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Daniel 8
New English Translation

Daniel Has a Vision of a Goat and a Ram

8 [a] In the third year[b] of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously.[c] 2 In this[d] vision I saw myself in Susa[e] the citadel,[f] which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal.[g] 3 I looked up[h] and saw[i] a[j] ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long,[k] but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one. 4 I saw that the ram was butting westward, northward, and southward. No animal[l] was able to stand before it, and there was none who could deliver from its power.[m] It did as it pleased and acted arrogantly.[n]

5 While I was contemplating all this,[o] a male goat[p] was coming from the west over the surface of all the land[q] without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn[r] between its eyes. 6 It came to the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed against it with raging strength.[s] 7 I saw it approaching the ram. It went into a fit of rage against the ram[t] and struck it[u] and broke off its two horns. The ram had no ability to resist it.[v] The goat hurled the ram[w] to the ground and trampled it. No one could deliver the ram from its power.[x] 8 The male goat acted even more arrogantly. But no sooner had the large horn become strong than it was broken, and there arose four conspicuous horns[y] in its place,[z] extending toward the four winds of the sky.[aa]

9 From one of them came a small horn,[ab] but it grew to be very great toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.[ac] 10 It grew so great it reached the army[ad] of heaven, and it brought about the fall of some of the army and some of the stars[ae] to the ground, where it trampled them. 11 It also acted arrogantly against the Prince of the army,[af] from whom[ag] the daily sacrifice was removed and whose sanctuary[ah] was thrown down. 12 The army was given over,[ai] along with the daily sacrifice, in the course of his sinful rebellion.[aj] It hurled[ak] truth[al] to the ground and enjoyed success.[am]

13 Then I heard a holy one[an] speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, “To what period of time does the vision pertain—this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?” 14 He said to me, “To 2,300 evenings and mornings;[ao] then the sanctuary will be put right again.”[ap]

An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision, I sought to understand it. Now one who appeared to be a man was standing before me. 16 Then I heard a human voice coming from between the banks of the Ulai. It called out, “Gabriel,[aq] enable this person to understand the vision.” 17 So he approached the place where I was standing. As he came, I felt terrified and fell flat on the ground.[ar] Then he said to me, “Understand, son of man,[as] that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” 18 As he spoke with me, I fell into a trance with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood me upright.[at]

19 Then he said, “I am going to inform you about what will happen in the latter time of wrath, for the vision[au] pertains to the appointed time of the end. 20 The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The male goat[av] is the king of Greece,[aw] and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. 22 The horn that was broken[ax] and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength. 23 Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts[ay] are complete, a rash[az] and deceitful[ba] king will arise.[bb] 24 His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction.[bc] He will be successful in what he undertakes.[bd] He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones.[be] 25 By his treachery[bf] he will succeed through deceit.[bg] He will have an arrogant attitude,[bh] and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes.[bi] He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart—but not by human agency.[bj] 26 The vision of the evenings and mornings that was told to you is correct.[bk] But you should seal up the vision, for it refers to a time many days from now.”

