^10:1¹ In the third² year of King Cyrus of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar). This message was true and concerned a great war.³ He understood the message and gained insight by the vision.

^10:2In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks.⁴^10:3I ate no choice food; no meat or wine came to my lips,⁵ nor did I anoint myself with oil⁶ until the end of those three weeks.

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Footnotes

1 This chapter begins the final unit in the book of Daniel, consisting of chapters 10–12. The traditional chapter divisions to some extent obscure the relationship of these chapters.
2 The has “first.” Cyrus’ third year would have been 536 B.C. Daniel would have been approximately eighty-four years old at this time.
3 The meaning of the Hebrew word צָבָא (tsava’) is uncertain in this context. The word most often refers to an army or warfare. It may also mean “hard service,” and many commentators take that to be the sense here (i.e., “the service was great”). The present translation assumes the reference to be to the spiritual conflicts described, for example, in 10:16–11:1.
4 Heb “three weeks of days.” The inclusion of “days” here and in v. 3 is perhaps intended to call attention to the fact that these weeks are very different in nature from those of chap. 9, which are “weeks of years.”
5 Heb “mouth.”
6 Anointing oneself with oil (usually olive oil) was a common OT practice due to the severity of the Middle Eastern sun (cf. Ps 121:6). It was also associated with rejoicing (e.g., Prov 27:9) and was therefore usually not practiced during a period of mourning.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.

NLTNew Living Translation

In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. He understood that the vision concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship.

When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

In the third year of Cyrus the king of the Persians, a word was revealed to Daniel, who was called by his name Belteshazzar, and the word was reliable and it concerned a great tribulation, and he understood the word and he received understanding.

In those days, I, Daniel, I myself was in mourning for three whole weeks. I had not eaten any choice food, and meat and wine did not enter my mouth, and I did not use any ointment until the end of three whole weeks.

KJV 1900King James Version

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

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