Vision of the Ram and Goat
1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, 8:1 Lit I, DanielDaniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me 8:1 Lit at the beginningpreviously. 2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were8:3 Lit high(er)long, but one was8:3 Lit high(er)longer than the other, with the 8:3 Lit high(er)longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand against him nor was there anyone to rescue from his 8:4 Lit handpower, but he did as he pleased and made himself great.
5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a prominent 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 canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 And I saw him come up beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and smashed 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 no one to rescue the ram from his 8:7 Lit handpower. 8 Then the male goat made himself exceedingly great. But once he became powerful, the large horn was broken; and in its place four prominent horns came up toward the four winds of heaven.
The Little Horn
9 And out of one of them came a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the 8:9 I.e., IsraelBeautiful Land.10 It grew up to the heavenly 8:10 Lit hostlights, and some of the 8:10 Lit hostlights, 8:10 Or and some of the starsthat is, some of the stars it threw down to the earth, and it trampled them. 11 It even exalted itself 8:11 Lit up to theto be equal with the 8:11 Or PrinceCommander of the army; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And because of 8:12 Or a wrongdoingan offense the army will be given to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will hurl truth to the ground and do as it pleases and be successful. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply,8:13 Or possibly and the offense that horrifieswhile the offense causes horror, so as to allow both the sanctuary and the army 8:13 Lit as a tramplingto be trampled?" 14 And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be 8:14 Lit justifiedproperly restored."
Interpretation of the Vision
15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought 8:15 Lit understandingto understand it; and behold, standing before me was one 8:15 Lit like the appearance of a manwho looked like a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man." 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; and he said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end."
18 Now while he was talking with me, I was dazed with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, "Behold, I am going to inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.
The Ram’s Identity
20 The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
The Goat
21 The shaggy 8:21 Lit buckgoat represents the 8:21 Lit kingkingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The broken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.
23 "And in the latter period of their 8:23 Or kingdomdominion,
When the wrongdoers have 8:23 Lit finishedrun their course,
A king will arise,
8:23 Lit Strong of face Insolent and skilled in 8:23 Or ambiguous speechintrigue.
24 "And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
And he will 8:24 Or ruin extraordinary thingsdestroy to an extraordinary degree
And be successful and do as he pleases;
He will 8:24 Or ruindestroy mighty men and 8:24 Lit people of the saintsthe holy people.
25 "And through his shrewdness
He will make deceit a success by his 8:25 Lit handinfluence;
And he will make himself great in his 8:25 Lit heartown mind,
And he will 8:25 Or ruindestroy many while they are8:25 Or secureat ease.
He will even 8:25 Lit stand againstoppose the Prince of princes,
But he will be broken without 8:25 Lit handhuman agency.
26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which has been told is true;
But as for you, keep the vision secret,
Because it pertains to many days in the future."
27 Then I, Daniel, was 8:27 Or done inexhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.