(5) A certain man.--The appearance of this person is minutely described, while that of the angels is not mentioned. The dress especially recalls to our minds the clothing of the high priest. (See Exodus 39:27-29, and comp. Revelation 1:13.) The person himself is carefully distinguished from Michael (Daniel 10:21), and as we may infer from Daniel's silence (comp. Daniel 9:21), he is distinct from Gabriel also. He is the same man who stood before Daniel (Daniel 8:15), and must be regarded as "the Angel of God" (Exodus 32:34), or "God's Presence" (Exodus 33:14), or "God's Name;" in fact, the One who was the Logos.

Uphaz.--A place only mentioned in this passage and Jeremiah 10:9. The locality of it is unknown. The additions of the LXX. should be noted.

Verses 5, 6. - Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphas: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. The version given by the Septuagint exhibits traces of confluence, "And it was [apparently reading וַיִּהִי (vayyehee)] on the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was upon the bank of the great river Tigris, and I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man clothed in fine linen (βύσσινα), and girt about the loins with fine linen (βυσσίνῳ), and from his middle there was light, and his month was as the sea, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, his arms and feet as gleaming brass, and the voice (φωνὴ) of his speech as the voice of a multitude." It would seem that the translator had בַּדִּים twice; that might be due to blunder, or may be a case of doublet - a phenomenon so frequent. The difficult word Uphaz, which only occurs elsewhere in Jeremiah 10:9, is omitted; "from his middle there was light" is probably an effort to render this clause, which the translator seems to have read mithoq 'or. Possibly the mysterious clause, "and his mouth was like the sea," may be another attempt to render these unaccustomed words. Theodotion merely transliterates בדים into βαδδίν, and תַרְשִׁישׁ into θαρσίς, and regards Uphaz as a garment, which, in the case before us, was golden (χρυσίῳ). In the Syriac of the Peshitta, the translator escapes the difficulty of bad, deem by rendering it "glory." The next clause is also paraphrastic, "the girdle of his loins (back) was of splendid magnificence:" this last is his rendering of Uphaz. The next verse does not call for remark. Jerome, in the Vulgate, renders tarsheesh as chrysolithus - an interpretation very generally followed now. In the Massoretic text, the use of the numeral "one," almost as our indefinite article, has to be noted. Baddeem is the plural of a word used mainly for the material of which the garments of the priests were made; it occurs also in the vision of Ezekiel. The singularity is that in Ezekiel, as in Daniel, the word is always plural whereas in the rest of Scripture it is always singular. Uphaz occurs, as above mentioned, only in Jeremiah 10:9; it is by some supposed to be a variation on Ophir. As here, it is connected in Jeremiah with Tarshish. Fürst suggests paz, "fine gold" (Job 28:17), and אוּ - אִי. "coast or island," thus making it equivalent to "Gold Coast." Kethem, "fine gold," is associated in Isaiah 13:12 with "Ophir," as here with" Uphaz;" this might hint at the identity of the two places. That, however, is an uncertain basis. The fact that Tarshish and Uphaz are brought together, would indicate that, like Tarshish, it was in Spain. Kneucker, in Schenkel's 'Bibellexikon,' decides for Hy-phasis, South Arabia, on the uncertain ground of the sound of the name. Bochart would place it in Ceylon, because Ptolemy mentions a harbour and river of the name of Phasis. Tarshish is the Tartessus of the Greeks and the modern Tharsis; here the chrysolite or topaz, as brought from thence. Margelothayo, "his feet," is the most common rendering; but yon Lengerke would render, "the place where his feet rested" - a rendering which, while it suits the form of the word, does not suit the context. It occurs four times in Ruth in one connection, and not elsewhere, save here. "Like in colour to polished brass" is a phrase which occurs in Ezekiel 1:7. Professor Bevan says, "What meaning the author attached to קָלָל (qalal),' 'polished,' it is impossible to say." All the versions render" gleaming," in both passages; there seems no need to suggest a corruption of the text. The vision here has a great resemblance, though with many pointsof contrast, to Ezekiel 1:4-25; Ezekiel 8:2; Ezekiel 9:2; Ezekiel 10:1-22. Many passages in the Apocalypse show traces of its influence: thus Revelation 1:14, 15, the appearance of our Lord; also Revelation 10:1-3. The vision in Ezekiel 1. is a theophany; this, however, is not the appearance of a direct symbol of God, but the appearance of one of his angels. The whole aspect is one of terror and splendour. It has been noted that the yellow gleam of the topaz suits well the tint of the Oriental complexion. When we compare this with Ezekiel's vision, we find a reticence in Ezekiel's description; he does not affirm (Ezekiel 1:27) that it is a man he sees, but only one in human likeness. Whereas Daniel distinctly says that it was a man. In the case of Ezekiel, it was a theophany which he saw; it was an angelophany which appeared to Daniel. "The voice of a multitude" refers to the sound of the shout of a multitude; the effect it produces is not merely the volume of sound, but the difference of tones and the difference of moment of utterance give a sense of vastness and multitudinousness, always impressive, and indeed awe-inspiring.

