The Book of Daniel

• Author: Daniel
• Place Written: Babylon
• When Written: c. 530 B.C.E.

CHAPTER 1

Jerusalem Besieged by the Babylonians – Daniel Taken to Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ² And Jehovah[1] gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar,[2] to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.[3]

Special Training for Young Royal Captives

³ Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, of the royal offspring[4] and of the nobles, ⁴ youths in whom there was no defect, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, gifted with knowledge, discernment, and capable to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. ⁵ The king assigned to them a daily ration from the king’s fine food and from the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.[5] 

⁶ Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel,[6] Hananiah,[7] Mishael,[8] and Azariah.[9] ⁷ And the commander of the court officials gave them names,[10] and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abednego.

Daniel’s Faithfulness

⁸ But Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s fine food or with the wine he drank. So he asked the chief official for permission that he might not defile himself. ⁹ Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the officials. ¹⁰ And the chief of the officials said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” ¹¹ Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the officials had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹² “Please, test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance with the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s fine foods, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

¹⁴ So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵ 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 fine food. ¹⁶ So the steward took away their fine food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

¹⁷ As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and insight in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. ¹⁸ At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ 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 that were in all his kingdom. ²¹ And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

CHAPTER 2

Nebuchadnezzar’s Disturbing Dream

2 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the conjurers,[11] the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans[12] be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,[13] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”

No Wise Man able to Interpret the Dream

5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: If you do not make the dream known to me, along with its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be totally destroyed.[14] 6 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.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is final, 9 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 till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans[15] answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who is able to do what the king demands, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 What the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

¹² Because of this the king was angry and very furious and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³ So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to put them to death. ¹⁴ Then Daniel replied with discretion and caution to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵ He said to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. ¹⁶ And Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream to Daniel

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, ¹⁸ and told them to request mercy from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. ²⁰ Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    for wisdom and mightiness are his.
²¹ 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;
²² he reveals the deep things and the hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
²³ To you, O God of my forefathers,
    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.”

²⁴ Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

Daniel Tells the Dream to the king

²⁵ Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found a man among the exiles of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.” ²⁶ The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” ²⁷ Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers,[16] magic-practicing priests,[17] nor diviners[18] can show to the king. ²⁸ but there is a God in heaven who is a revealer of secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. This is your dream, and these are the visions of your head as you lay on your bed: ²⁹ As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future, and the revealer of secrets has made known to you what shall take place. ³⁰ But as for me, this secret was not revealed to me because I have greater wisdom than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Daniel Interprets the Dream

³¹ “You saw, O king, and look, a great statue. This image, huge and extremely bright, stood before you, and its appearance was terrifying. ³² The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of copper, ³³ its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴ You looked until a stone was cut out, not by hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and of clay and crushed them ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

³⁶ “This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. ³⁷ You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory, ³⁸ and wherever the sons of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens has he given into your hand and has made you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. ³⁹ And after you there shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of copper, which shall rule over all the earth. ⁴⁰ And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, for just as iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things, and like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. ⁴¹ And just as you saw the feet and the toes to be partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the hardness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with soft clay. ⁴² And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. ⁴³ Just as you saw iron mixed with soft clay, they will be mixed with the offspring of mankind; but they will not stick together, one to the other, just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴ And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people; it shall crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it shall itself endure forever. ⁴⁵ Just as you saw that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall happen after this; so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Daniel Is Honored before the King

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. ⁴⁷ The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, for you have been able to reveal this secret.” ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ And Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon, but Daniel served in the king’s court.

CHAPTER 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the advisers, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the advisers, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 The herald loudly proclaimed: “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, triangular harp, stringed instrument, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, triangular harp, stringed instrument, and all the other musical instruments, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Three Hebrews Charged with not obeying – The Fiery Furnace

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans[19] came forward and brought accusation against the Jews.[20] ⁹ They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, triangular harp, stringed instrument, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments, shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have no regard for you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the zither, the triangular harp, the stringed instrument, the bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who can rescue you out of my hands?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Thrown into the Fiery Furnace

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury that the expression of his face changed[21] against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their garments, their hats, and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. ²² Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Rescued Miraculously from the Fire

