Daniel 9:21
while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While Daniel was deeply immersed in prayer and confession, confessing his own sins and those of his people, the angel Gabriel, whom he had previously seen, appeared with incredible speed. Gabriel arrived just as the evening sacrifice was being offered, a time traditionally set aside for prayer and connection with God. This dramatic appearance underscores the urgency and importance of the message Gabriel carried, directly linking it to Daniel's fervent prayer and the appointed time for sacrifice.
As Daniel continues his deep prayer of confession and longing for his people, the heavenly messenger Gabriel suddenly appears. This is the same angel Daniel encountered in a previous vision, and he arrives with incredible speed at the very time the evening sacrifice would have been offered.
Imagine the scene: the day is winding down, the evening sacrifice is being prepared. Suddenly, a divine messenger arrives.
Gabriel’s arrival is timed precisely with the 'evening sacrifice.' This wasn't just any time of day; it was a specific, sacred moment. In the Old Testament, the evening sacrifice happened around 3 PM. It marked a pause, a time for devotion and remembrance of God's promises, even when the temple and its sacrifices were no longer physically present for Daniel. This timing highlights that even in exile, away from the central place of worship, God’s people were still connected to His appointed times of prayer and sacrifice. Daniel’s prayer during this significant hour shows his deep commitment to God and His covenant, even amidst national hardship.
Why would a heavenly messenger, a being of spirit, need to fly 'swiftly'—even to the point of weariness?
The Hebrew text behind 'caused to fly swiftly' is complex, with interpretations ranging from 'flying swiftly' to 'flying with weariness.' This isn't about an angel getting tired like a human runner. Instead, it emphasizes the incredible speed and urgency of Gabriel's mission. God heard Daniel's prayer, and the answer was dispatched with immediate, powerful momentum. The 'weariness' could imply the sheer force and speed required to traverse the distance or convey such a critical message, underscoring the importance God placed on Daniel's prayer. It reveals a God who is not distant, but actively and rapidly responding to His faithful servant.
Daniel had seen Gabriel before. How did this prior encounter shape his perception of the messenger's arrival?
Gabriel introduces himself by reminding Daniel, 'whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning.' This refers back to the vision described in Daniel chapter 8, where Gabriel explained the prophecy of the ram and the goat. This recognition is crucial. It wasn't a terrifying, unknown entity that appeared; it was a divine messenger Daniel had already interacted with and received important prophecies from. This familiarity allowed Daniel to receive Gabriel's message with greater readiness and less fear, even though the context of prayer and divine visitation was intense. It shows God’s consistent approach, using the same messengers for significant revelations and building upon previous encounters.
Understand the original words
Gabriel · Hebrew Proper Noun
A high-ranking angelic messenger of God who appears in Scripture to deliver important revelations and interpret visions. Gabriel is characterized by his role in standing in the immediate presence of God and acting as His direct envoy to human recipients.
minchah · Hebrew Noun
The ritual act of offering a lamb at the temple twice daily, representing the ongoing commitment of the covenant community to God and the necessity of sacrifice for atonement. It signifies the standard measure of time and spiritual devotion in the life of Israel.
Gabriel's swift appearance during the evening sacrifice highlights the urgency and importance of his message about the future of God's people and the coming of the Messiah, even as Daniel is still in the midst of his earnest prayer and confession.
c. 553 BC
Daniel's Vision of the Ram and Goat
Daniel receives a complex vision involving a ram and a goat, which he struggles to understand. The angel Gabriel appears to explain parts of it and foretells future events.
c. 553 BC
Gabriel's Initial Explanation
Gabriel begins to explain the vision to Daniel by the river Ulai, but is interrupted by other angelic beings and departs, leaving Daniel distressed and ill.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
The Babylonian Empire, which had held the Judean people captive for decades, falls to the Medo-Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great.
c. 538 BC
Decree of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, though many remained in Babylon.
This passage echoes Daniel's experience, showing God's readiness to answer prayers even before they are fully uttered, highlighting divine attentiveness.
Luke 1:19Gabriel identifies himself here as he did to Daniel, emphasizing his role as a messenger sent by God to reveal His plans, specifically concerning divine timing and intervention.
Daniel 8:16This verse directly references Gabriel's previous appearance to Daniel, connecting the angelic messenger and the visions they deliver across different prophetic timelines.
Acts 3:1This verse places prayer at the time of the evening sacrifice, just as in Daniel 9:21, underscoring the continuity of devotion and the significance of these specific times for divine encounters.
Daniel 10:10-13This passage describes another encounter Daniel has with a heavenly messenger, illustrating how God sends angelic aid in response to persistent prayer and heartfelt intercession, though sometimes with delay.
ellicottDaniel 9:21: "Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation."
(21) Being caused to fly swiftly.— A very difficult expression, occurring only here. The Authorised Version follows the LXX. and Theodotion. The rendering has been defended on the ground that the word translated “swiftly” comes from a root meaning “to fly.” and is literally rendered by flight. T…
clarkeDaniel 9:21: "Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation."
The man Gabriel - Or the angel Gabriel, who had appeared to me as a man. איש ish is the same here as person - the person Gabriel. Being caused to fly swiftly - God hears with delight such earnest, humble, urgent prayers; and sends the speediest answer. Gabriel himself was ordered on this occasi…
While Daniel was deeply immersed in prayer and confession, confessing his own sins and those of his people, the angel Gabriel, whom he had previously seen, appeared with incredible speed. Gabriel arrived just as the evening sacrifice was being offered, a time traditionally set aside for prayer and connection with God. This dramatic appearance underscores the urgency and importance of the message Gabriel carried, directly linking it to Daniel's fervent prayer and the appointed time for sacrifice.
As Daniel continues his deep prayer of confession and longing for his people, the heavenly messenger Gabriel suddenly appears. This is the same angel Daniel encountered in a previous vision, and he arrives with incredible speed at the very time the evening sacrifice would have been offered.
As Daniel continues his deep prayer of confession and longing for his people, the heavenly messenger Gabriel suddenly appears. This is the same angel Daniel encountered in a previous vision, and he arrives with incredible speed at the very time the evening sacrifice would have been offered.
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c. 538 BC— this verse
Daniel's Prayer for Jerusalem
Daniel, deeply concerned about the state of Jerusalem and the fulfillment of prophecy concerning his people's return and the Temple, engages in earnest prayer and confession.
c. 538 BC
Gabriel's Swift Arrival and Message
While Daniel is praying, the angel Gabriel, whom he had seen in a previous vision, appears suddenly and begins to deliver a prophetic message concerning the seventy weeks.
"while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice." — While Daniel was deeply immersed in prayer and confession, confessing his own sins and those of his people, the angel Gabriel, whom he had previously seen, appeared with incredible speed. Gabriel arr…
