Charles Ellicott Commentary Daniel 10:1

"In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision." — Daniel 10:1 (ASV)

A thing: A revelation, as in Daniel 9:25. The contents of the revelation are specified in the perplexing words, the thing was true, and the time appointed was long. By this it is apparently meant that truth and long tribulation were the subject of their vision. “Time appointed” is translated “warfare” (Isaiah 40:2) and is used here in the same sense, meaning “hardship” or “tribulation.” This revelation, however, speaks of the “warfare” that not only Israel, but all God’s people must undergo before the coming of the Messiah in His kingdom.

And he understood: Compare Daniel 8:27. It appears from Daniel 12:8 that the whole was not understood by him. Certainly, the duration of the tribulation was not clearly revealed to the prophet, though he received enigmatic declarations respecting it (Daniel 12:10 and following).

I ... was mourning: It is unnecessary to suppose that Daniel’s fast was a result of some breaches of the Passover ritual that his people had committed. The Jews were involved in troubles and had committed sins of faithlessness that justified the prophet in turning to God with fasting and prayer. At Jerusalem, there were the factious oppositions offered to the newly returned colonists, as we read in the book of Ezra. They experienced the lack of spiritual guides (Ezra 2:63) in one very important matter; and we need not doubt that the circumstances mentioned in Ezra 4:1-6 had caused many complications.

But there was in Israel the sin of faithlessness to God’s promises, which grieved the aged seer's heart. The number of those who had obeyed the prophet’s command, Go ye forth from Babylon (Isaiah 48:20), was comparatively insignificant. Those who should have been foremost in leading their fellow-countrymen—namely, the Levites—had preferred life in Babylon to the trials and hardships of rebuilding their own city (Ezra 2:40).