Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 In 1the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me athe first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in bShushan, 2the 3citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 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 chigher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could 4withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, dbut he did according to his will and became great.

5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable ehorn between his eyes. 6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, 5attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it ffour notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 gAnd out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, htoward the east, and toward the iGlorious Land. 10 jAnd it grew up to kthe host of heaven; and lit cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 mHe even exalted himself as high as nthe Prince of the host; oand by him pthe daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of 6His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, qan army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast rtruth down to the ground. He sdid all this and prospered.

13 Then I heard ta holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression 7of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred 8days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and uwas seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me vone having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice wbetween the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, x“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and yfell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

18 zNow, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; abut he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; bfor at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the 9male goat is the 1kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes cis the first king. 22 dAs for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,

When the transgressors have reached their fullness,

A king shall arise,

eHaving fierce 2features,

Who understands sinister schemes.

24 His power shall be mighty, fbut not by his own power;

He shall destroy 3fearfully,

gAnd shall prosper and thrive;

hHe shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through ihis cunning

He shall cause deceit to prosper under his 4rule;

jAnd he shall exalt himself in his heart.

He shall destroy many in their prosperity.

kHe shall even rise against the Prince of princes;

But he shall be lbroken without human 4means.

26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings

Which was told is true;

mTherefore seal up the vision,

For it refers to many days in the future.”

27 nAnd I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was 5astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.