Daniel 7
La Bible du Semeur
Les quatre bêtes et le Fils de l’homme
La vision des quatre bêtes
7 Au cours de la première année du règne de Balthazar, roi de Babylone[a], comme Daniel était couché sur son lit, il eut un rêve : des visions se présentèrent à son esprit. Il consigna le rêve par écrit. En voici le récit :
2 Au cours de mes visions nocturnes, je regardais et voici que les quatre vents du ciel agitaient la grande mer[b].
3 Quatre bêtes[c] énormes, différentes les unes des autres, surgirent de la mer. 4 La première ressemblait à un lion avec des ailes d’aigle. Tandis que je la regardais, ses ailes lui furent arrachées, elle fut soulevée de terre et dressée sur ses pieds comme un homme, un cœur humain lui fut donné.
5 Et voici que surgit une deuxième bête, ressemblant à un ours : elle était dressée sur un côté et tenait dans sa gueule trois côtes entre les dents. J’entendis qu’on lui disait : « Debout, mange beaucoup de chair ! » 6 Après cela, je continuai à regarder et je vis un autre animal qui ressemblait à un léopard, avec quatre ailes d’oiseaux sur le dos et quatre têtes. Le pouvoir lui fut donné.
7 Après cela, dans mes visions nocturnes, je vis surgir une quatrième bête, effrayante, terrifiante et d’une force extraordinaire ; elle avait d’énormes dents de fer, elle dévorait, déchiquetait et piétinait ce qui restait de ses victimes ; elle était bien différente de toutes les bêtes qui l’avaient précédée ; elle avait aussi dix cornes. 8 J’observais ces cornes et voilà qu’au milieu d’elles surgit une autre corne plus petite : trois des premières cornes furent arrachées devant elle. Sur cette corne, il y avait des yeux ressemblant à des yeux humains, et une bouche qui parlait avec arrogance.
Le Fils de l’homme
9 Je regardai encore
pendant qu’on installait des trônes,
un vieillard âgé de très nombreux jours[d] ╵prit place sur l’un d’eux.
Son vêtement ╵était blanc comme de la neige[e]
et ses cheveux étaient ╵comme la laine nettoyée.
Son trône[f], embrasé de flammes de feu,
avait des roues de feu ardent.
10 Un fleuve de feu jaillissait
et coulait devant lui,
des millions d’êtres le servaient,
et des centaines de millions ╵se tenaient debout devant lui.
La cour de justice prit place
et l’on ouvrit des livres[g].
11 Je regardai toujours. Alors, à cause des propos arrogants proférés par la corne, je vis qu’on tuait la bête et que son corps était détruit, jeté dans un brasier de feu. 12 Quant au reste des bêtes, on leur enleva leur pouvoir mais on leur accorda une prolongation de vie jusqu’à un temps et un moment fixés. 13 Je regardai encore dans mes visions nocturnes :
Sur les nuées du ciel,
je vis venir quelqu’un ╵semblable à un fils d’homme.
Il s’avança jusqu’au vieillard ╵âgé de nombreux jours
et on le fit approcher devant lui[h].
14 On lui donna la souveraineté, ╵et la gloire et la royauté,
et tous les peuples, toutes les nations, ╵les hommes de toutes les langues ╵lui apportèrent leurs hommages.
Sa souveraineté est éternelle,
elle ne passera jamais,
et quant à son royaume, ╵il ne sera jamais détruit[i].
15 Moi, Daniel, je fus profondément angoissé au-dedans de moi et mes visions me remplirent d’effroi. 16 Je m’approchai de l’un de ceux qui se tenaient là pour lui demander quelle était la signification véritable de tout ce que j’avais vu. Il me répondit pour m’en donner l’interprétation. 17 « Ces quatre bêtes énormes, dit-il, représentent quatre rois[j] qui apparaîtront sur la terre. 18 Mais la royauté sera donnée aux membres du peuple saint du Très-Haut et ils la posséderont pour toujours, éternellement. »
19 Alors je voulus être fixé avec certitude au sujet de la quatrième bête qui était si différente de toutes les autres, cette bête très effrayante qui avait des dents de fer et des griffes de bronze, qui dévorait, déchiquetait et piétinait ce qui restait de ses victimes. 20 Je voulus aussi savoir ce que représentaient les dix cornes qu’elle avait sur la tête et l’autre corne qui avait poussé et devant laquelle trois des premières cornes étaient tombées, cette corne qui avait des yeux et une bouche parlant avec arrogance et qui paraissait plus grande que les autres. 21 Tandis que je regardais, cette corne faisait la guerre aux membres du peuple saint et elle remportait la victoire sur eux[k] 22 jusqu’à ce que vienne le vieillard âgé de nombreux jours, et que le jugement soit rendu en faveur des membres du peuple saint du Très-Haut et qu’arrive pour eux le temps de prendre possession de la royauté[l].
23 Celui que j’avais interrogé me dit : « La quatrième bête représente un quatrième royaume qui apparaîtra sur la terre. Il sera différent de tous les royaumes précédents : il dévorera le monde entier, le piétinera et le déchiquettera. 24 Les dix cornes représentent dix rois qui surgiront de ce royaume. Un autre roi se lèvera après eux, il sera différent de ses prédécesseurs. Il renversera trois rois. 25 Il proférera des paroles contre le Très-Haut, opprimera les membres du peuple saint du Très-Haut, entreprendra de changer le calendrier et la loi ; et le peuple saint sera livré à sa merci pendant un temps, deux temps et la moitié d’un temps[m]. 26 Mais alors, la cour de justice siégera et on ôtera la domination à ce roi pour l’anéantir et la faire disparaître définitivement. 27 Le règne, la souveraineté et la grandeur de tous les royaumes qui sont sous le ciel seront attribués aux membres du peuple saint du Très-Haut. Le règne de ce peuple est éternel, et toutes les puissances du monde le serviront et lui obéiront[n]. »
28 Ici prend fin le récit. Quant à moi, Daniel, je fus très effrayé par mes pensées et j’en devins blême. Je gardai ces choses en mémoire.
Footnotes
- 7.1 Sans doute vers 550 av. J.-C. Les événements relatés dans ce chapitre précèdent donc ceux des chapitres 5 et 6.
- 7.2 Pour les v. 2-8, voir Ap 13.1-6.
- 7.3 Cette vision est parallèle à celle du chapitre 2.
- 7.9 Le Dieu éternel.
- 7.9 Voir Ap 1.14
- 7.9 Voir Ap 20.11
- 7.10 Voir Ap 5.11 ; 20.12.
- 7.13 Voir Mt 24.30 ; 26.64 ; Mc 13.26 ; 14.62 ; Lc 21.27 ; Ap 1.7, 13 ; 14.14. Voir l’expression Fils de l’homme dans le lexique.
- 7.14 Voir Ap 11.15.
- 7.17 Voir Dn 2.37-43.
- 7.21 Voir Ap 13.7.
- 7.22 Voir Ap 17.12.
- 7.25 Voir Ap 12.14 ; 13.5-6.
- 7.27 Voir Ap 22.5.
Daniel 7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
II. Daniel’s Visions
Chapter 7
The Beasts and the Judgment.[a] 1 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, as Daniel lay in bed he had a dream, visions in his head. Then he wrote down the dream; the account began: 2 In the vision I saw during the night, suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,[b] 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.[c] 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. 5 The second beast was like a bear;[d] it was raised up on one side, and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks. It was given the order, “Arise, devour much flesh.” 6 After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;[e] on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given. 7 [f]After this, in the visions of the night I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet what was left. It differed from the beasts that preceded it. It had ten horns. 8 I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like human eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly. 9 [g]As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient of Days took his throne.
His clothing was white as snow,
the hair on his head like pure wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
10 A river of fire surged forth,
flowing from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads stood before him.(B)
The court was convened, and the books were opened. 11 I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the burning fire. 12 As for the other beasts, their dominion was taken away, but they were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season. 13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven(C)
One like a son of man.[h]
When he reached the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him,
14 He received dominion, splendor, and kingship;
all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.(D)
15 Because of this, my spirit was anguished and I, Daniel, was terrified by my visions. 16 I approached one of those present and asked him the truth of all this; in answer, he made known to me its meaning: 17 “These four great beasts stand for four kings which shall arise on the earth. 18 But the holy ones[i] of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever.”
19 Then I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others, devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling with its feet what was left; 20 and about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up, before which three horns fell; and about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which appeared greater than its fellows. 21 For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones and was victorious 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived for the holy ones to possess the kingship. 23 He answered me thus:
“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
different from all the others;
The whole earth it shall devour,
trample down and crush.
24 The ten horns shall be ten kings
rising out of that kingdom;
another shall rise up after them,
Different from those before him,
who shall lay low three kings.
25 He shall speak against the Most High
and wear down the holy ones of the Most High,
intending to change the feast days and the law.[j]
They shall be handed over to him
for a time, two times, and half a time.
26 But when the court is convened,
and his dominion is taken away
to be abolished and completely destroyed,
27 Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High,
Whose kingship shall be an everlasting kingship,
whom all dominions shall serve and obey.”
