Daniel 8
8
Daniel’s Second Vision
1In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, # 8:1 This happened in 552 or 551 BC. I, Daniel, saw a second supernatural vision. 2In my vision I suddenly found myself in the fortress city of Susa, # 8:2 The Hebrew is literally “And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel.” Daniel was transported in his vision to Susa. Interestingly, the traditional tomb of Daniel is in Susa. the capital of the province of Elam, # 8:2 The province of Elam was situated east of the Tigris River. In the New Testament, Elamites were present in Jerusalem at Pentecost (see Acts 2:9). standing beside the Ulai canal. # 8:2 Or “the Ulai gate” (LXX, Aramaic, Latin Vulgate). The “Ulai” is modern Eulaeus, an artificial canal that joins two other streams, the Kerkha and the Abdizful. 3As I looked about, behold, I saw a ram # 8:3 A ram is a symbol of strength, power, authority, and leadership. The word for “ram” in Arabic also means “warrior.” standing on the bank of the canal. It had two long horns, one behind the other, but the one behind was longer. # 8:3 The “two long horns” represent the joint kingdom of Media and Persia. The longer horn was Persia, for it was more powerful and rose to power after Media. 4I watched as the ram charged toward the west, then the north, and then the south. With each conquest, it became even more powerful. # 8:4 Or “became arrogant” or possibly “accomplished great things.” No beast could withstand it or be rescued from its power; it did whatever it pleased.
5As I considered what it all meant, I saw a male goat # 8:5 The ram and goat are not wild beasts but domesticated animals used for sacrificial purposes. Num. 28–29 show that a ram and goat were offered on the altar during every major feast. come rushing from the west, racing across the whole earth without touching the ground. He had a single prominent # 8:5 The word for “prominent” in the Hebrew is literally “a horn of seeing.” horn on his forehead. # 8:5 This single prominent horn represents Alexander the Great, the founder and first ruler of the Greek Empire (see v. 21). 6The goat came up to the two-horned ram that I saw standing beside the canal and rushed at it with savage force. 7Then I saw him reach the ram and attack it with furious blows. He smashed it so hard that it broke off its two horns, for the ram had no power to withstand it. The goat knocked the ram to the ground and trampled it down. And there was no one to rescue the ram from his power.
8Then the goat grew exceedingly arrogant. # 8:8 Or “made a great display of his strength.” At the very peak of his power, his big horn abruptly snapped off. In its place, four prominent horns came up, each pointing to a different direction. # 8:8 Or “toward the four winds of heaven.” The “big horn” being snapped off is likely a reference to the untimely death of Alexander the Great with a sudden fever in 323 BC at the age of thirty-two. The “four prominent horns” that grew in its place could be a symbolic reference to the kingdoms of Macedonia, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt. 9From one of them, # 8:9 Or “From out of them.” a small horn emerged. # 8:9 The small horn is likely a symbolic reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, whose name means “the Manifest/Conspicuous One.” He rose to power after killing his own brother and ruled over the Seleucid kingdom from 175 to 164 BC. Antiochus was known as one who hated the Jews and greatly persecuted them. In Jerusalem, Antiochus set up an idol of Zeus in the temple and offered a pig on the altar, desecrating it. This idol became known as the “abomination that brings desolation” (11:31), among other names. See the third footnote on v. 11. See also 9:27 and footnotes; Matt. 24:15–16. It eventually grew to be very big, and its power extended toward the south, the east, # 8:9 Antiochus IV Epiphanes waged war to the south against Egypt and to the east against the Persians and Parthians. and toward the beautiful land. # 8:9 Or “toward the glorious [promised land]” or possibly “the land of glory [or beauty],” a symbolic reference to the land of Israel. See Jer. 3:19; Ezek. 20:6. 