Daniel 10:16

A second touch restores Daniel's power of speech.

one like the similitude, &c. not an actual man, but a figure or appearance resembling a man. The word rendered similitudeis the one which in the visions of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:5; Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 1:13; Ezekiel 1:16; Ezekiel 1:22; Ezekiel 1:26; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 8:2; Ezekiel 10:1; Ezekiel 10:10; Ezekiel 10:21-22) is rendered regularly by likeness: the variation here is presumably for the purpose of avoiding the juxtaposition of -like" and -likeness."

touched my lips cf. though the expression is not quite the same, and the purpose is in each case different Isaiah 6:7 (- made itthe hot coal touchmy lips"), Jeremiah 1:9 (- made ithis hand touchmy mouth"). The touch having restored Daniel's power of speech, he hastens to excuse his confusion: the vision, he says, had overpowered him.

to him that stood in front of me] The dazzling being, whom Daniel had seen in Daniel 10:5.

my lord 1Sa 1:15; 1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 22:12, &c.; Zechariah 1:9; Zechariah 4:4-5; Zechariah 4:13; Zechariah 6:4.

by reason of the vision my throes were turned upon me i.e. came suddenly upon me. The word rendered throesis said properly of the pains of a woman in travail (Isaiah 13:8); and the whole phrase occurs in 1 Samuel 4:19 of the pains of labour suddenly seizing Ichabod's mother. The figure is thus a strong one: it describes Daniel as being as prostrate and helpless as a woman in the pains of labour. Cf. Isaiah 21:3, where it is used similarly to describe the prostration produced by an alarming vision.

and I retained no strength Daniel 10:8, end.