Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, aDaniel 1had a dream and bvisions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling 2the main facts.

2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts ccame up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was dlike a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a eman’s heart was given to it.

5 f“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had gfour heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, ha fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, iand it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and jthere was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes kof a man, land a mouth speaking 3pompous words.

Vision of the Ancient of Days

9 “I mwatched till thrones were 4put in place,

And nthe Ancient of Days was seated;

oHis garment was white as snow,

And the hair of His head was like pure wool.

His throne was a fiery flame,

pIts wheels a burning fire;

10 qA fiery stream issued

And came forth from before Him.

rA thousand thousands ministered to Him;

Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.

sThe 5court was seated,

And the books were opened.

11 “I watched then because of the sound of the 6pompous words which the horn was speaking; tI watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 “I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, uOne like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

14 vThen to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all wpeoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is xan everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit 7within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four 8kings which arise out of the earth.