Daniel 10 7

Daniel 10:7 kjv

And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Daniel 10:7 nkjv

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Daniel 10:7 niv

I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves.

Daniel 10:7 esv

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.

Daniel 10:7 nlt

Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide.

Daniel 10 verses

Daniel 10 7 meaning

Daniel 10:7 describes the highly unusual and deeply impactful nature of a divine revelation. Daniel alone saw the vision of a magnificent, divine figure. His companions, though physically present, did not perceive the visual aspect of this revelation. Nevertheless, the powerful supernatural presence accompanying the vision caused an intense, overwhelming terror to fall upon them, compelling them to flee and seek refuge. This verse highlights the selective and profoundly impactful nature of direct divine encounters.

Daniel 10 7 Context

Daniel 10 opens with Daniel deeply distressed, observing a three-week period of mourning and fasting (Dan 10:2-3), seeking understanding regarding a vision about Israel's future conflict (Dan 10:1). He is beside the great river Tigris when this profound vision occurs. The entire chapter serves as an introduction to a lengthy prophecy detailed in chapters 11-12, conveyed to Daniel by a glorious, angelic being. Verse 7 specifically establishes Daniel's unique receptivity to this divine encounter and contrasts his experience with that of his accompanying companions, underscoring the supernatural reality of the event by describing its physical effect on them, even if they didn't visually participate in the full revelation. Historically, this vision takes place in the third year of Cyrus's reign, marking a time when Jewish exiles had begun to return to Jerusalem but faced considerable challenges and opposition.

Daniel 10 7 Word analysis

• And I, Daniel, alone (וַאֲנִי דָנִיֵּאל לְבַדִּי - wa'ani Daniyel levadi):
  • And I: Connects this verse to Daniel's ongoing narrative of personal experience.
  • Daniel: The specific individual chosen to receive this revelation.
  • alone (לְבַדִּי - levadi): Emphasizes exclusivity. This experience was uniquely his. It signifies Daniel's solitary prophetic encounter, setting him apart even from those in his physical proximity. This uniqueness underscores divine sovereignty in choosing whom to reveal to.
• saw the vision (רָאִיתִי הַמַּרְאָה - ra'iti hamar'eh):
  • saw (רָאִיתִי - ra'iti): A direct, active perception. Daniel was fully present and visually processing the divine appearance.
  • the vision (הַמַּרְאָה - hamar'eh): A technical term for a divine or prophetic revelation, an actual appearance. It implies a distinct, visually discernible form, as described in Dan 10:5-6.
• for the men who were with me (וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עִמִּי - veha'anashim asher hayu immi):
  • the men: Ordinary individuals, possibly servants or other Jewish officials, not divinely called prophets.
  • who were with me: Highlights their physical proximity to Daniel and the location of the divine encounter. They shared the physical space but not the spiritual perception.
• did not see the vision (לֹא רָאוּ אֶת־הַמַּרְאָה - lo ra'u et-hamar'eh):
  • did not see: A clear, categorical denial of visual perception. Their eyes perceived nothing of the divine figure that Daniel saw. This emphasizes the spiritual dimension of prophetic sight. Divine revelation is not merely an optical phenomenon but requires spiritual openness or election.
• nevertheless, a great trembling (אֲבָל חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה - aval charadah gedolah):
  • nevertheless (אֲבָל - aval): Introduces a strong contrast. Despite not seeing, they still had an profound experience.
  • a great trembling (חֲרָדָה גְדֹלָה - charadah gedolah): This describes an intense, overwhelming, and debilitating terror or dread. It suggests a profound awareness of a mighty, invisible, supernatural presence, even without visual confirmation. This "trembling" is often a characteristic response to a numinous encounter with the holy.
• fell upon them (נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם - nafela aleihem):
  • fell upon them: Indicates an external, forceful, and involuntary experience. It implies an overwhelming power from outside themselves, suggesting a direct divine impact, not mere psychological reaction.
• so that they fled to hide themselves (וַיִּבְרְחוּ הֵחָבֵא - vayivrefu heḥavē'):
  • fled: An immediate and instinctive reaction of self-preservation due to overwhelming terror.
  • to hide themselves: The specific purpose of their flight, indicating a desire to escape or be concealed from the perceived terrifying presence. This is a common biblical human reaction to encounters with overwhelming divinity (e.g., Adam and Eve, Exod 3:6).

Daniel 10 7 Bonus section

The reaction of Daniel's companions in this verse functions as an apologetic detail. The fact that ordinary individuals, not specifically called to a vision, experienced such a profound, terror-inducing presence, confirms the reality and divine source of the encounter for any skeptic. Their objective experience, though non-visual, lends powerful subjective credence to Daniel's own distinct spiritual vision. This selective revelation also underlines a key theological principle: the presence of God or His messengers is intrinsically holy and often terrifying, yet His full revelation is dispensed according to His sovereign will, not by human proximity or seeking. It also hints at the veil between the physical and spiritual realms, a veil that only God can part for chosen individuals.

Daniel 10 7 Commentary

Daniel 10:7 provides crucial substantiation for the veracity and extraordinary nature of Daniel's vision. By explicitly stating that only Daniel saw the glorious angelic figure, it highlights the personal and unique calling of the prophet. Yet, the accompanying men's experience of profound, unbidden terror and their subsequent flight serves as an external, independent witness to the potent, supernatural reality of the event. They perceived a terrifying presence, even if they couldn't visually identify its source, affirming that something extraordinary was indeed occurring. This detail solidifies the credibility of Daniel's account. It underscores that divine encounters are often exclusive in their direct visual aspect but can profoundly affect all in proximity, distinguishing between spiritual perception granted by God and mere physical presence. The immediate, involuntary "great trembling" and instinct to "flee to hide themselves" reflect the overwhelming power and holiness of God's manifest presence, aligning with common biblical responses to the numinous. This verse sets the stage for a weighty prophecy, emphasizing the divine origin of the revelation.