Daniel 7:1-14

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts and the Son of Man

1 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head [as he lay] on his bed; then he wrote down the dream [and] [the] {summary} of [the] words {as follows}:

2 Daniel {explained} and said, "I was looking in my vision in the night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring [up] the great sea.

3 And four great beasts [were] coming up from the sea, differing {from one another}.

4 The first [was] like [a] lion and {had} [the] wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on [its] feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it.

5 And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks [were] in its mouth between its teeth, and so {it was told}, "Arise, eat much flesh!"

6 After this I was watching and look, another [beast] like a leopard; {it had four wings} of a bird on its back, and {the beast had} four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and {it had} {great iron teeth}, [and it was] devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all [the other] beasts {that preceded it} {and it had ten horns}.

8 I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up {among} them, and three of the earlier horns {were rooted out} from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of [a] human in this horn and [also] a mouth [that was] speaking boastfully.

9 "{I continued watching} until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing [was] like white snow and the hair of his head [was] like pure wool and his throne [was] a flame of fire and its wheels [were] burning fire.

10 A stream of fire issued forth and flowed {from his presence}; thousands [upon] thousands served him and ten thousand [upon] ten thousand stood before him. The judge sat, and [the] books were opened.

11 "{I continued watching} then because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn [who was] speaking; {I continued watching} until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given [over] to burning with fire.

12 And [as for] the remainder of the beasts, {their dominion was taken away}, but a prolongation {of their life} was given to them for a season and a time.

13 "{I continued watching} in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven [one] like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and {was presented} before him.

14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages [would] serve him; his dominion [is] a dominion {without end} that will not cease, and his kingdom [is one] that will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 7

This chapter contains Daniel's vision of the four beasts, The time, place, manner, writing, and declaration of the vision, Da 7:1, the rise of the beasts, and the description of them, Da 7:2-8, the judgment of God upon them, especially the last, and the delivery of universal monarchy to his Son, Da 7:9-14, the interpretation of the vision at the request of Daniel, being greatly affected with it, Da 7:15-18, a particular inquiry of his about the fourth beast, concerning which a full account is given, Da 7:19-27, all which caused in him many thoughts of heart, and reflections of mind, Da 7:28.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "the visions"
• [b]. Literally "head"
• [c]. Literally "saying"
• [d]. Literally "answered"
• [e]. Literally "this from this"
• [f]. Literally "for him/it"
• [g]. Or "ribs"
• [h]. Literally "they were saying"
• [i]. Literally "and [there were] to it four wings"
• [j]. Literally "to the beast"
• [k]. Literally "[were] to it"
• [l]. Literally "teeth of iron for it great"
• [m]. Or "residue"
• [n]. Literally "that preceding her/it"
• [o]. Literally "and ten horns for her/it"
• [p]. Literally "between"
• [q]. Literally "dehorned"
• [r]. Or "humankind"
• [s]. Literally "I was watching"
• [t]. Or "ablaze with"
• [u]. Aramaic "wheel"
• [v]. Literally "from before him"
• [w]. Literally "I was watching"
• [x]. Aramaic "in then"
• [y]. Literally "I was watching"
• [z]. Literally "they took away their dominion"
• [aa]. Literally "in life"
• [ab]. Literally "I was watching"
• [ac]. Or "mortal," or "son of humankind"
• [ad]. Literally "they presented him"
• [ae]. Aramaic "and"
• [af]. Literally "of eternity"