Daniel 7
International Standard Version
The Vision of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of the reign of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel dreamed a dream, receiving visions in his mind while in bed, after which he recorded the dream, relating this summary of events.
2 Daniel said, “I observed the vision during the night. Look! The four winds of the skies were stirring up the Mediterranean[a] Sea. 3 Four magnificent animals were rising from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles’ wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul[b] was imparted to it.
5 “Then look!—a second animal resembling a bear followed it.[c] It was raised up on one side, with three ribs held between the teeth in its mouth. Therefore people kept telling it, ‘Get up and devour lots of meat!’
6 “After this, I continued to watch—and look!—there was another one, resembling a leopard with four birds’ wings on its back. The animal also had four heads, and authority was imparted to it.
7 “After this, I continued to observe the night visions. And look!—there was a fourth awe-inspiring, terrifying, and viciously strong animal! It had large, iron teeth. It devoured and crushed things,[d] and trampled under its feet whatever remained. Different from all of the other previous animals, it had ten horns.
8 “While I was thinking about the horns—look—another horn, this time[e] a little one, grew up among them. Three of the first horns were yanked up by their roots right in front of it. Look! It had eyes like those of a human being and a mouth that boasted with audacious claims.”
The Vision of the Ancient of Days
9 “I kept on watching until the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothes were white, like snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne burned with flaming fire, and its wheels burned with fire. 10 A river of fire flowed out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were serving him, with millions upon millions waiting before him. The court sat in judgment,[f] and record books were unsealed.
11 “I continued watching because of the audacious words that the horn was speaking. I kept observing until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and given over to burning fire. 12 Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution[g] for an appointed period of time.”
The Vision of the Son of Man
13 “I continued to observe the night vision—and look!—someone like the Son of Man was coming, accompanied by heavenly clouds. He approached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 To him dominion was bestowed, along with glory and a kingdom, so that all people, nations, and languages are to serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion—it will never pass away—and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
The Vision Interpreted
15 “Now as for me, Daniel, I was emotionally troubled, and what I had seen in the visions kept alarming me. 16 So I approached one of those who was standing nearby and began to ask the meaning of all of this. He spoke to me and caused me to understand the interpretation of these things. 17 He said, ‘These four great animals are four kings who will rise to power from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it[h] forever and ever.’
19 “I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things,[i] trampling under its feet whatever remained. 20 Also, I wanted to learn the significance of[j] the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen—that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows.
21 “As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them 22 until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. 23 So he said:
‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 Now as to the ten horns, ten kings will rise to power from this kingdom, and another king[k] will rise to power after them. He will be different from the previous kings,[l] and will defeat three kings. 25 He’ll speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. He’ll attempt to alter times and laws, and they’ll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time. 26 Nevertheless, the court will convene, and his authority will be removed, annulled, and destroyed forever. 27 Then the kingdom, authority, and magnificence of all nations of the earth[m] will be given to the people who are the saints of the Highest One. His kingdom will endure forever, and all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
28 “At this point the vision ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts continued to alarm me, and I lost my natural color, but I kept quiet about the matter.”[n]
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:2 Lit. Great
- Daniel 7:4 Lit. heart
- Daniel 7:5 The Aram. lacks it
- Daniel 7:7 The Aram. lacks things
- Daniel 7:8 The Aram. lacks this time
- Daniel 7:10 The Aram. lacks in judgment
- Daniel 7:12 Lit. a prolonging of life
- Daniel 7:18 The Aram. lacks inheriting it
- Daniel 7:19 The Aram. lacks things
- Daniel 7:20 The Aram. lacks I wanted to learn the significance of
- Daniel 7:24 The Aram. lacks king
- Daniel 7:24 The Aram. lacks kings
- Daniel 7:27 Lit. of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
- Daniel 7:28 Lit. kept the matter in my heart
Daniel 7
Lexham English Bible
Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts and the Son of Man
7 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions[a] of his head as he lay on his bed; then he wrote down the dream and the summary[b] of the words as follows:[c] 2 Daniel explained[d] and said, “I was looking in my vision in the night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, differing from one another.[e] 4 The first was like a lion and had[f] the wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on its feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it. 5 And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks[g] were in its mouth between its teeth, and so it was told,[h] “Arise, eat much flesh!” 6 After this I was watching and look, another beast like a leopard; it had four wings[i] of a bird on its back, and the beast had[j] four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and it had[k] great iron teeth,[l] and it was devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder[m] with its feet; and it was different from all the other beasts that preceded it[n] and it had ten horns.[o] 8 I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up among[p] them, and three of the earlier horns were rooted out[q] from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of a human[r] in this horn and also a mouth that was speaking boastfully.
