· Translation: KJV

Daniel 10:17For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me, neither was there breath left in me.

The setting

Babylon (modern Iraq), ~536 BC. Daniel, now in his 80s, has been fasting and praying for three weeks when a glorious being appears by the Tigris River...

The emotion here: physically overwhelmed by divine glory after three weeks of fasting

The original word

koach (כֹּחַ) — physical strength, vigor, the power to stand upright

Why it matters

Daniel was likely over 80 years old during this vision, making his physical collapse even more understandable

Read with care

What most readers miss in Daniel 10:17

Daniel calls himself 'servant' — after 70 years of faithful service, he still sees himself as unworthy

Common misconceptionPeople think this shows Daniel's weakness, but it actually shows the angel's incredible power — even faithful Daniel couldn't handle the encounter without supernatural help.

Bible Genome reading

Daniel 10:17 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerDaniel
EraExile
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability50%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance70%
Standalone40%
Themes:human frailtydivine majesty

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Daniel 10

Daniel 10:17 comes from the book of Daniel, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to Daniel. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include human frailty, divine majesty. Notable phrases: how can the servant; no strength in me; no breath.

Your reflection

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