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Gabriel Explains the Vision

15 As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. 16 And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”

17 As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.”

18 While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.

19 Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. 20 The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece,[a] and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire. 22 The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first.

23 “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. 25 He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.

26 “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings[b] is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”

27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:21 Hebrew of Javan.
  2. 8:26 Hebrew about the evenings and mornings; compare 8:14.

Gabriel Gives Angelic Help and Interprets the Vision

15 And then[a] when I, Daniel, saw the vision, and I was seeking understanding, there was one standing before me with the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a human at the Ulai, and he called and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 And he came beside where I was standing,[b] and when he came[c] I became terrified and I fell prostrate on my face. And he said to me, “Understand, son of man,[d] that the vision is for the time of the end.”

18 And when he spoke[e] with me I fell into a trance with my face to the ground, and he touched me and made me stand on by feet. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what will happen in the period of wrath,[f] for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

20 “The ram that you saw who had two horns[g] represents the kings of Media and Persia.

21 “And the hairy he-goat is the kingdom[h] of Greece, and the great horn that is between his eyes—he is the first king. 22 And the horn that was broken, and then there arose four horns in place of it—these are four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, but not with his power. 23 And at the end of their kingdom, when the transgressions are completed, a king will arise, fierce in countenance and skilled in riddles. 24 And his power will grow, but not by his own power, and he will cause fearful destruction, and he will succeed and he will act,[i] and he will destroy the mighty and the people of the holy ones.[j] 25 And by his planning[k] he will make a success of deceit by[l] his hand, and in his mind[m] he will boast,[n] and in their ease he will destroy many, and even against the prince of princes he will rise up, and he will be broken, but not by human hands. 26 And the vision of the evening and the morning that has been described,[o] it is true; and you, seal up the vision, for it refers to many days to come.”[p]

27 And I, Daniel, was overcome, and I became ill for some days, and I performed[q] the business of the king, and I was dismayed over the vision and I did not understand it.[r]

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 8:15 Literally “And it happened”
  2. Daniel 8:17 Literally “my standing”
  3. Daniel 8:17 Literally “at his coming”
  4. Daniel 8:17 Or “mortal,” or “son of humankind”
  5. Daniel 8:18 Literally “at his speaking”
  6. Daniel 8:19 Or “the wrath”
  7. Daniel 8:20 Literally “the owner of the two horns”
  8. Daniel 8:21 Literally “king”
  9. Daniel 8:24 Literally “he will do”
  10. Daniel 8:24 Or “saints”
  11. Daniel 8:25 Or “cunning”
  12. Daniel 8:25 Hebrew “in”
  13. Daniel 8:25 Literally “heart”
  14. Daniel 8:25 Literally “magnify himself”
  15. Daniel 8:26 Literally “told”
  16. Daniel 8:26 Literally “for to days many”
  17. Daniel 8:27 Literally “did”
  18. Daniel 8:27 Literally “there was not understanding”