Daniel

Daniel

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

And the Master gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand,

along with some of the vessels of the House of God.

He brought them to the land of Shinar,

to the house of his god,

and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz,

his chief eunuch,

to bring some of the people of Israel—

both of the royal family and of the nobility—

youths without blemish, of good appearance,

skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge,

understanding learning,

and competent to stand in the king’s palace—

and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

The king assigned them a daily portion

of the food that the king ate

and of the wine that he drank.

They were to be educated for three years,

and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah

of the tribe of Judah.

And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names:

Daniel he called Belteshazzar,

Hananiah he called Shadrach,

Mishael he called Meshach,

and Azariah he called Abed-Nego.

But Daniel resolved in his heart

that he would not defile himself with the king’s food

or with the wine that he drank.

Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs

to allow him not to defile himself.

And God gave Daniel favor and compassion

in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,

“I fear my lord the king,

who assigned your food and your drink,

for why should he see that you are in worse condition

than the youths who are of your own age?

So you would endanger my head with the king.”

Then Daniel said to the steward

whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel,

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

“Test your servants for ten days;

let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths

who eat the king’s food be observed,

and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

So he listened to them in this matter

and tested them for ten days.

At the end of ten days

it was seen that they were better in appearance

and fatter in flesh than all the youths

who ate the king’s food.

So the steward took away their food and wine

and gave them vegetables.

And as for these four youths,

God gave them learning and skill

in all literature and wisdom,

and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

At the end of the time,

when the king had commanded that they should be brought in,

the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.

And the king spoke with them,

and among all of them none was found

like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Therefore they stood before the king.

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding

about which the king inquired of them,

he found them ten times better

than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

———

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,

the king had dreams, and his spirit was troubled,

and his sleep left him.

Then the king commanded

that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers,

and the Chaldeans be summoned

to tell the king his dreams.

So they came in and stood before the king.

And the king said to them,

“I have dreamed a dream,

and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,

“O king, live forever!

Tell your servants the dream,

and we will show the interpretation.”

The king answered,

“The word from me is firm:

If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation,

you shall be torn limb from limb,

and your houses shall be laid in ruins.

But if you show the dream and its interpretation,

you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.

Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

They answered a second time and said,

“Let the king tell his servants the dream,

and we will show its interpretation.”

The king answered,

“I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time,

because you see that the word from me is firm.

If you do not make the dream known to me,

there is but one sentence for you.

You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me

until the times change.

Therefore tell me the dream,

and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.”

The Chaldeans answered the king and said,

“There is not a man on earth

who can meet the king’s demand,

for no great and powerful king

has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.

The thing that the king asks is difficult,

and no one can show it to the king except the gods,

whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Because of this the king was angry and very furious,

and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

So the decree went out,

and the wise men were about to be killed,

and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch,

the captain of the king’s guard,

who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

He said to Arioch,

“Why is the decree of the king so urgent?”

Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.

And Daniel went in and requested the king

to appoint him a time,

that he might show the interpretation to the king.

Then Daniel went to his house

and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,

and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven

concerning this mystery,

so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed

with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

He removes kings and sets up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding.

He reveals deep and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with Him.

To You, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise,

for You have given me wisdom and might,

and have now made known to me what we asked of You,

for You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Then Daniel went in to Arioch,

whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon.

He went and said to him,

“Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon;

bring me in before the king,

and I will show the king the interpretation.”

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said,

“I have found among the exiles from Judah

a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

The king declared to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar,

“Are you able to make known to me the dream

that I have seen and its interpretation?”

Daniel answered the king and said,

“No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers

can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked,

but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,

and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar

what will be in the latter days.

Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these…”

Chapter 3 — The Fiery Trial and the Fourth in the Flame

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold,

sixty cubits high and six cubits wide.

He set it up on the plain of Dura

in the province of Babylon.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps,

the prefects, and the governors,

the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates,

and all the officials of the provinces

to come to the dedication of the image

that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

So all the officials gathered

for the dedication of the image

that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up,

and they stood before the image that he had made.

And the herald proclaimed aloud:

“You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe,

and every kind of music,

you are to fall down and worship the golden image

that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

And whoever does not fall down and worship

shall immediately be cast

into a burning fiery furnace.”

Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound

of the instruments and every kind of music,

all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down

and worshiped the golden image

that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

But at that time certain Chaldeans came forward

and accused the Jews.