²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his advisers, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” ²⁵ He answered and said, “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.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire. ²⁷ And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s advisors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come onto them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and changed the very word of the king, and gave over their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or population of any language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses shall be totally destroyed,^[22] because there is no other god who is able to save in this way.” ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.[23]

CHAPTER 4

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

³ How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

⁴ [24]“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ⁶ Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then came in the magic-practicing priests,[25] the conjurers, the Chaldeans,[26] and the astrologers, and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me the interpretation. ⁸ But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying, ⁹ “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magic-practicing priests, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen and the interpretation. ¹⁰ Now were the visions of my head[27] on my bed: I saw, and look, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height of it was great. ¹¹ The tree grew and became strong, and the height of it reached to the heavens, and the sight of it was to the end of all the earth. ¹² Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field dwelt under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹³ “I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and look, a watcher and a holy one came down from the heavens. ¹⁴ He called out loudly and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵ But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and copper, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of the heavens. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from man’s and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the request by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ ¹⁸ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell its interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was alarmed for a moment, and his thoughts frightened him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation frighten you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies. ²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the heavens, and was visible to all the earth, ²¹ whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived, ²² it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. ²³ And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from the heavens and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and copper, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him,’ ²⁴ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, ²⁵ that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as an ox, and shall be wet with the dew of the heavens, and seven times shall pass over you; till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to him whom he will. ²⁶ And because they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure to you, after you know that the heavens are ruling. ²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, that there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

The Humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar

²⁸ All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. ³⁰ And the king answered and said, “Is not this Babylon the Great, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” ³¹ While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, ³² and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” ³³ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

³⁴ At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to the heavens, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
³⁵ all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
    and he does according to his will among the armies of the heavens
    and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can check his hand
    or say to him, “What have you done?”

³⁶ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My advisers and my lords sought me, and I was restored to my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are true and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

CHAPTER 5

The Feast of King Belshazzar

5 Belshazzar the king made[28] a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

² Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father[29] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³ Then they brought the gold vessels[30] that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of copper, iron, wood and stone.

The Handwriting on the Wall

⁵ At that moment 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 back of the hand as it wrote. ⁶ Then the king’s facial expression changed, and his thoughts terrified him, and his hips shook, and his knees knocked together. ⁷ The king called loudly to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans,[31] and the astrologers. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” ⁸ Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his facial expression changed, and his lords were perplexed.

¹⁰ Because of the words of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banqueting hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever. Do not let your thoughts terrify you, nor let your face be pale. ¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods;[32] and in the days of your father, enlightenment, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magic-practicing priests,[33] conjurers, Chaldeans,[34] and diviners, ¹² because an extraordinary spirit and knowledge and insight to interpret dreams, to explain riddles, and to solve problems[35] were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. ¹⁴ I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵ And now the wise men, the conjurers, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. ¹⁶ But I have heard concerning you that you can give interpretations and solve problems.[36] Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. ¹⁸ You, O king, the Most High God granted the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. ¹⁹ And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. ²⁰ But when his heart became haughty and his spirit became hardened, so that he acted proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his dignity was taken from him. ²¹ He was driven from among the sons of men, and his heart was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he wants. ²² “But you, his son[37] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all of this, ²³ but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of copper, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know. But you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your breath and all your ways.

²⁴ “So the hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵ And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.[38] 

Interpretation: Babylon Shall Fall

²⁶ This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;

²⁷ TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;

²⁸ PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

²⁹ Then Belshazzar commanded,[39] and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰ That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. ³¹  [40]And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

CHAPTER 6

Persian Officials Conspire against Daniel, Causing Him to Be Thrown into the Lions’ Den

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; ² 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. ³ Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king planned to elevate him over the entire kingdom. ⁴ Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find grounds for accusation against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no grounds for accusation or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any grounds for accusation against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶ So these high officials and satraps went in as a group to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the advisers and the governors are agreed that the king should establish a royal statute and enforce a decree, 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. ⁸ Now, O king, establish the statute and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the royal statute and decree.

Daniel Endures in Prayer

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the royal statute had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. And three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed and offered praise before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came together and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. ¹² Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the decree, “O king! Did you not sign a decree, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The matter is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the decree you have signed, but three times a day he is praying.”

¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was greatly distressed, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and until the sun set, he made every effort to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men came together to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute that the king establishes can be changed.”

