Daniel 8:3

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 the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. 2I looked in the vision, and 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 Canal. Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. 4I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand against him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and made himself great. 5While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a prominent horn between his eyes.

Daniel 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

• Then I raisedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• my eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• and lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• ramאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
• which had two hornsקֶ֫רֶןqeren · hornH7161
• was standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in frontפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• of the canalאוּבַל'ûbâl 'ûbâl · riverH180
• longגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• but oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• thanמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• the otherשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• comingעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• lastאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314

Cross-references for Daniel 8:3

• Daniel 10:5I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man dressed in linen, whose waist had a belt of pure gold of Uphaz.
• Numbers 24:2And Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
• Joshua 5:13Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
• 1 Chronicles 21:16Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.
• Zechariah 1:18Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns.
• Zechariah 2:1Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.
• Zechariah 5:1Then I raised my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll.
• Daniel 8:20The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
• Daniel 2:39And after you another kingdom will arise inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
• Daniel 7:5And 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 they said this to it: ‘Arise, devour much meat!’
• Daniel 5:31So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
• Daniel 6:28So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
• Ezra 1:2“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to rebuild for Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
• Ezra 4:5and bribed advisers against them to frustrate their advice all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• Esther 1:3in the third year of his reign he held a banquet for all his officials and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the officials of his provinces, in his presence.
• Isaiah 13:17Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them, Who will not value silver or take pleasure in 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

• Horn
• Ram

In the dictionaries

• Euphrates River, the River
• Close
• Magnify
• Mouth
• Notable
• Prince
• Prophecy
• Shushan
• Alexander, the Great
• Apocalyptic Literature

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