Daniel 8-10

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s^(A) reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier.^{(B) 2} I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa,^(C) in the province of Elam.^(D) I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal. ³ I looked up,^[a] and there was a ram^(E) standing beside the canal. He had two horns. The two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. ⁴ I saw the ram charging to the west, the north, and the south.^(F) No animal could stand against him, and there was no rescue from his power. He did whatever he wanted^(G) and became great.

⁵ As I was observing, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn^[b] between his eyes.^{(H) 6} He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury. ⁷ I saw him approaching the ram, and infuriated with him, he struck the ram, shattering his two horns, and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him. The goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. ⁸ Then the male goat became very great,^(I) but when he became powerful, the large horn was shattered.^(J) Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.^(K)

The Little Horn

⁹ From one of them a little horn^(L) emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.^{[c](M) 10} It grew as high as the heavenly host, made some of the stars and some of the host fall to the earth,^(N) and trampled them.^{(O) 11} It made itself great,^(P) even up to the Prince of the host;^(Q) it removed His daily sacrifice^(R) and overthrew the place of His sanctuary. ¹² Because of rebellion, a host, together with the daily sacrifice, will be given over. The horn will throw truth to the ground and will be successful^(S) in whatever it does.

¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking,^(T) and another holy one said to the speaker, “How long will the events of this vision last^(U)—the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled?”^(V)

¹⁴ He said to me,^[d] “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored.”

Interpretation of the Vision

¹⁵ While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.^{(W) 16} I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: “Gabriel,^(X) explain the vision to this man.”

¹⁷ So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown.^(Y) “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision refers to the time of the end.”^{(Z) 18} While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep,^(AA) with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, made me stand up,^{(AB) 19} and said, “I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.^{(AC) 20} The two-horned ram^(AD) that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king.^{[e] 22} The four horns that took the place of the shattered horn represent four kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.

²⁷ I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days.^(AI) Then I got up and went about the king’s business.^(AJ) I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.

Daniel’s Prayer

9 In the first year of Darius,^(AK) the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: ² In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70.^{(AL) 3} So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.^(AM)

⁴ I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

The 70 Weeks of Years

²⁰ While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,^(BO) and presenting my petition before Yahweh my God concerning the holy mountain of my God— ²¹ while I was praying, Gabriel,^(BP) the man I had seen in the first vision,^(BQ) came to me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering.^{(BR) 22} He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding.^{(BS) 23} At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God.^(BT) So consider the message and understand the vision:^(BU)

Vision of a Glorious One

10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia,^(CF) a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.^(CG) The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.^(CH)

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.^{(CI) 3} I didn’t eat any rich food,^(CJ) no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,^[u] as I was standing on the bank of the great river,^(CK) the Tigris, ⁵ I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,^(CL) with a belt of gold^(CM) from Uphaz^[v](CN) around his waist. ⁶ His body was like topaz,^[w] his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,^(CO) his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.^(CP)

⁷ Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.^(CQ) The men who were with me did not see it,^(CR) but a great terror fell on them,^(CS) and they ran and hid. ⁸ I was left alone, looking at this great vision.^(CT) No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,^[x](CU) and I was powerless. ⁹ I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,^[y](CV) with my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

¹⁰ Suddenly, a hand touched me and raised me to my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.^(CW) Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,^(CX) for I have now been sent to you.”^(CY) After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

¹² “Don’t be afraid,^(CZ) Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,^(DA) your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.^{(DB) 13} But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael,^(DC) one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.^{(DD) 14} Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,^(DE) for the vision refers to those days.”^(DF)

¹⁵ While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{(DG) 16} Suddenly one with human likeness^(DH) touched my lips.^(DI) I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.^{(DJ) 17} How can someone like me,^(DK) your servant,^[z] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

¹⁸ Then the one with human likeness touched me again and strengthened me.^{(DL) 19} He said, “Don’t be afraid,^(DM) you who are^[aa] treasured by God.^(DN) Peace to you; be very strong!”^(DO)

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”^(DP)

²⁰ He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.^{(DQ) 21} No one has the courage to support me against them except Michael,^(DR) your prince. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth.