Resource icon

BibleStudyIt Daniel 8

  • Daniel Chapter 8

Daniel 8's Chapter Tabs
Scroll past these tabs to continue or click on one of them to navigate out of this webpage.

Read Chapter

Your Private Notes

Proxy widget

Submit Art

Threads
0
Messages
0
Threads
0
Messages
0
None

Submit Notes

Threads
0
Messages
0
Threads
0
Messages
0
None

Daniel sees another vision

8 In the third year that King Belshazzar ruled Babylonia, I, Daniel, had another vision. That was after the vision that I had seen before. [ a ]

2 In this vision, I saw that I was in the strong city of Susa, in Elam region. I was standing near the Ulai river. [ b ] 3 I looked up and I saw a male sheep that had two long horns. It was standing beside the river. One of its horns was longer than the other one. The longer horn came up later than the shorter horn. 4 The sheep ran towards the west, the north and the south. He used his horns to push away all other animals. No other animal could stop him. Nobody could save them from his power. He did whatever he wanted to do. He boasted about his great strength.

5 While I was thinking about this, I saw a male goat that was coming from the west. It ran quickly across the earth. Its feet did not even touch the ground. The goat had a large horn between its eyes. 6 It came towards the male sheep that had two horns. I had seen that sheep as it stood beside the river. The goat was very angry. It ran to attack the sheep with all its strength. 7 I saw it as it attacked the sheep. It was so angry that it hit the sheep very hard. It broke off the sheep's two horns. The sheep had no power to stop the goat. The goat knocked the sheep down to the ground and it stamped on the sheep. Nobody could save the sheep from the power of the goat.

8 The male goat boasted even more about its power. Its large horn became very strong. But then the horn broke. Four other large horns came up in its place. Each of these horns pointed in a different direction. 9 Then a little horn grew out of one of these large horns. It grew to become very big. Its power reached towards the south, towards the east and towards the Beautiful Land. [ c ] 10 Its power became so great that it reached up into heaven. It attacked heaven's army and the stars in the sky. It threw some of them down to the ground and it stamped on them. 11 It boasted that it was more powerful than the Captain of heaven's army. It stopped people from offering their sacrifices to God each day. It destroyed God's temple. 12 God's people accepted the rule of the horn, because they had turned against God. They offered their sacrifices to the horn, instead of to God. The horn stopped people from believing the truth. It was able to do everything that it wanted to do.

13 Then I heard two angels as they talked to each other. One angel asked, ‘How long will the things in this vision continue to happen? How long will this disgusting thing stop the sacrifices each day? How long will it stand against God and stamp on his temple and his army?’ 14 The other angel answered, ‘It will continue for 2,300 evenings and mornings. After that, God's temple will be clean again.’

An angel explains Daniel's vision

15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone came to stand in front of me. He seemed like a man. 16 I heard a person's voice. It was coming across the Ulai river. The voice said, ‘Gabriel, help this man to understand the vision.’ 17 So Gabriel came towards me, where I was standing. I was very afraid and I fell down onto the ground. He said to me, ‘You, as a human, need to understand that the vision is about the end of time.’

18 While Gabriel spoke to me I was lying with my face on the ground. I was asleep. But he touched me and he caused me to stand up. 19 Then he said to me, ‘I will tell you what will happen at the end of time. It will be a time when God is very angry. The vision shows what will happen at the time that God has chosen. That will be the time for everything to finish.

20 You saw a male sheep with two horns. Those horns mean the kingdoms of Media and Persia. 21 The male goat means the kingdom of Greece. The large horn between its eyes means the first king of Greece. 22 When that large horn broke, four horns grew in its place. Those horns show that the nation of Greece will become four separate kingdoms. But they will not be as powerful as the first kingdom.

23 Near the end of the time when those kings rule, the people will be completely wicked. Then a proud, cruel king will appear. He will deceive people. 24 He will become very strong, but this will not be a result of his own power. He will completely destroy many things. He will be successful in everything that he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and the holy people who belong to God. 25 Because he is clever, he will completely deceive people. He will boast about his power. People will think that they are safe, but he will kill many of them. He will stand against the Ruler of all rulers. But God will destroy him, without human help.

