Daniel 8:9–25

⁹Out of one of them came another horn, which started small^f but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.^{g 10}It grew until it reached^h the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earthⁱ and trampled^j on them. ¹¹It set itself up to be as great as the commander^k of the army of the Lord;^l it took away the daily sacrifice^m from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down.^{n 12}Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people^a and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.^o

¹³Then I heard a holy one^p speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled^q—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot^r of the Lord’s people?”

¹⁴He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”^s

The Interpretation of the Vision

¹⁵While I, Daniel, was watching the vision^t and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.^{u 16}And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai^v calling, “Gabriel,^w tell this man the meaning of the vision.”^x

¹⁷As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate.^y “Son of man,”^b he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”^z

¹⁸While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.^a Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.^b

¹⁹He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath,^c because the vision concerns the appointed time^d of the end.^{ce 20}The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.^{f 21}The shaggy goat is the king of Greece,^g and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.^{h 22}The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

²³“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. ²⁴He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.^{i 25}He will cause deceit^j to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes.^k Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.^l