Daniel Thrown Into the lions’ Den

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ¹⁷ And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no entertainment was brought to him, and his sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then, at the first light of dawn, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. ²⁰ As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out with a sad voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! ²² My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, forasmuch I was found innocent before him; and also, before you, O king, I have done no harm.” ²³ Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions, they, their sons, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

King Darius Honors Daniel’s God

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell throughout the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. ²⁶ I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion men 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 to the end.
²⁷ He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
he who has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

CHAPTER 7

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,[41] Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel spoke and said, “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 came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings: I beheld until the wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man; and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 And look, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I beheld, and look, another,[42] like a leopard, which had upon its back[43] four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and look, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped the remainder with its feet: and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

⁹ “I beheld until,

thrones were placed,
    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 fiery flames;
    its wheels were burning fire.
¹⁰ A stream of fire issued
    and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
    and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
    and the books were opened.

¹¹ “I beheld at that time because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. I beheld even until the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. ¹² As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Made King

¹³ “I kept looking 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.
¹⁴ 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.

Daniel’s Vision Interpreted

¹⁵ “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions of my head troubled me. ¹⁶ I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ¹⁷ ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. ¹⁸ But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever.’^[44]

¹⁹ “Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all of them, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and its claws of copper; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the remainder with its feet, ²⁰ 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 whose appearance was bigger than the others. ²¹ I beheld, as that horn made war on the holy ones, and prevailed against them, ²² until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.

²³ “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
    which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
    and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
²⁴ 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.
²⁵ He shall speak words against the Most High,
    and shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High,
    and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they[45] shall be given into his hand
    for a time, times, and half a time.[46]
²⁶ But the court shall sit in judgment,
    and his dominion shall be taken away,
    to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
²⁷ And the kingdom and the dominion
    and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
    shall be given to the holy ones of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

²⁸ “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my facial expression changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

CHAPTER 8

Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat

8 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel,[47] after the one that appeared to me at the beginning. 2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and look, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram making thrusts to the west[48] and to the north and to the south,[49] and no wild beasts could stand before it, and there was no one who could provide rescue from its hand.[50] It did as it pleased and exalted itself.

⁵ 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. ⁶ He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful rage. ⁷ And 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. ⁸ Then the male goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

⁹ And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south,[51] and toward the sunrise, and toward the glorious land. ¹⁰ It grew great, even to the army of the heavens. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. ¹¹ It exalted itself even against the Prince of the army, and from him the continual sacrifice was taken away, and the established place of his sanctuary was thrown down. ¹² And an army will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. ¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the continual sacrifice, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and army to be trampled underfoot?” ¹⁴ And he said to me,[52] “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful condition.”

The Interpretation of the Vision

¹⁵ And it came about when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And look, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. ¹⁶ And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” ¹⁷ 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.”

¹⁸ Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright. ¹⁹ And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what will happen in the period of the wrath, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. ²⁰ As for the ram which you saw with the two horns, these stands for the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ And the hairy male goat stands for the king of Greece; and the great horn that was between its eyes stands for the first king. ²² As for the horn that was broken, so that four stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from his nation[53] that shall stand up, but not with his power. ²³ And at the latter end of their kingdom, as the transgressors act to a completion, a fierce-looking king who is skilled in intrigue shall stand up. ²⁴ His power shall become great, but not through his own power; and he shall bring terrible destruction, and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the holy ones. ²⁵ And according to his insight[54] he shall cause deception to succeed by his hand. And he shall magnify himself in his heart. And he shall destroy many while they are at ease. And against the Prince of princes, he shall stand up, but it shall be without hand that he shall be broken. ²⁶ The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true,[55] but seal up the vision,[56] for it refers to many days from now.”[57]

²⁷ And I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and carried out the business of the king, and I was disturbed  over the vision, and no one could understand it.[58]

CHAPTER 9

Daniel’s Prayer for His People

9 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus,[59] a descendant of the Medes who had been made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,[60] 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

³ Then I turned my face to the Jehovah[61] God, entreating him in prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. ⁴ I prayed to Jehovah my God and made confession, saying, “O Jehovah, the great and awe-inspiring God, who keeps covenant and loyal love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and your judgments. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our forefathers, and to all the people of the land. ⁷ To you, O Jehovah,[62] belongs righteousness, but to us open shame,[63] 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 to which you have driven them, because of their unfaithfulness with which they acted against you. ⁸ To us, O Jehovah,[64] belongs open shame,[65] to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. ⁹ To Jehovah[66] our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰ and have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. ¹¹ Indeed all Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, not obeying your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against him.[67] ¹² He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us,[68] by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heavens there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. ¹³ As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of Jehovah our God, turning from our error, and gaining insight by your truth. ¹⁴ Therefore Jehovah has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for Jehovah our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. ¹⁵ And now, O Jehovah[69] our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly.