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar:

“O king, live forever!

You, O king, have made a decree

that every person who hears the sound of music

shall fall down and worship the golden image,

and whoever does not shall be cast into the fire.

There are certain Jews

whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon—

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

These men do not serve your gods

or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in furious rage, commanded

that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego be brought.

So they brought these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar said to them,

“Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,

that you do not serve my gods

or worship the image I have set up?

Now if you are ready,

when you hear the sound of every kind of music,

to fall down and worship the image I have made, well and good.

But if you do not,

you shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.

And who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered the king:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

If this be so,

our God whom we serve is able to deliver us

from the burning fiery furnace,

and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

But even if not,

be it known to you, O king,

that we will not serve your gods

or worship the golden image you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury,

and the expression of his face was changed

against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than usual.

He commanded some of the mighty men of his army

to bind them and cast them into the furnace.

So they were bound in their cloaks, tunics, hats, and other garments,

and cast into the burning fiery furnace.

Because the king’s command was urgent

and the furnace was exceedingly hot,

the flame killed those men who took them up.

But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego

fell bound into the midst of the furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished

and rose up in haste.

He said to his counselors,

“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”

They answered, “True, O king.”

He answered,

“But I see four men, unbound,

walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt,

and the appearance of the fourth

is like a son of the gods.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the furnace

and called out,

“Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God,

come out, and come here!”

Then they came out from the fire.

And the officials saw that the fire had not had any power over their bodies.

The hair of their heads was not singed,

their cloaks were not harmed,

and no smell of fire was on them.

Nebuchadnezzar said,

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,

who sent His messenger and delivered His servants—

who trusted in Him,

and yielded up their bodies

rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

Therefore I make a decree:

Any people, nation, or language

that speaks anything against their God

shall be destroyed,

for there is no other god

who can rescue in this way.”

Then the king promoted them

in the province of Babylon.

Chapter 4 — The Dream of a Tree and the King’s Humbling

King Nebuchadnezzar,

to all peoples, nations, and languages

that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you!

It has seemed good to me

to declare the signs and wonders

that the Most High God has done for me.

How great are His signs,

how mighty His wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and His dominion endures from generation to generation.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house

and prospering in my palace.

I saw a dream that made me afraid.

As I lay in bed, the visions alarmed me.

So I issued a decree

that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me

to make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

But none could make it known—

until at last Daniel came before me,

he who is named Belteshazzar after my god,

in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.

I said,

“O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,

because I know the spirit of the holy gods is in you,

and no mystery is too difficult for you,

tell me the visions of my dream and its interpretation.”

Then he told the dream of the great tree—

strong and tall, reaching to the heavens,

visible to the ends of the earth,

with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit,

under which the beasts found shade

and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived.

A watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven

and cried aloud:

“Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,

but leave the stump with a band of iron and bronze,

in the grass of the field.

Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,

let his mind be changed from a man’s to a beast’s,

until seven times pass over him—

that the living may know

that the Most High rules the kingdom of men

and gives it to whom He will.”

Then Daniel was dismayed for a while,

but the king urged him to speak.

Daniel said,

“The tree is you, O king.

You have grown and become strong…

but you shall be driven from among men.

You shall eat grass like an ox,

be drenched with the dew of heaven,

and seven periods of time shall pass over you,

until you know

that the Most High rules the kingdom of men

and gives it to whom He will.

Yet, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you:

Break off your sins by practicing righteousness,

and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed,

that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.

At the end of twelve months,

he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

and said,

“Is not this great Babylon,

which I have built by my mighty power

and for the glory of my majesty?”

While the words were still in his mouth,

a voice came from heaven:

“O King Nebuchadnezzar,

to you it is spoken:

The kingdom has departed from you.”

Immediately he was driven from among men

and ate grass like an ox.

His body was drenched with the dew of heaven

until his hair grew like eagle’s feathers

and his nails like bird’s claws.

The King Restored

At the end of the days,

I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven,

and my reason returned to me,

and I blessed the Most High

and praised and honored Him who lives forever.

His dominion is everlasting,

and His kingdom endures through all generations.

None can stay His hand

or say to Him, “What have You done?”

At the same time, my reason returned to me,

and for the glory of my kingdom,

my majesty and splendor were restored to me.

