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 year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and the visions of his head while on his couch: afterward he wrote down the dream, relating the principal things.
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 commenced and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew fiercely on the great sea.
3 Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
And four great beasts came up from the sea, differing one 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 like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I looked till its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth, and was placed upon its feet as a man, and a human heart was given to it.
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 behold there was another, a second beast, like a bear, and on one side was it placed, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth: and thus they said unto it, Arise, eat 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 looked, and lo there was another, like a leopard; and it had four wings of a bird on its back: the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given unto it.
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 looked in the night visions, and behold there was a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and ground up, and what was left it stamped with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
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.
I looked carefully at the horns, and, behold, another little horn came up between them, and three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots before the same; and, behold, there were eyes like the eyes of man in this horn, with 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 was looking until chairs were set down, and an Ancient of days seated himself, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of whose head was like clean wool; his chair was like flames of fire, and his wheels like fire that burnt;
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 stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousand times thousands ministered unto him, and myriad times myriads stood before him: they sat down to hold judgment, and the books were 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.
I looked then, because of the sound of the presumptuous words which the horn had spoken, —I looked till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and given over 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.
But concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet a longer duration of life was given unto them until the time and period.
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.
I looked in the nightly visions, and, behold, with the clouds of heaven came one like a son of man, and he attained as far as the Ancient of days, and they brought him near 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 there were given him dominion, and dignity, and government, and all people, nations, and languages had to serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one which shall never be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
My spirit was deeply shaken within me, Daniel, in the midst of its tenement, and the visions of my head troubled me.
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:
I came near unto one of those that stood by, and asked him something certain concerning all this: and he spoke to me, and made known unto me the interpretation of the things.
17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
These great beasts, of which there are four, are four kings, who are to arise on the earth.
18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
But the saints of the Most High will obtain the kingdom, and possess the kingdom to eternity, even to all eternity for ever.
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.
Then I desired what is certain concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all these others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and whose nails of copper; which devoured, ground up, and stamped with its feet what was left;
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.
And concerning the ten horns that were in its head, and concerning the other which came up, and before which three fell down, even concerning that horn which had eyes, and a mouth which spoke presumptuous things, and whose appearance was greater than that of its companions.
21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
I had seen how the same horn had made war with the saints, and had prevailed 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.
Until the Ancient of days came, and procured justice unto the saints of the Most High; and the time came and the saints took possession of the kingdom.
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.
Thus said he, The fourth beast [signifieth that] a fourth kingdom will be upon earth, which is to be different from all kingdoms, and will devour all the earth, and will tread it down, and grind it up.
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 horns out of this kingdom [signify] that ten kings will arise; and another will rise after them, and he will be different from the first, and three kings will he bring low.
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 he will speak words against the Most High, and the saints of the Most High will he oppress, and think to change the festivals and the law: and they will be given up into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
But they will sit down to hold judgment, and they will take away his dominion, to destroy and to annihilate it unto the end.
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 kingdom and the dominion, and the power over the kingdoms under the whole heaven, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all governments are to worship 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.”
Thus far is the end of the speech. As for me Daniel, my reflections troubled me greatly, and my color was changed on me; but I kept the speech in my heart.