¹⁶ “O Jehovah,[70] according to all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins, and for the errors of our forefathers, Jerusalem and your people are an object of reproach to all those around us. ¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his entreaties for mercy, and for your own sake, O Jehovah,[71] make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. ¹⁸ O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our entreaties before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ O Jehovah,[72] hear; O Jehovah,[73] forgive. O Jehovah,[74] pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

Gabriel Brings an Answer to Daniel

²⁰ Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before Jehovah my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, ²¹ while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me when I was extremely weary at about the time of the evening gift offering. ²² He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. ²³ At the beginning of your entreaty the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.

The Seventy Prophetic Weeks

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. ²⁵ Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one,[75] a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in times of distress. ²⁶ And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are determined. ²⁷ And he shall make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And upon the wing of abominations[76] shall come the one causing desolation,[77] even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one causing desolation.”

CHAPTER 10

10 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 was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. ³ I ate no fine foods, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris),[78] ⁵ I lifted my eyes and looked, and look, there was a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. ⁶ 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 copper, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ⁷ And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me, for my radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. ⁹ And I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

¹⁰ And look, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, you highly esteemed man, pay attention to 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 up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, “Fear not, 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. ¹³ The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael,[79] one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ¹⁴ Now I have come to give you an understanding of what shall happen to your people in the end of the days, for it is a vision yet for the days to come.”

¹⁵ When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless. ¹⁶ And look, one in the likeness of the sons of men[80] touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision anxieties fell upon me, and I retain no strength. ¹⁷ For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.”

¹⁸ Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me. ¹⁹ And he said, “O man highly esteemed, fear not, peace be with you; be strong, yes, be strong.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰ 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, look, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹ But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth, and there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael,[81] your prince.

CHAPTER 11

The Kings of Persia and Greece

11 “And as for me, in the first year of Darius[82] the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

² 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. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. ³ And a mighty king shall arise, and he shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. ⁴ And as soon as he has stood up,[83] his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

The Kings of the South and the North

⁵ “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a greater dominion. ⁶ 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 arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, along with those who brought her in, he who fathered her, and he who supported her[84] in those times.

⁷ “And one from the sprout of her roots shall stand up in his position, and he shall come to the army and come against the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. ⁸ Also their gods, with their metal images,[85] with their precious vessels of silver and of gold, he shall take captive to Egypt; and for some years he shall stand off from the king of the north, ⁹ Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

¹⁰ “His sons[86] shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall wage war up to his fortress. ¹¹ Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. ¹² And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. ¹³ For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the former, and after some years[87] he shall come on with a great army and many supplies.

¹⁴ “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.[88] ¹⁵ And the king of the north shall come and throw up a siege rampart and capture a fortified city. And the arms of the south shall not stand, nor shall his select men; and they shall have no power to stand. ¹⁶ The one coming against him shall do as he pleases, and no one shall stand before him; he shall stand in the land of the beauty,[89] with destruction in his hand. ¹⁷ He shall set his face to come with the full force of his kingdom, and he shall make an agreement;[90] and he shall perform them; he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy her. But she shall not stand for him or be for him. ¹⁸ Afterward he shall turn his face back to the coastlands and shall capture many. But a commander shall put a stop to his reproach against him; he shall turn his reproach upon him. ¹⁹ Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

²⁰ “Then there shall stand up in his position one who causes an exactor[91] to pass through the glory of his kingdom, but in a few days,[92] he shall be broken, though not in anger nor in warfare. ²¹ And there shall stand up in his place a despicable one, and they have not conferred the majesty of the kingdom; and he shall come in during a time of security and seize the kingdom by intrigue. ²² Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the leader of the covenant. ²³ And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully, and he shall rise, and he shall become powerful by means of a little nation. ²⁴ In a time of tranquility he shall enter the richest parts[93] of the province, and he shall accomplish what his fathers and their fathers have not done; he shall distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he shall devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵ And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he will not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. ²⁶ Even those who eat his food shall break him; and his army shall be swept away,[94] and many shall fall down slain. ²⁷ As for both kings, their heart shall be inclined to do what is evil, and they shall speak lies to each other at the same table; but it shall not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. ²⁸ Then he shall return to his land with many possessions, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant, and he shall take action and he shall return to his own land.

