Daniel 7


Daniel has a vision about a beast with 10 horns.


In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon, Daniel had dreams and saw the future. He wrote about his dreams and told what happened.
[1] In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.


Daniel saw that he had a dream at night. The 4 winds of heaven blew on the big sea.  Four big beasts (animals) came up out of the sea. They were all different from each other.
[2] Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
[3] And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.


 

Engraving by Matthäus Merian, From Wikipedia.com

The first beast was like a lion, and it had wings like an eagle.  Daniel watched the beast until the wings were plucked (feathers pulled out).  The beast was lifted up and stood up on its feet like a man. Then it got a man's heart.
[4] The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.


The second beast looked like a bear. It sat up on one side. It had 3 ribs in its mouth.  The ribs were between its teeth.  Someone told the bear to get up and eat a lot of flesh.
[5] And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.


The third beast looked like a leopard. It had 4 wings on its back like a bird. It had 4 heads. It was in charge.
[6] After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.


The fourth beast was very big and strong. It had big iron teeth. It chewed up things and stomped on the other things. It was different from the other beasts. It had 10 horns.
[7] After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.


Daniel was looking at the horns. Then another little horn grew up. The other three horns were pulled out by the roots.  This horn had eyes like a man, and it talked. It said great things.
[8] I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.


Daniel watched and some thrones were thrown down. God sat in a throne. God's clothes were white like snow. His hair was like pure wool.  His throne had wheels. The throne and the wheels were on fire.
[9] I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.


Fire came out in front of God. A million people were helping Him. Many thousands stood in front of him. He was ready to judge them. The books were opened.
[10] A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.


Daniel watched because the horn was talking.  He kept watching until the beast was killed. The beast's body was destroyed and burned.
[11] I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

The other beasts lived longer, but they were not in control.
[12] As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.


Daniel saw the Son of Man (Jesus) come to the Ancient of Days (God). He came with the clouds of heaven.  They took the Son of Man close to the Ancient of Days.
[13] I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.


He was given control over everything, glory, and a kingdom. All people, all countries, and all languages will serve him.  His power will last forever. His power will never pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.
[14] And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.


Daniel was very sad in his spirit. He was upset about his dreams.
[15] I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.


He went near one of the ones who were standing there.  He asked him what the truth was. He told him what the dreams meant.
[16] I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

The 4 beasts in Daniel's dream are 4 kings. They will rise up out of the earth.
[17] These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.


God's saints will take the kingdom. They will hold the kingdom forever and ever.
[18] But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.


After that, Daniel will know the truth about the fourth beast. The fourth beast was different than all of the others. It was very scary. It had iron teeth and brass nails. It used its teeth and nails to destroy things. It stomped on everything else.
[19] Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;


The fourth beast had 10 horns on its head. Another horn grew up, and 3 of the other horns fell down. The new horn had eyes and a mouth. The new horn talked and said great things. The new horn looked stronger than the other horns.
[20] And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.


The large horn fought with the saints and was defeating them. Then the Ancient of Days came. He helped the saints, and then they were in control of the kingdom.
[21] I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
[22] Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.


He continued to interpret Daniel's dream. He said that the 4th beast will be the 4th kingdom on the earth. It will be different from all kingdoms. It will take over the whole earth. It will stomp on everything and break everything into pieces.
[23] Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.


The 10 horns coming out of that kingdom are 10 kings. Then another king will rise up. He will be different than the first one. He will defeat 3 of the kings.
[24] And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.


The horn will say things against God. He will beat down the saints.  He will try to change God's times and laws.  The horn will defeat the saints for a while. But he could not change God's laws. God's court took away his power and destroyed him.
[25] And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
[26] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.


The kingdom and control of the earth under heaven was given to the saints.  God's kingdom will last forever. All other leaders will serve Him and obey Him.
[27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.


This is the end of this.  Daniel felt upset about his dream, and he was worried. But he did not tell anyone. He kept his dream a secret.
[28] Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
 

Daniel 8

No one knows exactly where Daniel was buried. Many people think he was buried in Susa (another name for the city of Shushan). Susa is in the country now named Iran. This is a photo of  the Tomb of Daniel in Susa, Iran. Photo from Wikipedia.com

Daniel has another vision about a ram and a goat.


When Belshazzar was the king for 3 years, Daniel had another dream or vision.
[1] 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.


In his dream, Daniel was in the king's palace in the city of Shushan by the river named Ulai. This city was in the area named Elam.
[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.

In his dream, Daniel looked up and saw a ram (male sheep). The ram was in front of the river. The ram had 2 horns. Both horns were high, but one horn was higher than the other.  The higher horn grew up last.
[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.


The ram was pushing west, north, and south. No other animals could stand in front of him. No animals could get away from him. The ram did what he wanted, and the ram became very big.
[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.


While Daniel was watching the ram,  a male goat came from the west. It was in the air, and its feet did not touch the ground. The goat had a big horn between its eyes. The goat ran into the ram and hit him very hard. The goat broke the rams' two horns. The ram could do nothing. The goat knocked the ram down on the ground and stomped on him. No one could save the ram.
[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 there 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.
 

The goat became stronger, and the big horn on his head broke. Then 4 more horns grew up from his head. The 4 horns were pointing up into the 4 winds of heaven. One of the 4 horns had a little horn growing from it. The little horn grew bigger and was pointing toward the south and east. It pointed toward the pleasant land.
[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.
 

This little horn continued to grow. It grew all the way to heaven. It brought down some of the angels and stars. The horn stomped on them.
[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.


The horn even defeated the prince of the host. The Temple was broken, and they did not make sacrifices everyday.
[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 his sanctuary was cast down.


