Heb. rasham, “to inscribe,” “to write down.”

 Heb. kethab, literally, “a writing,” from the verb kathab, “to write.” The eternal plans and purposes of God are here represented as written down. Compare Ps 139:16; Acts 17:26; see on Dan. 4:17.

This phrase may also be translated, “there is no one who exerts himself.” This cannot be taken to mean that all were oblivious of the struggle except the two heavenly beings mentioned here. “The controversy was one in which all heaven was interested” (PK 571). The probable meaning of the passage is that Christ and Gabriel assumed the special work of contending with the hosts of Satan who attempted to secure control of the empires of this earth.

 The fact that Michael is spoken of specifically as your (the Hebrew pronoun is plural) prince, places Him in sharp contrast with the “prince of Persia” (vs. 13, 20) and “the prince of Grecia” (v. 20). Michael was the champion on God’s side of the great controversy.