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Daniel 9-12
Contemporary English Version

Daniel Prays for the People

9 1-2 (A) Daniel wrote:

Some years later, Darius the Mede,[a] who was the son of Xerxes,[b] had become king of Babylonia. And during his first year as king, I found out from studying the writings of the prophets that the Lord had said to Jeremiah, “Jerusalem will lie in ruins for 70 years.”[c] 3-4 Then, to show my sorrow, I went without eating and dressed in sackcloth[d] and sat in ashes. I confessed my sins and earnestly prayed to the Lord my God:

Our Lord, you are a great and fearsome God, and you faithfully keep your agreement with those who love and obey you. 5 But we have sinned terribly by rebelling against you and rejecting your laws and teachings. 6 We have ignored the message your servants the prophets spoke to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors, and everyone else.

7 (B) Everything you do is right, our Lord. But still we suffer public disgrace because we have been unfaithful and have sinned against you. This includes all of us, both far and near—the people of Judah, Jerusalem, and Israel, as well as those you dragged away to foreign lands, 8 and even our kings, our officials, and our ancestors. 9 Lord God, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you 10 and rejected your teachings that came to us from your servants the prophets.

11 (C) Everyone in Israel has stubbornly refused to obey your laws, and so those curses written by your servant Moses have fallen upon us. 12 You warned us and our leaders that Jerusalem would suffer the worst disaster in human history, and you did exactly as you had threatened. 13 We have not escaped any of the terrible curses written by Moses, and yet we have refused to beg you for mercy and to remind ourselves of how faithful you have always been. 14 And when you finally punished us with this horrible disaster, that was also the right thing to do, because we deserved it so much.

15 (D) Our Lord God, with your own mighty arm you rescued us from Egypt and made yourself famous to this very day, but we have sinned terribly. 16 In the past, you treated us with such kindness, that we now beg you to stop being so terribly angry with Jerusalem. After all, it is your chosen city built on your holy mountain, even though it has suffered public disgrace because of our sins and those of our ancestors.

17 (E) I am your servant, Lord God, and I beg you to answer my prayers and bring honor to yourself by having pity on your temple that lies in ruins. 18 (F) Please show mercy to your chosen city, not because we deserve it, but because of your great kindness. 19 Forgive us! Hurry and do something, not only for your city and your chosen people, but to bring honor to yourself.

The Seventy Weeks

Daniel wrote:

20 I was still confessing my sins and those of all Israel to the Lord my God, and I was praying for the good of his holy mountain,[e] 21 (G) when Gabriel suddenly came flying in at the time of the evening sacrifice. This was the same Gabriel I had seen in my vision, 22 and he explained:

Daniel, I am here to help you understand the vision. 23 God thinks highly of you, and at the very moment you started praying, I was sent to give you the answer. 24 God has decided that for 70 weeks,[f] your people and your holy city must suffer as the price of their sins. Then evil will disappear, and justice will rule forever; the visions and words of the prophets will come true, and a most holy place will be dedicated.[g]

25 You need to realize that from the command to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Chosen Leader,[h] it will be 7 weeks and another 62 weeks.[i] Streets will be built in Jerusalem, and a trench will be dug around the city for protection, but these will be difficult times.[j] 26 At the end of the 62 weeks,[k] the Chosen Leader[l] will be killed and left with nothing.[m]

A foreign ruler and his army will sweep down like a mighty flood, leaving both the city and the temple in ruins, and war and destruction will continue until the end, just as God has decided. 27 (H) For one week[n] this foreigner[o] will make a firm agreement with many people, and halfway through this week,[p] he will end all sacrifices and offerings. Then the “Horrible Thing” that causes destruction will be put there. And it will stay there until the time God has decided to destroy this one who destroys.

Daniel's Vision beside the Tigris River

10 In the third year[q] of Cyrus the king of Persia, a message came to Daniel[r] from God, and it was explained in a vision. The message was about a dreadful war, and it was true. 2 Daniel wrote:

For three weeks I was in sorrow. 3 I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair.[s] 4 Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[t] I was standing on the banks of the great Tigris River, 5 (I) when I looked up and saw someone dressed in linen and wearing a solid gold belt.[u] 6 His body was like a precious stone,[v] his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming fires, his arms and legs like polished bronze, and his voice like the roar of a crowd. 7 (J) Although the people who were with me did not see the vision, they became so frightened that they scattered and hid. 8 Only I saw this great vision. I became weak and pale, 9 and at the sound of his voice, I fell facedown in a deep sleep.

10 He raised me to my hands and knees 11 and then said, “Daniel, your God thinks highly of you, and he has sent me. So stand up and pay close attention.” I stood trembling, while the angel said:

12 Daniel, don't be afraid! God has listened to your prayers since the first day you humbly asked for understanding, and he has sent me here. 13 (K) But the guardian angel[w] of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, who is one of the strongest guardian angels,[x] came to rescue me from the kings of Persia.[y] 14 Now I have come here to give you another vision about what will happen to your people in the future.

15 While this angel was speaking to me, I stared at the ground, speechless. 16 Then he appeared in human form and touched my lips. I said, “Sir, this vision has brought me great pain and has drained my strength. 17 I am merely your servant. How can I possibly speak with someone so powerful, when I am almost too weak to get my breath?”

18-19 The angel touched me a second time and said, “Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong.”

At this, I regained my strength and replied, “Please speak! You have already made me feel much better.”

20 Then the angel said:

Now do you understand why I have come? Soon I must leave to fight against the guardian angel of Persia. Then after I have defeated him, the guardian angel of Greece will attack me. 21 I will tell you what is written in The Book of Truth. But first, you must realize that no one except Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, is on my side. 11 1 You also need to know that I protected and helped Darius the Mede[z] in his first year as king.

The Angel's Message to Daniel

Part One: The Four Kings and Their Successors

2 What I am going to tell you is certain to happen. Four kings will rule Persia, one after the other, but the fourth one will become much richer than the others. In fact, his wealth will make him so powerful that he will turn everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king will come to power and will be able to do whatever he pleases. 4 But suddenly his kingdom will be crushed and scattered to the four corners of the earth, where four more kingdoms will rise. But these won't be ruled by his descendants or be as powerful as his kingdom.

5 The king of the south will grow powerful. Then one of his generals will rebel and will rule an even larger kingdom. 6 Years later the southern kingdom and the northern kingdom will make a treaty, and the daughter of the king of the south will marry the king of the north. But she will lose her power. Then she, her husband, their child,[aa] and the servants who came with her will all be killed.

After this, 7 one of her relatives will become the ruler of the southern kingdom. He will attack the army of the northern kingdom and capture its fortresses. 8 Then he will carry their idols to Egypt, together with their precious treasures of silver and gold, but it will be a long time before he attacks the northern kingdom again. Some years later 9 the king of the north will invade the southern kingdom, but he will be forced back to his own country.

10 The sons of the king of the north will gather a huge army that will sweep down like a roaring flood, reaching all the way to the fortress of the southern kingdom. 11 (L) But this will make the king of the south angry, and he will defeat this large army from the north. 12 The king of the south will feel proud because of the many thousands he has killed. But his victories won't last long, 13 because the king of the north will gather a larger and more powerful army than ever before. Then in a few years, he will start invading other countries.

14 At this time many of your own people will try to make this vision come true by rebelling against the king of the south, but their rebellion will fail. 15 Then the army from the north will surround and capture a fortress in the south, and not even the most experienced troops of the southern kingdom will be able to make them retreat. 16 The king who invaded from the north will do as he pleases, and he will even capture and destroy the holy land.[ab] 17 In fact, he will decide to invade the south with his entire army. Then he will attempt to make peace by giving the king of the south a bride from the northern kingdom, but this won't be successful.

18 Afterwards, this proud king of the north will invade and conquer many of the nations along the coast, but a military leader will defeat him and make him lose his pride. 19 He will retreat to his fortresses in his own country, but on the way he will be defeated and never again be seen.

20 The next king of the north will try to collect taxes for the glory of his kingdom. However, he will come to a sudden end in some mysterious way, instead of in battle or because of someone's anger.

Part Two: The Evil King from the North

21 The successor of this king of the north will be a worthless nobody, who doesn't even come from a royal family. He will suddenly appear and gain control of the kingdom by treachery. 22 Then he will destroy armies and remove God's chosen high priest. 23 He will make a treaty, but he will be deceitful and break it, even though he has only a few followers. 24 Without warning, he will successfully invade a wealthy province, which is something his ancestors never did. Then he will divide among his followers all of its treasures and property. But none of this will last very long.

25 He will gather a large and powerful army, and with great courage he will attack the king of the south. The king of the south will meet him with a much stronger army, but he will lose the battle, because he will be betrayed 26 by members of the royal court. He will be ruined, and most of his army will be slaughtered.

27 The two kings will meet around a table and tell evil lies to each other. But their plans will fail, because God has already decided what will happen. 28 Then the king of the north will return to his country with great treasures. But on the way, he will attack the religion of God's people and do whatever else he pleases.

