter 12 that he recognised a greater hope, the resurrection of men to face God and receive either blessing or cursing. But like Isaiah 26:19 he probably saw that resurrection as resulting in a new life on this earth for the righteous, and like Isaiah 66:24 he probably saw the fate of the wicked as connected with the valley of Hinnom.

And then ‘the man Gabriel' appeared, the same Gabriel that he had previously seen and before whom he had collapsed in awe. Called here a man because that was his appearance (Daniel 8:15).

‘Being caused to fly in weariness.' The idea here is that he was sent with such promptness and speed that had he really been a man it would have exhausted him. Daniel wants us to be aware of how quickly God had responded to his prayer (Daniel 9:23).

‘Touched me about the time of the evening oblation.' We are possibly to understand that Daniel had begun praying at first light and that he had prayed through the day. The evening oblation was the time of the evening offering which would have been offered before the light died if there had been a temple in Jerusalem. It was a time observed by the faithful in Israel for worship and prayer, because the sacrifice could no longer be offered. The verb ‘touched' can also mean ‘reached'. Daniel's aim may have been to remind us of Daniel 8:18, where Gabriel had made him ready to receive the vision by touching him, or it may have been simply to give the time of arrival.

‘And he instructed me (or ‘made me to understand') and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come to make you to make you wise in understanding.' This sums up what will follow. Gabriel would instruct him in, and enable him to understand, the message that he had brought to him.