Daniel 8:1-14

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of 1King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, 2after that which appeared to me 3at the first.
2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in 4Susa the capital,[a] which is in the province of 5Elam. And 6I saw in the vision, 7and I was at the 8Ulai canal.
3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, 9a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
4 I saw 10the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No 11beast 12could stand before him, 13and there was no one who could rescue from his power. 14He did as he pleased and 15became great.
5 As I was considering, behold, a 16male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had 17a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
6 He came to 18the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, 19and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.
7 I saw him come close to the ram, 20and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. 21And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he 22cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.
8 Then 23the goat 24became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four 25conspicuous horns toward 26the four winds of heaven.
9 Out of one of them came 27a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward 28the south, toward the east, and toward 29the glorious land.
10 30It grew great, 31even to the host of heaven. And some of the host 32and some[b] of 33the stars it threw down to the ground and 34trampled on them.
11 35It became great, even as great as 36the Prince of the host. 37And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.
12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression,[c] and it will throw truth to the ground, and 38it will act and prosper.
13 Then I heard 39a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, 40"For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, 41the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?"
14 And he said to me,[d]"For 2,300 42evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state."

Daniel 8:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 8

This chapter contains the vision of a ram and he goat, and the interpretation of it. It begins with observing the time and place of the vision, Da 8:1,2, then describes the ram seen; by the place of his situation; by his two horns; and by his pushing several ways with so much force and fury, that none could stand before him, or deliver: out of his hands, Da 8:3,4 next the he goat appears, and is described by the part from whence he came; the swiftness of his motion; the notable horn between his eyes; and his running to ram in great fury, smiting him between his horns, casting him to the ground, and trampling upon him, and none to deliver, Da 8:5-7 but, after waxing great and powerful, its horn was broken, and four more rose up in its stead, and out of one of them a little horn, Da 8:8,9 which little horn is described by its power and prevalence to the south and to the east, towards the pleasant land, the host of heaven, and the Prince of the host; and by it the stars were cast down and trampled upon, the daily sacrifice made to cease; the place of the sanctuary cast down, and truth itself, Da 8:9-12, and upon inquiry it appeared that these sacred things were to continue in this desolate condition unto 2300 days, Da 8:13,14. Daniel being desirous of knowing the meaning of this vision, the Angel Gabriel is ordered by Christ to give him an understanding of it; who drew near to him, and awaked him out of his sleep, and gave him the interpretation of it; Da 8:15-19, which is as follows; the ram; with two horns, signifies the kings of Media and Persia; the rough goat, the king of Greece; and the great horn the first king, Alexander the great; and the four horns, four kingdoms which rose up out of the Grecian empire upon his death, Da 8:20-22, and the little horn a king of fierce countenance, Antiochus Epiphanes; who is, described by his craft, and cunning, by his power and might, and by the destruction he should make; Da 8:23-25, this vision the angel assures the prophet was true, and bids him shut it up, since it was for many days, Da 8:26, upon which Daniel fainted, and was sick for a time; but afterwards recovered, so as to be able to do the king's business; but astonished at the vision himself, and which was not understood by others, Da 8:27.

Cross References 42

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or the fortified city
  • [b]. Or host, that is, some
  • [c]. Or in an act of rebellion
  • [d]. Hebrew; Septuagint, Theodotion, Vulgate to him
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.