And I was established again in my kingdom,

and still more greatness was added to me.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,

praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven,

for all His works are right

and His ways are just;

and those who walk in pride

He is able to humble.

———

King Belshazzar made a great feast

for a thousand of his lords,

and drank wine in their presence.

Under the influence of the wine,

Belshazzar commanded

that the golden and silver vessels

that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken

from the temple in Jerusalem

be brought,

that the king and his nobles,

his wives and his concubines,

might drink from them.

So they brought the vessels

that had been taken from the temple,

the House of God in Jerusalem,

and the king and his nobles,

his wives and concubines,

drank from them.

They drank the wine

and praised the gods of gold and silver,

bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

In that very hour

the fingers of a human hand appeared

and wrote on the plaster of the wall

of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand.

And the king saw the hand as it wrote.

Then the king’s face changed,

his thoughts alarmed him,

his limbs gave way,

and his knees knocked together.

The king cried aloud

to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers.

The king declared:

“Whoever reads this writing

and shows me its interpretation

shall be clothed with purple,

have a chain of gold around his neck,

and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Then all the king’s wise men came in,

but they could not read the writing

or make known the interpretation to the king.

Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed,

and his color changed,

and his nobles were perplexed.

The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords,

came into the banquet hall and said:

“O king, live forever!

Let not your thoughts alarm you

or your face grow pale.

There is a man in your kingdom

in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.

In the days of your father,

light and understanding and wisdom

like the wisdom of the gods were found in him.

King Nebuchadnezzar made him chief of the magicians,

enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers—

this Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar.

Let him now be called,

and he will show you the interpretation.”

Then Daniel was brought in before the king.

The king said to him,

“Are you that Daniel,

one of the exiles of Judah,

whom my father the king brought from Judah?

I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you,

and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom

are found in you.

Now if you can read the writing

and make known to me its interpretation,

you shall be clothed with purple,

have a chain of gold around your neck,

and be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Then Daniel answered:

“Let your gifts be for yourself,

and give your rewards to another.

Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king

and make known its interpretation.

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father

kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.

And because of the greatness He gave him,

all peoples, nations, and languages trembled before him.

But when his heart was lifted up

and his spirit was hardened with pride,

he was deposed from his throne

and his glory was taken from him.

He was driven from among the sons of men,

his mind was made like that of a beast,

until he knew

that the Most High God rules the kingdom of men

and gives it to whom He will.

And you, his son Belshazzar,

have not humbled your heart,

though you knew all this.

Instead, you have lifted yourself up

against the Lord of heaven.

The vessels of His house have been brought before you,

and you and your nobles, wives, and concubines

have drunk from them.

You have praised the gods of silver and gold,

but the God in whose hand is your breath,

you have not honored.

Then from His presence

the hand was sent,

and this writing was inscribed:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.

This is the interpretation:

MENE — God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.

TEKEL — You have been weighed in the balances and found lacking.

PERES — Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

Then Belshazzar gave the command,

and Daniel was clothed with purple,

a chain of gold was put around his neck,

and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.

That very night

Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.

And Darius the Mede received the kingdom,

being about sixty-two years old.

———

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom

one hundred and twenty satraps,

to be throughout the whole kingdom;

and over them three high officials,

of whom Daniel was one,

to whom these satraps should give account,

so that the king might suffer no loss.

Then this Daniel became distinguished

above all the high officials and satraps,

because an excellent spirit was in him.

And the king planned to set him over the whole realm.

Then the officials and satraps sought to find a ground for complaint

against Daniel with regard to the kingdom,

but they could find no ground,

for he was faithful,

and no error or fault was found in him.

Then they said,

“We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel

unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Then these men came by agreement to the king and said,

“O King Darius, live forever!

All the officials of the kingdom have agreed

that the king should establish an ordinance

that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days,

except to you, O king,

shall be cast into the den of lions.”

Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the document,

so that it cannot be changed,

according to the law of the Medes and Persians,

which cannot be revoked.

Therefore King Darius signed the document and the decree.

When Daniel knew the document had been signed,

he went to his house where he had windows

in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.

He got down on his knees three times a day

and prayed and gave thanks before his God,

as he had done previously.

Then these men came by agreement

and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

Then they went to the king

and reminded him of the decree.

They said,

“Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,

pays no attention to you, O king,

but makes his petition three times a day.”

Then the king, when he heard these words,

was greatly distressed,

and set his mind to deliver Daniel.

He labored till the sun went down to rescue him.

But the men came to the king and said,

“Know, O king,

that it is a law of the Medes and Persians

that no decree or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

Then the king commanded,

and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions.

The king declared to Daniel,

“May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den,

and the king sealed it with his own signet

and with the signet of his lords,

so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace

and spent the night fasting;

no diversions were brought to him,

and sleep fled from him.

Then, at break of day,

the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

As he came near to the den,

he cried out in anguish:

“O Daniel, servant of the living God,

has your God, whom you serve continually,

been able to deliver you from the lions?”

Then Daniel said to the king,

“O king, live forever!

My God sent His messenger

and shut the lions’ mouths,

and they have not harmed me,

because I was found innocent before Him—

and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

Then the king was exceedingly glad,

and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den.

So Daniel was taken up,

and no harm was found on him,

because he had trusted in his God.

Then the king commanded,

and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel

were brought and cast into the den of lions—

they, their children, and their wives—

and before they reached the bottom of the den,

the lions overpowered them

and broke all their bones in pieces.

The Decree of Darius

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages

that dwell in all the earth:

“Peace be multiplied to you.

I make a decree,

that in all my royal dominion

people are to tremble and fear

before the God of Daniel:

For He is the living God,

enduring forever;

His kingdom shall never be destroyed,

and His dominion shall be without end.

He delivers and rescues,

He works signs and wonders

in heaven and on earth—

He who has saved Daniel

from the power of the lions.”

So this Daniel prospered

during the reign of Darius

and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

———

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,

Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay on his bed.

Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter.

Daniel said:

“I saw in my vision by night,

and behold, the four winds of heaven

were stirring up the great sea.

And four great beasts came up out of the sea,

different from one another.

The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings.

Then, as I looked, its wings were plucked off,

and it was lifted up from the ground

and made to stand on two feet like a man,

and the mind of a man was given to it.

And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear.

It was raised up on one side.

It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth,

and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’

After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard,

with four wings of a bird on its back.

The beast had four heads,

and dominion was given to it.

After this I saw in the night visions,

and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful

and exceedingly strong.

It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces

and stamped what was left with its feet.

It was different from all the beasts before it,

and it had ten horns.

As I considered the horns,

behold, there came up among them another little horn,

before which three of the first horns were uprooted.

And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man,

and a mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man

As I looked,

thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took His seat.

His clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of His head like pure wool.

His throne was flames of fire;

its wheels were burning fire.

A river of fire flowed out from before Him;

thousands upon thousands served Him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.

The court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

Then I looked because of the sound of the great words

that the horn was speaking.

And as I looked, the beast was slain,

and its body destroyed

and given over to be burned with fire.

As for the rest of the beasts,

their dominion was taken away,

but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and He came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before Him.

And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

The Interpretation of the Vision

As for me, Daniel,

my spirit was distressed within me,

and the visions of my head alarmed me.

I approached one of those who stood there

and asked him the truth concerning all this.

So he made known to me the interpretation of the things.

“These four great beasts are four kings

who shall arise out of the earth.

But the holy ones of the Most High

shall receive the kingdom

and possess the kingdom forever,

forever and ever.”

Then I desired to know the truth

about the fourth beast,

which was different from all the rest,

exceedingly terrifying,

with iron teeth and bronze claws,

which devoured, broke in pieces,

and stamped what was left with its feet,

and about the ten horns that were on its head,

and the other horn that came up

and before which three of them fell—

the horn that had eyes and a mouth

that spoke great things,

and that seemed greater than its companions.

As I looked, this horn made war on the holy ones

and prevailed over them

until the Ancient of Days came,

and judgment was given

in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,

and the time came

when they possessed the kingdom.

Thus he said:

“As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,

different from all the kingdoms,

and it shall devour the whole earth,

trample it down, and break it to pieces.

As for the ten horns,

out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,

and another shall arise after them.

He shall be different from the former ones

and shall put down three kings.

He shall speak words against the Most High,

and shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High,

and shall think to change times and law;

and they shall be given into his hand

for a time, times, and half a time.

But the court shall sit in judgment,

and his dominion shall be taken away,

to be consumed and destroyed to the end.

And the kingdom and the dominion

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven

shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;

His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,

and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”

Here is the end of the matter.

As for me, Daniel,

my thoughts greatly alarmed me,

and my face changed color,

but I kept the matter in my heart.

