His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as just a list of dazzling attributes, but the text emphasizes how Daniel perceives this being: his body is like a precious stone, his face like lightning, his eyes like fire, his limbs like polished metal, and his voice like a roar. This isn't just a description of the being, but a portrayal of its overwhelming, awe-inspiring appearance to Daniel, marking it as far more than human.
His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel has just received a profound vision and is in a state of shock and exhaustion. This passage immediately follows his initial description of a glorious, angelic figure appearing to him, emphasizing the overwhelming, divine nature of the being Daniel is witnessing. The details paint a picture of immense power and radiant glory, far beyond human comprehension, serving to underscore the significance of the message Daniel is about to receive.
Daniel's vision isn't just a description; it's an overwhelming display of divine presence. Notice the intense, almost overwhelming sensory details used to portray this angelic being.
This angelic messenger is presented with attributes that shatter earthly comparisons.
A Spectrum of Light and Fire
These vivid images combine to paint a picture not of a mere man, but of a divine herald whose very form speaks of God's glory and power.
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It's not just the appearance, but the sound of this messenger's words that's remarkable. What does it mean for words to sound like a multitude?
The description of the messenger's voice isn't just about volume; it's about the overwhelming nature of divine communication.
More Than Just Loud
Understand the original words
tarshish · Hebrew Noun
A precious stone, often associated with divine radiance, purity, and the presence of God; frequently used in apocalyptic literature to describe the glorious nature of heavenly beings.
This passage describes the appearance of living creatures with flaming torches and lightning, sharing vivid imagery with Daniel's vision of a divine being.
Revelation 1:14-16John's vision of the resurrected Christ shares striking parallels with Daniel's vision, particularly in the descriptions of the countenance like the sun, eyes like flaming fire, and feet like burnished bronze.
Exodus 10:5The description of polished brass is mirrored in Exodus, often referring to the gleaming metal used in the tabernacle, suggesting divine glory and purity.
Isaiah 13:4The 'voice of a multitude' echoes Isaiah's prophecy, implying a powerful, overwhelming, and perhaps divinely authoritative sound.
ellicottDaniel 10:6: "His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude."
(6) Beryl. —Heb., Tarshish, a variety of the topaz. His feet.—More correctly, the place where his feet were, or the lower extremities of his limbs. We are not told in what position the man was when Daniel first saw him. Later on (Daniel 12:6) he is describ…
barnesDaniel 10:6: "His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude."
His body also was like the beryl - There is a very striking resemblance between the description here given and that of the Saviour as he appeared to John in Patmos, Revelation 1:13-16 . See the notes at that passage. It contains, however, no description of…
It's easy to read this as just a list of dazzling attributes, but the text emphasizes how Daniel perceives this being: his body is like a precious stone, his face like lightning, his eyes like fire, his limbs like polished metal, and his voice like a roar. This isn't just a description of the being, but a portrayal of its overwhelming, awe-inspiring appearance to Daniel, marking it as far more than human.
Daniel has just received a profound vision and is in a state of shock and exhaustion. This passage immediately follows his initial description of a glorious, angelic figure appearing to him, emphasizing the overwhelming, divine nature of the being Daniel is witnessing. The details paint a picture of immense power and radiant glory, far beyond human comprehension, serving to underscore the significance of the message Daniel is about to receive.
Daniel has just received a profound vision and is in a state of shock and exhaustion. This passage immediately follows his initial description of a glorious, angelic figure appearing to him, emphasizing the overwhelming, divine nature of the being Daniel is witnessing. The details paint a picture of immense power and radiant glory, far beyond human comprehension, serving to underscore the significance of the message Daniel is about to receive.
"His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude." — It's easy to read this as just a list of dazzling attributes, but the text emphasizes how Daniel perceives this being: his body is like a precious stone, his face like lightning, his eyes like fire…
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Last reviewed October 2026