9 “I continued watching[s] until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing was like white snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool and his throne was a flame[t] of fire and its wheels[u] were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued forth and flowed from his presence;[v] thousands upon thousands served him and ten thousand upon ten thousand stood before him. The judge sat, and the books were opened.
11 “I continued watching[w] then[x] because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn who was speaking; I continued watching[y] until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to burning with fire. 12 And as for the remainder of the beasts, their dominion was taken away,[z] but a prolongation of their life[aa] was given to them for a season and a time.
13 “I continued watching[ab] in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man[ac] was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and was presented[ad] before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that[ae] all the peoples, the nations, and languages would serve him; his dominion is a dominion without end[af] that will not cease, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.
Daniel Explains and Interprets the Vision
15 “As for me, Daniel,[ag] my spirit was troubled within me,[ah] and the visions of my head terrified me. 16 So I approached one of the attendants and I asked him[ai] about the truth concerning all this; and he told me[aj] that he would make known to me the explanation of the matter. 17 ‘These great beasts which are four in number are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the holy ones[ak] of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’[al]
19 “Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast that was different from all the others[am]—exceedingly terrifying, with its iron teeth and its claws of bronze; it devoured and crushed and stamped the remainder with its feet— 20 and concerning the horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn that came up and before which three horns fell,[an] and this horn had eyes[ao] and a mouth speaking boastfully,[ap] and its appearance was larger than its companions. 21 I continued watching,[aq] and this horn made war with the holy ones[ar] and it prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to the holy ones[as] of the Most High; and the time arrived and the holy ones[at] took possession of the kingdom.
23 “And he said, ‘The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that will be on the earth that will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it. 24 And as for the ten horns coming from it, from this kingdom[au] ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will subdue three kings. 25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out the holy ones[av] of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time. 26 Then the court will sit, and his dominion will be removed,[aw] to be eradicated and to be destroyed totally.[ax] 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the nation of the holy ones[ay] of the Most High; his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,[az] and all the dominions will serve and obey him.’
28 This is the end of the account.[ba] As for me, Daniel[bb]—my thoughts terrified me greatly and my face changed over me, but I kept the matter in my heart.”[bc]
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:1 Or “the visions”
- Daniel 7:1 Literally “head”
- Daniel 7:1 Literally “saying”
- Daniel 7:2 Literally “answered”
- Daniel 7:3 Literally “this from this”
- Daniel 7:4 Literally “for him/it”
- Daniel 7:5 Or “ribs”
- Daniel 7:5 Literally “they were saying”
- Daniel 7:6 Literally “and there were to it four wings”
- Daniel 7:6 Literally “to the beast”
- Daniel 7:7 Literally “were to it”
- Daniel 7:7 Literally “teeth of iron for it great”
- Daniel 7:7 Or “residue”
- Daniel 7:7 Literally “that preceding her/it”
- Daniel 7:7 Literally “and ten horns for her/it”
- Daniel 7:8 Literally “between”
- Daniel 7:8 Literally “dehorned”
- Daniel 7:8 Or “humankind”
- Daniel 7:9 Literally “I was watching”
- Daniel 7:9 Or “ablaze with”
- Daniel 7:9 Aramaic “wheel”
- Daniel 7:10 Literally “from before him”
- Daniel 7:11 Literally “I was watching”
- Daniel 7:11 Aramaic “in then”
- Daniel 7:11 Literally “I was watching”
- Daniel 7:12 Literally “they took away their dominion”
- Daniel 7:12 Literally “in life”
- Daniel 7:13 Literally “I was watching”
- Daniel 7:13 Or “mortal,” or “son of humankind”
- Daniel 7:13 Literally “they presented him”
- Daniel 7:14 Aramaic “and”
- Daniel 7:14 Literally “of eternity”
- Daniel 7:15 Literally “I Daniel”
- Daniel 7:15 Literally “in the midst of sheath”
- Daniel 7:16 Aramaic “from him”
- Daniel 7:16 Aramaic “to me”
- Daniel 7:18 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:18 Literally “forever and to forever”
- Daniel 7:19 Literally “all of them”
- Daniel 7:20 Literally “and fell from before it three”
- Daniel 7:20 Literally “and eyes to it”
- Daniel 7:20 Literally “abundantly”
- Daniel 7:21 Literally “I was watching”
- Daniel 7:21 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:22 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:22 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:24 Or “the kingdom”
- Daniel 7:25 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:26 Or “taken away”
- Daniel 7:26 Literally “until the end”
- Daniel 7:27 Or “saints”
- Daniel 7:27 Literally “is a kingdom of eternity”
- Daniel 7:28 Literally “Up to here is the end of the account”
- Daniel 7:28 Literally “I Daniel”
- Daniel 7:28 Or “to myself”
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