Chapter 8 — The Ram, the Goat, and the Little Horn

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar,

a vision appeared to me, Daniel,

after that which appeared to me at the first.

And I saw in the vision;

and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel,

in the province of Elam,

and I saw in the vision,

and I was at the Ulai canal.

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.

I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward.

No beast could stand before him,

and there was no one who could rescue from his power.

He did as he pleased and became great.

As I was considering, behold,

a male goat came from the west

across the face of the whole earth,

without touching the ground.

And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

He came to the ram with the two horns,

which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal,

and he ran at him in powerful wrath.

I saw him come close to the ram,

and he was enraged against him

and struck the ram and broke his two horns.

And the ram had no power to stand before him,

but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him.

And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.

Then the goat became exceedingly great,

but when he was strong,

the great horn was broken,

and in its place there came up four prominent horns

toward the four winds of heaven.

Out of one of them came a little horn,

which grew exceedingly great toward the south,

toward the east,

and toward the glorious land.

It grew great, even to the host of heaven.

And some of the host and some of the stars

it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host.

And the regular offering was taken away from Him,

and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown.

And a host will be given over to it

together with the regular offering

because of transgression,

and it will throw truth to the ground,

and it will act and prosper.

Then I heard a holy one speaking,

and another holy one said,

“How long is the vision concerning the regular offering,

the transgression that makes desolate,

and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled?”

And he said to me,

“For 2,300 evenings and mornings;

then the sanctuary shall be restored.”

Gabriel Explains the Vision

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision,

I sought to understand it.

And behold, there stood before me

one having the appearance of a man.

And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai,

and it called,

“Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”

So he came near where I stood.

And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face.

But he said to me,

“Understand, O son of man,

that the vision is for the time of the end.”

As he spoke to me, I fell into a deep sleep

with my face to the ground.

But he touched me and made me stand.

He said,

“Behold, I will make known to you

what shall be at the latter end of the indignation,

for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

As for the ram that you saw with the two horns,

these are the kings of Media and Persia.

And the goat is the king of Greece.

And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.

As for the horn that was broken,

in its place four others arose—

four kingdoms shall arise from his nation,

but not with his power.

And at the latter end of their kingdom,

when the transgressors have reached their limit,

a king of fierce countenance shall arise,

skilled in intrigue.

His power shall be great—

but not by his own power.

He shall cause fearful destruction

and shall succeed in what he does,

and destroy the mighty and the holy ones.

By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper,

and in his own mind he shall become great.

Without warning he shall destroy many,

and he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes,

and he shall be broken—

but by no human hand.

The vision of the evenings and mornings

that has been told is true,

but seal up the vision,

for it refers to many days from now.”

And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days.

Then I rose and went about the king’s business.

But I was appalled by the vision,

and I did not understand it.

———

In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus,

by descent a Mede,

who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—

in the first year of his reign,

I, Daniel, perceived in the scrolls the number of years

that, according to the word of YHWH to Jeremiah the prophet,

must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem—

namely, seventy years.

Then I turned my face to the Master God,

seeking Him by prayer and supplication,

with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

I prayed to YHWH my God and made confession, saying:

“O Master, the great and awe-inspiring God,

who keeps covenant and steadfast love

with those who love Him and keep His commands,

we have sinned and done wrong

and acted wickedly and rebelled,

turning aside from Your commandments and rules.

We have not listened to Your servants the prophets,

who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors,

and to all the people of the land.

To You, O Master, belongs righteousness,

but to us open shame—

as at this day,

to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and to all Israel,

those who are near and those who are far away,

in all the lands where You have driven them

because of the treachery they have committed against You.

To us, O YHWH, belongs shame of face—

to our kings, to our princes, and to our ancestors—

because we have sinned against You.

To the Master our God belong mercy and forgiveness,

for we have rebelled against Him

and have not obeyed the voice of YHWH our God

by walking in His instructions

which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

All Israel has transgressed Your Torah

and turned aside, refusing to obey Your voice.

So the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses

have been poured out upon us,

because we have sinned against Him.

He has confirmed His words,

which He spoke against us and against our rulers,

by bringing upon us great calamity—

under the whole heaven there has not been done

anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.

As it is written in the Law of Moses,

all this disaster has come upon us,

yet we have not sought the favor of YHWH our God

by turning from our iniquities

and giving attention to Your truth.

