Hippolytus of Rome : The Word, having heard the council of the Father, descended from heaven to proclaim the will of the Father through angels, as Scripture says, "A holy one descended from heaven." [Daniel 4:13] The angels consulted the Word, "What does the master command us?" For this is the request of the saints. The word to them was that God the Most High says this, "Cut down the tree and strip its branches and shake its leaves." [Daniel 4:14] Those who heard this routed the powers of the king, so that they took away his kingdom. For all the nations were handed over to the angels, as John says in the Apocalypse, "And I heard one saying, 'Release the four angels who reside on the great river Euphrates'" [Revelation 9:13-14] who are Persians, Medes, Assyrians, and Babylonians. — Commentary on Daniel 3.9.6-10 Isaac of Nineveh : One who passes the night with thought of him makes of God a housemate; and one who earnestly desires the will of God will find the watchers on high to be his teachers. — ON ASCETICAL LIFE 5:14 Jerome : Verses 13, 14. "'And behold, a watchman and a holy one descended from heaven, and he cried out with a loud voice and spoke as follows: 'Cut down the tree and chop off its branches...'" Instead of "watchman" Theodotion uses the Chaldee word itself, hir, which is written with the three letters 'ayin, yodh, and resh. But it signifies the angels, because they ever keep watch and are prepared to carry out God's command. And so we too follow the example of the angels in their duties when we engage in frequent night-long vigils. Also it is said of the Lord: "He who keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalms 121:4). Lastly, we read a little later: — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR Theodoret of Cyrus : By eir he refers to the watcher, the meaning in Greek. By watcher he means an angel, thus bringing out its bodiless form: what is clad in a body is subject to sleeping, whereas what is rid of a body is superior to the need for sleeping. So he means, I saw an angel, bodiless in nature, who descended from heaven. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 4:13