God’s Word Translation
Daniel 8:3
3I looked up and saw a single ram standing beside the gate. The ram had two long horns, one longer than the other, though the longer one had grown up later.
Daniel 8:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
- New International Version (NIV)I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
Context of Daniel 8:3
1In Belshazzar’s third year as king, I, Daniel, saw a vision. This vision came after the one I saw earlier. 2In my vision I saw myself in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam. In my vision I saw myself at Ulai Gate. I looked up and saw a single ram standing beside the gate. The ram had two long horns, one longer than the other, though the longer one had grown up later. 4I saw the ram charging west, north, and south. No other animal could stand in front of it, and no one could escape from its power. It did anything it pleased and continued to grow. 5As I was watching closely, I saw a male goat coming from the west. It crossed the whole earth without touching it. This goat had a prominent horn between its eyes.
Read all of Daniel 8Daniel 8:3 word by word
וָאֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ וָאֶרְאֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ אַ֣יִל אֶחָ֗ד עֹמֵ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֻבָ֖ל וְל֣וֹ קְרָנָ֑יִם וְהַקְּרָנַ֣יִם גְּבֹה֗וֹת וְהָאַחַת֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה מִן־הַשֵּׁנִ֔ית וְהַ֨גְּבֹהָ֔ה עֹלָ֖ה בָּאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then I lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
- mine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- and, behold, there stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the riverאוּבַל'ûbâl 'ûbâl · riverH180
- aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
- hornsקֶ֫רֶןqeren · hornH7161
- highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- than the otherשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
- came upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- lastאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314
Cross-references for Daniel 8:3
- Daniel 10:5When I looked up, I saw a man dressed in linen, and he had a belt made of gold from Uphaz around his waist.
- Numbers 24:2looked up, and saw Israel’s camp grouped by tribes. The Spirit of God entered him,
- Joshua 5:13When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?”
- 1 Chronicles 21:16When David looked up, he saw the Messenger of the Lord standing between heaven and earth. The Messenger had a sword in his hand and stretched it over Jerusalem. David and the leaders were dressed in sackcloth. They bowed down with their faces touching the ground.
- Zechariah 1:18I looked up and saw four animal horns.
- Zechariah 2:1I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Zechariah 5:1I looked up again and saw a flying scroll.
- Daniel 8:20“The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia.
- Daniel 2:39Another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to power after you. Then there will be a third kingdom, a kingdom of bronze, that will rule the whole world.
- Daniel 7:5I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, “Get up, and eat as much meat as you want.”
- Daniel 5:31Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. He was 62 years old.
- Daniel 6:28This man, Daniel, prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
- Ezra 1:2This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the world. Then he ordered me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem (which is in Judah).
- Ezra 4:5They bribed officials to keep the people of Judah from carrying out their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.
- Esther 1:3he held a banquet in the third year of his reign. The banquet was for all his officials and advisers, that is, the military officers of the Persians and Medes, the nobles and officials of the provinces who had access to him.
- Isaiah 13:17I’m going to stir up the Medes against them. They don’t care for silver and aren’t happy with gold.
Commentaries on Daniel 8:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3A ram which had two horns - In the former vision there were four beasts, pointing out four empires; in this we have but two, as only two empires are concerned here, viz., the Grecian and the Persian. The Babylonish empire is not mentioned; its fate was before decided, and it was now at its close. By the ram, the empire of the Medes and Persians was pointed out, as explained by the angel Gabriel, Daniel 8:20; and particularly Cyrus, who was the founder of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Then I lifted up mine eyes and saw - And saw in vision, or there seemed to be before me. There stood before the river - On the bank of the river. A ram which had two horns - There can be no error in explaining the design of this symbol, for in Daniel 8:20 it is expressly said that it denoted the two kings of Media and Persia. The united power of the kingdom was denoted by the ram itself; the fact that there were two powers or kingdoms combined, by the two…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Two long horns suggest there were two major nations in this kingdom, represented by a ram (see Daniel 8:20–21). God allowed the nation to act freely, but God remained in control (compare Isaiah 45:1–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. two horns--The "two" ought not to be in italics, as if it were not in the original; for it is expressed by the Hebrew dual. "Horn" in the East is the symbol of power and royalty. one ... higher than ... other ... the higher came up last--Persia, which was of little note till Cyrus' time, became then ascendant over Media, the more ancient kingdom. Darius was sixty-two years old (Da 5:31) when he began to reign; during his short reign of two years, being…Read the comment
Topics related to Daniel 8:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Daniel 8
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries