Book of Daniel, Chapter 7
Daniel 7 NASB - New American Standard BibleChapter 7 of Daniel—New American Standard Bible (NASB)
- ¶ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a 1dream and visions [a]in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he 2wrote the dream down and related the [b]following summary of [c]it.
- Daniel [d]said, “I was 3looking in my vision by night, and behold, the 4four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
- And four great 5beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
- The first was 6like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human [e]mind also was given to it.
- And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’
- After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, 7like a leopard, which had on its [f]back four wings of a bird; the beast also had 8four heads, and dominion was given to it.
- After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a 9fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had 10ten horns.
- While I was contemplating the horns, behold, 11another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, [g]this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and 12a mouth uttering great boasts.
- ¶ “I kept looking
Until 13thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His 14vesture was like white snow
And the 15hair of His head like pure wool.
His 16throne was [h]ablaze with flames,
Its 17wheels were a burning fire. - “A river of 18fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
19Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The 20court sat,
And 21the books were opened. - ¶ Then I kept looking because of the sound of the [i]boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the 22burning [j]fire.
- As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
- ¶ “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a 23Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him. - “And to Him was given 24dominion,
Glory and [k]25a kingdom,
26That all the peoples, nations and men of every [l]language
Might serve Him.
27His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
28And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed. - ¶ “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed [m]within me, and the 29visions [n]in my mind kept 30alarming me.
- I approached one of those who were 31standing by and began asking him the [o]exact meaning of all this. So he 32told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:
- ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth.
- But the [p]33saints of the Highest One will 34receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, [q]for all ages to come.’
- ¶ “Then I desired to know the [r]exact meaning of the 35fourth beast, which was different from all [s]the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet,
- and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and [t]which was larger in appearance than its associates.
- I kept looking, and that horn was 36waging war with the [u]saints and overpowering them
- until the Ancient of Days came and 37judgment was [v]passed in favor of the [w]saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the [x]saints took possession of the kingdom.
- ¶ “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it.
- As for the 38ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
- He will 39speak [y]out against the 40Most High and 41wear down the [z]saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make 42alterations in times and in law; and [aa]they will be given into his hand for a [ab]43time, [ac]times, and half a [ad]time.
- But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be 44taken away, [ae]annihilated and destroyed [af]forever.
- Then the [ag]45sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the [ah]saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an 46everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will 47serve and obey Him.’
- ¶ “[ai]At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were 48greatly alarming me and my [aj]face grew pale, but I 49kept the matter [ak]to myself.”
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Lit of his head
- ^ Or beginning
- ^ Lit words
- ^ Lit spoke and said
- ^ Lit heart
- ^ Or sides
- ^ Lit in this horn were eyes
- ^ Lit flames of fire
- ^ Lit great
- ^ Lit of the fire
- ^ Or sovereignty
- ^ Lit tongue
- ^ Lit in the midst of its sheath
- ^ Lit of my head
- ^ Lit truth concerning
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ Lit and unto the age of the ages
- ^ Lit truth concerning
- ^ Lit of them
- ^ Lit its appearance was larger
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ Lit given for
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ Lit words
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ I.e. the saints
- ^ I.e. year(s)
- ^ I.e. year(s)
- ^ I.e. year(s)
- ^ Lit to annihilate and to destroy
- ^ Lit to the end
- ^ Or kingdom
- ^ Lit holy ones
- ^ Lit To here the end of the word
- ^ Lit brightness was changing upon me
- ^ Lit in my heart
REFERENCES
- ^ Jb 33:14-16; Da 1:17; 2:1, 26-28; 4:5-9; Jl 2:28
- ^ Je 36:4, 32
- ^ Da 7:7, 13
- ^ Re 7:1
- ^ Da 7:17; Re 13:1; 17:8
- ^ Je 4:7
- ^ Re 13:2
- ^ Da 8:22
- ^ Da 7:19, 20, 23
- ^ Re 12:3; 13:1
- ^ Da 8:9
- ^ Re 13:5, 6
- ^ Re 20:4
- ^ Mr 9:3
- ^ Re 1:14
- ^ Eze 1:13, 26
- ^ Eze 10:2, 6
- ^ Ps 18:8; 50:3; 97:3; Is 30:27, 33
- ^ De 33:2; 1Ki 22:19; Re 5:11
- ^ Ps 96:11-13; Da 7:22, 26
- ^ Da 12:1; Re 20:11-15
- ^ Re 19:20; 20:10
- ^ Mt 24:30; 26:64; Mr 13:26; 14:62; Lu 21:27; Re 1:7, 13; 14:14
- ^ Da 7:27; Jn 3:35; 1Co 15:27; Eph 1:20-22; Pp 2:9-11; Re 1:6; 11:15
- ^ Da 2:37
- ^ Ps 72:11; 102:22
- ^ Mc 4:7; Lu 1:33
- ^ Heb 12:28
- ^ Da 7:1
- ^ Da 4:19; 7:28
- ^ Zc 1:9, 19; Re 5:5; 7:13, 14
- ^ Da 8:16, 17; 9:22
- ^ Da 7:22, 25, 27
- ^ Ps 149:5-9; Is 60:12-14; Da 7:14; Re 2:26, 27; 20:4; 22:5
- ^ Da 7:7, 8
- ^ Re 11:7; 13:7
- ^ Da 7:10; 1Co 6:2, 3
- ^ Da 7:7; Re 17:12
- ^ Da 11:36; Re 13:6
- ^ Da 3:26; 4:2, 17, 34
- ^ Re 13:7; 18:24
- ^ Da 2:21
- ^ Da 12:7; Re 12:14
- ^ Re 17:14; 19:2
- ^ Is 54:3; Da 7:14, 18, 22; Re 20:4
- ^ Ps 145:13; Is 9:7; Da 2:44; 4:34; 7:14; Lu 1:33; Re 11:15; 22:5
- ^ Ps 2:6-12; 22:27; 72:11; 86:9; Is 60:12; Re 11:1
- ^ Da 4:19
- ^ Lu 2:19, 51
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