1 The Vision of the Ram and Goat In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, 8:1Lit I, Daniel Daniel, after the one which appeared to me 8:1Lit at the beginning previously.
2 And I looked in the vision. And it happened that while I was looking, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai 8:2 Or River Canal.
3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the 8:3Or river canal. Now the two hornswere 8:3Lit high(er) long, but onewas 8:3Lit high(er) longer than the other, with the 8:3Lit high(er) longer one coming up last.
4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and nootherbeasts could stand before it, nor was there anyone to deliver from its 8:4 Lit hand power, but it did as it pleased and magnifieditself.
5 And while I was considering, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the 8:5Lit buck goathada conspicuous horn between its eyes.
6 Then it came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the 8:6Or river canal, and ran at it in his strong wrath.
7 And I saw it reach the side of the ram, and it was enraged at it; and it struck the ram and broke its two horns in pieces, and the ram had no strength to stand in 8:7Lit before opposition to it. So it threw it down to the ground and trampled on it, and there was none to deliver the ram from its 8:7Lit hand power.
8 Then the male goat magnifieditselfexceedingly. But as soon as it was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuoushornstoward the four winds of 8:8Or the sky heaven.The Small Horn
9 And out of one of them came forth a rather small horn. And it grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the 8:9Israel BeautifulLand.
10 Then it grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down.
11 And it even magnifieditself 8:11Lit up to the to be equal with the 8:11Or Prince Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.
12 And on account of transgression the host will be given overto the hornalong with the regular sacrifice; and it will throw truth down to the ground and doits willand succeed.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the visionaboutthe regular sacrifice apply, 8:13 Or possibly and the transgression that horrifies while the transgression causes desolation, so as to allow both the holy place and the host 8:13 Lit as a trampling to be trampled?”
14 He said to me, “For2,300eveningsandmornings; then the holy place will be 8:14 Or properly restored made righteous.”Daniel Seeks to Understand the Vision
15 Now it happened when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought 8:15Lit understanding to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one 8:15Lit like the appearance of a man who had the appearance of a man.
16 And I heard the voice of a man betweenthe banks ofUlai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give thismanan understanding of what has appeared.”
17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was terrified and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”
18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand 8:18Lit on my standing upright.
19 Then he said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will happen at the final period of the indignation, foritpertains to the appointed time of the end.
20 The ram which you saw with the two horns is the kings of Media and Persia.
21 Now the shaggy 8:21 Lit buck goat is the 8:21 Or kingdom king of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 And the brokenhornand the fourhorns thatstood in its placearefour kingdomswhichwilltake theirstand fromhisnation, although not with his power.
23 “In the latter period of their 8:23 Or kingdom reign,When the transgressors have 8:23 Lit finished runtheir course,A king will stand, 8:23 Lit Strong of face Insolent and skilled in 8:23 Or ambiguous speech intrigue.
24 “His power will be mighty, but not by hisownpower,And he will 8:24 Or corrupt destroy to an 8:24 Or wondrous; lit extraordinary astonishing degreeAnd succeed and dohis will;He will 8:24 Or corrupt destroy mighty men and 8:24 Lit people of the saints, cf.7:27 the holy people.
25 “And through his insightHe will cause deceit to succeed by his hand;And he will magnifyhimselfin his heart,And he will 8:25 Or corrupt destroy many whilethey are 8:25 Or secure at ease.He will even stand against the Prince of princes,But he will be broken without hands.
26 “And what had appeared about the evenings and morningsWhich has been told is true;But as for you, conceal the vision,Foritpertains to many daysin the future.”
27 Then I, Daniel, was 8:27Or done in exhausted and sick for days. Then I rose upagainand did the king’s work; but I was appalled at what had appeared, and there was none to makemeunderstandit.