The Meaning of Daniel 8:16 Explained

Daniel 8:16

KJV: And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

YLT: And I hear a voice of man between the banks of Ulai, and he calleth and saith: Gabriel, cause this one to understand the appearance.

Darby: And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai; and he called and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

ASV: And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I heard  a man's  voice  between [the banks of] Ulai,  which called,  and said,  Gabriel,  make this  [man] to understand  the vision. 

What does Daniel 8:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 8:15-27 - God's Deliverance Is Sure
It does not fall within our province to go into the various fulfillments which have been assigned to the predictions of this chapter-one to the time of the Maccabees, one to our own days, and one to that malign Satanic power which stands up perpetually against the Prince of princes. Let us dwell, rather, on the assertion that whatever sets itself against the kingship of Jesus Christ shall inevitably be broken. The Church of God is menaced today, as never before, by a vast multiplication of malign influences; but the Master's promise holds good that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against her. They shall be broken without hand. This is our strong confidence with respect to all our foes, and therefore we may possess our souls in patience. It is interesting that Daniel continued to do the king's business, notwithstanding the abundance of the revelations given unto him. However much we may be caught up into the heaven of religious meditation and ecstasy, we must never forget or neglect the interests which are committed to our hands, whether of the home, the business, or the state. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 8

1  Daniel's vision of the ram and he goat
13  The two thousand three hundred days of the suspension of the daily sacrifice
15  Gabriel comforts Daniel, and interprets the vision

What do the individual words in Daniel 8:16 mean?

And I heard a voice of man between [the banks of] the Ulai and who called and said Gabriel make understand this [man] - the vision
וָאֶשְׁמַ֥ע קוֹל־ אָדָ֖ם בֵּ֣ין אוּלָ֑י וַיִּקְרָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר גַּבְרִיאֵ֕ל הָבֵ֥ן לְהַלָּ֖ז אֶת־ הַמַּרְאֶֽה

וָאֶשְׁמַ֥ע  And  I  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
קוֹל־  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
אָדָ֖ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
בֵּ֣ין  between  [the  banks  of] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
אוּלָ֑י  the  Ulai 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: river of Elam.
וַיִּקְרָא֙  and  who  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וַיֹּאמַ֔ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
גַּבְרִיאֵ֕ל  Gabriel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גַּבְרִיאֵל  
Sense: an archangel; the angel God used to send messages of great importance to man; sent to Daniel, to Zacharias, and to Mary.
הָבֵ֥ן  make  understand 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
לְהַלָּ֖ז  this  [man] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: הַלָּז 
Sense: this, this one (without subst), yonder.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמַּרְאֶֽה  the  vision 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַרְאֶה  
Sense: sight, appearance, vision.