Daniel 8

The Ram and the Goat Daniel 8:3–8

³Verse 3. Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns. The two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. ⁴Verse 4. I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward. No animals could stand before him. There wasn’t any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself. ⁵Verse 5. As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and didn’t touch the ground. The goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

⁶Verse 6. He came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran on him in the fury of his power. ⁷Verse 7. I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled on him. There was no one who could deliver the ram out of his hand. ⁸Verse 8. The male goat magnified himself exceedingly. When he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of the sky.

The Rise of the Little Horn Daniel 8:9–12

⁹Verse 9. Out of one of them came out a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land. ¹⁰Verse 10. It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and it cast down some of the army and of the stars to the ground, and trampled on them. ¹¹Verse 11. Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. ¹²Verse 12. The army was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through disobedience. It cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.

Question about the Vision Daniel 8:13–14

¹³Verse 13. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, “How long will the vision about the continual burnt offering, and the disobedience that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the army to be trodden under foot be?” ¹⁴Verse 14. He said to me, “To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

Gabriel's Interpretation Daniel 8:15–19

¹⁵Verse 15. When I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. Then behold, there stood before me something like the appearance of a man. ¹⁶Verse 16. I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” ¹⁷Verse 17. So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened, and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man; for the vision belongs to the time of the end.” ¹⁸Verse 18. Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.

¹⁹Verse 19. He said, “Behold, I will make you know what will be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongs to the appointed time of the end.

Identification of the Symbols Daniel 8:20–25

²⁰Verse 20. The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹Verse 21. The rough male goat is the king of Greece. The great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. ²²Verse 22. As for that which was broken, in the place where four stood up, four kingdoms will stand up out of the nation, but not with his power. ²³Verse 23. “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding dark sentences, will stand up. ²⁴Verse 24. His power will be mighty, but not by his own power. He will destroy awesomely, and will prosper in what he does. He will destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

²⁵Verse 25. Through his policy he will cause deceit to prosper in his hand. He will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many in their security. He will also stand up against the prince of princes; but he will be broken without hand.

The Vision's Conclusion Daniel 8:26–27

²⁶Verse 26. “The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but seal up the vision, for it belongs to many days to come.” ²⁷Verse 27. I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for some days. Then I rose up, and did the king’s business. I wondered at the vision, but no one understood it.