The Aramaic verb behal means to terrify, disturb greatly, or hasten. In the Aramaic sections of Daniel, it describes the terror that strikes pagan kings when confronted with divine mysteries — the trembling and confusion that accompanies an encounter with the supernatural.
The trembling that behal describes is the involuntary response of human pride before divine revelation. Nebuchadnezzar is terrified by his dreams; Belshazzar's face goes pale and his knees knock when he sees the handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5:6). This holy terror is not merely fear but the shattering of self-sufficiency. The biblical pattern is consistent: when mortals encounter the divine, they fall on their faces (Revelation 1:17). Yet grace follows terror — 'Do not be afraid' is one of Scripture's most repeated commands. God disturbs human pride to open space for His peace.