Daniel 8:7-17

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 ¹he was mighty, the ²large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the ³four winds of heaven.

The Little Horn

9 Out of one of them came forth a rather ⁴small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the ⁵Beautiful Land.

10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the ⁶stars to fall to the earth, and it ⁷trampled them down.

11 It even ⁸magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the ⁹regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.

12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will ¹⁰fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.

13 Then I heard a ¹¹holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "¹²How long * will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be ¹³trampled?"

14 He said to me, "For ¹⁴ 2,300 * * evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

Interpretation of the Vision

15 When ¹⁵I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a ¹⁶man.

16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, "¹⁷Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision."

17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and ¹⁸fell on my face; but he said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the ¹⁹time of the end."

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Daniel 8:7-17 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 19

1. 2 Chronicles 26:16; Daniel 5:20
2. Daniel 8:22
3. Daniel 7:2; Revelation 7:1
4. Daniel 8:23
5. Psalms 48:2; Daniel 11:16, 41
6. Isaiah 14:13; Jeremiah 48:26; Revelation 12:4
7. Daniel 7:7; Daniel 8:7
8. 2 Kings 19:22, 23; 2 Chronicles 32:15-17; Isaiah 37:23; Daniel 8:25; Daniel 11:36, 37
9. Ezekiel 46:14; Daniel 11:31; Daniel 12:11
10. Isaiah 59:14
11. Daniel 4:13, 23; 1 Peter 1:12
12. Psalms 74:10; Psalms 79:5; Isaiah 6:11; Daniel 12:6, 8; Revelation 6:10
13. Isaiah 63:18; Jeremiah 12:10; Luke 21:24; Hebrews 10:29; Revelation 11:2
14. Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7, 11; Revelation 11:2, 3; Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5
15. Daniel 8:1
16. Daniel 7:13; Daniel 10:16, 18
17. Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26
18. Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 44:4; Daniel 2:46; Revelation 1:17
19. Daniel 8:19; Daniel 11:35, 40

Footnotes 9

[a]. Lit "hand"
[b]. I.e. Palestine
[c]. Lit "up to the"
[d]. Or "Prince"
[e]. Or possibly "and the transgression that horrifies"
[f]. Lit "as a trampling"
[g]. Lit "vindicated"
[h]. Lit "understanding"
[i]. Lit "like the appearance of a man"