Daniel 7:11-21

11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.

12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,^[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

The Interpretation of the Dream

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.

20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them,

Daniel 7:11-21 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.

Cross References

• 1. Revelation 13:5-6
• 2. Revelation 19:20
• 3. S Ezekiel 1:5; S Ezekiel 2:1; Matthew 8:20*; Revelation 1:13*; Revelation 14:14*
• 4. Isaiah 13:6; Zephaniah 1:14; Malachi 3:2; Malachi 4:1
• 5. Matthew 24:30; S Deuteronomy 33:26; S Revelation 1:7
• 6. S Matthew 28:18
• 7. Psalms 72:11; Psalms 102:22; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:22
• 8. S Isaiah 16:5
• 9. S Daniel 2:44; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 11:15
• 10. S Job 4:15; S Daniel 4:19
• 11. Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:22; Zechariah 1:9
• 12. S Psalms 16:3
• 13. S Psalms 49:14
• 14. Isaiah 60:12-14; Luke 12:32; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 2:26; Revelation 20:4
• 15. Revelation 17:12
• 16. Revelation 13:5-6
• 17. Revelation 13:7

Footnotes

• [a]. The Aramaic phrase "bar enash" means "human being" . The phrase "son of man" is retained here because of its use in the New Testament as a title of Jesus, probably based largely on this verse.