Daniel 8

1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign I, Daniel, saw another vision after the one I had seen previously.

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

2 In my vision I looked around and saw I was in the castle at Susa in the province of Elam. In the vision I was beside the River Ulai.

And I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in Shushan the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

3 I looked around and saw a ram standing beside the river. It had two long horns, one longer than the other, even though the longer one had grown last.

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I watched the ram charging west, north, and south. No animal could stand up to it—nor was there any chance of rescue from its power. It did whatever it wanted and grew powerful.

I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

5 As I was thinking about what I'd seen, a male goat came in from the west, racing in across the surface of the earth so fast it didn't touch the ground. It had a large, prominent horn between its eyes.

And as I was considering, behold, an he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 It approached the ram with the two horns which I had seen standing beside the river, rushing in to attack in a furious rage.

And he came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran upon him in the fury of his power.

7 I watched as the goat charged furiously at the ram, hitting it and breaking off its two horns. The ram did not have the strength to resist the goat's attack. The goat threw the ram to the ground, trampling on it, and there was no possibility of rescuing it from the goat's power.

And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him: but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 The goat grew very powerful, but at the height of its power its large horn was broken off. In its place four large horns came up, pointing to the four winds of heaven.

And the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable [horns] toward the four winds of heaven.

9 A little horn came up from one of them, and grew extremely powerful to the south and to the east and to the Beautiful Land.

And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious [land].

10 It grew in power until it reached the heavenly army, throwing some of them and some of the stars down to the earth and trampled on them.

And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them.

11 It even tried to make itself as great as the Prince of the heavenly army—it removed the continual service, and the place of his sanctuary was destroyed.

Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual [burnt offering], and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

12 An army of people and the continual service were handed over to it because of rebellion, and it overthrew truth, and it was successful in everything it did.

And the host was given over [to it] together with the continual [burnt offering] through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did [its pleasure] and prospered.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one asked the one who was speaking, “How long is this vision for—the removal of the continual service, the rebellion that causes devastation, the handing over of the sanctuary and the army of people to be trampled down?”

Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one which spake, How long shall be the vision [concerning] the continual [burnt offering], and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

14 He replied, “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings [and] mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

15 As I, Daniel, tried to work out what this vision meant suddenly I saw someone who looked like a man standing in front of me.

And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 I also heard a human voice calling from the River Ulai, “Gabriel, explain to this man the meaning of the vision.”

And I heard a man’s voice between [the banks of] Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

17 As he approached me, I was terrified and fell face down before him. “Son of man,” he told me, “You need to understand that this vision refers to the time of the end.”

So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was affrighted, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end.

18 As he spoke to me I lost consciousness as I laid face down on the ground. But he took hold of me and helped me to my feet.

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.

19 He told me, “Pay attention! I'm going to explain to you what's going to happen during the time of anger, which refers to the appointed time of the end.

And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation: for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end.

20 The ram with two horns that you saw symbolizes the kings of Media and Persia.

The ram which thou sawest that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 The male goat is the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is its first king.

And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 The four horns that came up in place of the large horn that was broken represent the four kingdoms that arose from that nation, but not as powerful as the first.

And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.

23 When those kingdoms come to an end, when their sins have reached their fullest extent, a ferocious and treacherous kingdom will rise to power.

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

24 It will become very powerful but not by its own power. It will be terribly destructive, and will succeed in everything it does. It will destroy great leaders and God's dedicated people.

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do [his pleasure]: and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

25 Through its deviousness, its lies will be convincing and successful. It shows its arrogance both in thought and action, destroying those who thought they were perfectly safe. It even fights in opposition against the Prince of princes, but it will be defeated, though not by any human power.

And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in [their] security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

26 The vision about the evenings and mornings that has been explained to you is true, but for now seal up this vision because it refers to the distant future.”

And the vision of the evenings and mornings which hath been told is true: but shut thou up the vision; for it belongeth to many days [to come].

27 After this, I, Daniel, became exhausted, and I was sick for days. Then I got up and went back to working for the king, but I was devastated at what I'd seen in vision and I couldn't understand it.

And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king’s business: and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.