Daniel 8:2
And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
Original Language Analysis
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
H7200
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
1 of 17
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
בֶּֽחָז֔וֹן
in a vision
H2377
בֶּֽחָז֔וֹן
in a vision
Strong's:
H2377
Word #:
2 of 17
a sight (mentally), i.e., a dream, revelation, or oracle
וַיְהִי֙
H1961
וַיְהִי֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
3 of 17
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
H7200
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
4 of 17
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
אֲשֶׁ֖ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֖ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
8 of 17
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
בְּעֵילָ֣ם
of Elam
H5867
בְּעֵילָ֣ם
of Elam
Strong's:
H5867
Word #:
9 of 17
elam, a son of shem and his descendants, with their country; also of six israelites
הַמְּדִינָ֑ה
which is in the province
H4082
הַמְּדִינָ֑ה
which is in the province
Strong's:
H4082
Word #:
10 of 17
properly, a judgeship, i.e., jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a region
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
H7200
וָאֶרְאֶה֙
And I saw
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
11 of 17
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
בֶּֽחָז֔וֹן
in a vision
H2377
בֶּֽחָז֔וֹן
in a vision
Strong's:
H2377
Word #:
12 of 17
a sight (mentally), i.e., a dream, revelation, or oracle
הָיִ֖יתִי
H1961
הָיִ֖יתִי
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
14 of 17
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
15 of 17
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
Cross References
Nehemiah 1:1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,Esther 1:2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,Jeremiah 25:25And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,Genesis 10:22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.Genesis 14:1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;Ezekiel 32:24There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.Esther 2:8So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.Isaiah 21:2A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.Isaiah 11:11And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.Numbers 12:6And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
Historical Context
Shushan (modern Shush, Iran) was located in Elam, east of Babylon. Though ancient—it appears in earliest Mesopotamian records—Shushan gained prominence when Cyrus and later Darius made it a major Persian administrative center. The winter palace built there became famous; Nehemiah served there (Nehemiah 1:1), and Esther's story unfolded there.
The Ulai River (possibly the Karun River or Eulaeus) flowed near Susa. Archaeological excavations have confirmed Susa's significance in the Persian period, including palace complexes matching biblical descriptions. Daniel's vision anticipating this location's future importance demonstrates supernatural foresight—human wisdom couldn't predict Susa's rise to imperial prominence.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God anchor prophetic visions in specific geographic locations rather than keeping them entirely symbolic?
- How does Daniel's vision occurring at Susa before it became politically significant validate the vision's divine origin?
- What does God's comprehensive knowledge of future geographic and political developments teach us about His sovereignty?
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Analysis & Commentary
Daniel's phrase "I saw in a vision" (Hebrew: va'ereh bamarehv, וָאֶרְאֶה בַּמַּרְאֶה) emphasizes the visionary nature of this revelation—not a literal journey but a prophetic experience where God transported Daniel's consciousness to witness future events. The location "Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam" is highly significant: Shushan (Susa) would later become the Persian capital where these prophesied events would unfold.
The river Ulai (Hebrew: Ulai, אוּלַי), an actual river near Susa, grounds the vision in geographic reality. God often uses specific locations in prophetic visions to anchor symbolic content in historical actuality. Daniel standing by the river may symbolize the flow of history's stream—kingdoms rising and falling according to divine decree. The repetition "I saw in a vision" stresses the supernatural character of this experience.
Providentially, Daniel receives this vision at the future Persian capital before Persia even conquers Babylon. This demonstrates God's comprehensive knowledge of all events—He reveals details about places not yet prominent in the political landscape. The vision's geographic specificity would later validate its divine origin when these exact locations became historically significant.