Daniel 8

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

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me. After that which I had seen in the beginning, I, Daniel,

2 I saw the vision. Now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

saw in my vision, that I was in the capital city of Susa, which is in the region of Elam, yet I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of Ulai.

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

And I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a single ram stood before the marsh, having two high horns, and one was higher than the other and growing higher still.

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.

After this, I saw the ram brandishing his horns against the West, and against the North, and against the Meridian, and all the beasts could not withstand him, nor be freed from his hand, and he did according to his own will, and he became great.

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.

And I understood, and behold, a he-goat among she-goats came from the West above the face of the entire earth, and he did not touch the ground. Furthermore, the he-goat had a preeminent horn between his eyes.

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.

And he went all the way to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his strength.

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.

And when he approached near to the ram, he was enraged against him, and he struck the ram, and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand him, and when he had cast him down on the ground, he trampled him, and no one was able to free the ram from his hand.

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 towards the four winds of the sky.

But the he-goat among she-goats became exceedingly great, and when he had prospered, the great horn was shattered, and four horns were rising up beneath it by means of the four winds of heaven.

9 Out of one of them came out a little horn which grew exceedingly great—towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious land.

But from one of them came forth one little horn, and it became great against the Meridian, and against the East, and against the strength.

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.

And it was magnified even towards the strength of heaven, and it threw down those of the strength and of the stars, and it trampled them.

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.

And it was magnified, even to the leader of the strength, and it took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his sanctuary.

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.

And the advantage was given to him against the continual sacrifice, because of the sins, and truth will be struck down to the ground, and he will act, and he will prosper.

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?”

And I heard one of the holy ones speaking, and one saint said to another, (I know not to whom he was speaking, ) “What is the extent of the vision, and the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation, which has happened, and of the sanctuary and the strength, which will be trampled?”

14 He said to me, “To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

And he said to him, “From evening until morning, two thousand three hundred days, and so the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

15 When I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. Then behold, there stood before me someone with the appearance of a man.

But it came to pass, when I, Daniel, saw the vision and sought understanding that, behold, there stood in my sight something like the appearance of a man.

16 I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”

And I heard the voice of a man within Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, make this one understand the vision.”

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.”

And he came and stood next to where I was standing, and when he approached, I fell on my face, trembling, and he said to me, “Understand, son of man, for in the time of the end the vision will be fulfilled.”

18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face towards the ground; but he touched me and set me upright.

And when he spoke to me, I fell forward onto the ground, and so he touched me and stood me upright.

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.

And he said to me, “I will reveal to you what the future things are in the earlier tribulation, for the time has its end.

20 The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

The ram, which you saw to have horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians.

21 The rough male goat is the king of Greece. The great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Furthermore, the he-goat among she-goats is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn, which was between his eyes, is the same one, the first king.

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.

And since, having been shattered, there grew four in its place, four kings will rise up from his people, but not in his strength.

23 “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding riddles, will stand up.

And after their reign, when iniquities will be increased, there will arise a king of shameless face and understanding negotiations.

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.

And his advantage will be strengthened, but not by his kind of force, and other than what he will be able to trust, everything will be eradicated, and he will prosper, and he will act. And he will execute the successful and the people of the saints,

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 human hands.

according to his will, and treachery will be guided by his hand. And his heart will be inflated, and by the abundance of everything he will kill many, and he will rise up against the Lord of lords, and he will be knocked down without a hand.

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.”

And the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is true. Therefore, you must seal the vision, because, after many days, it will occur.”

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.

And I, Daniel, languished and was sick for some days, and when I had lifted myself up, I performed the king’s works, and I was astonished at the vision, and there was none who could interpret it.