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
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Visión de las cuatro bestias
7 En el primer año del rey Belsasar de Babilonia, Daniel tuvo un sueño y visiones(A) en su mente[a], estando en su cama. Entonces escribió el sueño y relató el resumen[b] de él[c](B):
2 «Miraba yo en mi visión nocturna(C) que los cuatro vientos del cielo agitaban el gran mar(D); 3 y cuatro bestias enormes, diferentes unas de otras, subían del mar(E).
4 »La primera era como un león(F) y tenía alas de águila. Mientras yo miraba, sus alas le fueron arrancadas, fue levantada del suelo y puesta sobre dos pies, como un hombre, y le fue dado corazón de hombre.
5 »Y otra segunda bestia, semejante a un oso, estaba levantada de un costado, y en su boca, entre sus dientes, tenía tres costillas. Y le dijeron así: “Levántate, y devora mucha carne”.
6 »Después de esto seguí mirando, y otra más, semejante a un leopardo que tenía sobre su lomo[d] cuatro alas de ave. La bestia tenía cuatro cabezas, y le fue dado dominio(G).
7 »Después de esto, seguí mirando en las visiones nocturnas, y vi una cuarta bestia, terrible, espantosa y en gran manera fuerte. Tenía enormes dientes de hierro y devoraba, desmenuzaba y pisoteaba los restos con sus pies. Era diferente de todas las bestias que la antecedieron y tenía diez cuernos(H). 8 Mientras yo contemplaba los cuernos, vi que otro cuerno, uno pequeño, surgió entre ellos(I), y tres de los primeros cuernos fueron arrancados delante de él. Y este cuerno tenía ojos[e] como los ojos de un hombre y una boca que hablaba con mucha arrogancia[f](J).
9 ¶Seguí mirando
Hasta que se establecieron tronos(K),
Y el Anciano de Días se sentó.
Su vestidura era blanca como la nieve(L),
Y el cabello de Su cabeza como lana pura,
Su trono, llamas de fuego(M),
Y sus ruedas, fuego abrasador(N).
10 -»Un río de fuego corría,
Saliendo de delante de Él(O).
Miles de millares le servían,
Y miríadas de miríadas[g] estaban en pie delante de Él(P).
El tribunal se sentó(Q),
Y se abrieron los libros(R).
11 »Entonces yo seguí mirando a causa del ruido de las palabras arrogantes[h] que el cuerno decía. Seguí mirando hasta que mataron a la bestia, destrozaron su cuerpo y lo echaron a las llamas del fuego(S). 12 A las demás bestias, se les quitó el dominio, pero les fue concedida una prolongación de la vida por un tiempo determinado.
13 ¶Seguí mirando en las visiones nocturnas,
Y en las nubes del cielo
Venía uno como un Hijo de Hombre(T),
Que se dirigió al Anciano de Días
Y fue presentado ante Él.
14 -»Y le fue dado dominio,
Gloria y reino[i](U),
Para que todos los pueblos, naciones y lenguas
Le sirvieran(V).
Su dominio es un dominio eterno(W)
Que nunca pasará(X),
Y Su reino uno
Que no será destruido(Y).
15 »A mí, Daniel, se me angustió por dentro[j] el espíritu, y las visiones de mi mente(Z) seguían turbándome(AA). 16 Me acerqué a uno de los que estaban allí de pie y le pedí que me dijera la verdad acerca de todo esto. Y me respondió, dándome a conocer(AB) la interpretación de estas cosas(AC): 17 “Estas bestias enormes, que son cuatro, son cuatro reyes que se levantarán de la tierra. 18 Pero los santos del Altísimo recibirán el reino y poseerán el reino para siempre, por los siglos de los siglos(AD)”.
19 »Entonces quise saber la verdad acerca de la cuarta bestia, que era diferente de todas las demás[k], y en gran manera terrible, con sus dientes de hierro y sus garras de bronce, y que devoraba, desmenuzaba y pisoteaba los restos con sus pies(AE), 20 y la verdad acerca de los diez cuernos que tenía en su cabeza, y del otro cuerno que había surgido, delante del cual cayeron tres de ellos, es decir, el cuerno que tenía ojos y una boca que hablaba con mucha arrogancia[l], y cuya apariencia era mayor que la de sus compañeros.
21 »Mientras yo miraba, este cuerno hacía guerra contra los santos y prevalecía sobre ellos(AF), 22 hasta que vino el Anciano de Días y se hizo[m] justicia a favor de los santos del Altísimo, y llegó el tiempo cuando los santos tomaron posesión del reino(AG).
23 »Después me dijo: “La cuarta bestia será un cuarto reino en la tierra, que será diferente de todos los otros reinos. Devorará toda la tierra, la pisoteará y la desmenuzará. 24 Y los diez cuernos de este reino son diez reyes que se levantarán(AH), y otro se levantará después de ellos. Él será diferente de los anteriores y subyugará a tres reyes. 25 Él proferirá palabras contra el Altísimo(AI) y afligirá a los santos del Altísimo(AJ), e intentará cambiar los tiempos y la ley. Y le serán entregados en sus manos por tres años y medio[n](AK). 26 Pero el tribunal se sentará para juzgar(AL), y su dominio le será quitado, aniquilado y destruido para siempre[o]. 27 Y la soberanía[p], el dominio y la grandeza de todos los reinos debajo de todo el cielo serán entregados al pueblo de los santos del Altísimo. Su reino será un reino eterno(AM), y todos los dominios le servirán(AN) y le obedecerán(AO)”.
28 Hasta aquí la revelación[q]. En cuanto a mí, Daniel, mis pensamientos me turbaron en gran manera y mi rostro palideció[r](AP), pero guardé el asunto en mi corazón(AQ)».
Footnotes
- 7:1 Lit. de su cabeza.
- 7:1 O el principio.
- 7:1 Lit. las palabras.
- 7:6 O costado.
- 7:8 Lit. en este cuerno había ojos.
- 7:8 Lit. hablaba grandes cosas.
- 7:10 O innumerables.
- 7:11 Lit. grandes.
- 7:14 O soberanía.
- 7:15 Lit. en medio de su envoltura; i.e. del cuerpo.
- 7:19 Lit. todas ellas.
- 7:20 Lit. grandes cosas.
- 7:22 Lit. se dio.
- 7:25 Lit. un tiempo, tiempos y medio tiempo.
- 7:26 Lit. para aniquilar y destruir hasta el fin.
- 7:27 O el reino.
- 7:28 Lit. el fin de la palabra.
- 7:28 Lit. mi brillantez cambió sobre mí.
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.
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