Baruch 9:21

Clementine Latin Vulgate

adhuc me loquente in oratione, ecce vir Gabriel, quem videram in visione a principio, cito volans tetigit me in tempore sacrificii vespertini.

Parallel Translations

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
adhuc me loquente in oratione, ecce vir Gabriel, quem videram in visione a principio, cito volans tetigit me in tempore sacrificii vespertini.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
adhuc me loquente in oratione, ecce vir Gabriel, quem videram in visione principio, cito volans tetigit me in tempore sacrificii vespertini;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the man: Daniel 8:16, Daniel 10:16, Luke 1:19

to fly: Psalms 103:20, Psalms 104:4, Isaiah 6:2, Ezekiel 1:11, Ezekiel 1:14, Hebrews 1:7

swiftly: Heb. with weariness, or flight

touched: Daniel 8:18, Daniel 10:10, Daniel 10:16, Daniel 10:18, Isaiah 6:6, Isaiah 6:7, Acts 12:7, Hebrews 1:14

the time: 1 Kings 18:36, Ezra 9:5, Matthew 27:46, Acts 3:1, Acts 10:3, Acts 10:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 29:38 - two lambs Exodus 29:41 - offer Numbers 28:4 - and the other 1 Kings 19:5 - an angel 2 Kings 3:20 - when the meat 2 Kings 16:15 - the morning 1 Chronicles 16:40 - To offer 2 Chronicles 20:14 - Then upon Ezra 9:4 - until Psalms 141:2 - the evening Ezekiel 14:14 - Daniel Matthew 17:7 - touched Mark 15:34 - at Luke 1:28 - Hail Acts 10:30 - I was Hebrews 10:11 - daily Revelation 1:1 - and he Revelation 14:6 - another

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer,.... Which is repeated, that it might be observed, that while he was in prayer, before he had finished it, or got off of his knees, an answer was sent him; see

Isaiah 65:24:

even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning; either at the beginning of Belshazzar's reign, in the third year of it, Daniel 8:1, or rather "before", as the Syriac version renders it; before this time, in the vision of the ram and he goat, Daniel 8:16, when he saw this angel Gabriel that appeared in a human form, and he knew this to be his name, by a man's voice calling him by it; and now he knew him to be the same angel by his appearance and voice; at the sight of whom he does not seem to be terrified, as before, having had free conversation with him, and being made acquainted by him with many secrets; and no doubt inwardly rejoiced to see him again, as hoping and believing he had something to communicate to him:

being caused to fly swiftly; having an order from the Lord, and being strengthened by him to make quick dispatch to Daniel, which is signified by flying swiftly; and for which reason angels are represented as having wings, to denote their celerity and quick dispatch of business: or "flying with weariness" m, as some render it; he made such haste as to be weary with it; as he appeared in the form of a man, he looked like one out of breath, and panting for it, occasioned by his swift flight; and which expresses the haste he made, according to his orders, and his eagerness to bring to Daniel the welcome tidings of the coming of the Messiah, and the time of it, which angels desired to look into:

touched me about the time of the evening oblation; the time of offering the evening sacrifice; which, though not now offered, the altar being destroyed, and the Lord's people in a foreign land; yet the time was observed by them, and which was the time of prayer, being about the ninth hour of the day, or three o'clock in the afternoon, see Acts 3:1, as the time of the morning sacrifice was another hour of prayer; at which time very likely Daniel began, and continued till now, since he was fasting, Daniel 9:3 and this was the time when Christ, the antitype of the daily sacrifice, was offered up; of the time of whose coming, sufferings, and death, the angel here brings an account: and, in order to excite the attention of Daniel to it, "touched him"; for he, being on his knees, and intent in prayer, might not at first observe him; and therefore gives him a gentle touch, to let him know he was present, and had something to say to him; and to suggest to him to break off his prayer, to which he had brought an answer, as well as to lift him up, and encourage familiarity with him.

m מעף ביעף "volans in lassitudine", Montanus; "cum lassitudine, [vel] fatigatione", so some in Vatablus; "cum, lassitudine", as others in Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer - How “long” the prayer continued we are not informed. It is probable that we have only the substance of it, and that Daniel has recorded only the topics on which he dwelt more at length. The subject was of great importance, and it is reasonable to suppose that a day had been devoted to an examination of the prophecies, and to solemn prayer.

Even the man Gabriel - Who had the appearance of a man, and hence, so called.

Whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning - That is, in a “former” vision. See the notes at Daniel 8:16. It cannot refer to what is mentioned in this (the ninth) chapter, for

(a) he had as yet had no vision, but all that is recorded is a prayer;

(b) there is no intimation that Gabriel had appeared to him at the beginning of the prayer; and

(c) it is declared that at the beginning of the prayer, Gabriel, then evidently in heaven, had received commandment to go to Daniel, and to communicate the message to him, Daniel 9:23.

The meaning undoubtedly is, that the personage who now appeared to him he recognized to be the same who had appeared in a former vision on the banks of the Ulai. The proper meaning of the Hebrew here is, “in a vision at the beginning,” as in our translation. So the Vulgate, “a principio;” and so Theodotion - ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ en tē archē. The Hebrew word תחלה t^echı̂llâh means, properly, “beginning,” Hosea 1:2; Proverbs 9:10; but, in connection with the preposition, as here - בתחלה batt^echı̂llâh - it means also, “before, formerly,” Genesis 13:3; Genesis 41:21; Genesis 43:18, Genesis 43:20; Isaiah 1:26.

Being caused to fly swiftly - Margin, “with weariness,” or “flight.” On the difficult Hebrew expression here - ביעף מעף mu‛âp bı̂y‛âp - Lengerke may be consulted, in loc. The words, according to Gesenius, are derived from יעף yâ‛ap, to go swiftly, and then, to be wearied, to faint, either with running, Jeremiah 2:24, or with severe labor, Isaiah 40:28, or with sorrows, Isaiah 50:4. If derived from this word, the meaning in Hophal, the form used here, would be, “wearied with swift running,” and the sense is, that Gabriel had borne the message swiftly to him, and appeared before him as one does who is wearied with a rapid course. If this be the idea, there is no direct allusion to his “flying,” but the reference is to the rapidity with which he had come on the long journey, as if exhausted by his journey. The Latin Vulgate renders it cito volans - quickly flying; Theodotion, πετόμενος petomenos - flying; the Codex Chisianus, τάχει φερόμενος tachei pheromenos - “borne swiftly.” The Syriac, “with a swift flying he flew and came from heaven.” It cannot be determined with certainty, from the words used here, that the coming of Gabriel was by an act of “flying” as with wings. The common representation of the angels in the Old Testament is not with wings, though the cherubim and Seraphim (Isaiah 6:2, following.) are represented with wings; and in Revelation 14:6, we have a representation of an angel flying. Probably the more exact idea here is that of a rapid course, so as to produce weariness, or such as would naturally produce fatigue.

Touched me - Daniel was doubtless at this time engaged in prayer.

About the time of the evening oblation - The evening sacrifice. This was at the ninth hour of the day, or about three o’clock in the afternoon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Daniel 9:21. 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 occasion to make more than usual speed.