Daniel 10:19

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — A heavenly messenger, having just touched and raised Daniel from the ground (v. 18), speaks to him at the midpoint of a vision that has left Daniel prostrate and unable to eat or speak (vv. 8, 17).

The words — חֲמֻדוֹת (chemudoth, "preciousness") is an unusual epithet; the angel addresses Daniel as "a man of preciousness," a term that appears nowhere else as a direct address. The command חֲזַק (chazak, "be strong") is doubled with the vav-conjunction, intensifying the imperative.

The thread — The pairing of "do not be afraid" with "be strong" recurs in divine and angelic speech: Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 35:4, Judges 6:23. The formula consistently precedes a commission or a task.

Why it lands — Daniel is strengthened before he is told what he must do; the verse models receiving capacity before receiving the assignment. A reader is asked to notice that the command to be strong comes first, not as a demand to self-generate courage but as a precondition for the next word.

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

וַיֹּ֜אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אַל־'al-may not תִּירָ֧אti.Ra'you fear אִישׁ־'ish-O man of חֲמֻד֛וֹתcha.mu.Dotpreciousness<es>שָׁל֥וֹםsha.Lompeaceלָ֖ךְla/kh[be] to/ youחֲזַ֣קcha.Zakbe strong וַחֲזָ֑קva./cha.Zakand/ be strong וּֽבְדַבְּר֤וֹu./be./da.be.R/oand/ when/ spoke/ he עִמִּי֙'i.M/iwith/ me הִתְחַזַּ֔קְתִּיhit.cha.Zak.tiI strengthened myself וָאֹֽמְרָ֛הva./'O.me.Rahand/ I said יְדַבֵּ֥רye.da.Berlet him speak אֲדֹנִ֖י'a.do.N/ilord/ my כִּ֥יkifor חִזַּקְתָּֽנִי׃chi.zak.Ta./niyou have strengthened/ me

King James Version

And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

Cross-references

Isaiah 35:4 Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Judges 6:23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of your petitions, an answer went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly precious. So consider the message and understand the vision:
Daniel 10:11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
John 19:26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.