Daniel 8:15-27
New American Standard Bible
Interpretation of the Vision
15 When (A)I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought [a]to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one [b]who looked like a (B)man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “(C)Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and (D)fell on my face; and he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the (E)time of the end.”
18 Now while he was talking with me, I was (F)dazed with my face to the ground; but he (G)touched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to (H)inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.
The Ram’s Identity
20 The (I)ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
The Goat
21 The shaggy [c]goat represents the [d]kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The (J)broken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.
23 And in the latter period of their [e]dominion,
When the wrongdoers have [f]run their course,
A king will arise,
[g]Insolent and skilled in [h]intrigue.
24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
And he will [i](K)destroy to an extraordinary degree
And be successful and do as he pleases;
He will [j]destroy mighty men and [k]the holy people.
25 And through his shrewdness
He will make deceit a success by his [l]influence;
And he will make himself great in his [m]own mind,
And he will [n]destroy many while they are [o]at ease.
He will even [p](L)oppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken (M)without [q]human agency.
26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which has been told is (N)true;
But as for you, (O)keep the vision secret,
Because it pertains to many (P)days in the future.”
27 Then I, Daniel, was [r](Q)exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and (R)carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 8:15 Lit understanding
- Daniel 8:15 Lit like the appearance of a man
- Daniel 8:21 Lit buck
- Daniel 8:21 Lit king
- Daniel 8:23 Or kingdom
- Daniel 8:23 Lit finished
- Daniel 8:23 Lit Strong of face
- Daniel 8:23 Or ambiguous speech
- Daniel 8:24 Or ruin extraordinary things
- Daniel 8:24 Or ruin
- Daniel 8:24 Lit people of the saints
- Daniel 8:25 Lit hand
- Daniel 8:25 Lit heart
- Daniel 8:25 Or ruin
- Daniel 8:25 Or secure
- Daniel 8:25 Lit stand against
- Daniel 8:25 Lit hand
- Daniel 8:27 Or done in
Daniel 8:15-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Interpretation of the Vision
15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.(A) 16 I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: “Gabriel,(B) explain the vision to this man.”
17 So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown.(C) “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision refers to the time of the end.”(D) 18 While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep,(E) with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, made me stand up,(F) 19 and said, “I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.(G) 20 The two-horned ram(H) that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king.[a] 22 The four horns that took the place of the shattered horn represent four kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.
23 Near the end of their kingdoms,
when the rebels have reached
the full measure of their sin,[b]
an insolent king, skilled in intrigue,[c]
will come to the throne.
24 His power will be great,
but it will not be his own.
He will cause terrible destruction(I)
and succeed in whatever he does.
He will destroy the powerful
along with the holy people.(J)
25 He will cause deceit to prosper
through his cunning and by his influence,
and in his own mind he will make himself great.
He will destroy many in a time of peace;
he will even stand against the Prince of princes.
Yet he will be shattered—not by human hands.(K)
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings
that has been told is true.
Now you must seal up the vision(L)
because it refers to many days in the future.”
27 I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days.(M) Then I got up and went about the king’s business.(N) I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Daniel 8:21 = Alexander the Great
- Daniel 8:23 Lit have become complete
- Daniel 8:23 Lit king, and understanding riddles
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