28 This is the end of the report. I, Daniel, was greatly terrified by my thoughts, and my face became pale, but I kept the matter to myself.[k]
Footnotes
- 7:1–27 This vision continues the motif of the four kingdoms from chap. 2; see note on 2:36–45. To the four succeeding world kingdoms, Babylonian, Median, Persian, and Greek, is opposed the heavenly kingdom of God and the kingdom of God’s people on earth. The beast imagery of this chapter has been used extensively in the Book of Revelation, where it is applied to the Roman empire, the persecutor of the Church.
- 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.
- 7:5 A bear: represents the Median empire, its three tusks symbolizing its destructive nature; hence, the command: “Arise, devour much flesh.”
- 7:6 A leopard: used to symbolize the swiftness with which Cyrus the Persian established his kingdom. Four heads: corresponding to the four Persian kings of 11:2.
- 7:7–8 Alexander’s empire was different from all the others in that it was Western rather than Eastern in inspiration, and far exceeded the others in power. The ten horns represent the kings of the Seleucid dynasty, the only part of the Hellenistic empire that concerned the author. The little horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 B.C.), who usurped the throne and persecuted the Jews.
- 7:9–10 A vision of the heavenly throne of God (the Ancient of Days), who sits in judgment over the nations. Some of the details of the vision, depicting the divine majesty and omnipotence, are to be found in Ezekiel 1. Others are paralleled in 1 Enoch, a contemporary Jewish apocalypse.
- 7:13–14 One like a son of man: In contrast to the worldly kingdoms opposed to God, which are represented as grotesque beasts, the coming Kingdom of God is represented by a human figure. Scholars disagree as to whether this figure should be taken as a collective symbol for the people of God (cf. 7:27) or identified as a particular individual, e.g., the archangel Michael (cf. 12:1) or the messiah. The phrase “Son of Man” becomes a title for Jesus in the gospels, especially in passages dealing with the Second Coming (Mk 13 and parallels).
- 7:18 “Holy ones” in Hebrew and Aramaic literature are nearly always members of the heavenly court or angels (cf. 4:10, 14, 20; 8:13), though here the term is commonly taken to refer to Israel.
- 7:25 The reference is to the persecution of Antiochus IV and specifically to the disruption of the Temple cult (1 Mc 1:41–64). A time, two times, and half a time: an indefinite, evil period of time. Probably here, three and a half years, which becomes the standard period of tribulation in apocalyptic literature (Rev 11:2; 13:5 [in months]; 11:3 [in days]; and cf. 12:14). As seven is the Jewish “perfect” number, half of it signifies great imperfection. Actually, the Temple was desecrated for three years (1 Mc 4:52–54). The duration of the persecution was a little longer, since it was already under way before the Temple was desecrated.
- 7:28 This verse ends the Aramaic part of the Book of Daniel.
Daniel 7
Expanded Bible
Daniel’s Dream About Four Animals
7 In Belshazzar’s first year as king of Babylon [C perhaps 550 bc], Daniel had a dream. He saw visions [L in his head] as he was lying on his bed, and he wrote ·down what he had dreamed [L the beginning of the words/matter].
2 Daniel said: “I saw my vision at night. In the vision the ·wind was blowing from all four directions, which made the sea very rough [L four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea; C a picture of chaos]. 3 I saw four huge ·animals [beasts] come up from the sea, and each ·animal [beast] was different from the others.
4 “The first ·animal [beast] looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. I watched this ·animal [beast] until its wings were torn off. It was lifted from the ground so that it stood up on two feet like a human, and it was given the ·mind [heart] of a human [C perhaps representing Babylon].
5 “Then I saw a ·second [L another] ·animal [beast] before me that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides and had three ·ribs [or tusks] in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat ·all the meat you want [much flesh; many bodies; C perhaps representing the Medes or the Medes and Persians]!’
6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another ·animal [beast]. This ·animal [beast] looked like a leopard with four wings on its back that looked like a bird’s wings. This ·animal [beast] had four heads and was given ·power to rule [authority; C perhaps representing the Persians or the Greeks].
7 “After that, in my vision at night I saw in front of me a fourth ·animal [beast] that was ·cruel [fearsome], ·terrible [terrifying], and very strong [C perhaps the Greeks or Romans]. It had large iron teeth. It crushed and ate what it killed, and then it ·walked on [L stamped with its feet] whatever was left. This fourth ·animal [beast] was different from any ·animal [beast] I had seen before, and it had ten horns [C representing strength and power].