27 I, Daniel, was exhausted[bl] and sick for days. Then I got up and again carried out the king’s business. But I was astonished at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:1 sn Dan 8:1 marks the switch from Aramaic (= 2:4b-7:28) back to Hebrew as the language in which the book is written in its present form. The remainder of the book from this point on (8:1-12:13) is in Hebrew. The bilingual nature of the book has been variously explained, but it most likely has to do with the book’s transmission history; see the note at 2:4.
  2. Daniel 8:1 sn The third year of King Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 551 b.c. Daniel would have been approximately 69 years old at the time of this vision.
  3. Daniel 8:1 tn Heb “in the beginning.” This refers to the vision described in chapter seven.
  4. Daniel 8:2 tn Heb “the.”
  5. Daniel 8:2 sn Susa (Heb. שׁוּשַׁן, shushan), located some 230 miles (380 km) east of Babylon, was a winter residence for Persian kings during the Achaemenid period. The language of v. 2 seems to suggest that Daniel may not have been physically present at Susa, but only saw himself there in the vision. However, the Hebrew is difficult, and some have concluded that the first four words of v. 2 in the MT are a later addition (cf. Theodotion).
  6. Daniel 8:2 tn The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah, “castle, palace”) usually refers to a fortified structure within a city, but here it is in apposition to the city name Susa and therefore has a broader reference to the entire city (against this view, however, see BDB 108 s.v. 2). Cf. NAB “the fortress of Susa”; TEV “the walled city of Susa.”
  7. Daniel 8:2 tn The term אוּבַל (ʾuval = “stream, river”) is a relatively rare word in biblical Hebrew, found only here and in vv. 3 and 6. The Ulai was apparently a sizable artificial canal in Susa (cf. NASB, NIV, NCV) and not a river in the ordinary sense of that word.
  8. Daniel 8:3 tn Heb “lifted my eyes.”
  9. Daniel 8:3 tn Heb “saw and behold.”
  10. Daniel 8:3 tn Heb “one.” The Hebrew numerical adjective occasionally functions like an English indefinite article. See GKC 401 §125.b.
  11. Daniel 8:3 tn Heb “high” (also “higher” later in this verse).
  12. Daniel 8:4 tn Or “beast” (NAB).
  13. Daniel 8:4 tn Heb “hand,” as also in v. 7.
  14. Daniel 8:4 tn In the Hiphil the Hebrew verb גָּדַל (gadal, “to make great; to magnify”) can have either a positive or a negative sense. For the former, used especially of God, see Ps 126:2, 3 and Joel 2:21. In this chapter (8:4, 8, 11, 25) the word has a pejorative sense, describing the self-glorification of this king. The sense seems to be that of vainly assuming one’s own superiority through deliberate hubris.
  15. Daniel 8:5 tn The words “all this” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
  16. Daniel 8:5 tn Heb “and behold, a he-goat of the goats.”
  17. Daniel 8:5 tn Or “of the whole earth” (NAB, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
  18. Daniel 8:5 tn Heb “a horn of vision” [or “conspicuousness”], i.e., “a conspicuous horn,” one easily seen.
  19. Daniel 8:6 tn Heb “the wrath of its strength.”
  20. Daniel 8:7 tn Heb “him.”
  21. Daniel 8:7 tn Heb “the ram.”
  22. Daniel 8:7 tn Heb “stand before him.”
  23. Daniel 8:7 tn Heb “he hurled him.” The referents of both pronouns (the male goat and the ram) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  24. Daniel 8:7 sn The goat of Daniel’s vision represents Greece; the large horn represents Alexander the Great. The ram stands for Media-Persia. Alexander’s rapid conquest of the Persians involved three battles of major significance that he won against overwhelming odds: Granicus (334 b.c.), Isus (333 b.c.), and Gaugemela (331 b.c.).
  25. Daniel 8:8 tn The word “horns” is not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
  26. Daniel 8:8 sn The four conspicuous horns refer to Alexander’s successors. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up among four of his generals: Cassander, who took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus, who took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus, who took Syria and territory to its east; and Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt.
  27. Daniel 8:8 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
  28. Daniel 8:9 sn This small horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who controlled the Seleucid kingdom from ca. 175-164 b.c. Antiochus was extremely hostile toward the Jews and persecuted them mercilessly.
  29. Daniel 8:9 sn The expression the beautiful land (Heb. הַצֶּבִי [hatsevi] = “the beauty”) is a cryptic reference to the land of Israel. Cf. 11:16, 41, where it is preceded by the word אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “land”).
  30. Daniel 8:10 tn Traditionally, “host.” The term refers to God’s heavenly angelic assembly, which he sometimes leads into battle as an army.
  31. Daniel 8:10 sn In prescientific Israelite thinking the stars were associated with the angelic members of God’s heavenly assembly. See Judg 5:20; Job 38:7; Isa 40:26. In west Semitic mythology the stars were members of the high god’s divine assembly (see Isa 14:13).
  32. Daniel 8:11 sn The prince of the army may refer to God (cf. “whose sanctuary” later in the verse) or to the angel Michael (cf. 12:1).
  33. Daniel 8:11 tn Or perhaps “and by him,” referring to Antiochus rather than to God.
  34. Daniel 8:11 sn Here the sanctuary is a reference to the temple of God in Jerusalem.
  35. Daniel 8:12 tc The present translation reads וּצְבָאָהּ נִתַּן (utsevaʾah nittan, “and its army was given”) for the MT וְצָבָא תִּנָּתֵן (vetsavaʾ tinnaten, “and an army was being given/will be given”). The context suggests a perfect rather than an imperfect verb.
