Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 12:6

"And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" — Daniel 12:6 (ASV)

And one said - One of these angels. It would seem that, though previously unseen by Daniel, they had been present and had listened with deep interest to the communication about the future which the angel had made to him.

Feeling a deep concern in the outcome of these wonderful events—thus evincing the interest that we are taught to believe heavenly beings take in human affairs (see the notes at 1 Peter 1:12)—one of them now addressed him who had been endowed with such great ability to disclose the future, concerning the termination of these events. Such an inquiry was natural and accords with what we would expect an angel to make on an occasion like this.

To the man clothed in linen - The angel. (See the notes at Daniel 10:5).

Which was upon the waters of the river - The margin has "from above." This is according to the Hebrew. The meaning is that the man seemed to stand over the river. . Lengerke supposes that this intimated the fact that divine control extended over the waters as well as over the land—in other words, over the whole earth.

How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? - Nothing had been said on this point that could determine it. The angel had detailed a succession of remarkable events that, by their very nature, must extend far into future years. He had repeatedly spoken of an end and had declared that this series of events would terminate.

He had thus given Daniel the assurance that these troubles would be followed by brighter and happier times. However, he had said nothing by which it could be determined when this would occur. It was natural to make this inquiry, and the angel here asks the question—both for Daniel's sake and his own—when this would be.