²⁹ “At the appointed time he shall return, and he shall come into the south, but it shall not be as it was before. ³⁰ For ships of Kittim[95] shall come against him; therefore he shall be disheartened and shall return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he shall come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹ Forces from him shall stand up, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the continual sacrifice. And they shall set up the abomination[96] that causes desolation.[97] ³² And those who act wickedly against the covenant, he shall pollute by means of smooth words; but the people who know their God shall prevail and act effectively. ³³ And those having insight among the people shall impart understanding to the many; yet they shall be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days. ³⁴ Now when they stumble, they shall be given a little help; and many shall join with them by means of smooth speech. ³⁵ And some of those having insight shall stumble, in order to refine, purge and cleanse them until the time of the end, because it is still to come at the appointed time.

³⁶ “Then the king shall do as he pleases, and he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed shall be done. ³⁷ He shall show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor shall he show regard for any other god; for he shall magnify himself above them all. ³⁸ But instead he shall give glory to the god of fortresses; to a god that his fathers did not know he shall give glory by means of gold and silver and precious stones and desirable things. ³⁹ He shall act effectively against the most fortified strongholds, along with a foreign god; he shall give great honor to those who acknowledge him and shall cause them to rule over the many, and he shall distribute land for a price.

⁴⁰ “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. ⁴¹ And he shall come into the beautiful land, and many shall fall victim, but these shall escape from his power: Edom and Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. ⁴² And he shall stretch out his hand against countries and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³ And he shall rule over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. ⁴⁴ But reports out of the east and out of the north shall disturb him, and he shall go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. ⁴⁵ And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea[98] and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.

CHAPTER 12

The Time of the End

12 “Now at that time Michael,[99] the great prince who stands up for the sons of your people, shall arise. And there shall be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, shall be rescued. ² 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. ³ And the ones who are wise shall shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. ⁴ But as for you, O Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro,[100] and knowledge[101] shall increase.”

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked and look, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. ⁶ And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” ⁷ And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time,[102] and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. ⁸ I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” ⁹ He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. ¹¹ And from the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that causes desolation[103] is set up there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. ¹² Happy is the one who is eagerly waiting and who arrives at the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. ¹³ But go your way till the end;[104] and you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

[1] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[2] That is, Babylonia

[3] (אֱלֹהָיו elohav plural of elohah) a plural of majesty, denoting grandeur

[4] Lit the seed of the kingship

MT LXX^Br VG “the land of Shinar” LXX “Babylon”

[5] Or enter the king’s service

[6] Meaning “God is my judge”

[7] Meaning “Jehovah has shown favor”

[8] Meaning “who is like God?”

[9] Meaning “helped by Jehovah”

[10] That is, Babylonian names

[11] Or enchanters; a person who practices sorcery through enchantments, the state of being under a spell; magic

[12] That is persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[13] Aramaic: (אֲרַמִּי Arammi from אֲרָם Aram;  אֲרָמִית Aramith) It is a Semitic language similar to Phoenician and Hebrew, using the same alphabet. It was the language of the Arameans, who were present in northwestern Mesopotamia, with their kingdoms being mentioned in the Bible account at the same time as the development of the nation of Israel. Aramaic would become the international language of trade and communication in the Assyrian and Babylonian empires and the official administrative language of the Persian Empire. (Ezra 4:7) Parts of the OT were written in Aramaic: Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Dan. 2:4b-7:28; Jer. 10:11.