10It grew so powerful that it attacked the armies of heaven and hurled some of the starry host # 8:10 The Hebrew word for “host” is sabaʾ; it is frequently used for the heavenly host, the armies of heaven. However, it is also used for God’s people who are like stars (see Gen. 15:5; 26:4; Song. 6:10; Dan. 12:3; Phil. 2:15). In this context, it is possibly a poetic picture of God’s people, the starry host, who were mercilessly persecuted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. to the ground and trampled them down. 11The horn arrogantly exalted itself against the Prince of the heavenly armies. # 8:11 Although this may be a reference to the murder of the high priest Onias III in 171 BC, it is much more likely referring to the ultimate leader of the heavenly army, God himself. Many Scriptures can have a dual meaning or dual application. It abolished the daily sacrifices, # 8:11 Or “the burnt offering of continuity.” See Num. 28:3. and the place of his sanctuary was defiled. # 8:11 Or “thrown down [made low].” This was not yet the destruction of the temple but a reference to the profaning of the temple in 167 BC, when Antiochus IV Epiphanes set up what was known as the “awful horror,” the idol of Zeus in the temple (see second footnote on 8:9). 12God’s people began to turn away from him and gave themselves to the power of the horn. Sin replaced the daily sacrifices on account of the rebellion of the people. # 8:12 There is no doubt that the first part of v. 12 is extremely difficult to translate. Because the precise meaning of the Hebrew is difficult, and any translation is uncertain, it is recommended to read other translations for possible meanings. Most scholars, however, are agreed that the “little horn” refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Syrian-Greek tyrant who controlled the region and persecuted the citizens in the mid-second century BC. Stephen Miller, in his commentary on Daniel (Daniel, The New American Commentary, vol. 18 [Nashville: B&H, 1994], 227), argues plausibly that the “rebellion” mentioned here in v. 12 may well allude to the sins of the Jewish people who turned away from their God and fell into idolatry, worshiping the Greek gods, during this time (see 1 Macc. 1:11–15, 43). As a result, they were given over to persecution by Antiochus, who terminated the daily Jewish offerings. This would have been evidence of a divine chastening of God’s people. The horn was successful in all it attempted to do; truth was cast down to the ground.
13Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one asked the first one, the Wonderful Numberer, # 8:13 This is from the Hebrew word palmoni. It is possibly the name of the holy one (angel) that Daniel heard speaking. There are two prominent views among scholars as to the identity and meaning of Palmoni, a hapax legomenon. Some view his name as a contraction of two Hebrew words: pala, which means “wonderful” or “marvelous,” and moneh, which means “a counted number.” The angel Palmoni can be seen as the Wonderful Numberer or the Numberer of Secrets, who knew the exact numbers that would measure or count the time of the desolation of the temple and gives that number to Daniel. Since Jesus is described as the “Wonderful Counselor,” perhaps Palmoni, the Wonderful Numberer, was Christ, making this a Christophany in Daniel’s vision. Regardless, this verse shows us that numbers indeed have significance in Scripture and that their meanings and patterns were put there by God. We even have a book in the Bible called “Numbers.” An alternate view is that Palmoni or peloni is a contraction of a pronoun meaning “a certain one” and ’almoni, a pronoun meaning “one who is not mentioned.” These two pronouns are joined together to denote someone who is not named, i.e., with the sense of “such and such a person.” “How long will it be until this vision is fulfilled, in relation to the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the handing over # 8:13 The infinitive construct form tet (from the verb natan) denotes a nominal form here, with the meanings “giving over,” “handing over,” or “surrendering.” of the sanctuary, and the trampling underfoot of the host of God’s people?” # 8:13 Or “the host.” Because the meaning of the Hebrew of v. 13 is difficult, contains multiple glosses, and any translation is uncertain, it is recommended to read other translations for possible meanings.
14He answered, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; # 8:14 This can be understood in two ways. (1) It could mean 2,300 days (6 years and 111 days) since the Hebraic concept of a “day” in Genesis 1 is evening and morning. (2) It could be counting the evening sacrifice and the morning sacrifice, which would then make it 1,150 days (3 years and 55 days). Due to the dating of when Antiochus IV Epiphanes set up the vile idol in the sanctuary, the latter interpretation is more likely. The important point not to miss is that God foretold precisely the day when the vile idol would be removed from the temple. then the sanctuary will be purified.” # 8:14 Or “then the sanctuary will be justified [restored].” This reconsecration of the sanctuary took place when the first Hanukkah was celebrated on 25 Kislev, 164 BC.