The horn was in control of the host. It threw truth down to the ground. It continued to succeed.
[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.

The angel, Gabriel, tells Daniel was his vision means.


Daniel heard one of God's saints talking to another saint. He asked how long the vision about the daily sacrifice would continue. He asked how long the vision about the destroying would last. He asked how long the vision about the host being stomped on would last.  He told Daniel it would be 2, 300 days. Then the sanctuary will be cleaned.
[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.
 

Daniel saw the vision and wanted to know what it meant. Then he saw something that looked like a man. Then he heard a man's voice near the Ulai River. The voice told Gabriel to make Daniel understand.
[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.


Gabriel came near Daniel and stood by him. Daniel was afraid and fell down on this face. Gabriel told him that his vision showed the time at the end.
[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.


While Gabriel was talking to Daniel, Daniel was sleeping soundly. He was sleeping on the ground with his face on the ground.  Gabriel touched him and sat him upright.
[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.


Gabriel said he will tell Daniel what will happen at the end.  God will choose the time for the end.  
[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.


In his vision, Daniel saw a ram with two horns. These are the kings of Media and Persia.
[20] The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.


The goat is the king of Greece. The big horn between his eyes is the first king.
[21] And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.


The big horn was broken, then 4 new ones grew. These are 4 new kingdoms, but they are not as strong.
[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.


Later in their kingdoms, the kings will behave badly. Then, a new, evil king will be in 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.

The new king will be strong, but not by himself.  He will be very destructive. He will destroy the strong, holy people.
[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.

He will make plans to do bad things in his land. His plans will work. He will think he is powerful.  He will destroy many. He will try to fight the Prince of princes. But the Prince of princes will defeat him easily.
[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.

Daniel's vision of the morning and evening are true.  But Daniel should not tell others because it won't happen for a very long time.
[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.

Daniel fainted and was sick for some days. Then he got up and continued to work for the king. He was disturbed about his vision, but he didn't understand it.
[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.
 

Daniel 9

Daniel prays to God about Jerusalem and the Jews.

Daniel studied God's word about Jeremiah's prophecy. God had told Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be destroyed for 70 years. Daniel read this during the first year that Darius was the king of the Chaldeans (Darius was a Mede and his father was Ahasuerus).
[1] In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
[2] In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Daniel prayed very hard to God. He did not eat. He put on very rough clothes and put ashes on his skin.
[3] And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

This is what Daniel prayed to God:

O Lord, you are great. You keep your promises and show mercy to people who love you and to people who obey your laws. 
[4] And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;


We have sinned and gone against your laws. We have done wicked things. We have rebelled against you. We have not kept your laws.
[5] We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:


We have not listened to your prophets. They spoke in your name to our kings, princes, fathers, and all of the people in our land.
[6] Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.


O Lord, you are very good and right, but we are all ashamed. Everyone in Judah, Jerusalem, Israel, everyplace near, and everyplace far is ashamed. You sent them away because they sinned. You sent them to many places.
[7] O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.


We are confused because we sinned. We are all confused, and also our kings, princes, and fathers are confused.  Lord, even though we have sinned against you, you forgive us and show us mercy.
[8] O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
[9] To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;


God gave us laws through the prophets. We have not obeyed your laws.
[10] Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.


All of Israel has broken your law. They did not listen to you. That is why we are cursed now. We are punished now the way that Moses wrote in your law.
[11] Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.


You have done what you said you would do. You warned us and our leaders. You said you would bring a great evil on us if we did not obey you.
[12] And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.


As it said in Moses' written law, we are being punished. We did not pray to God to help us turn away from sin. We did not pray to God to understand His truth.
[13] As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.


God saw us sinning and brought evil on us. God is right in all that He does.  We were punished because we did not obey Him.
[14] Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.


You brought our people out of Egypt. Then everyone knew about your strength and power. And now, we have sinned and behaved wickedly.
[15] And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.


I ask you, Lord, to stop being angry with Jerusalem. It is your holy city.  Please stop being angry at Jerusalem because our ancestors sinned.  We are ashamed of what they did wrong.
[16] O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.


I pray to you, Lord, to hear my prayer. Please help Jerusalem again. It is your city, and it is empty and desolate. Please help it for your sake.
[17] Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.


O God, please listen to me and hear what I say. Please open your eyes and see empty Jerusalem.  We are not good people, but you are very righteous and good. You show great mercy.
[18] O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
[19] O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.


Gabriel tells Daniel about the future.


Daniel was talking to God and praying for Jerusalem. He was telling God about his sin and Israel's sins. While he was praying, the angel, Gabriel flew quickly and touched him. It was the same angel, Gabriel, that Daniel had seen in his vision earlier.
[20] And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
[21] Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.


This is what Gabriel said to Daniel:
 
I have come to help you understand.  When you first started to pray, I was commanded to come here to you.  God loves you very much. Now I will help you understand.
[22] And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
[23] At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.


God said that the Jewish people and Jerusalem will be punished for 70 weeks. That is the time it will take for them to pay for their sins. Then they will start to worship and obey God again.
[24] Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.


God will order that they build Jerusalem again. From that time until the Messiah the Prince comes will be 7 weeks plus 62 weeks. The streets in Jerusalem will be built again.  The wall will be built again even in times of trouble.
[25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.


After 62 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. He will have no help. The people of a future leader will come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple. At the end, there will be a flood. Until the end of the war, there will be much destruction.
[26] And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.


The future leader will make a deal with many people for one week. In the middle of the week, he will stop the offerings and sacrifices to God. He will cause destruction and horrible things to happen.  Jerusalem will be empty and destroyed. 
[27] And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.