Therefore YHWH has kept ready the disaster

and has brought it upon us,

for YHWH our God is righteous in all the works that He has done,

yet we have not obeyed His voice.

And now, O Master our God,

who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand

and made a name for Yourself as it is this day—

we have sinned, we have acted wickedly.

O Master, according to all Your righteous acts,

let Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem,

Your holy mountain,

because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors,

Jerusalem and Your people have become a disgrace

among all who are around us.

Now therefore, O our God,

listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications,

and for Your own sake, O Master,

cause Your face to shine upon Your sanctuary,

which lies desolate.

O my God, incline Your ear and hear.

Open Your eyes and see our desolations,

and the city that bears Your name.

For we do not present our supplications before You

because of our righteousness,

but because of Your great mercy.

O Master, hear.

O Master, forgive.

O Master, listen and act.

Do not delay, for Your own sake,

because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

Gabriel Brings the Message

While I was still speaking and praying,

confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,

and presenting my plea before YHWH my God

for the holy mountain of my God—

while I was still speaking in prayer,

the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning,

came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening offering.

He made me understand, saying:

“O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.

At the beginning of your supplications a word went out,

and I have come to tell it to you,

for you are greatly beloved.

Therefore consider the word and understand the vision:

Seventy weeks are decreed

concerning your people and your holy city,

to finish the transgression,

to seal up sin,

to atone for iniquity,

to bring in everlasting righteousness,

to seal up vision and prophet,

and to anoint the Most Set-Apart One.

Know and understand this:

from the going out of the word

to restore and rebuild Jerusalem

to the coming of the Anointed One, a prince,

there shall be seven weeks.

Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again

with plaza and moat,

but in troubled times.

And after the sixty-two weeks,

an Anointed One shall be cut off

and have nothing.

And the people of a coming prince

shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.

Its end shall come with a flood,

and until the end there shall be war—

desolations are decreed.

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week,

but in the middle of the week

he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease.

And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate,

until the end that is decreed

is poured out upon the desolator.”

———

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia,

a word was revealed to Daniel,

who was named Belteshazzar.

And the word was true,

and it concerned great conflict.

He understood the word

and had understanding of the vision.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.

I ate no delicacies,

no meat or wine entered my mouth,

and I did not anoint myself at all,

until the full three weeks were completed.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,

as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris),

I lifted up my eyes and looked,

and behold, a man clothed in linen,

with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.

His body was like beryl,

his face like the appearance of lightning,

his eyes like flaming torches,

his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,

and the sound of his words

like the sound of a multitude.

I, Daniel, alone saw the vision,

for the men who were with me did not see it,

but a great trembling fell upon them,

and they fled and hid themselves.

So I was left alone

and saw this great vision,

and no strength was left in me.

My radiant appearance was drained away,

and I retained no strength.

Then I heard the sound of his words,

and as I heard the sound,

I fell on my face in deep sleep

with my face to the ground.

And behold, a hand touched me

and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

And he said to me,

“O Daniel, man greatly beloved,

understand the words that I speak to you,

and stand upright,

for now I have been sent to you.”

And when he had spoken this word to me,

I stood trembling.

Then he said to me,

“Do not fear, Daniel,

for from the first day that you set your heart to understand

and humbled yourself before your God,

your words have been heard,

and I have come because of your words.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia

withstood me twenty-one days,

but behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me,

for I was left there with the kings of Persia.

And I have come to make you understand

what is to happen to your people in the latter days,

for the vision is for days yet to come.”

When he had spoken to me according to these words,

I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.

And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man

touched my lips.

Then I opened my mouth and spoke.

I said to him,

“O my lord, by reason of the vision

pains have come upon me,

and I retain no strength.

How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord?

For now no strength remains in me,

and no breath is left in me.”

Again one having the appearance of a man touched me

and strengthened me.

And he said,

“O man greatly beloved, fear not,

peace be to you; be strong and of good courage.”

And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said,

“Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Then he said,

“Do you know why I have come to you?

But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia;

and when I go out, behold,

the prince of Greece will come.

But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth:

There is none who contends by my side against these

except Michael your prince.”

———

“And now I will show you the truth.

Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia,

and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them.

When he has grown strong through his riches,

he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.

Then a mighty king shall arise,

who shall rule with great dominion

and do as he wills.

