Daniel 7

Vision of the Four Beasts

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a 1dream and visions 2in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he 3wrote the dream down and related the 4following summary of 5it. 2Daniel 6said, “I was 7looking in my vision by night, and behold, the 8four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3And four great 9beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4The first was 10like 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 11mind also was given to it. 5And 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!’ 6After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, 12like a leopard, which had on its 13back four wings of a bird; the beast also had 14four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a 15fourth 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 16ten horns. 8While I was contemplating the horns, behold, 17another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, 18this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and 19a mouth uttering great boasts.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9“I kept looking Until 20thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His 21vesture was like white snow And the 22hair of His head like pure wool. His 23throne was 24ablaze with flames, Its 25wheels were a burning fire.10A river of 26fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; 27Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The 28court sat, And 29the books were opened. 11Then I kept looking because of the sound of the 30boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the 31burning 32fire. 12As 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.

The Son of Man Presented

13“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a 33Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.14And to Him was given 34dominion, Glory and 3536a kingdom, 37That all the peoples, nations and men of every 38language Might serve Him. 39His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; 40And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

The Vision Interpreted

15“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed 41within me, and the 42visions 43in my mind kept 44alarming me. 16I approached one of those who were 45standing by and began asking him the 46exact meaning of all this. So he 47told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18But the 4849saints of the Highest One will 50receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, 51for all ages to come.’

19“Then I desired to know the 52exact meaning of the 53fourth beast, which was different from all 54the 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, 20and 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 55which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21I kept looking, and that horn was 56waging war with the 57saints and overpowering them 22until the Ancient of Days came and 58judgment was 59passed in favor of the 60saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the 61saints took possession of the kingdom.

23“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. 24As for the 62ten 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. 25He will 63speak 64out against the 65Most High and 66wear down the 67saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make 68alterations in times and in law; and 69they will be given into his hand for a 7071time, 72times, and half a 73time. 26But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be 74taken away, 75annihilated and destroyed 76forever. 27Then the 7778sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the 79saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an 80everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will 81serve and obey Him.’

28“82At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were 83greatly alarming me and my 84face grew pale, but I 85kept the matter 86to myself.”