Bible Strands
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,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — A heavenly figure speaks to Daniel during a vision concerning the time of the end, immediately after Daniel falls facedown in terror. The speaker pauses the revelation to physically restore Daniel before continuing.
The words — נִרְדַּמְתִּי (nirdamtî) means I was dazed or fell into a deep sleep, and וַיַּעֲמִידֵ֔נִי (wa yaʿămîdênî) literally means he made me stand.
The thread — The same sequence of divine touch and restoration to standing occurs in Ezekiel 2:2 and Daniel 10:16–18, where a heavenly messenger physically enables the prophet to receive and deliver the message.
Why it lands — The text records that human weakness interrupts prophetic reception and requires direct divine intervention to resume. It demands the reader acknowledge that understanding the forthcoming revelation depends entirely on the speaker’s action, not the recipient’s capacity.
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
King James Version
Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
Cross-references
- Daniel 10:18 Again the one with the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me.
- Ezekiel 2:2 And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.
- Daniel 10:16 And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome with anguish, and I have no strength.
- Luke 9:32 Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him.
- Daniel 10:8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
- Genesis 15:12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
- Job 4:13 In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
- Daniel 8:17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified and fell facedown. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”
- Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was confounded by the vision; it was beyond understanding.
- Zechariah 4:1 Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.