  36. Daniel 8:12 tn Heb “in (the course of) rebellion.” The meaning of the phrase is difficult to determine. It could mean “due to rebellion,” referring to the failures of the Jews, but this is not likely since it is not a point made elsewhere in the book. The phrase more probably refers to the rebellion against God and the atrocities against the Jews epitomized by Antiochus.
  37. Daniel 8:12 tc Two medieval Hebrew mss and the LXX have a passive verb here: “truth was hurled to the ground” (cf. NIV, NCV, TEV).
  38. Daniel 8:12 sn Truth here probably refers to the Torah. According to 1 Macc 1:56, Antiochus initiated destruction of the sacred books of the Jews.
  39. Daniel 8:12 tn Heb “it acted and prospered.”
  40. Daniel 8:13 sn The holy one referred to here is presumably an angel (cf. 4:13 [10AT], 23 [20AT]).
  41. Daniel 8:14 sn The language of evenings and mornings is reminiscent of the creation account in Genesis 1. Since “evening and morning” is the equivalent of a day, the reference here would be to 2,300 days. However, some interpreters understand the reference to be to the evening sacrifice and the morning sacrifice, in which case the reference would be to only 1,150 days. Either way, the event that marked the commencement of this period is unclear. The event that marked the conclusion of the period was the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem following the atrocious and sacrilegious acts that Antiochus implemented. This took place on December 25, 165 b.c. The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah each year commemorates this victory.
  42. Daniel 8:14 tn Heb “will be vindicated” or “will be justified.” This is the only occurrence of this verb in the Niphal in the OT. English versions interpret it as “cleansed” (KJV, ASV), “restored” (NASB, TEV, NLT), or “reconsecrated” (NIV).
  43. Daniel 8:16 sn The only angels whose names are given in the OT are Gabriel (Dan 8:16; 9:21; cf. Luke 1:19, 26) and Michael (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; cf. Jude 9; Rev 12:7). The name Gabriel means in Hebrew “man of God,” and Michael means “who is like God?”
  44. Daniel 8:17 tn Heb “on my face.”
  45. Daniel 8:17 tn Or “human one.”
  46. Daniel 8:18 tn Heb “on my standing.”
  47. Daniel 8:19 tn The Hebrew text does not actually state the referent (the vision Daniel saw in vv. 8-12; cf. also v. 13), which has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some Greek witnesses add “the vision” here.
  48. Daniel 8:21 tn Heb “the he-goat, the buck.” The expression is odd, and the second word may be an explanatory gloss.
  49. Daniel 8:21 tn Heb “Javan.”
  50. Daniel 8:22 tn Heb “the broken one.” The word “horn” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.
  51. Daniel 8:23 tc The present translation reads הַפְּשָׁעִים (happeshaʿim, “the rebellious acts”) for the MT הַפֹּשְׁעִים (happosheʿim, “the rebels”). While the MT is understandable (cf. NIV, “when rebels have become completely wicked”), the filling up of transgressions is a familiar OT expression (cf. Gen 15:16) and fits this context well. Cf. the LXX, Theodotion, the Vulgate, and the Syriac.
  52. Daniel 8:23 tn Heb “strong of face.”
  53. Daniel 8:23 tn Heb “understanding riddles.” Possible meanings include “double-dealing” (BDB 295 s.v. חִידָה; cf. TEV, CEV) and “with a good knowledge of intrigue” (HALOT 309 s.v. חִידָה; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  54. Daniel 8:23 tn Heb “stand” or “stand up.”
  55. Daniel 8:24 tn Heb “extraordinarily he will destroy.”
  56. Daniel 8:24 tn Heb “he will succeed and act.”
  57. Daniel 8:24 tn See the corresponding Aramaic expression in 7:27. If the “holy ones” are angels, then this probably refers to the angels as protectors of God’s people. One could translate, “people belonging to (i.e., protected by) the holy ones.” If the “holy ones” are God’s people, then this is an appositional construction, “the people who are the holy ones.” One could translate simply “holy people.” For examples of a plural appositional genitive after “people,” see 11:15, 32. Because either interpretation is possible, the translation has deliberately preserved the ambiguity of the Hebrew grammar here.
  58. Daniel 8:25 tn The Hebrew term has a primary meaning of “skill, insight,” but here it has the connotation “cunning, treachery.” See BDB 968 s.v. שֵׂכֶל, שֶׂכֶל.
  59. Daniel 8:25 tn Heb “he will cause deceit to succeed by his hand.”
  60. Daniel 8:25 tn Heb “in his heart he will act arrogantly.”
  61. Daniel 8:25 tn Heb “in peace.” The Hebrew word used here is difficult. It may refer to the security felt by those who did not realize the danger of imminent attack, or it may refer to the condition of being unaware of the impending danger. The latter idea is reflected in the present translation. See further, BDB 1017 s.v. שַׁלְוָה.
  62. Daniel 8:25 tn Heb “with nothingness of hand.”
  63. Daniel 8:26 tn Heb “truth.”
  64. Daniel 8:27 tn The Hebrew word here is נִהְיֵיתִי (nihyetiy). Its meaning is not entirely clear. Hebrew הָיָה (hayah) normally has meanings such as “to be” or “become.” Here, however, it describes Daniel’s emotional and physical response to the enigmatic vision that he has seen. It is parallel to the following verb, which refers to illness, and seems to refer to a state of utter exhaustion due to the amazing things that Daniel has just seen. The LXX lacks the word. On the meaning of the word see further, BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2, and DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3.
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但以理书 8
Chinese New Version (Simplified)