The Angel Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision
15While I, Daniel, was pondering the vision I had seen, suddenly there appeared before me one who looked like a man. # 8:15 The Hebrew contains something like a play on words. The Hebrew word for man is geber, and it has the same triliteral root as the proper name Gabriel. Gabriel means “geber [mighty or notable] of God” or “Mighty God is my mighty man [hero].” Gabriel is God’s intimidator, which is one reason angels always have to say, “Don’t be afraid” (10:12; see 10:19). Although angels are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, only in the book of Daniel are they named.
16Then I heard the voice of someone calling out over the waters of the Ulai canal, # 8:16 Or “between the Ulai.” Theodotion’s revision of the Septuagint has “in the middle of the Ulai.” The early church read from and favored Theodotion’s version of Daniel over the Septuagint. (See Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, trans. Gleason Archer [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1958].) “Gabriel, # 8:16 Gabriel is the first named angel mentioned in the Bible. Jewish tradition states that he is one of four archangels that include Michael, Uriel, and Raphael. He is recognized as the one who stands at the left hand of God with Michael on God’s right (see Pirqe Rabbi Eliezer 4:4). help this man understand the meaning of his vision.”
17As the angel Gabriel came closer to where I was standing, I was so terrified that I fell facedown on the ground. Then he said to me, “Daniel, son of man, # 8:17 Gabriel addresses the prophet Daniel as “son of man,” the Hebrew equivalent of the Aramaic expression found in 7:13. you need to understand that your vision refers to the time of the end.” # 8:17 Or “the edge [fringe] of time.”
18When he spoke with me, I lost consciousness and passed out. # 8:18 Or “I fell into a trance” or “into a deep sleep.” Daniel experienced a complete loss of consciousness before the angel Gabriel. The Hebrew verb used refers rather to an unusual supernatural state of unconsciousness. It is the same root used of Adam in the creation story (see Gen. 2:21). The splendor of Gabriel’s presence overwhelmed Daniel, much like what happened to John when he experienced an angelic encounter (see Rev. 22:8). Dazed and overpowered in Gabriel’s presence, Daniel passed out. See Gen. 15:12; Rev. 1:17. But he took hold of me and raised me to my feet. 19“Listen,” he said, “and I will tell you what will take place in the time of wrath, # 8:19 Or “the latter end of the indignation.” for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end:
20“The ram that you saw with two long horns represents the kingdoms of the Medes and the Persians.
21“The male goat represents the kingdoms of Greece, # 8:21 Or “Javan,” a Hebrew term for Greece. and the big horn on its forehead is the first king of the Greek Empire.
22“As for the horn that was broken off and replaced by four prominent horns, this signifies that four other kingdoms will rise from its midst, but their combined power will not be as great as the first.
23“When their reign comes to an end and their crimes have reached their full measure, there will arise a stern king, skilled in stubbornness and trickery. # 8:23 Or “skilled in double-dealing” or “master of intrigue.” The Hebrew is literally “who understands riddles.” The king referred to here was the evil genius Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a thoroughly malicious, spiteful, and devious person. He was recognized as a cunning, shrewd expert in deception. 24He will grow in might but not through any power of his own. # 8:24 The Hebrew is literally “He will grow in power, but not with his own power.” The implication is that it is God who is allowing him to rule with great authority, for all authority comes from God (see Rom. 13:1). He will cause amazing devastation, # 8:24 Or “He will destroy marvelous things.” succeed in every undertaking, and destroy mighty ones, the saints of the Most High. 25By his cunning, he will make treachery succeed under his rule. In his own mind, he will highly exaggerate his own importance. When they are at ease, he will suddenly destroy many. But when he rises up against the Prince of all princes, he will be broken—but not by any human power. # 8:25 The expression be’ephes yad means “without a hand [touching him].” See Dan. 2:34, 45.
26“The explanation of the vision you had about the evening and morning sacrifices is absolutely true. And seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
27I, Daniel, was dazed and lay sick for several days; then I got up and went back to serve the king. I was perplexed by the vision, for it seemed beyond understanding.
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Daniel 8: TPT
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