Daniel 7
1 In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
In the first yeere of Belshazzar King of Babel, Daniel sawe a dreame, and there were visions in his head, vpon his bed: then he wrote the dreame, and declared the summe of the matter.
2 Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
Daniel spake and saide, I sawe in my vision by night, and behold, the foure windes of the heauen stroue vpon the great sea:
3 Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
And foure great beastes came vp from the sea one diuers from another.
4 The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.
The first was as a lyon, and had eagles wings: I beheld, til the wings thereof were pluckt of, and it was lifted vp from the earth, and set vpon his feete as a man, and a mans heart was giuen him.
5 Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
And beholde, another beast which was the second, was like a beare and stood vpon the one side: and hee had three ribbes in his mouth betweene his teeth, and they saide thus vnto him, Arise and deuoure much flesh.
6 Next, as I watched, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
After this I behelde, and loe, there was an other like a leopard, which had vpon his backe foure wings of a foule: the beast had also foure heads, and dominion was giuen him.
7 After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.
After this I saw in the visions by night, and beholde, the fourth beast was fearefull and terrible and very strong. It had great yron teeth: it deuoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue vnder his feete: and it was vnlike to the beasts that were before it: for it had ten hornes.
8 While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
As I considered the hornes, beholde, there came vp among them another litle horne, before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away: and behold, in this horne were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
9 As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
I behelde, till the thrones were set vp, and the Ancient of dayes did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the heare of his head like the pure wooll: his throne was like the fierie flame, and his wheeles as burning fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
A fierie streame yssued, and came foorth from before him: thousand thousandes ministred vnto him, and tenne thousand thousands stoode before him: the iudgement was set, and the bookes opened.
11 Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
Then I behelde, because of the voyce of the presumptuous wordes, which the horne spake: I behelde, euen till the beast was slaine, and his body destroyed, and giuen to the burning fire.
12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.
As concerning the other beastes, they had taken away their dominion: yet their liues were prolonged for a certaine time and season.
13 In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
As I behelde in visions by night, behold, one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen, and approched vnto the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him before him.
14 And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
And he gaue him dominion, and honour, and a kingdome, that all people, nations and languages should serue him: his dominion is an euerlasting dominion, which shall neuer bee taken away: and his kingdome shall neuer be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
I Daniel was troubled in my spirit, in the middes of my body, and the visions of mine head made me afraide.
16 I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this. So he told me the interpretation of these things:
Therefore I came vnto one of them that stoode by, and asked him the trueth of all this: so he tolde me, and shewed me the interpretation of these things.
17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
These great beastes which are foure, are foure Kings, which shall arise out of the earth,
18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
And they shall take the kingdome of the Saintes of the most High, and possesse the kingdome for euer, euen for euer and euer.
19 Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.
After this, I woulde knowe the trueth of the fourth beast, which was so vnlike to all the others, very fearefull, whose teeth were of yron, and his nailes of brasse: which deuoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue vnder his feete.
20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
Also to know of the tenne hornes that were in his head, and of the other which came vp, before whome three fell, and of the horne that had eyes, and of the mouth that spake presumptuous thinges, whose looke was more stoute then his fellowes.
21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
I beheld, and the same horne made battel against the Saintes, yea, and preuailed against them,
22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
Vntill the Ancient of dayes came, and iudgement was giuen to the Saintes of the most High: and the time approched, that the Saintes possessed the kingdome.
23 This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.
Then he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome in the earth, which shall be vnlike to all the kingdomes, and shall deuoure the whole earth, and shall treade it downe and breake it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings.
And the ten hornes out of this kingdome are tenne Kings that shall rise: and an other shall rise after them, and he shall be vnlike to the first, and he shall subdue three Kings,
25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
And shall speake wordes against the most High, and shall consume the Saintes of the most High, and thinke that he may change times and lawes, and they shalbe giuen into his hand, vntill a time, and times and the deuiding of time.
26 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
But the iudgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it vnto the ende.
27 Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
And the kingdome, and dominion, and the greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shalbe giue to the holy people of the most High, whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him.
28 Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
Euen this is the ende of the matter, I Daniel had many cogitations which troubled mee, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in mine heart.
