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Visión del carnero y del chivo

«Durante el tercer año del reinado de Belsasar, yo, Daniel, tuve otra visión, además de la que antes había tenido. Durante la visión, me parecía estar en la ciudadela de Susa, en la provincia de Elam, a orillas del río Ulai. Miré a lo lejos, y vi un carnero que estaba a la orilla del río. Tenía dos cuernos altos, pero uno de ellos le había salido más tarde y era más alto que el otro. Vi que el carnero embestía con sus cuernos hacia el oeste, el norte y el sur, y que ningún otro animal podía hacerle frente ni librarse de sus golpes. Hacía lo que mejor le parecía, y cada vez era más fuerte.

»Todavía estaba yo pensando en lo que había visto, cuando me di cuenta de que un chivo venía del oeste, corriendo tan deprisa que ni siquiera tocaba el suelo. Este chivo tenía un gran cuerno entre los ojos, y cuando llegó cerca del carnero de dos cuernos, que yo había visto junto al río, lo embistió con todas sus fuerzas y le rompió sus dos cuernos, sin que el carnero tuviera fuerzas para enfrentarse con él. Después el chivo derribó por tierra al carnero y lo pisoteó, sin que nadie pudiera salvarlo.

»El chivo se hacía cada vez más fuerte, pero en el momento en que más poder tenía, su gran cuerno se rompió, y en su lugar le salieron cuatro cuernos que apuntaban hacia los cuatro vientos. De uno de ellos salió otro cuerno pequeño, que creció mucho hacia el sur, hacia el este y hacia la Tierra de la Hermosura. 10 Tanto creció que llegó hasta el ejército del cielo, derribó parte de las estrellas y las pisoteó, 11 y aun llegó a desafiar al jefe mismo de ese ejército; suprimió el sacrificio diario y profanó el lugar de adoración. 12 Perversamente hizo que su ejército acampara donde antes se ofrecía el sacrificio, y echó por los suelos la verdad. Hizo, en fin, todo cuanto quiso, y en todo tuvo éxito.

13 »Después oí que un ángel le preguntaba a otro ángel: “¿Cuándo va a terminar esto que se ve en el altar del sacrificio diario? ¿Cuánto va a durar el horrible pecado de entregar el santuario del Señor y los creyentes en él, para ser pisoteados?” 14 Y la respuesta fue: “Hasta dos mil trescientas tardes y mañanas. Después de eso, el santuario será purificado.”

15 «Mientras yo, Daniel, contemplaba esta visión y trataba de comprender su significado, apareció de repente delante de mí una figura parecida a un hombre, 16 y oí una voz humana que venía del río Ulai, la cual decía: “Gabriel, explícale a este hombre la visión.”

17 »Entonces él se me acercó. Yo me asusté, y me incliné hasta tocar el suelo con la frente, pero él me dijo: “Hijo de hombre, ten en cuenta que esta visión se refiere al final de los tiempos.”

18 »Mientras él me estaba hablando, yo me desmayé y quedé tendido en el suelo; pero él me tocó, hizo que me pusiera de pie, 19 y me dijo:

»“Voy a explicarte lo que va a pasar cuando termine el tiempo de la ira de Dios, pues la visión se refiere al tiempo del fin.

20 »”El carnero con dos cuernos representa a los reyes de Media y de Persia. 21 El chivo es el rey de Grecia, y el gran cuerno que tiene entre los ojos es el primer rey. 22 Los cuatro cuernos que salieron cuando el primer cuerno se rompió, significan que de esta nación saldrán cuatro reinos más, pero no con el poder del primero.

23 »”Cuando el dominio de estos reinos llegue a su fin
y las maldades hayan llegado al colmo,
un rey insolente y astuto ocupará el poder.
24 Llegará a ser poderoso,
pero no con su propio poder;
destruirá de manera increíble
y triunfará en todo lo que haga.
Destruirá a hombres poderosos
y también a muchos del pueblo de Dios.
25 Por su astucia,
sus engaños triunfarán.
Se llenará de orgullo,
y a mucha gente que vivía confiada
le quitará la vida a traición.
Hará frente al príncipe de príncipes,
pero será destruido por él.

26 »”La visión de las tardes y las mañanas te ha sido revelada, y es verdadera; pero tú manténla en secreto, pues se cumplirá cuando haya pasado mucho tiempo.”

27 »Yo, Daniel, sentí que me faltaban las fuerzas, y estuve enfermo varios días. Después me levanté y seguí atendiendo los asuntos del gobierno de la nación. Pero estaba yo muy preocupado por la visión que había tenido, pues no podía comprenderla.

