Daniel 8:1-10

Vision of the Ram and Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously.
2 I 1looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of 2Susa, which is in the province of 3Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.
3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a 4ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.
4 I saw the ram 5butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but 6he did as he pleased and magnified himself.
5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a 7conspicuous horn between his eyes.
6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath.
7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.
8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly *. But as soon as 8he was mighty, the 9large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the 10four winds of heaven.

The Little Horn

9 Out of one of them came forth a rather 11small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the 12Beautiful Land.
10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the 13stars to fall to the earth, and it 14trampled them down.

Daniel 8:1-10 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 14

  • 1. Numbers 12:6; Daniel 7:2, 15; Daniel 8:3
  • 2. Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2; Esther 2:8
  • 3. Genesis 10:22; Genesis 14:1; Isaiah 11:11; Jeremiah 25:25; Ezekiel 32:24
  • 4. Daniel 8:20
  • 5. Deuteronomy 33:17; 1 Kings 22:11; Ezekiel 34:21
  • 6. Daniel 11:3
  • 7. Daniel 8:8, 21; Daniel 11:3
  • 8. 2 Chronicles 26:16; Daniel 5:20
  • 9. Daniel 8:22
  • 10. Daniel 7:2; Revelation 7:1
  • 11. Daniel 8:23
  • 12. Psalms 48:2; Daniel 11:16, 41
  • 13. Isaiah 14:13; Jeremiah 48:26; Revelation 12:4
  • 14. Daniel 7:7; Daniel 8:7

Footnotes 12

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