但以理再见异象

8 伯沙撒王在位第三年，在先前显给我的异象之后，再有一个异象向我但以理显现。 2 我在异象中观看，看见自己在以拦省书珊城堡里；我在异象中继续观看，看见自己在乌莱河的岸边。

公绵羊

3 我举目观看，看见一只公绵羊，站在河边；牠有两个角，两角都很高，但高低不一；那较高的角是较迟长出来的。 4 我看见那公绵羊向西、向北、向南撞去，没有走兽能在牠面前站立得住，也没有能拯救脱离牠手的；牠任意而行，狂妄自大。

公山羊

5 我正在思考的时候，忽然有一只公山羊从西而来，走遍全地，快得脚不沾尘；这山羊两眼之间有一个显眼的角。 6 牠走到我先前所看见站在河边、那有两个角的公绵羊那里去，忿怒地向公绵羊猛力冲去。 7 我看见公山羊走近公绵羊，向牠发怒，撞击牠，折断牠的两个角；公绵羊在牠面前站立不住，牠把公绵羊撞倒在地上，又用脚践踏牠，没有能拯救公绵羊脱离牠手的。 8 这公山羊非常狂妄自大；但在牠强盛的时候，那大角被折断了；在大角原来的地方，有四个显眼的角向天的四方长出来。

9 从这四个角中的一个角，又长出一个小角来，这小角向南、向东和向荣美之地，不断强大起来。 10 牠渐渐长大，高及天象，把一些天象和星星摔落在地上，用脚践踏。 11 牠狂妄自大，要高及天象之君；牠除掉献给天象之君的常献祭，又拆毁他的圣所。 12 因罪过的缘故，圣民（“圣民”和8:10、11的“天象”原文是同一个字）连同常献的祭都交给牠；牠把真理丢在地上，任意而行，凡事顺利。 13 我听见一位圣者在说话，又有一位圣者问他：“这个关于除掉常献的祭，和引致毁坏的罪过，以及践踏圣所和圣民（“圣民”和8:10、11的“天象”原文是同一个字）的异象，要到几时呢？” 14 他对我说：“要到二千三百个晚上和早晨，圣所才得洁净。”

加百列解释异象的意义

15 我但以理看见了这异象以后，就想明白它的意义；忽然有一位外貌像人的，站在我面前。 16 我又听见从乌莱河两岸之间，有人的声音呼叫着说：“加百列啊！你要使这人明白这异象。” 17 他就来到我所站的地方；他来到的时候，我就害怕，脸伏在地；他对我说：“人子啊，你要明白！这异象是关于末后的时期的。” 18 他和我说话的时候，我沉睡了，脸伏在地；他触摸我，使我站起来。 19 他说：“看哪！我要告诉你在　神忿怒审判的后期必要发生的事，因为这是有关那末后的定期的。 20 你所看见那有两个角的公绵羊，就是玛代和波斯王。 21 那多毛的公山羊就是希腊王；那两眼之间的大角就是第一个王。 22 至于代替那折断了的角，在牠原来的地方长出来的四个角，就是四个要从他的国中兴起的王国，只是没有他的权势。

