Daniel 10:15

While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — A heavenly messenger continues explaining the future of Daniel's people, and while the messenger speaks, Daniel lowers his face to the ground. The moment captures Daniel's physical prostration immediately following the announcement of a vision concerning the latter days.

The words — נָתַ֧תִּי (nata ti) means "I put" or "I set," and פָנַ֛/י (panay) means "my face," forming the action "I set my face." וְ/נֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי (ve ne'elam ti) translates literally as "and I was speechless" or "I became mute."

The thread — The pattern of divine speech inducing temporary muteness followed by physical restoration appears in Daniel 8:18, where a touch breaks the prophet's deep sleep, and in Luke 1:20, where silence functions as a sign. Ezekiel 24:27 similarly ties the opening of the mouth to a prophetic sign for the people.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to observe that human response to divine revelation begins with physical submission before it yields to speech. It asks the reader to recognize that receiving God's words demands a posture of stillness prior to any human reply.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּבְדַבְּר֣וֹu./ve./da.be.R/oand/ when/ spoke/ he עִמִּ֔י'i.M/iwith/ me כַּדְּבָרִ֖יםka./de.va.Rimaccording to the/ words הָאֵ֑לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these נָתַ֧תִּיna.Ta.tiI put פָנַ֛יfa.Na/iface/ my אַ֖רְצָה'Ar.tza/h[the] ground/ towards וְנֶאֱלָֽמְתִּי׃ve./ne.'e.La.me.tiand/ I was dumb

King James Version

And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 24:27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”
Luke 1:20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, helped me to my feet,
Daniel 10:9 I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.
Ezekiel 33:22 Now the evening before the fugitive arrived, the hand of the LORD was upon me, and He opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer mute.