8 “While I was ·thinking about [reflecting on] the horns, another horn grew up among them. It was a little horn with eyes like a human’s eyes. It also had a mouth, and the mouth was bragging. The little horn ·pulled out [uprooted] three of the other horns.
9 “As I looked,
thrones were put in their places,
and ·God, the Eternal One, [L the Ancient of Days] sat on his throne.
His clothes were white like snow,
and the hair on his head was like wool [C white].
His throne was made from fire,
and the wheels of his throne were blazing with fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing
from in front of him.
·Many [L A thousand] thousands of angels were serving him,
and ·millions [L ten thousand times ten thousand; C angels] stood before him.
Court ·was ready to begin [sat in judgment],
and the books were opened.
11 “I kept on looking because the horn [C the little one] was bragging. I kept watching until finally the ·animal [beast; C the fourth] was killed. Its body was destroyed, and it was ·thrown [given over] into the burning fire. 12 (The ·power and rule [authority; dominion; sovereignty] of the ·other animals [rest of the beasts] had been taken from them, but they were permitted to live for a ·certain period of time [L season and a time].)
13 “In my vision at night I saw in front of me someone ·who looked like a human being [L like a son of man] coming on the clouds in the ·sky [heavens; C God’s heavenly chariot; Ps. 18:10–19; 68:4; 104:3; Is. 19:1; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7]. He came near ·God, who has been alive forever [L the Ancient of Days], and he was ·led to God [presented to him]. 14 He was given ·authority [dominion; sovereignty], glory, and ·the strength of a king [kingship]. People of every tribe, nation, and ·language [L tongue] will ·serve [fear; Prov. 1:7] him. His ·rule will last forever [dominion/sovereignty is an everlasting dominion/sovereignty], and his ·kingdom [kingship] will never be destroyed.
The Meaning of the Dream
15 “I, Daniel, was ·worried [troubled/disturbed in spirit]. The visions that went through my ·mind [L head] ·frightened [terrified] me. 16 I came near one of those standing there [C an angel, perhaps Gabriel who interprets visions; 8:16; 9:21] and asked ·what all this meant [the truth of all this].
“So he told me and explained to me ·what these things meant [L the interpretation of the matter]: 17 ‘The four great ·animals [beasts] are four ·kingdoms [or kings] that will come from the earth [vv. 4–7]. 18 But the holy ·people [L ones; C either the saints or angels or both] who belong to the Most High God will receive the ·power to rule [kingdom] and will have the ·power to rule [kingdom] forever, from now on.’
19 “Then I wanted to know what the fourth ·animal [beast] meant, because it was different from all the others. It was very ·terrible [fearsome] and had iron teeth and bronze claws. It was the ·animal [beast] that crushed and ate what it killed and then ·walked on [stamped with its feet] whatever was left [v. 7]. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn [C the little one] that grew there. It had ·pulled out [uprooted] three of the other ten horns and looked greater than the others. It had eyes and a mouth that kept bragging. 21 As I watched, the horn [C the little one] began making war against ·God’s holy people [L the holy ones; v. 18] and was defeating them 22 until ·God, who has been alive forever, [L the Ancient of Days; v. 9] came. He judged in favor of the holy ·people [ones; v. 18] who belong to the Most High God; then the time came for them to receive the ·power to rule [L kingdom].
23 “And he explained this to me: ‘The fourth ·animal [beast] is a fourth kingdom that will come on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will ·destroy [consume] ·people all over the world [L the whole earth]. It will ·walk on [trample] and crush the whole earth. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will ·come [arise] from this fourth kingdom. After ·those ten kings are gone [L them], another king will ·come [arise]. He will be different from the ·kings who ruled before him [L former ones], and he will ·defeat [cause to fall] three of the other kings. 25 This king will speak against the Most High God, and he will ·hurt and kill [L wear out] ·God’s holy people [L the holy ones of Most High God; v. 18]. He will try to change ·times [holy times] and laws that have already been set. ·The holy people that belong to God will be in that king’s [L They will be given into his] power for ·three and one-half years [L a time, times, and half a time; C he will seem to grow but then be cut back].
26 “‘But the court will ·decide what should happen [L sit in judgment]. ·The power of the king [L His dominion/sovereignty] will be taken away, and his kingdom will be completely destroyed. 27 Then the holy ·people [ones] who belong to the Most High God [v. 18] will have the power to rule. They will rule over all the kingdoms under heaven with power and greatness, and their power to rule will last forever. People from all the other kingdoms will ·respect [fear] and ·serve [obey] them.’
28 “That was the end of the ·dream [L matter]. I, Daniel, was ·very afraid [terrified]. My face became ·white from fear [pale], but I kept everything ·to myself [L in my own heart/mind].”
La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.