26 This vision about the evenings and the mornings is true. I have told you what it means. But keep the vision as a secret now. It will be a long time before these things happen.’

27 After I, Daniel, saw this vision, I became very weak. I was sick for many days. Then I got up. I returned to my work to serve the king. The vision caused me to be very upset. I could not understand it.

Footnotes

  1. 8:1 This happened about two years after the vision that we read about in chapter 7.
  2. 8:2 This was a river that people had dug to carry water. We call it a ‘canal’.
  3. 8:9 The Beautiful Land was the land that God had given to his people, the Israelites.

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 After that vision, [ a ] I, Daniel, saw another vision during the third year that Belshazzar [ b ] was king. 2 In the vision I saw that I was in the city of Susa. [ c ] Susa was the capital city in the province of Elam. I was standing by the Ulai River. 3 I looked up and saw a ram standing at the side of the river. The ram had two long horns. The horns were both long, but one horn was longer than the other horn. The long horn was farther back than the other horn. 4 I watched the ram run into things with its horns. I watched the ram run to the west, to the north, and to the south. No animal could stop the ram, and no one could save the other animals. That ram did whatever it wanted, and it became very powerful.

5 I thought about the ram. While I was watching, I saw a male goat come from the west. It had one large horn that was easy to see. It ran so fast its feet barely touched the ground.

6 The goat came to the ram with the two horns. (This was the ram I had seen standing by the Ulai River.) The goat was very angry and ran at the ram. 7 As I watched, the goat ran at the ram and broke both of the ram’s horns. The ram could not stop the goat. The goat knocked it to the ground and walked all over it. There was no one to save the ram from the goat.

8 So the goat became very powerful. But after he became strong, his big horn broke off. Then four horns grew in place of the one big horn. Those four horns were easy to see. They pointed in four different directions.

9 Then a little horn grew from one of those four horns. It grew and became very big. It grew toward the southeast, toward the Beautiful Land. 10 The little horn became very big. It grew until it reached the sky. It even threw some of heaven’s army [ d ] to the ground and trampled them. 11 That little horn became very strong, and it turned against God, the Ruler of heaven’s army. It stopped the daily sacrifices that were offered to the Ruler. And the holy place where people worshiped the Ruler was pulled down. 12 Because of this sin, the daily sacrifices were stopped. Truth was thrown down to the ground. The little horn did these things and was very successful.

13 Then I heard two holy ones [ e ] talking with each other. One of them asked the other one, who had been speaking, “How long will the things in this vision last—the stopping of the daily sacrifices, the sin that destroys, and the trampling down of the holy place and heaven’s army?”

14 The other holy one said, “This will last for 2300 days. Then the holy place will be repaired.”

The Vision Is Explained to Daniel

15 I, Daniel, saw this vision and tried to understand what it meant. While I was thinking about the vision, someone who looked like a man suddenly stood in front of me. 16 Then I heard a man’s voice. This voice came from above the Ulai River. The voice called out, “Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.”

17 So Gabriel, the angel who looked like a man, came to me. I was very afraid and fell down to the ground. But Gabriel said to me, “Human, [ f ] understand that this vision is about the time of the end.”

18 While Gabriel was speaking, I fell to the ground and went to sleep. It was a very deep sleep. Then Gabriel touched me and lifted me to my feet. 19 He said, “Now, I will explain the vision to you. I will tell you what will happen in the future. Your vision was about the end times.

20 “You saw a ram with two horns. The horns are the countries of Media and Persia. 21 The goat is the king of Greece. The big horn between its eyes is the first king. 22 That horn broke off and four horns grew in its place. The four horns are four kingdoms. Those four kingdoms will come from the nation of the first king, but they will not be as strong as the first king.

23 “When the end is near for those kingdoms, there will be a very bold and cruel king who will be very tricky. This will happen when many people have turned against God. 24 This king will be very powerful, but his power does not come from himself. [ g ] This king will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in everything he does. He will destroy powerful people—even God’s holy people.

