Daniel 7:2-4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
2 In the vision I saw during the night, suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,[a] 3 from which emerged four immense beasts,(A) each different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.[b] While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a human being, and given a human mind.
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- 7:2 The great sea: the primordial ocean beneath the earth, according to ancient Near Eastern cosmology (Gn 7:11; 49:25). It was thought to contain various monsters (Is 27:1; Jb 7:12), and in particular mythological monsters symbolizing the chaos which God had vanquished in primordial times (Jb 9:13; 26:12; Is 51:9–10; etc.).
- 7:4 In ancient times the Babylonian empire was commonly represented as a winged lion, in the rampant position (raised up on one side). The two wings that were plucked may represent Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. On two feet like a human being…a human mind: contrasts with what is said in 4:13, 30.
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