Daniel 12:2-12

2 And many of those who ¹sleep in ²the dust of the earth shall ³awake, ⁴some to everlasting life, and ⁵some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 ⁶And those who are wise ⁷shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;^[a] and ⁸those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

4 But you, Daniel, ⁹shut up the words and ¹⁰seal the book, until ¹¹the time of the end. ¹²Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on ¹³this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream.

6 And someone said to ¹⁴the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,^[b]¹⁵"How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?"

7 And I heard ¹⁶the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; ¹⁷he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and ¹⁸swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a ¹⁹time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of ²⁰the power of ²¹the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.

8 I heard, ²²but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"

9 He said, ²³"Go your way, Daniel, ²⁴for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

10 ²⁵Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but ²⁶the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, ²⁷but those who are wise shall understand.

11 And from the time that ²⁸the regular burnt offering is taken away and ²⁹the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.

12 ³⁰Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.

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Daniel 12:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 12

This chapter begins with an account of a time of exceeding great trouble to the people of God, who are comforted with the consideration of Michael the great Prince being on their side, and with a promise of deliverance, with the resurrection of the dead, and the glorious state of wise and good men upon that, Da 12:1-3, and Daniel is ordered to shut up and seal the book of the prophecy, until a time when it should be better understood, Da 12:4, next follows a question put by an angel to Christ, and his answer to it, with respect to the time of the fulfilment of those wonderful events, Da 12:5-7. Daniel, not understanding what he heard, asks what would be the end of those things, Da 12:8 in answer to which he is bid to be content with what he knew; no alteration would be among men; things would be neither better nor worse with them, Da 12:9,10, a time is fixed for the accomplishment of all, Da 12:11,12, and it is promised him that he should have rest after death, and rise again, and have his lot and share with the blessed, Da 12:13.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 30

1. [Psalms 17:15; John 11:11]
2. [Isaiah 26:19]; See Ezekiel 37:1-10
3. [Isaiah 26:19]; See Ezekiel 37:1-10
4. Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:12, 13
5. Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:12, 13
6. Daniel 11:33
7. Matthew 13:43
8. [Malachi 2:6]
9. [ver. 9; Daniel 8:26]
10. Isaiah 8:16; Isaiah 29:11; Revelation 5:1; Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10
11. [ver. 13]; See Daniel 8:17
12. Amos 8:12
13. [Daniel 10:4]
14. Daniel 10:5; Ezekiel 9:2
15. Daniel 8:13
16. [See ver. 6 above]
17. See Genesis 14:22
18. [Revelation 10:6]
19. Daniel 7:25
20. [Daniel 8:24]
21. [Daniel 8:24]
22. [Daniel 8:15]
23. ver. 13
24. [ver. 4]
25. [Daniel 11:35]
26. [Revelation 9:20; Revelation 22:11]
27. [See ver. 3 above]
28. Daniel 11:31
29. See Daniel 11:31
30. [Matthew 10:22]

Footnotes 2

[a]. Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6-8
[b]. Or who was upstream; also verse 7

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.