Daniel 8:1-14

Modern English Version

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. ² I saw in the vision, and while I was looking, I was at Susa in the palace which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision that I was by the canal of Ulai. ³ Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and 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 one came up last. ⁴ I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward, so that no animal might stand before him; nor was there any that could deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.

⁵ As I was considering this, suddenly a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth and did not touch the ground. And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. ⁶ He came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran to him in the fury of his power. ⁷ I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with rage against him, and struck the ram and broke 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 on him. And there was none who could deliver the ram out of his hand. ⁸ Therefore the male goat grew very great. And when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and four conspicuous horns came up in its place toward the four winds of heaven.

The Little Horn

⁹ Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Pleasant Land. ¹⁰ It grew 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. ¹¹ Indeed, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and from Him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. ¹² Because of rebellion, an army was given to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifice; and it cast truth to the ground. It practiced this and prospered.

¹³ Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said to that certain saint which spoke, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?”

¹⁴ And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be cleansed properly.”