Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream with visions in his mind^(A) as he was lying in his bed. He wrote down the dream,^(B) and here is the summary^[a] of his account. ² Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven^(C) stirred up the great sea. ³ Four huge beasts^(D) came up from the sea,^(E) each different from the other.

¹⁷ ‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth. ¹⁸ But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’^(A)

The Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 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) 2} 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.