And as soon as he has arisen,

his kingdom shall be broken and divided

toward the four winds of heaven,

but not to his offspring,

nor according to the authority with which he ruled,

for his kingdom shall be plucked up

and given to others besides these.

The Rising Conflict

“Then the king of the south shall grow strong,

but one of his commanders shall become even stronger than he

and shall rule with great dominion.

After some years they shall make an alliance,

and the daughter of the king of the south shall come

to the king of the north to make an agreement.

But she shall not retain the strength of her arm,

and he and his offspring shall not endure.

But she shall be given up,

along with her attendants, her father, and her child.

And from the branch of her roots one shall arise in his place.

He shall come against the army

and enter the fortress of the king of the north,

and he shall prevail.

He shall carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images

and their precious vessels of silver and gold,

and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north.

Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south

but shall return to his own land.

Generations of War

“His sons shall wage war

and assemble a multitude of great forces,

and one shall come and overflow and pass through,

then return and stir up war again.

Then the king of the south, moved with rage,

shall come out and fight against the king of the north.

He shall raise a great army, but it shall be given into his hand.

And when the multitude is taken away,

his heart shall be exalted,

but he shall not prevail in the end.

For the king of the north shall again raise an army,

greater than the first,

and after some years he shall come on with a great host and abundant supplies.

In those times many shall rise against the king of the south,

and the violent among your people shall lift themselves up

to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail.

Then the king of the north shall come

and build siege works

and capture a well-fortified city.

And the forces of the south shall not stand.

He who comes against him shall do as he wills,

and no one shall stand before him.

He shall stand in the glorious land,

and it shall fall into his hand.

He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom,

and he shall give the daughter of women to destroy it—

but she shall not stand or be for him.

Then he shall turn to the coastlands and capture many.

But a commander shall put an end to his insolence.

Then he shall turn back and stumble and fall,

and shall not be found.

The Rise of the Contemptible One

“In his place shall arise a contemptible person,

to whom royal majesty has not been given.

He shall come in without warning

and obtain the kingdom by intrigue.

Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken.

And from the time an alliance is made with him

he shall act deceitfully,

and he shall become strong with a small people.

Without warning he shall come into the richest places

and do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done—

he shall scatter among them plunder, spoil, and goods.

Then he shall stir up his power and courage

against the king of the south with a great army.

But he shall not succeed,

for plots shall be devised against him,

and his own people shall fall away and be crushed.

The Time of Wrath

“And at the appointed time he shall return

and come into the south again,

but it shall not be as it was before.

For ships from Kittim shall come against him,

and he shall be afraid and turn back.

He shall rage against the holy covenant

and show favor to those who forsake it.

Forces from him shall appear

and desecrate the sanctuary and fortress,

and they shall take away the regular offering

and set up the abomination that makes desolate.

He shall seduce with flattery

those who violate the covenant,

but the people who know their God

shall be strong and take action.

And the wise among the people shall give understanding to many,

though they shall fall by sword and flame,

by captivity and plunder, for many days.

When they stumble, they shall receive a little help.

Some of the wise shall fall,

so that they may be refined, purified, and made white,

until the time of the end.

———

“At that time shall arise Michael,

the great prince who has charge over your people.

And there shall be a time of trouble

such as never has been since there was a nation until that time.

But at that time your people shall be delivered—

everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

some to everlasting life,

and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise shall shine

like the brightness of the firmament,

and those who turn many to righteousness,

like the stars forever and ever.

But you, Daniel, shut up the words

and seal the scroll until the time of the end.

Many shall run to and fro,

and knowledge shall increase.”

Then I, Daniel, looked,

and behold, two others stood—

one on this bank of the stream

and one on that bank.

And one said to the man clothed in linen,

who was above the waters of the stream,

“How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?”

And I heard the man clothed in linen,

who was above the waters of the stream,

raise his right hand and his left hand toward heaven

and swear by Him who lives forever

that it would be for a time, times, and half a time,

and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end,

all these things would be accomplished.

I heard, but I did not understand.

Then I said, “O my master,

what shall be the outcome of these things?”

He said,

“Go your way, Daniel,

for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

Many shall be purified, made white, and refined,

but the wicked shall act wickedly,

and none of the wicked shall understand,

but the wise shall understand.

From the time that the regular offering is taken away

and the abomination that makes desolate is set up,

there shall be 1,290 days.

Blessed is the one who waits and reaches the 1,335 days.

But you, go your way till the end,

and you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place

at the end of the days.”