Daniel 7
7
Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts
1In the first year of #See ch. 5:1 Belshazzar king of Babylon, #[ch. 1:17] Daniel saw a dream and #ver. 15; ch. 2:28; 4:5visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2Daniel declared,#7:2 Aramaic answered and said “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, #ch. 8:8; 11:4; [Ezek. 37:9; Zech. 2:6; Rev. 7:1]the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3And four great beasts #[Rev. 13:1]came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5And behold, #[ch. 2:39]another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6After this I looked, and behold, another, like a #[Hab. 1:8; Rev. 13:2] leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and #[ch. 11:5]dominion was given to it. 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, #ver. 19, 23 terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; #ver. 19, 23 it devoured and broke in pieces #ver. 19, 23 and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and #ver. 20; [Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:12]it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and behold, #[ver. 20, 21, 24; ch. 8:9] there came up among them another horn, a little one, #[ver. 20, 21, 24; ch. 8:9] before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and #ver. 20; [Rev. 13:5, 6]a mouth speaking great things.
The Ancient of Days Reigns
9“As I looked,
#
Rev. 20:4; [Matt. 19:28]; See 1 Kgs. 22:19 thrones were placed,
and the #ver. 22; [Ps. 90:2] Ancient of Days took his seat;
#
Matt. 28:3 his clothing was white as snow,
and #Rev. 1:14 the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
# [Ezek. 1:16; 10:2] its wheels were burning fire.
10 # [Ps. 21:9] A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
#
Ps. 68:17; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11 a thousand thousands #Ps. 103:21 served him,
#
Ps. 68:17; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11 and ten thousand times ten thousand #[Zech. 3:4] stood before him;
the #ver. 22, 26; Rev. 11:18; 20:4 court sat in judgment,
and #Rev. 20:12the books were opened.
11“I looked then because of the sound of #[See ver. 8 above] the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, #Rev. 19:20; [Rev. 20:10]the beast was killed, and its body destroyed #Rev. 19:20; [Rev. 20:10]and given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, #[ver. 14, 26]their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
The Son of Man Is Given Dominion
13“I saw in the night visions,
and #Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Rev. 1:7; 14:14 behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the #[See ver. 9 above]Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 #
Ps. 110:1, 2; Isa. 9:6, 7; Rev. 11:15 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all #See ch. 3:4 peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
# See ch. 2:44 his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Daniel’s Vision Interpreted
15“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me#7:15 Aramaic within its sheath was anxious, and #See ver. 1the visions of my head alarmed me. 16I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17#[ver. 3]‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18But #ver. 22, 27; Matt. 25:34; [1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26; 20:4]the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
19“Then I desired to know the truth about #ver. 7the 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, 20#ver. 8and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21As I looked, this horn #[ch. 8:24]made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22until the #ver. 9, 13 Ancient of Days came, and #[See ver. 18 above]judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when #[See ver. 18 above]the saints possessed the kingdom.
23“Thus he said: ‘As for #[See ver. 19 above]the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25 # [ch. 11:36] He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to #ch. 2:9, 21 change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for #ch. 12:7; Rev. 12:14a time, times, and half a time.
26 # See ver. 10 But the court shall sit in judgment,
and #[ver. 12, 14] his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed #ch. 6:26to the end.
27 # See ver. 18 And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of #See ver. 18 the saints of the Most High;
# See ch. 2:44 his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’#7:27 Or their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them
28“Here is the end of the matter. #ver. 15; [ch. 8:27; 10:8, 16; Jer. 23:9] As for me, Daniel, my #ch. 4:5, 19; 5:6 thoughts greatly alarmed me, #[ch. 5:6, 10] and my color changed, but #[Luke 2:19, 51]I kept the matter in my heart.”
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Daniel 7
7
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea. 3Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.
4“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.
5“Behold, there was another animal, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Arise! Devour much flesh!’
6“After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
8“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up amongst them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.
9“I watched until thrones were placed,
and one who was Ancient of Days sat.
His clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool.
His throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came out from before him.
Thousands of thousands ministered to him.
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The judgement was set.
The books were opened.
11“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burnt with fire. 12As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. 14Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.
15“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this.
“So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17‘These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who will arise out of the earth. 18But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; 20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows. 21I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces. 24As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings. 25He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26“‘But the judgement will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end. 27The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’
28“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
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