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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While Daniel alone saw the glorious vision, the trembling fear that gripped his companions revealed their utter inability to comprehend such divine majesty. Their flight to hide underscores that encountering the supernatural isn't simply a matter of seeing, but of spiritual readiness and God's enabling power.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel is overwhelmed by a magnificent, terrifying vision of a divine being on the banks of the Tigris River. While he alone clearly sees the glorious figure, his companions are gripped by an intense fear, hearing some unearthly sound and fleeing in panic. This dramatic encounter is the prelude to a profound revelation about the spiritual conflicts behind world events.
Have you ever felt a presence, a sense of something immense and powerful, even when you couldn't quite see it? This passage highlights that profound reality.
In Daniel 10:7, Daniel and his companions are together, likely by the Tigris River, when a momentous vision occurs. Yet, only Daniel sees the full vision. His companions, however, experience something equally powerful – a "great trembling" that sends them fleeing in terror.
This isn't about who has better eyesight; it's about how God can choose to reveal Himself. While Daniel is given a unique, direct encounter with the divine messenger, his companions are not excluded from God's activity. They experience His overwhelming presence through fear and a sense of awe-inspiring power, even without seeing the vision itself. This shows us that God can interact with us in ways we might not always understand or perceive in the same way.
Think about it like this: Paul's companions on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:7) heard a voice and saw a light, but they didn't fully grasp what Paul was experiencing. God operates on different levels, sometimes granting specific revelations to individuals while allowing others to sense His power in more general, albeit still terrifying, ways.
Imagine being so overwhelmed by a spiritual encounter that you can't think straight and just run. What does that reaction tell us about the nature of God's presence?
The reaction of Daniel's companions – a "great trembling" and fleeing to hide – speaks volumes about the sheer power of the divine presence. This wasn't just a spooky feeling; it was an intense, visceral reaction to an encounter with the supernatural.
Commentators note that this fear was likely a response to the overwhelming power of the angelic being or the divine message being conveyed. It’s a stark reminder that God's presence, especially when manifesting in its full glory, can be terrifying to those who are not prepared or whose hearts are not aligned with Him. It's a holy fear, a recognition of immense power that dwarfs human understanding and control.
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While Daniel's companions fled, their reaction underscores the reality and intensity of the vision. It wasn't a dream or a delusion. Their terror served as an unintended witness to the extraordinary event Daniel was experiencing.
Understand the original words
charadah · Hebrew Noun
A subjective state of awe, dread, or reverence caused by the manifestation of the divine or supernatural; it is a common physical and psychological reaction of sinful humanity in the presence of the holy.
mar'eh · Hebrew Noun
A medium or mode of communication through which God or His angelic messengers convey truth, symbols, or future events to prophets, often characterized by overwhelming visual or auditory phenomena.
Daniel's vision occurs during the early Persian period, a time when the Jewish people are beginning their return from exile. This context highlights the tension between the ongoing divine communication to Daniel and the outward political shifts for his people.
c. 553 BC
Daniel Begins His Ministry
Daniel, a young Jewish exile, begins his service in the Babylonian court during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. His prophetic ministry and visions commence during this period of Babylonian dominance.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Babylonian Empire falls to Cyrus the Great of Persia. Daniel continues to serve under the Medes and Persians, holding high office.
c. 537 BC
First Return of Exiles
Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. While many return, Daniel, now elderly, remains in Babylon.
c. 535 BC— this verse
The Vision of the River
Daniel receives this profound vision by the Tigris River. The experience is so overwhelming that his companions flee in terror, while Daniel is left in a state of shock and awe.
Similar to Daniel, Paul's companions heard a voice but saw no one, highlighting how divine encounters can affect individuals differently.
Exodus 20:18This passage describes the people trembling at God's voice on Mount Sinai, paralleling the great fear that fell upon Daniel's companions when encountering the divine.
2 Kings 6:17Elisha's servant, unlike Elisha, could not see the angelic army surrounding them, illustrating how God can veil spiritual realities from some while revealing them to others.
Luke 24:16The disciples on the road to Emmaus had their eyes 'restrained' so they didn't recognize Jesus, showing a divine act that obscures perception even for believers.
Job 4:14-16Eliphaz recounts a terrifying spiritual encounter where he could not discern the form of a visitor, but felt a profound dread and physical reaction, much like Daniel's companions experienced fear without seeing the vision.
jfbDaniel 10:7: "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."
- they fled—terrified by the presence of the presence of the angel.
bensonDaniel 10:7: "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 10:7-9 . The men that were with me saw not the vision — This was just as it happened to the company who were with St. Paul, when he had a vision, going to Damascus, Acts 9:7 . God can cast a cloud before the eyes of any one when he pleases, so that the organs may not be able to perform their usual functions; thus it…
While Daniel alone saw the glorious vision, the trembling fear that gripped his companions revealed their utter inability to comprehend such divine majesty. Their flight to hide underscores that encountering the supernatural isn't simply a matter of seeing, but of spiritual readiness and God's enabling power.
Daniel is overwhelmed by a magnificent, terrifying vision of a divine being on the banks of the Tigris River. While he alone clearly sees the glorious figure, his companions are gripped by an intense fear, hearing some unearthly sound and fleeing in panic. This dramatic encounter is the prelude to a profound revelation about the spiritual conflicts behind world events.
Daniel is overwhelmed by a magnificent, terrifying vision of a divine being on the banks of the Tigris River. While he alone clearly sees the glorious figure, his companions are gripped by an intense fear, hearing some unearthly sound and fleeing in panic. This dramatic encounter is the prelude to a profound revelation about the spiritual conflicts behind world events.
"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." — While Daniel alone saw the glorious vision, the trembling fear that gripped his companions revealed their utter inability to comprehend such divine majesty. Their flight to hide underscores that enco…
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Last reviewed October 2026