10:1-9. This chapter relates the beginning of Daniel's last vision, which is continued to the end of the book. The time would be long before all would be accomplished; and much of it is not yet fulfilled. Christ appeared to Daniel in a glorious form, and it should engage us to think highly and honourably of him. Let us admire his condescension for us and our salvation. There remained no strength in Daniel. The greatest and best of men cannot bear the full discoveries of the Divine glory; for no man can see it, and live; but glorified saints see Christ as he is, and can bear the sight. How dreadful soever Christ may appear to those under convictions of sin, there is enough in his word to quiet their spirits.Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked,.... Being excited to it, by an object presented, of an unusual appearance, which engaged his attention, and caused him to look wistly at it:

and, behold a certain man clothed in linen; not Gabriel, but the Son of God, the Messiah; who, though not as yet incarnate, yet was so in the counsel and purpose of God; had agreed in covenant to be man, was promised and prophesied of as such; and now appeared in a human form, as he frequently did before his incarnation, as a pledge of it, and showing his readiness to assume human nature: he appears here "clothed in linen", in the habit of a priest; which office he sustains, and executes by the sacrifice of himself, and by his prevalent intercession; and may denote his purity and innocence, as well as direct us to his spotless righteousness he is the author of, which is like fine linen, clean and white, Revelation 19:8,

whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz; or of Fez, which is the best gold. Some take it to be the same with the gold of Ophir, often spoken of in Scripture; so the Targum on Jeremiah 10:9, renders Uphaz by Ophir. Ptolemy (i) makes mention of a river called Phasis in the island of Taprobane or Zeilan, where Bochart (k) seems to think Ophir was, from whence the gold of that name came; and the same geographer (l) takes notice of a city and river of the same name in Colchis; perhaps the same with Pison, which encompassed Havilah, where was good gold, Genesis 2:11, and both Strabo (m) and Pliny (n) say that much gold was found in that country, and taken out of rivers there; and was so plentiful, that even chambers were made of gold, Some think that this was an island in India called Paz or Topaz, and might with the Jews go by all three names, Paz, Topaz, and Uphaz (o); however, it is certain, that very fine gold, even the finest gold, is here designed: and the loins of this illustrious Person being girded with a girdle made of it, as it may be expressive of his royal dignity, so likewise of his readiness to do any service he was employed in, as man and Mediator; and especially the great work of man's redemption and salvation, for the sake of which he would really become man, as he has, as well as now he appeared as one; see Revelation 1:13 where Christ is said to be "girt with a golden girdle"; and such an one was this; and which is to be understood, not of his girdle as a King, which is a girdle of faithfulness and righteousness, Isaiah 11:5, all his administrations of government being just and true; though such a girdle well suits him, and his character in the discharge of every office, as well as his kingly office; nor of his girdle as a Prophet, which is the girdle of truth, which all his faithful ministers are girt with, Ephesians 6:14, and he in a more eminent manner, who is full of grace and truth, and by whom both came, and who is truth itself; but of his girdle as a Priest; for as such is he here habited, and such a girdle the priests used to wear, even the girdle of the ephod, made of gold, blue, purple, and fine twined linen, Exodus 28:8, and this is the girdle of love, which constrained Christ to become the surety and substitute of his people; to take upon him their nature, and their sins; to offer himself a sacrifice for them, and to be their advocate with the Father; and the form and matter of this girdle being round about him, and of gold, may denote the perfection, duration, and eternity of his love.

(i) Geograph. l. 7. c. 4. (k) Phaleg. l. 2. c. 27. Colossians 141. (l) Ptolem. Geograph. l. 5. c. 10. (m) Geograph. l. 11. p. 343. (n) Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 3.((o) Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. c. 8. p. 141.