Daniel 8:12-22

12 In its rebelliousness it was given an army to put a stop to the daily burnt offering. It threw truth on the ground. The horn was successful in everything it did.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, "How long will the things in this vision--the daily burnt offering, the destructive rebellion, the surrender of the holy place, and the trampling of the army--take place?"

14 He told me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the holy place will be made acceptable to God."

15 Now as I, Daniel, watched the vision and tried to understand it, I saw someone who looked like a man standing in front of me.

16 I heard a man in Ulai [Gate] call loudly, "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man."

17 Gabriel came up beside me, and when he came, I was terrified and immediately knelt down. He said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision is about the end times."

18 As he spoke to me, I fainted facedown on the ground, but he touched me and made me stand up.

19 He said, "I will tell you what will happen in the last days, [the time of God's] anger, because the end time has been determined.

20 "The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia.

21 The hairy male goat is the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is its first king.

22 The horn broke off, and four horns replaced it. Four kingdoms will come out of that nation, but they won't be as strong as the first king was.

Daniel 8:12-22 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.