Daniel 8

8 ¹ In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier. ² In the vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. ³ I looked up, and there before the canal stood a ram with two horns. Both horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, and the taller one came up last. ⁴ I watched the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No animal could stand against him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

⁵ As I was considering this, suddenly a male goat came from the west, sweeping across the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. ⁶ He came toward the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing beside the canal, and charged at him with furious force. ⁷ I saw him reach the ram, and in a rage he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. The ram had no strength to stand against him, so the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. ⁸ Then the goat became exceedingly great; but at the height of his strength the great horn was broken, and in its place four conspicuous horns came up toward the four winds of heaven.

⁹ Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. ¹⁰ It grew great, reaching up to the host of heaven, and it threw down to the earth some of the host and some of the stars, and trampled on them. ¹¹ It exalted itself even against the Prince of the host; the regular offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. ¹ 1 v11 The regular offering was the daily sacrifice offered each morning and evening in the temple. ¹² Because of transgression, the host was given over to it along with the regular offering; it threw truth to the ground, and it acted and prospered.

¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, "For how long is the vision—the regular offering, the transgression that brings desolation, and the giving over of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled?"

¹⁴ He said to me, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored to its rightful state."

Gabriel Explains the Vision

¹⁵ When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and there before me stood someone who looked like a man. ¹⁶ And I heard a human voice from the Ulai, calling out, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision."

¹⁷ He came near where I stood, and as he drew close I was terrified and fell facedown. But he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end."

¹⁸ While he was speaking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and set me on my feet.

¹⁹ He said, "Listen, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath, for it concerns the appointed time of the end. ²⁰ The ram you saw with the two horns is the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn between his eyes is the first king. ²² As for the horn that was broken, in whose place four others arose, four kingdoms will rise from his nation, but not with his power.

²³ At the end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their full measure, a fierce-faced king, skilled in intrigue, will arise. ²⁴ His power will be great—but not by his own power—and he will cause appalling destruction, and will succeed in what he does. He will destroy the mighty and the people of the holy ones. ²⁵ Through his cunning he will make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own heart he will magnify himself. Without warning he will destroy many, and he will even rise up against the Prince of princes—yet he will be broken, but by no human hand. ² 2 v25 The arrogant power that rises against the Prince of princes is shattered "by no human hand" — broken by heaven itself. This Prince, the Commander of the host, the church has long heard as Jesus, who alone overcomes every power set against our Father's people.

²⁶ The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true; but seal up the vision, for it concerns many days from now.

²⁷ 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 could not understand it.