23 “在这四国的后期，

犯罪的人恶贯满盈的时候，

必有一个面貌凶恶的王兴起，

他诡计多端。

24 他的权势强大，却不是出于自己的能力；

他必造成惊人的毁灭；

他任意而行，凡事顺利；

他必毁灭有强力的，

又毁灭圣民。

25 他运用诡计，

行骗无往而不利；

他心里狂妄自大；

他必乘人不备的时候，毁灭许多人；

他要起来攻击万君之君，

最后却非因人的手被毁灭。

26 关于所说二千三百个晚上和早晨的异象是真的，

但你要把这异象封住，

因为那是关于将来许多的年日的。”

27 我但以理精疲力竭，病了几天，后来我起来，办理王的事务，但我仍因这异象惊骇不已，不明白它的意思。

Listen to 但以理书 8
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但以理书 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

公绵羊和公山羊的异象

8 在看见先前的异象之后，我但以理在伯沙撒王执政第三年又看见一个异象。 2 我在异象中看见自己在以拦省的书珊城，又看见自己站在乌莱河畔。 3 我举目观看，见一只长着长角的公绵羊站在河边，其中一角比另一角长，较长的角是后长出来的。 4 我看见这公绵羊向西方、北方和南方顶撞，没有兽能抵挡它，或逃脱它的威力。它随心所欲，狂妄自大。

5 我正沉思的时候，忽然从西面出现一只公山羊，穿越大地，脚不沾地。它双眼之间有一个大角。 6 这公山羊来到我之前看见的那只站在河边的双角公绵羊那里，愤怒地向它顶去。 7 我看见公山羊愤怒地顶向公绵羊，攻击它，折断了它的双角。公绵羊无力抵挡，被撞倒在地，践踏在脚下，无人能救它脱离公山羊的威力。 8 公山羊极其狂妄自大。但正值鼎盛之时，它的大角突然折断，在原处又长出四个奇特的角，朝着天的四方。 9 其中一个角又长出一个小角，向南方、东方和佳美之地[a]扩张势力。 10 它逐渐强大，高及天军，将一些天军和星宿抛到地上，用脚践踏。 11 它狂妄自大，要与天军的统帅比高，它废除日常献给祂的祭，毁坏祂的圣所。 12 因为反叛的缘故，天军和日常所献的祭都交给了它。它将真理抛在地上，它所行的无不顺利。

13 接着，我听见一位圣者在说话，另一位圣者问他：“异象中出现的有关日常所献的祭，毁灭性的反叛和践踏圣所及天军的事要持续多久呢？” 14 他对我说：“两千三百个昼夜。之后，圣所才会洁净。”

解释异象

15 我但以理看见这异象，正想明白它的意思，忽然有一个外貌像人的站在我面前。 16 我听见有人声从乌莱河两岸之间呼喊：“加百列啊，要让此人明白这异象。” 17 于是，他朝我站的地方走来，当他走来的时候，我吓得俯伏在地。他对我说：“人子啊，你要明白，这异象是关于末后的时期。” 18 他和我说话的时候，我伏在地上昏睡过去，他便轻拍我，扶我起来， 19 对我说：“我要告诉你将来上帝发烈怒时所发生的事，因为这异象是关于那定好的末后时期。 20 你看见的那只有两角的公绵羊指玛代和波斯的诸王。 21 公山羊指希腊王，在它双眼之间的大角指第一个王。 22 大角折断后，从原处长出四个角表示四个国必从这国兴起，但都不及这国强大。 23 在四国的末期，人们恶贯满盈的时候，必有一个面貌凶恶、诡计多端的王兴起。 24 他势力强大，却不是靠自己的力量。他必带来可怕的毁灭，而且凡事亨通，他必毁灭强者和圣民。 25 他利用诡计和骗术得逞，心高气傲，乘人不备突然毁灭许多人，甚至要攻击万君之君，然而他终必被击垮，但并非被人的手击垮。 26 异象中所说的两千三百个昼夜是真的。但你要保密，不可告诉别人，因为这指的是遥远的将来。”

27 我但以理精疲力尽，病了几天。后来我起来照常办理王的事务，但我对这异象感到惊奇不已，不明白它的意思。

Footnotes

  1. 8:9 “佳美之地”指以色列，下同11:16、41。
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New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Chinese New Version (Simplified) (CNVS)

Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)

Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.