Daniel 9:23

the commandment came forth a word went forth (cf. Esther 7:8; Isaiah 55:11). The reference is not to the commandment given to Gabriel to go to Daniel, but to the Divine declaration contained in Daniel 9:24.

to shew thee to declare (it): cf. on Daniel 2:2.

greatly beloved greatly desired, or (R.V. marg.) very precious: lit. desirable thingsor desirablenesses; cf. Daniel 10:11; Daniel 10:19, -a man of desirablenesses," the plural being intensive [333].

[333] For the Heb. idiom here employed cf. Psalms 109:4; Psalms 110:3: and see Ges.-Kautzsch, § 141 c.

The cognate verb means to desire(Psalms 19:10; Exodus 20:17, -covet"); and when applied to men has usually reference to their personal attractiveness (Isaiah 53:2; Psalms 39:11, -his desirableness," A.V., R.V., -his beauty"). The word here used, properly desired, is elsewhere rendered precious(2 Chronicles 20:25; Ezra 8:27; Daniel 11:43), or pleasant(Daniel 10:3; Daniel 11:38): hence R.V. marg.-very precious."

understand … consider R.V. consider … understand. The two words in the Heb. are different forms of one and the same verb: R.V. transposes the renderings, probably on the ground that -understanding" implies more than -consideration," and would naturally follow it.

the matter the word (Daniel 10:1), i.e. the prophetic word following (Daniel 9:24-27).

the vision Daniel 8:16; Daniel 8:27; Daniel 10:1. Also a term descriptive of the revelation following, and implying that the appearance of Gabriel to Daniel took place in a vision. The word (מראה) is not the one found in Isaiah 1:1 (חזון), which does sometimes mean no more than -prophecy".