25 “This king will be very smart and tricky. He will use his wisdom and lies to be successful. He will think that he is very important. He will destroy many people, when they least expect it. He will try to fight even the Prince of Princes. But that cruel king’s power will be destroyed, and it will not be a human hand that destroys him.

26 “What I said and the vision about those times are true. But seal up the vision, because those things will not happen for a long, long time.”

27 I, Daniel, became very weak. I was sick for several days after that vision. Then I got up and went back to work for the king, but I was very upset about the vision. I did not understand what it meant.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:1 After that vision Here, the original language changes from Aramaic (see “ Aramaic ” in the Word List) back to Hebrew.
  2. Daniel 8:1 the third year … Belshazzar This was about 551 B.C.
  3. Daniel 8:2 Susa The capital city of Persia.
  4. Daniel 8:10 heaven’s army Or “the stars.” Also in verses 11, 13.
  5. Daniel 8:13 holy ones Here, these are probably angels.
  6. Daniel 8:17 Human Literally, “Son of man.”
  7. Daniel 8:24 but his power … himself Some ancient versions don’t have these words, so they may have been accidentally copied from verse 22.

8 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

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.

3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Vision of the Ram and Goat

8 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, [ a ] Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me [ b ] previously. 2 I ( A ) looked in the vision, and while I was looking, I was in the citadel of ( B ) Susa, which is in the province of ( C ) Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a ( D ) ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were [ c ] long, but one was [ d ] longer than the other, with the [ e ] longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram ( E ) butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand against him nor was there anyone to rescue from his [ f ] power, but ( F ) he did as he pleased and made himself great.

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a ( G ) prominent horn between his eyes. 6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 And I saw him come up beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and smashed his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his [ g ] power. 8 Then the male goat made himself exceedingly great. But once ( H ) he became powerful, the ( I ) large horn was broken; and in its place four prominent horns came up toward the ( J ) four winds of heaven.

The Little Horn

9 And out of one of them came a rather ( K ) small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the [ h ] ( L ) Beautiful Land . 10 It grew up to the heavenly [ i ] lights, and some of the [ j ] lights, [ k ] that is, some of the ( M ) stars it threw down to the earth, and it ( N ) trampled them. 11 It even ( O ) exalted itself [ l ] to be equal with the [ m ] Commander of the army; and it removed the ( P ) regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And because of [ n ] an offense the army will be given to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will ( Q ) hurl truth to the ground and do as it pleases and be successful. 13 Then I heard a ( R ) holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “ ( S ) How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply , [ o ] while the offense causes horror, so as to allow both the sanctuary and the army [ p ] to be ( T ) trampled?” 14 And he said to me, “For ( U ) 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be [ q ] properly restored.”

Interpretation of the Vision

15 When ( V ) I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought [ r ] to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one [ s ] who looked like a ( W ) man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “ ( X ) Gabriel, explain the vision to this man .” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and ( Y ) fell on my face; and he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the ( Z ) time of the end.”

18 Now while he was talking with me, I was ( AA ) dazed with my face to the ground; but he ( AB ) touched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to ( AC ) inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

The Ram’s Identity

20 The ( AD ) ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

The Goat

21 The shaggy [ t ] goat represents the [ u ] kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The ( AE ) broken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

23 And in the latter period of their [ v ] dominion,
When the wrongdoers have [ w ] run their course ,
A king will arise,
[ x ] Insolent and skilled in [ y ] intrigue.
24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
And he will [ z ] ( AF ) destroy to an extraordinary degree
And be successful and do as he pleases ;
He will [ aa ] destroy mighty men and [ ab ] the holy people.
25 And through his shrewdness
He will make deceit a success by his [ ac ] influence;
And he will make himself great in his [ ad ] own mind,
And he will [ ae ] destroy many while they are [ af ] at ease.
He will even [ ag ] ( AG ) oppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken ( AH ) without [ ah ] human agency.
26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which has been told is ( AI ) true;
But as for you, ( AJ ) keep the vision secret,
Because it pertains to many ( AK ) days in the future .”

