While I was speaking in prayer: this is only slightly different from the initial clause in the previous verse, but here it sets the stage for the appearance of Gabriel.

The man Gabriel: the writer does not intend to deny that Gabriel is an angel, but he focuses on the fact that Gabriel looked like a man. When Gabriel is first introduced it was said that he was “one having the appearance of a man” (see 8.15). Consequently, Anchor Bible translates “the manlike Gabriel.” It is also possible to say “the angel Gabriel, who looked like a man.” Perhaps because of the danger of misunderstanding a literal rendering, Good News Translation has chosen to leave this information out.

Had seen … at the first: the idea here is simply “had seen previously.” Some other ways of translating this are “had originally seen” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “had already seen” (Revised English Bible).

In swift flight: according to some interpreters, the traditional Hebrew text here can only mean “wearied in weariness,” but this is not very meaningful in the present context. Most others read it as “flying in flight,” and this is taken to mean “in rapid flight.”

The time of the evening sacrifice: this is a reference to the daily schedule of sacrifices in the Temple, which consisted of one in the morning and one in the late afternoon (see Exo 29.38-41; Num 28.4; 1 Kgs 18.29, 36). If the word evening is understood as referring to the period after dark, it will be necessary to select a different word indicating the time just before the sun sets.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .