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`In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision hath appeared unto me -- I Daniel -- after that which had appeared unto me at the beginning.

And I see in a vision, and it cometh to pass, in my seeing, and I [am] in Shushan the palace that [is] in Elam the province, and I see in a vision, and I have been by the stream Ulai.

And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a certain ram is standing before the stream, and it hath two horns, and the two horns [are] high; and the one [is] higher than the other, and the high one is coming up last.

I have seen the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward, and no living creatures do stand before it, and there is none delivering out of its hand, and it hath done according to its pleasure, and hath exerted itself.

`And I have been considering, and lo, a young he-goat hath come from the west, over the face of the whole earth, whom none is touching in the earth; as to the young he-goat, a conspicuous horn [is] between its eyes.

And it cometh unto the ram possessing the two horns, that I had seen standing before the stream, and runneth unto it in the fury of its power.

And I have seen it coming near the ram, and it becometh embittered at it, and smiteth the ram, and breaketh its two horns, and there hath been no power in the ram to stand before it, and it casteth it to the earth, and trampleth it down, and there hath been no deliverer to the ram out of its power.

`And the young he-goat hath exerted itself very much, and when it is strong, broken hath been the great horn; and come up doth a vision of four in its place, at the four winds of the heavens.

And from the one of them come forth hath a little horn, and it exerteth itself greatly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beauteous [land];

10 yea, it exerteth unto the host of the heavens, and causeth to fall to the earth of the host, and of the stars, and trampleth them down.

11 And unto the prince of the host it exerteth itself, and by it taken away hath been the continual [sacrifice], and thrown down the base of his sanctuary.

12 And the host is given up, with the continual [sacrifice], through transgression, and it throweth down truth to the earth, and it hath worked, and prospered.

13 `And I hear a certain holy one speaking, and a certain holy one saith to the wonderful numberer who is speaking: Till when [is] the vision of the continual [sacrifice], and of the transgression, an astonishment, to make both sanctuary and host a treading down?

14 And he saith unto me, Till evening -- morning two thousand and three hundred, then is the holy place declared right.

15 `And it cometh to pass in my seeing -- I, Daniel -- the vision, that I require understanding, and lo, standing over-against me [is] as the appearance of a mighty one.

16 And I hear a voice of man between [the banks of] Ulai, and he calleth and saith: Gabriel, cause this [one] to understand the appearance.

17 And he cometh in near my station, and at his coming in I have been afraid, and I fall on my face, and he saith unto me: Understand, son of man, for at the time of the end [is] the vision.

18 And in his speaking with me, I have been in a trance on my face, on the earth; and he cometh against me, and causeth me to stand on my station,

19 and saith: Lo, I -- I am causing thee to know that which is in the latter end of the indignation; for, at the appointed time [is] the end.

20 `The ram that thou hast seen possessing two horns, [are] the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the young he-goat, the hairy one, [is] the king of Javan; and the great horn that [is] between its eyes is the first king;

22 and that being broken, stand up do four in its place, four kingdoms from the nation do stand up, and not in its power.

23 `And in the latter end of their kingdom, about the perfecting of the transgressors, stand up doth a king, fierce of face, and understanding hidden things;

24 and his power hath been mighty, and not by his own power; and wonderful things he destroyeth, and he hath prospered, and wrought, and destroyed mighty ones, and the people of the Holy Ones.

25 `And by his understanding he hath also caused deceit to prosper in his hand, and in his heart he exerteth himself, and by ease he destroyeth many; and against the prince of princes he standeth -- and without hand he is broken.

26 And the appearance of the evening and of the morning, that is told, is true; and thou, hide thou the vision, for [it is] after many days.'

27 And I, Daniel, have been, yea, I became sick [for] days, and I rise, and do the king's work, and am astonished at the appearance, and there is none understanding.

In the first year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who hath been made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,

in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, have understood by books the number of the years, (in that a word of Jehovah hath been unto Jeremiah the prophet,) concerning the fulfilling of the wastes of Jerusalem -- seventy years;

and I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek [by] prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

And I pray to Jehovah my God, and confess, and say: `I beseech Thee, O Lord God, the great and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness to those loving Him, and to those keeping His commands;

we have sinned, and done perversely, and done wickedly, and rebelled, to turn aside from Thy commands, and from Thy judgments:

and we have not hearkened unto Thy servants, the prophets, who have spoken in Thy name unto our kings, our heads, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

`To Thee, O Lord, [is] the righteousness, and to us the shame of face, as [at] this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near, and who are far off, in all the lands whither Thou hast driven them, in their trespass that they have trespassed against Thee.

`O Lord, to us [is] the shame of face, to our kings, to our heads, and to our fathers, in that we have sinned against Thee.

`To the Lord our God [are] the mercies and the forgivenesses, for we have rebelled against Him,

10 and have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in His laws, that He hath set before us by the hand of His servants the prophets;

11 and all Israel have transgressed Thy law, to turn aside so as not to hearken to Thy voice; and poured on us is the execration, and the oath, that is written in the law of Moses, servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.

12 `And He confirmeth His words that He hath spoken against us, and against our judges who have judged us, to bring in upon us great evil, in that it hath not been done under the whole heavens as it hath been done in Jerusalem,

13 as it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil hath come upon us, and we have not appeased the face of Jehovah our God to turn back from our iniquities, and to act wisely in Thy truth.

14 And Jehovah doth watch for the evil, and bringeth it upon us, for righteous [is] Jehovah our God concerning all His works that He hath done, and we have not hearkened to His voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought forth Thy people from the land of Egypt by a strong hand, and dost make for Thee a name as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16 `O Lord, according to all Thy righteous acts, let turn back, I pray Thee, Thine anger and Thy fury from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mount, for by our sins, and by the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people [are] for a reproach to all our neighbours;

17 and now, hearken, O our God, unto the prayer of Thy servant, and unto his supplication, and cause Thy face to shine on Thy sanctuary that [is] desolate, for the Lord's sake.

18 `Incline, O my God, Thine ear, and hear, open Thine eyes and see our desolations, and the city on which Thy name is called; for not for our righteous acts are we causing our supplications to fall before Thee, but for Thy mercies that [are] many.

19 O lord, hear, O Lord, forgive; O Lord, attend and do; do not delay, for Thine own sake, O my God, for Thy name is called on Thy city, and on Thy people.'

20 And while I am speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and causing my supplication to fall before Jehovah my God, for the holy mount of my God,

21 yea, while I am speaking in prayer, then that one Gabriel, whom I had seen in vision at the commencement, being caused to fly swiftly, is coming unto me at the time of the evening present.

22 And he giveth understanding, and speaketh with me, and saith, `O Daniel, now I have come forth to cause thee to consider understanding wisely;

23 at the commencement of thy supplications hath the word come forth, and I have come to declare [it], for thou [art] greatly desired, and understand thou concerning the matter, and consider concerning the appearance.

24 `Seventy weeks are determined for thy people, and for thy holy city, to shut up the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to cover iniquity, and to bring in righteousness age-during, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies.

25 And thou dost know, and dost consider wisely, from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem till Messiah the Leader [is] seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks: the broad place hath been built again, and the rampart, even in the distress of the times.

26 And after the sixty and two weeks, cut off is Messiah, and the city and the holy place are not his, the Leader who hath come doth destroy the people; and its end [is] with a flood, and till the end [is] war, determined [are] desolations.

27 And he hath strengthened a covenant with many -- one week, and [in] the midst of the week he causeth sacrifice and present to cease, and by the wing of abominations he is making desolate, even till the consummation, and that which is determined is poured on the desolate one.'

10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing is revealed to Daniel, whose name is called Belteshazzar, and the thing [is] true, and the warfare [is] great: and he hath understood the thing, and hath understanding about the appearance.

`In those days, I, Daniel, have been mourning three weeks of days;

desirable bread I have not eaten, and flesh and wine hath not come in unto my mouth, and I have not anointed myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days.

`And in the twenty and fourth day of the first month, I have been by the side of the great river, that [is] Hiddekel:

and I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a certain one clothed in linen, and his loins girt with pure gold of Uphaz,

and his body as a beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet as the aspect of bright brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

`And I have seen -- I, Daniel, by myself -- the appearance: and the men who have been with me have not seen the appearance, but a great trembling hath fallen on them, and they flee to be hidden;

and I have been left by myself, and I see this great appearance, and there hath been no power left in me, and my honour hath been turned in me to corruption, yea, I have not retained power.

`And I hear the voice of his words, and when I hear the voice of his words, then I have been in a trance on my face, and my face [is] to the earth;

10 and lo, a hand hath come against me, and shaketh me on my knees and the palms of my hands.

11 `And he saith unto me: Daniel, man greatly desired, attend to the words that I am speaking unto thee, and stand on thy station, for now I have been sent unto thee. `And when he speaketh with me this word, I have stood trembling.

12 And he saith unto me: Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst give thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words have been heard, and I have come because of thy words.

13 `And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing over-against me twenty and one days, and lo, Michael, first of the chief heads, hath come in to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia;

14 and I have come to cause thee to understand that which doth happen to thy people in the latter end of the days, for yet the vision [is] after days.

15 `And when he speaketh with me about these things, I have set my face toward the earth, and have been silent;

16 and lo, as the manner of the sons of men, he is striking against my lips, and I open my mouth, and I speak, and say unto him who is standing over-against me: My lord, by the appearance turned have been my pangs against me, and I have retained no power.

17 And how is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord? as for me, henceforth there remaineth in me no power, yea, breath hath not been left in me.

18 `And he addeth, and striketh against me, as the appearance of a man, and strengtheneth me,

19 and he saith: Do not fear, O man greatly desired, peace to thee, be strong, yea, be strong; and when he speaketh with me, I have strengthened myself, and I say, Let my lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me.

20 And he saith, Hast thou known why I have come unto thee? and now I turn back to fight with the head of Persia; yea, I am going forth, and lo, the head of Javan hath come;

21 but I declare to thee that which is noted down in the Writing of Truth, and there is not one strengthening himself with me, concerning these, except Michael your head.

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

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. 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. 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. 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.

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. It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. 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) 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)

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.

Daniel’s Prayer

In the first year of Darius(AZ) son of Xerxes[d](BA) (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[e] kingdom— 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(BB) years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,(BC) and in sackcloth and ashes.(BD)

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

“Lord, the great and awesome God,(BF) who keeps his covenant of love(BG) with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned(BH) and done wrong.(BI) We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away(BJ) from your commands and laws.(BK) We have not listened(BL) to your servants the prophets,(BM) who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,(BN) and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are righteous,(BO) but this day we are covered with shame(BP)—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered(BQ) us because of our unfaithfulness(BR) to you.(BS) We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.(BT) The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,(BU) even though we have rebelled against him;(BV) 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.(BW) 11 All Israel has transgressed(BX) your law(BY) and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses(BZ) and sworn judgments(CA) written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned(CB) against you. 12 You have fulfilled(CC) the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.(CD) Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like(CE) what has been done to Jerusalem.(CF) 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(CG) our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.(CH) 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster(CI) on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does;(CJ) yet we have not obeyed him.(CK)

15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand(CL) and who made for yourself a name(CM) that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts,(CN) turn away(CO) your anger and your wrath(CP) from Jerusalem,(CQ) your city, your holy hill.(CR) Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn(CS) to all those around us.

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor(CT) on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear,(CU) our God, and hear;(CV) open your eyes and see(CW) the desolation of the city that bears your Name.(CX) We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.(CY) 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!(CZ) Lord, hear and act! For your sake,(DA) 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(DB) my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill(DC) 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,(DD) the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.(DE) 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.(DF) 23 As soon as you began to pray,(DG) a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.(DH) Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:(DI)

24 “Seventy ‘sevens’[f] are decreed for your people and your holy city(DJ) to finish[g] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone(DK) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,(DL) to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.[h]

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

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

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

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

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank(EA) of the great river, the Tigris,(EB) I looked up(EC) and there before me was a man dressed in linen,(ED) with a belt of fine gold(EE) from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz,(EF) his face like lightning,(EG) his eyes like flaming torches,(EH) his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,(EI) and his voice(EJ) like the sound of a multitude.

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

10 A hand touched me(EQ) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.(ER) 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,(ES) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,(ET) 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,(EU) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble(EV) yourself before your God, your words(EW) were heard, and I have come in response to them.(EX) 13 But the prince(EY) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,(EZ) 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(FA) to you what will happen to your people in the future,(FB) for the vision concerns a time yet to come.(FC)

15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.(FD) 16 Then one who looked like a man[q] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.(FE) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish(FF) 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.”(FG)

18 Again the one who looked like a man touched(FH) me and gave me strength.(FI) 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”(FJ) he said. “Peace!(FK) Be strong now; be strong.”(FL)

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

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(FN) will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.(FO) (No one supports me against them except Michael,(FP) your prince.

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
  4. Daniel 9:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus
  5. Daniel 9:1 Or Chaldean
  6. Daniel 9:24 Or ‘weeks’; also in verses 25 and 26
  7. Daniel 9:24 Or restrain
  8. Daniel 9:24 Or the most holy One
  9. Daniel 9:25 Or an anointed one; also in verse 26
  10. Daniel 9:26 Or death and will have no one; or death, but not for himself
  11. Daniel 9:27 Or ‘week’
  12. Daniel 9:27 Or ‘week’
  13. Daniel 9:27 Septuagint and Theodotion; Hebrew wing
  14. Daniel 9:27 Or it
  15. 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
  16. Daniel 10:1 Or true and burdensome
  17. 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