Daniel 10:4

Four and twentieth day. This is the only date in the book of Daniel given to the exact day and month. Nothing is said, of course, as to whether the reckoning here is in terms of the Babylonian-Persian calendar (which Daniel’s contemporary Ezekiel may have used), or in accordance with the Jewish calendar (as Ezra and Nehemiah later reckoned). If Daniel’s date is on the basis of the Babylonian-Persian calendar (beginning the year in the spring), the first month of Cyrus’ third year would be about March/April, 536 B.C. If, on the other hand, Daniel reckoned by the Jewish method (which began the year in the fall), the first month of Cyrus’ third year would come 12 months later and would correspond roughly to March/April, 535 B.C. For an explanation of the differences between Babylonian and Jewish calendars, see Vol. II, pp. 112-122.

Since the three weeks of Daniel’s fasting ended on the 24th day of the first month, they must have begun on the 4th day, and thus his fast extended through the Passover season. But to what degree the feast was observed in captivity is not known.

Hiddekel. This Hebrew name represents the Akkadian Idiqlat, Old Persian Tigra, which has come into modern languages as Tigris. The Tigris is the smaller of the two great rivers of Mesopotamia. A river by the same name is mentioned in Gen. 2:14. However, there reference is to the antediluvian stream. Precisely where on the Tigris the incident occurred is not stated.