29 At the time God has decided, the king of the north will invade the southern kingdom again, but this time, things will be different. 30 (M) Ships from the west will come to attack him, and he will be discouraged. Then he will start back to his own country and take out his anger on the religion of God's faithful people, while showing kindness to those who are unfaithful. 31 (N) He will send troops to pollute the temple and the fortress, and he will stop the daily sacrifices. Then he will set up that “Horrible Thing” that causes destruction. 32 The king will use deceit to win followers from those who are unfaithful to God, but those who remain faithful will do everything possible to oppose him.

33 Wise leaders will instruct many of the people. But for a while, some of these leaders will either be killed with swords or burned alive, or else robbed of their possessions and thrown into prison. 34 They will receive only a little help in their time of trouble, and many of their followers will be treacherous. 35 Some of those who are wise will suffer, so that God will make them pure and acceptable until the end, which will still come at the time he has decided.

36 (O) This king will do as he pleases. He will proudly claim to be greater than any god and will insult the only true God. Indeed, he will be successful until God is no longer angry with his people. 37 This king will reject the gods his ancestors worshiped and the god preferred by women.[ac] In fact, he will put himself above all gods 38 and worship only the so-called god of fortresses, who was unknown to his ancestors. And he will honor it with gold, silver, precious stones, and other costly gifts. 39 With the help of this foreign god, he will capture the strongest fortresses. Everyone who worships this god will be put in a position of power and rewarded with wealth and land.

Part Three: The Time of the End

40 At the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the kingdom of the north. But its king will rush out like a storm with war chariots, cavalry, and many ships. Indeed, his forces will flood one country after another, 41 and when they reach the holy land,[ad] tens of thousands will be killed. But the countries of Edom and Moab and the ruler of Ammon[ae] will escape.

42 The king of the north will invade many countries, including Egypt, 43 and he will take its rich treasures of gold and silver. He will also conquer Libya and Ethiopia.[af] 44 But he will be alarmed by news from the east and the north, and he will become furious and cause great destruction. 45 After this, he will set up camp between the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Zion. Then he will be destroyed, and no one will be able to save him.

Part Four: The Dead Will Rise to Life

12 (P) Michael, the chief of the angels, is the protector of your people, and he will come at a time of terrible suffering, the worst in all of history. And your people who have their names written in The Book[ag] will be protected. 2 (Q) Many of those who lie dead in the ground will rise from death. Some of them will be given eternal life, and others will receive nothing but eternal shame and disgrace. 3 (R) Everyone who has been wise will shine as bright as the sky above, and everyone who has led others to please God will shine forever like the stars.

4 (S) Daniel, I now command you to keep the message of this book secret until the end of time, even though many people will go everywhere, searching for the knowledge to be found in it.[ah]

The End of Time

5 Daniel wrote:

I looked around and saw two other people—one on this side of the river and one on the other side. 6 The angel who had spoken to me was dressed in linen and was standing upstream from them.[ai] So one of the two beside the river asked him, “How long before these amazing things happen?”

7 (T) The angel then raised both hands toward heaven and said, “In the name of the God who lives forever, I solemnly promise that it will be a time, two times, and half a time.[aj] Everything will be over, when the suffering of God's holy people comes to an end.”

8 I heard what the angel said, but I didn't understand. So I asked, “Sir, how will it all end?”

The angel in my vision then replied:

9 Daniel, go about your business, because the meaning of this message will remain secret until the end of time. 10 (U) Many people will have their hearts and lives made pure and clean, but those who are evil will keep on being evil and never understand. Only the wise will understand. 11 (V) There will be 1,290 days from the time that the daily sacrifices are stopped, until someone sets up the “Horrible Thing” that causes destruction. 12 God will bless everyone who patiently waits until 1,335 days have gone by.

13 So, Daniel, be faithful until the end! You will rest, and at the end of time, you will rise from death to receive your reward.

Footnotes

  1. 9.1,2 Darius the Mede: See 5.31.
  2. 9.1,2 Xerxes: Hebrew “Ahasuerus.”
  3. 9.1,2 70 years: See Jeremiah 25.11-13; 29.10.
  4. 9.3,4 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
  5. 9.20 holy mountain: Jerusalem (see verse 16) or the temple.
  6. 9.24 70 weeks: Or “70 times 7 years.”
  7. 9.24 a most holy place will be dedicated: Or “God's Holy One will appear.”
  8. 9.25 the Chosen Leader: Or “a chosen leader.” In Hebrew the word “chosen” means “to pour oil (on someone's head).” In Old Testament times it was the custom to pour oil on a person's head when that person was chosen to be a priest or a king.
  9. 9.25 7 weeks and another 62 weeks: Or “7 times 7 years and another 62 times 7 years.”
  10. 9.25 it will be 7 … difficult times: Or “it will be 7 weeks. Then streets will be built in Jerusalem, and a trench will be dug around the city for protection. But Jerusalem will have difficult times for 62 weeks.”
  11. 9.26 62 weeks: Or “62 times 7 years.”
  12. 9.26 the Chosen Leader: See the note at 9.25.
  13. 9.26 left with nothing: Or “no one will take his place.”
  14. 9.27 one week: Or “7 years.”
  15. 9.27 this foreigner: Or “the Chosen Leader.”
  16. 9.27 halfway through this week: Or “for half of this week of 7 years.”
  17. 10.1 third year: 536 b.c.
  18. 10.1 Daniel: See the note at 2.26.
  19. 10.3 olive oil … hair: On special occasions, it was the custom to put olive oil on one's face and hair.
  20. 10.4 first month: Nisan (also known as Abib), the first month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-March to mid-April.
  21. 10.5 solid gold belt: Hebrew “belt of gold from Uphaz.”
  22. 10.6 a precious stone: The Hebrew text has “beryl,” which is green or bluish-green.
  23. 10.13 guardian angel: Hebrew “prince.”
  24. 10.13 one of the strongest guardian angels: Hebrew “chief prince.”
  25. 10.13 came … Persia: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  26. 11.1 Darius the Mede: See 5.30.
  27. 11.6 their child: One Hebrew manuscript and two ancient translations; most Hebrew manuscripts “her father.”
  28. 11.16 the holy land: See the note at 8.9.
  29. 11.37 god preferred by women: Perhaps Tammuz or Adonis, which were popular among the women of that time.
  30. 11.41 the holy land: See the note at 8.9.
  31. 11.41 the ruler of Ammon: Or “what is left of Ammon.”
  32. 11.43 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has “Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
  33. 12.1 The Book: Either the book with the names of God's people in it or the book with the record of the good and evil that people have done.
  34. 12.4 even though … in it: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  35. 12.6 angel … upstream from them: See 10.4-6.
  36. 12.7 a time, two times, and half a time: Or “a year, two years, and half a year,” that is, about 1,260 days.
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Daniel 9-12
New International Version

Daniel’s Prayer

9 In the first year of Darius(A) son of Xerxes[a](B) (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy(C) years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,(D) and in sackcloth and ashes.(E)

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:(F)

“Lord, the great and awesome God,(G) who keeps his covenant of love(H) with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned(I) and done wrong.(J) We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away(K) from your commands and laws.(L) 6 We have not listened(M) to your servants the prophets,(N) who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,(O) and to all the people of the land.

7 “Lord, you are righteous,(P) but this day we are covered with shame(Q)—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered(R) us because of our unfaithfulness(S) to you.(T) 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.(U) 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,(V) even though we have rebelled against him;(W) 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.(X) 11 All Israel has transgressed(Y) your law(Z) and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses(AA) and sworn judgments(AB) written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned(AC) against you. 12 You have fulfilled(AD) the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.(AE) Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like(AF) what has been done to Jerusalem.(AG) 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord(AH) our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.(AI) 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster(AJ) on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does;(AK) yet we have not obeyed him.(AL)

15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand(AM) and who made for yourself a name(AN) that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts,(AO) turn away(AP) your anger and your wrath(AQ) from Jerusalem,(AR) your city, your holy hill.(AS) Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn(AT) to all those around us.

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor(AU) on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear,(AV) our God, and hear;(AW) open your eyes and see(AX) the desolation of the city that bears your Name.(AY) We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.(AZ) 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!(BA) Lord, hear and act! For your sake,(BB) my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

The Seventy “Sevens”

20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing(BC) my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill(BD)— 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,(BE) the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.(BF) 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.(BG) 23 As soon as you began to pray,(BH) a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.(BI) Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:(BJ)

24 “Seventy ‘sevens’[c] are decreed for your people and your holy city(BK) to finish[d] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone(BL) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,(BM) to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.[e]

25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild(BN) Jerusalem until the Anointed One,[f](BO) the ruler,(BP) comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.(BQ) 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death(BR) and will have nothing.[g] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:(BS) War will continue until the end, and desolations(BT) have been decreed.(BU) 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’[h] In the middle of the ‘seven’[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple[j] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed(BV) is poured out on him.[k]”[l]

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

10 In the third year of Cyrus(BW) king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).(BX) Its message was true(BY) and it concerned a great war.[m] The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned(BZ) for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;(CA) and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank(CB) of the great river, the Tigris,(CC) 5 I looked up(CD) and there before me was a man dressed in linen,(CE) with a belt of fine gold(CF) from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz,(CG) his face like lightning,(CH) his eyes like flaming torches,(CI) his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,(CJ) and his voice(CK) like the sound of a multitude.

7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,(CL) but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone,(CM) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,(CN) my face turned deathly pale(CO) and I was helpless.(CP) 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.(CQ)

10 A hand touched me(CR) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.(CS) 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,(CT) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,(CU) for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,(CV) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble(CW) yourself before your God, your words(CX) were heard, and I have come in response to them.(CY) 13 But the prince(CZ) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,(DA) one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain(DB) to you what will happen to your people in the future,(DC) for the vision concerns a time yet to come.(DD)”

15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.(DE) 16 Then one who looked like a man[n] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.(DF) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish(DG) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”(DH)

18 Again the one who looked like a man touched(DI) me and gave me strength.(DJ) 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”(DK) he said. “Peace!(DL) Be strong now; be strong.”(DM)

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”(DN)

20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece(DO) will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.(DP) (No one supports me against them except Michael,(DQ) your prince. 11 1 And in the first year of Darius(DR) the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

The Kings of the South and the North

2 “Now then, I tell you the truth:(DS) Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.(DT) 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.(DU) 4 After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven.(DV) It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted(DW) and given to others.

5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power[o] will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father[p] and the one who supported her.

7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North(DX) and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods,(DY) their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt.(DZ) For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood(EA) and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.(EB) 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps(EC) and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases;(ED) no one will be able to stand against him.(EE) He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.(EF) 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans[q] will not succeed(EG) or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands(EH) and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.(EI) 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall,(EJ) to be seen no more.(EK)

20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor.(EL) In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible(EM) person who has not been given the honor of royalty.(EN) He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away(EO) before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.(EP) 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully,(EQ) and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers.(ER) He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil,(ES) will sit at the same table and lie(ET) to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.(EU) 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands(EV) will oppose him, and he will lose heart.(EW) Then he will turn back and vent his fury(EX) against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.(EY) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.(EZ) 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist(FA) him.

33 “Those who are wise will instruct(FB) many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.(FC) 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere(FD) will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,(FE) purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself(FF) above every god and will say unheard-of things(FG) against the God of gods.(FH) He will be successful until the time of wrath(FI) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.(FJ) 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.[r]

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South(FK) will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm(FL) out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.(FM) 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land.(FN) Many countries will fall, but Edom,(FO) Moab(FP) and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt,(FQ) with the Libyans(FR) and Cushites[s] in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at[t] the beautiful holy mountain.(FS) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael,(FT) the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress(FU) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book(FV)—will be delivered.(FW) 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake:(FX) some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.(FY) 3 Those who are wise[u](FZ) will shine(GA) like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,(GB) like the stars for ever and ever.(GC) 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal(GD) the words of the scroll until the time of the end.(GE) Many will go here and there(GF) to increase knowledge.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.(GG) 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen,(GH) who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”(GI)

7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand(GJ) and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever,(GK) saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.[v](GL) When the power of the holy people(GM) has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.(GN)”

8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed(GO) until the time of the end.(GP) 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,(GQ) but the wicked will continue to be wicked.(GR) None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.(GS)

11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice(GT) is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation(GU) is set up, there will be 1,290 days.(GV) 12 Blessed is the one who waits(GW) for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.(GX)

13 “As for you, go your way till the end.(GY) You will rest,(GZ) and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.(HA)”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 9:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus
  2. Daniel 9:1 Or Chaldean
  3. Daniel 9:24 Or ‘weeks’; also in verses 25 and 26
  4. Daniel 9:24 Or restrain
  5. Daniel 9:24 Or the most holy One
  6. Daniel 9:25 Or an anointed one; also in verse 26
  7. Daniel 9:26 Or death and will have no one; or death, but not for himself
  8. Daniel 9:27 Or ‘week’
  9. Daniel 9:27 Or ‘week’
  10. Daniel 9:27 Septuagint and Theodotion; Hebrew wing
  11. Daniel 9:27 Or it
  12. Daniel 9:27 Or And one who causes desolation will come upon the wing of the abominable temple, until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolated city
  13. Daniel 10:1 Or true and burdensome
  14. Daniel 10:16 Most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text; one manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint Then something that looked like a human hand
  15. Daniel 11:6 Or offspring
  16. Daniel 11:6 Or child (see Vulgate and Syriac)
  17. Daniel 11:17 Or but she
  18. Daniel 11:39 Or land for a reward
  19. Daniel 11:43 That is, people from the upper Nile region
  20. Daniel 11:45 Or the sea and
  21. Daniel 12:3 Or who impart wisdom
  22. Daniel 12:7 Or a year, two years and half a year
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