Chapter 8

Vision of the Ram and Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, 1Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me 2previously.

2 I alooked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of bSusa, which is in the province of cElam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai 1Canal.

3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a aram which had two horns was standing in front of the 1canal. Now the two horns were 2long, but one was 2longer than the other, with the 2longer one coming up last.

4 I saw the ram abutting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his 1power, but bhe did as he pleased and magnified himself.

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the 1goat had a aconspicuous horn between his eyes.

6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the 1canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath.

7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his 1power.

8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as ahe was mighty, the blarge horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the cfour winds of heaven.

The Little Horn

9 Out of one of them came forth a rather asmall horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the 1bBeautiful Land.

10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the astars to fall to the earth, and it btrampled them down.

11 It even amagnified itself 1to be equal with the 2Commander of the host; and it removed the bregular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.

12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will afling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.

13 Then I heard a aholy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “bHow long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, 1while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host 2to be ctrampled?”

14 He said to me, “For a2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be 1properly restored.”

Interpretation of the Vision

15 When aI, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought 1to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one 2who looked like a bman.

16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “aGabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.”

17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and afell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the btime of the end.”

18 Now while he was talking with me, I asank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he btouched me and made me stand 1upright.

19 He said, “Behold, I am going to alet you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

The Ram’s Identity

20 “The aram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

The Goat

21 “The shaggy 1goat represents the 2kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 “The abroken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

23 “In the latter period of their 1rule,

When the transgressors have 2run their course,

A king will arise,

3Insolent and skilled in 4intrigue.

24 “His power will be mighty, but not by his own power,

And he will 1adestroy to an extraordinary degree

And prosper and perform his will;

He will 1destroy mighty men and 2the holy people.

25 “And through his shrewdness

He will cause deceit to succeed by his 1influence;

And he will magnify himself in his heart,

And he will 2destroy many while they are 3at ease.

He will even 4aoppose the Prince of princes,

But he will be broken bwithout 1human agency.

26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings

Which has been told is atrue;

But bkeep the vision secret,

For it pertains to many cdays in the future.”

27 Then I, Daniel, was 1aexhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and bcarried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to 2explain it.