The 1599 Geneva Bible:
Then said he unto me, “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but lo, Michael one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there by the Kings of Persia.”
The 1599 Geneva Bible:
Then said he unto me, “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but lo, Michael one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there by the Kings of Persia.”
[Observata ad Danielem]
Verses 12 & 13. In this verse and the two following is the speech of Him whom Daniel had seen, unto him: wherein He biddeth him put away fear; for He came for Daniel’s words or for his sake: whose prayer was heard as soon as he set himself to consider and to fast. Whereby it is understood that Daniel, during the time of his fasting, was occupied with the contemplation of divine mysteries. But that He now came after three weeks, or one-and-twenty days, He giveth the cause, that the Prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood Him for so long: but that He came, the cause was that He was left with the kings of Persia, or that He drove away the Prince of Persia, so that He alone had the kings of Persia in His power: and that, with Michael, one of the chief princes, helping Him. These things, without doubt, are enigmatic and parabolic. Whom we understand by Michael must be examined in chapter 12:1. Though also in chapter 10:21. He is called in the New Testament Ἀρχάγγελος, Jude verse 9. In Revelation 12:7, it is said that he and his angels fought with the Dragon and his angels. But here another angel fighteth with the Prince of Persia, and Michael is his helper. That we may simply understand the matter, above all we shall compare the place in Zechariah 4:6, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit. What hindereth us to say that here is the likeness of that which Peter, in his first epistle, 1:11, saith, that the Spirit of Christ spake in the prophets? Whose work, surely, it is to drive away the Devil and his angel from the mighty of this world, and to suggest good counsels to them, and to bend their minds to do good to the church. Therefore it is here notified to Daniel that in the former time the Devil, the Prince and god of this world, and his angels, endeavored to turn the mind of the king of Persia from the will to do good to the Jewish people; but the Spirit of Christ, by the power of His merits and His righteousness, prevailed. For the spirit that worketh contrary to the Spirit sent from God, and that is with Michael, cannot be a good spirit. The Prince of Persia here is not Cyrus himself. For, he being driven away, the Spirit sent from God remaineth with the kings of Persia. Nor could any man besides Cyrus be called the prince of the kingdom of Persia. Ezra, chapter 4:6, relateth that the enemies of the Jews hired counselors against the Jews all the days of Cyrus. Therefore this verse declareth that those wicked counsels were divinely hindered, lest anything should be decreed by the authority of Cyrus that would be grievous to the people of God. Moreover, by these things it is shown that all that kindness of God and care must be ascribed to the righteousness of Christ; who hitherto in every distress had borne, preserved, and saved the people of God. Isaiah 63:9. Therefore Michael is hereafter called the Prince of Israel. And in chapter 12:1, standing for the people of God, that is, interceding for them. Therefore the angel could not come to Daniel before he could announce to him that Satan had been driven away by him.