[14] Or garbage dumps; dunghills; laid in ruins

[15] That is, persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[16] Or enchanters; a person who practices sorcery through enchantments, the state of being under a spell; magic

[17] Magic-practicing priests is a literal rendering and specific translation of the Hebrew (חַרְטֹם  chartom). Magic-working sorcery is grounded in the idea that evil spirits (demons) can be captured and controlled by the magician. These magic-practicing priests had great power and control over the people’s lives, extorting money from those who believed that they possessed supernatural powers over the demons. It was believed that these sorcerers could summon the demons and make them obey. However, the demons had no power or control over the sorcerers. These spiritistic practices were devised by the ancient Chaldeans of Babylonia in the eighth century B.C.E. and were often used by the king of the Babylonian court. These magic-practicing priests supposedly controlled and made use of the evil spirits (demons) to produce unnatural effects on the world. – Dan. 2:27

[18] Astrologer, Magician, Soothsayer, Sorcerer, Wise man, or Priest: (Aram. gezar; Gr. magos) A person who studies the positions of the Moon, Sun, and other planets in the belief that they can predict future events. A person of the pagan world who was respected for their occultist knowledge of medicine, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. – Dan. 2:27; Matt. 2:1.

[19] That is, persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[20] Lit ate the pieces of the Jews

[21] That is, Nebuchadnezzar’s attitude changed

[22] Or garbage dumps; dunghills; laid in ruins

[23] Here SYR ends chap. 3; M LXX^Br Vg continue chap. 3 for three more vss.

[24] At the beginning of the verse, the LXX adds “In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he said.”

[25] Magic-practicing priests is a literal rendering and specific translation of the Hebrew. Magic-working sorcery is grounded in the idea that evil spirits (demons) can be captured and controlled by the magician. These magic-practicing priests had great power and control over the people’s lives, extorting money from those who believed that they possessed supernatural powers over the demons. It was believed that these sorcerers could summon the demons and make them obey. However, the demons had no power or control over the sorcerers. These spiritistic practices were devised by the ancient Chaldeans of Babylonia in the eighth century B.C.E. and were often used by the king of the Babylonian court. These magic-practicing priests supposedly controlled and made use of the evil spirits (demons) to produce unnatural effects on the world.

[26] That is, persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[27] The LXX lacks “Now were the visions of my head”

[28] That is, held

[29] Or predecessor; also verses 11, 13, 18

[30] VG “vessels of gold and silver”

[31] That is persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[32] Spirit of … gods Aram., ruach-ʼelahin′; Or possibly the Spirit of the holy God

[33] Magic-practicing priests is a literal rendering and specific translation of the Hebrew. Magic-working sorcery is grounded in the idea that evil spirits (demons) can be captured and controlled by the magician. These magic-practicing priests had great power and control over the people’s lives, extorting money from those who believed that they possessed supernatural powers over the demons. It was believed that these sorcerers could summon the demons and make them obey. However, the demons had no power or control over the sorcerers. These spiritistic practices were devised by the ancient Chaldeans of Babylonia in the eighth century B.C.E. and were often used by the king of the Babylonian court. These magic-practicing priests supposedly controlled and made use of the evil spirits (demons) to produce unnatural effects on the world.

[34] That is, persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[35] Lit to untie knots

[36] Lit to untie knots

[37] Or descendant

[38] Lit a Mina, a Mina, a Shekel and Half Shekels

[39] Lit said

[40] MT LXX begin chap. 6 here

[41] VG “Babylon” MT SYR “Babel” LXX “land of Babylonia” LXX^Br “the Chaldeans”

[42] LXX SYR “Beast” MT lacks

[43] MT^margin “Back” MT “sides”

[44] Lit and unto the age of the ages

[45] MT SYR VG “They” LXX “all things” LXX^Br “it”

[46] That is, three and a half times

[47] Lit I, Daniel

[48] Lit the sea, that is, the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

[49] Lit the Negev, that is, the southern part of the Promised Land. The Negev was an arid region in the southern part of Palestine, and its name came to mean south.

[50] That is, from its power

[51] Lit the Negev, that is, the southern part of the Promised Land. The Negev was an arid region in the southern part of Palestine, and its name came to mean south.

[52] LXX SYR VG “him”

[53] LXX VG “his nation” MT SYR “the nation”

[54] MT “According to his insight” LXX “And his thoughts are against the holy ones”

[55] Lit truth; Heb., ʼemet

[56] That is, keep the vision secret; Heb., satar

[57] Lit for to days many; that is, to the distant future

[58] Lit make me understand

[59] MT LXX^Br SYR VG “Ahasuerus,” LXX “Xerxes”

[60] That is, persons who were skilled in divination and astrology.