27 Then I, Daniel, was [ ai ] ( AL ) exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and ( AM ) carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it .

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:1 Lit I, Daniel
  2. Daniel 8:1 Lit at the beginning
  3. Daniel 8:3 Lit high(er)
  4. Daniel 8:3 Lit high(er)
  5. Daniel 8:3 Lit high(er)
  6. Daniel 8:4 Lit hand
  7. Daniel 8:7 Lit hand
  8. Daniel 8:9 I.e., Israel
  9. Daniel 8:10 Lit host
  10. Daniel 8:10 Lit host
  11. Daniel 8:10 Or and some of the stars
  12. Daniel 8:11 Lit up to the
  13. Daniel 8:11 Or Prince
  14. Daniel 8:12 Or a wrongdoing
  15. Daniel 8:13 Or possibly and the offense that horrifies
  16. Daniel 8:13 Lit as a trampling
  17. Daniel 8:14 Lit justified
  18. Daniel 8:15 Lit understanding
  19. Daniel 8:15 Lit like the appearance of a man
  20. Daniel 8:21 Lit buck
  21. Daniel 8:21 Lit king
  22. Daniel 8:23 Or kingdom
  23. Daniel 8:23 Lit finished
  24. Daniel 8:23 Lit Strong of face
  25. Daniel 8:23 Or ambiguous speech
  26. Daniel 8:24 Or ruin extraordinary things
  27. Daniel 8:24 Or ruin
  28. Daniel 8:24 Lit people of the saints
  29. Daniel 8:25 Lit hand
  30. Daniel 8:25 Lit heart
  31. Daniel 8:25 Or ruin
  32. Daniel 8:25 Or secure
  33. Daniel 8:25 Lit stand against
  34. Daniel 8:25 Lit hand
  35. Daniel 8:27 Or done in

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s ( A ) reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, ( B ) after the one that had already appeared to me. 2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa ( C ) in the province of Elam; ( D ) in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 I looked up, ( E ) and there before me was a ram ( F ) with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. ( G ) It did as it pleased ( H ) and became great.

5 As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. 6 It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. 7 I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, ( I ) and none could rescue the ram from its power. ( J ) 8 The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, ( K ) and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. ( L )

9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small ( M ) but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. ( N ) 10 It grew until it reached ( O ) the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth ( P ) and trampled ( Q ) on them. 11 It set itself up to be as great as the commander ( R ) of the army of the Lord ; ( S ) it took away the daily sacrifice ( T ) from the Lord , and his sanctuary was thrown down. ( U ) 12 Because of rebellion, the Lord ’s people [ a ] and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. ( V )

13 Then I heard a holy one ( W ) speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled ( X ) —the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot ( Y ) of the Lord ’s people?”

14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” ( Z )

The Interpretation of the Vision

15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision ( AA ) and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. ( AB ) 16 And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai ( AC ) calling, “Gabriel, ( AD ) tell this man the meaning of the vision.” ( AE )

17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. ( AF ) “Son of man,” [ b ] he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” ( AG )

18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. ( AH ) Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. ( AI )

19 He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, ( AJ ) because the vision concerns the appointed time ( AK ) of the end. [ c ] ( AL ) 20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. ( AM ) 21 The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, ( AN ) and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. ( AO ) 22 The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

23 “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. ( AP ) 25 He will cause deceit ( AQ ) to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. ( AR ) Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. ( AS )

26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, ( AT ) but seal ( AU ) up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” ( AV )

27 I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted ( AW ) for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. ( AX ) I was appalled ( AY ) by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:12 Or rebellion, the armies
  2. Daniel 8:17 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being . The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.
  3. Daniel 8:19 Or because the end will be at the appointed time
Next Chapter
Book Manager
BSI_Poster
View Chapter Tabs Leave Good Review

Share this page

Day/Night Mode: Day or Night Theme
Your Bookmarks: View your bookmarks.
Table of Contents: Button above scripture.
Private Notes: Add private notes per chapter.