Daniel 10:2
ESV
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.
NIV
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.
NASB
In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.
CSB
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.
NLT
When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks.
KJV
In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
NKJV
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.
What does Daniel 10:2 mean?
Daniel has been given another vision, this time regarding some type of major war or battle (Daniel 10:1). Few details are given about Daniel's mourning. Was the mourning prompted by the vision? Or was he mourning over something else when he had the vision? This taking place in the third year of Cyrus' reign would place it around 536 BC. This is the same time during which Israel was allowed to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding (Ezra 1:2–3). However, while there, the people faced great opposition (Ezra 3:8; 4:4–6). Also, the number of Israelites who returned (Ezra 2:64) seems small given how many Jews would have been living in Persia at that time.The mourning depicted here may be a reaction to Israel's lukewarm reaction to freedom. Or it might be Daniel's sorrow that his people would continue to be harassed and attacked. Daniel may have also been discouraged to realize that the full, permanent restoration of Israel to the Promised Land was not to occur in his lifetime (Isaiah 27:12–13). It may be that he mourned because of what he saw in the future, combined with Israel's current condition.
