Daniel 7:17

17 ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth.

Daniel 7:17 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
17 'These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.
New Living Translation (NLT)
17 “These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth.
The Message Bible (MSG)
17 "'These four huge animals,' he said, 'mean that four kingdoms will appear on earth.
American Standard Version (ASV)
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
17 He said, "These four large animals are four kingdoms that will rise to power on the earth.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
17 'These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
17 'The four large animals stand for four kingdoms. The kingdoms will appear on the earth.

Daniel 7:17 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 7:17

These great beasts, which are four, are four kings
Or kingdoms, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Saadiah; so the fourth beast is called the fourth kingdom, ( Daniel 7:23 ) or a succession of kings in four kingdoms or monarchies, comparable to beasts for their strength, cruelty, and tyranny: these are the words of him that stood by, of one of the angels Daniel applied to, to know the meaning of his dream; and might be better rendered, "as to these F3 great beasts, which are four"; for their quality beasts, for their quantity great, and for number four. The meaning is, four kings shall arise out of the earth;
or kingdoms; which have an earthly original and foundation; are supported by earthly and worldly means, and with earthly and worldly views; and are different from the kingdom of Christ and his saints, which is not of the world, though it may be in it: this explains what is meant by the great sea, from whence these beasts are said to come up, ( Daniel 7:3 ) , nor is it any material objection that the first of these kingdoms, the Babylonian, was risen already, and almost at an end; since the denomination is taken from the larger number; three of them were to arise, and the first was of the same original with them; thus it is said, ( Daniel 11:2 ) , that three kings of Persia should stand up, and yet Cyrus, who was one of them, reigned already.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 "Quod attinet", Michaelis.

Daniel 7:17 In-Context

15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.
16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things:
17 ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth.
18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.
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