The Vision of a Ram and a Goat

In the third year of King Belshazzar’s(A) reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier.(B) I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa,(C) in the province of Elam.(D) I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal. I looked up,[a] and there was a ram(E) standing beside the canal. He had two horns. The two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. I saw the ram charging to the west, the north, and the south.(F) No animal could stand against him, and there was no rescue from his power. He did whatever he wanted(G) and became great.

As I was observing, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn[b] between his eyes.(H) He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury. I saw him approaching the ram and, infuriated with him, he struck the ram, breaking his two horns, and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him. The goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. Then the male goat acted even more arrogantly,(I) but when he became powerful, the large horn was broken.(J) Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.(K)

The Little Horn

From one of them a little horn(L) emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.[c](M) 10 It grew as high as the heavenly army, made some of the army and some of the stars[d] fall to the earth,(N) and trampled them.(O) 11 It acted arrogantly(P) even against the Prince of the heavenly army;(Q) it revoked his regular sacrifice(R) and overthrew the place of his sanctuary. 12 In the rebellion, the army was given up, together with the regular sacrifice. The horn threw truth to the ground and was successful(S) in what it did.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking,(T) and another holy one said to the speaker, “How long will the events of this vision last(U)—the regular sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the army to be trampled?” (V)

14 He said to me,[e] “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored.”

Interpretation of the Vision

15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.(W) 16 I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: “Gabriel,(X) explain the vision to this man.”

17 So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown.(Y) “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision refers to the time of the end.”(Z) 18 While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep,(AA) with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, made me stand up,(AB) 19 and said, “I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.(AC) 20 The two-horned ram(AD) that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king.[f] 22 The four horns that took the place of the broken horn represent four kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.

23 Near the end of their kingdoms,
when the rebels have reached
the full measure of their sin,[g](AE)
a ruthless[h] king, skilled in intrigue,[i]
will come to the throne.
24 His power will be great,
but it will not be his own.
He will cause outrageous destruction(AF)
and succeed in whatever he does.
He will destroy the powerful
along with the holy people.(AG)
25 He will cause deceit to prosper
through his cunning and by his influence,
and in his own mind he will exalt himself.
He will destroy many in a time of peace;
he will even stand against the Prince of princes.
Yet he will be broken—not by human hands.(AH)
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings
that has been told is true.
Now you are to seal up the vision(AI)
because it refers to many days in the future.”

27 I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days.(AJ) Then I got up and went about the king’s business.(AK) I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.

Footnotes

  1. 8:3 Lit I lifted my eyes and looked
  2. 8:5 Lit a horn of a vision
  3. 8:9 = Israel
  4. 8:10 Or some of the army, that is, some of the stars
  5. 8:14 LXX, Theod, Syr, Vg read him
  6. 8:21 = Alexander the Great
  7. 8:23 Lit have become complete
  8. 8:23 Lit strong of face
  9. 8:23 Lit king, and understanding riddles

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.

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

Vision of a Ram and a Goat

In[a] the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me (A)the first time. I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in (B)Shushan,[b] the [c]citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was (C)higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could [d]withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, (D)but he did according to his will and became great.

And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable (E)horn between his eyes. Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, [e]attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it (F)four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. (G)And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, (H)toward the east, and toward the (I)Glorious Land. 10 (J)And it grew up to (K)the host of heaven; and (L)it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 (M)He even exalted himself as high as (N)the Prince of the host; (O)and by him (P)the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of [f]His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, (Q)an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast (R)truth down to the ground. He (S)did all this and prospered.

13 Then I heard (T)a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression [g]of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred [h]days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and (U)was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me (V)one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice (W)between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, (X)“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and (Y)fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

18 (Z)Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; (AA)but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; (AB)for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the [i]male goat is the [j]kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes (AC)is the first king. 22 (AD)As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
(AE)Having fierce [k]features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, (AF)but not by his own power;
He shall destroy [l]fearfully,
(AG)And shall prosper and thrive;
(AH)He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through(AI) his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his [m]rule;
(AJ)And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
(AK)He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be (AL)broken without human [n]means.

26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
(AM)Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.

27 (AN)And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was [o]astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:1 The Hebrew language resumes in Dan. 8:1.
  2. Daniel 8:2 Or Susa
  3. Daniel 8:2 Or fortified palace
  4. Daniel 8:4 Lit. stand before him
  5. Daniel 8:7 Lit. struck
  6. Daniel 8:11 The temple
  7. Daniel 8:13 Or making desolate
  8. Daniel 8:14 Lit. evening-mornings
  9. Daniel 8:21 shaggy male
  10. Daniel 8:21 Lit. king, representing his kingdom, Dan. 7:17, 23
  11. Daniel 8:23 Lit. countenance
  12. Daniel 8:24 Or extraordinarily
  13. Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
  14. Daniel 8:25 Lit. hand
  15. Daniel 8:27 amazed