[61] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[62] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[63] Lit shame of face

[64] Leningrad B 19^A

[65] Lit shame of face

[66] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[67] MT LXX SYR VG “him” Many Heb. MSS “you”

[68] Or our rulers who ruled us

[69] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[70] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[71] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[72] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[73] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[74] This is one of the 134 scribal changes from יהוה [JHVH] to אדני [Adonai]. The earliest MSS have the Tetragrammaton.

[75] Or Messiah

[76] Abomination: (שִׁקּוּץ shiqquts or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts) It means abhorrence, an object to abhor, horror, monster, filth. The sense of shiqquts is that of a pagan idol that is worshiped, emphasizing the result of the idol worshiper becoming detestable, implying that it can make a person unclean. – 2 Ki 23:13; Ez. 5:11; 11:21; Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Hos. 9:10.

[77] Abomination of Desolation: (Heb. שִׁקּוּץ shiqquts or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts שָׁמֵם shamem Gr. βδέλυγμα bdelugma ἐρήμωσις erēmōsis) An expression by Jesus recorded in Mathew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 referring to Daniel 11:31 and 12:11. Bdelugma refers to something that is an abomination, unclean, which horrifies clean persons, leaving them disgusted. Eremoseos has the sense of an extensive desolating act or destruction, which caused total ruin, leaving no place for shelter.

[78] MT “Hiddekel” LXX VG “Tigris” SYR “Euphrates”

[79] Meaning Who Is Like God?

[80] DSS LXX “something that looked like a human hand”

[81] Meaning Who Is Like God?

[82] MT SYR VG “Darius” LXX “Cyrus”

[83] Or risen

[84] MT “he who supported her” SYR VG “her child”

[85] Or molten statues

[86] MT^margin LXX^Br VG “sons” MT LXX “son”

[87] Lit at the end of the times, years

[88] Or shall fail

[89] That is, Palestine

[90] MT “uprightness” one letter MT^emendation and we get the reading, “agreement”

[91] That is, exactor of taxes

[92] MT VG “in a few days,” one Heb. MSS “in later days” LXX “in final days”

[93] Lit the fatness

[94] MT LXX “will flood over” LXX^Br “will sweep away (armies)” SYR “will be scattered” VG “will be overthrown”

[95] That is, Cyprus; MT “ships of Kittim” LXX “Romans” VG “triremes and Romans”

[96] Abomination: (שִׁקּוּץ shiqquts or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts) It means abhorrence, an object to abhor, horror, monster, filth. The sense of shiqquts is that of a pagan idol that is worshiped, emphasizing the result of the idol worshiper becoming detestable, implying that it can make a person unclean. – 2 Ki 23:13; Ez. 5:11; 11:21; Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Hos. 9:10.

[97] Abomination of Desolation: (Heb. שִׁקּוּץ shiqquts or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts שָׁמֵם shamem Gr. βδέλυγμα bdelugma ἐρήμωσις erēmōsis) An expression by Jesus recorded in Mathew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 referring to Daniel 11:31 and 12:11. Bdelugma refers to an abomination, unclean, which horrifies clean persons, leaving them disgusted. Eremoseos has the sense of an extensive desolating act or destruction, which caused total ruin, leaving no place for shelter.

[98] MT LXX VG “seas” SYR “sea”

[99] Meaning Who Is Like God?

[100] That is, examine the book thoroughly

[101] LXX “unrighteousness”

[102] That is, three and a half times

[103] Abomination of Desolation: (Heb. שִׁקּוּץ shiqquts or שִׁקֻּץ shiqquts שָׁמֵם shamem Gr. βδέλυγμα bdelugma ἐρήμωσις erēmōsis) An expression by Jesus recorded in Mathew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 referring to Daniel 11:31 and 12:11. Bdelugma refers to an abomination, unclean, which horrifies clean persons, leaving them disgusted. Eremoseos has the sense of an extensive desolating act or destruction, which caused total ruin, leaving no place for shelter.

[104] LXX lacks “to the end”