Daniel 7:4

Daniel 7:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
• New International Version (NIV)“The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

Context of Daniel 7:4

2Daniel said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea (the nations). 3And four great beasts, each different from the other, were coming up out of the sea [in succession]. The first (the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar) was like 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 mind was given to it. 5And behold, another beast, a second one (the Medo-Persian Empire), was like a bear, and it was raised up on one side (domain), and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much meat.’ 6After this I kept looking, and behold, another one (the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great), like a leopard, which had on its back four wings like those of a bird; the beast also had four heads (Alexander’s generals, his successors), and power to rule was given to it.

Daniel 7:4 word by word

קַדְמָיְתָ֣א כְאַרְיֵ֔ה וְגַפִּ֥ין דִּֽי־נְשַׁ֖ר לַ֑הּ חָזֵ֣ה הֲוֵ֡ית עַד֩ דִּי־מְּרִ֨יטוּ גַפַּ֜יהּ וּנְטִ֣ילַת מִן־אַרְעָ֗א וְעַל־רַגְלַ֙יִן֙ כֶּאֱנָ֣שׁ הֳקִימַ֔ת וּלְבַ֥ב אֱנָ֖שׁ יְהִ֥יב לַֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The firstקַדְמַיqadmay · firstH6933
• like a lionאַרְיֵה'aryêh · lionH744
• and had eagle’sנְשַׁרneshar · eagleH5403
• wingsגַּףgaph · wingH1611
• I beheldחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
• I beheldהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• tillעַד‛ad · tillH5705
• thereof were pluckedמְרַטmeraţ · to pluckH4804
• and it was lifted upנְטַלneţal · to liftH5191
• fromמִן־min · fromH4481
• the earthאֲרַע'ăra‛ · earth: soilH772
• and made standקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
• uponעַל‛al · uponH5922
• the feetרְגַלregal · footH7271
• as a manאֱנָשׁ'ĕnâsh 'ĕnash · manH606
• heartלְבַבlebab · heartH3825
• was givenיְהַבyehab · to giveH3052

Cross-references for Daniel 7:4

• Deuteronomy 28:49“The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as the eagle swoops down [to attack], a nation whose language you will not understand,
• 2 Samuel 1:23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely and friends in their lives, And in their death they were not separated; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
• Isaiah 5:28Their arrows are sharp and all their bows are strung and bent; Their horses’ hoofs seem like flint and their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.
• Jeremiah 4:7A lion has left his lair, And a destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone out from his place To desolate your land; Your cities will be in ruins Without an inhabitant.
• Jeremiah 25:38He has left His lair like the lion; For their land has become a horror Because of the fierceness of the oppressor And because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”
• Jeremiah 48:40For thus says the Lord: “Behold, one (Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon) will fly swiftly like an eagle And spread out his wings against Moab.
• Lamentations 4:19Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They pursued us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
• Ezekiel 17:3saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “A great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) with great wings, long pinions and a rich plumage of many colors came to Lebanon (Jerusalem) and took away the top of the cedar (Judah).
• Habakkuk 1:6For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans [who rule in Babylon], That fierce and impetuous nation Who march throughout the earth To take possession of dwelling places that do not belong to them.
• Matthew 24:28Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will flock together.
• Daniel 4:31While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came [as if falling] from heaven, saying, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: “The kingdom has been removed from you,
• Jeremiah 50:30Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, And all her soldiers will be destroyed on that day,” says the Lord.
• Daniel 4:30The king said thoughtfully, ‘Is not this the great Babylon which I myself have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my power and for the honor and glory of my majesty?’
• Daniel 5:18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;
• Isaiah 14:13But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly In the remote parts of the north.
• Jeremiah 25:9behold (hear this), I will send for all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will send for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant [to enact My plan], and I will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing [that is, an object of warning and ridicule] and an everlasting desolation.

Commentaries on Daniel 7:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings - Bp. Newton well remarks, that these great beasts, as explained by the angel, Daniel 7:17, are kingdoms. They arise out of a stormy and tempestuous sea; that is, out of the wars and commotions of the world; and they are called great in comparison of other states and kingdoms, and are denominated beasts for their tyrannical and cruel oppression. These four beasts are indeed monstrous productions; a lion…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The first was like a lion - It is to be assumed, in explaining and applying these symbols, that they are significant - that is, that there was some adaptedness or propriety in using these symbols to denote the kingdoms referred to; or that in each case there was a reason why the particular animal was selected for a symbol rather than one of the others; that is, there was something in the lion that was better fitted to symbolize the kingdom referred to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The lion and eagle are respected rulers in their worlds. Lions often appeared in ancient art and buildings. Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon are shown as a lion and an eagle attacking Edom (Jeremiah 49:19, 22). it was … given the mind of a man: Nebuchadnezzar had the mind of a beast (Daniel 4:16, 32–33), but he was restored and learned to honor the Most High God (4:34–37).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. lion--the symbol of strength and courage; chief among the kingdoms, as the lion among the beasts. Nebuchadnezzar is called "the lion" (Jr 4:7). eagle's wings--denoting a widespread and rapidly acquired (Is 46:11; Jr 4:13; La 4:19; Ha 1:6) empire (Jr 48:40). plucked--Its ability for widespread conquests passed away under Evil-merodach, &c. [Grotius]; rather, during Nebuchadnezzar's privation of his throne, while deranged. it was lifted up from the…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 7:4

• Eagle
• Lion

In the dictionaries

• Ancient
• Contempt
• Diverse
• Obey
• Wear
• Antichrist
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Daniel, Book of
• Eschatology of the New Testament

Commentaries on Daniel 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings