Daniel 7

Visions of the Four Beasts

1 # Jer 36.4, 32; Dan 1.17; 4.13, 15; 5.1, 22, 30 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream:#7.1 Q ms Theodotion: MT adds the beginning of the words; he said 2I,#7.2 Theodotion: Aram Daniel answered and said, I Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, 3#v 17; Rev 13.1and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4#Jer 48.40; Ezek 17.3; Hab 1.8The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it. 5Another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, had three tusks#7.5 Or ribs in its mouth among its teeth, and was told, “Arise, devour many bodies!” 6#v 12After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on its back and four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7#Rev 12.3; 13.1; 17.3After this I saw in the visions by night a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that preceded it, and it had ten horns. 8#vv 20, 21, 24, 25; Rev 9.7I was considering the horns when another horn appeared, a little one that came up among them. Three of the original horns were plucked up from before it. There were eyes like human eyes in this horn and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

Judgment before the Ancient One

9 # Ezek 1.13, 26; 10.2, 6; Mk 9.3; Rev 1.14 As I watched,

thrones were set in place,

and an Ancient One#7.9 Aram an Ancient of Days took his throne;

his clothing was white as snow

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames,

and its wheels were burning fire.

10 # Ps 50.3; 97.3; Isa 30.33; Rev 5.11; 20.12 A stream of fire issued

and flowed out from his presence.

A thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.

The court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

11 # vv 7, 8 ; Rev 19.20I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13#Ezek 1.26; Mt 24.30; 26.64; Mk 13.26; Lk 21.27; Rev 1.7, 13As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human being#7.13 Aram one like a son of man

coming with the clouds of heaven.

And he came to the Ancient One#7.13 Aram the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

14 # Ps 2.6–8; 72.11; 102.22; Dan 2.44; Mic 4.7; 1 Cor 15.27; Eph 1.22; Phil 2.9–11; Heb 12.28 To him was given dominion

and glory and kingship,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not pass away,

and his kingship is one

that shall never be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

15 # vv 1, 28 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me,#7.15 Aram troubled in its sheath and the visions of my head terrified me. 16#Dan 8.16, 17; Rev 5.5; 7.13, 14I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: 17“As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. 18#Isa 60.12–14; Rev 2.26; 20.4But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever—forever and ever.”

19Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet; 20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn that came up and before which three others had fallen—the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly and that seemed greater than the others. 21#Rev 13.7As I looked, that horn made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them, 22#vv 9, 13, 18; 1 Cor 6.2, 3until the Ancient One#7.22 Aram the Ancient of Days came; then judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom.

23 # vv 7, 19 This is what he said: “As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth

that shall be different from all the other kingdoms;

it shall devour the whole earth

and trample it down and break it to pieces.

24 # vv 7, 8 ; Rev 17.12As for the ten horns,

out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,

and another shall arise after them.

This one shall be different from the former ones

and shall put down three kings.

25 # Isa 37.23; Dan 2.21; 8.24, 25; 12.7; Rev 12.14; 13.5; 17.6; 18.24 He shall speak words against the Most High,

shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High,

and shall attempt to change the ritual calendar and the law,

and they shall be given into his power

for a time, two times,#7.25 Aram a time, times and half a time.

26 # vv 10, 22 Then the court shall sit in judgment,

and his dominion shall be taken away,

to be consumed and totally destroyed.

27 # vv 14, 18, 22 ; Ps 2.6–12; Isa 60.12; Lk 1.33; Jn 12.34; Rev 11.15The kingship and dominion

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven

shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;

their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,

and all dominions shall serve and obey them.”

28 # v 15 ; Dan 8.27; Lk 2.19Here the account ends. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter in my mind.

Currently Selected:

Daniel 7: NRSVUE

Highlight

Copy

Compare