Daniel 7 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream; he told the sum of the matters.
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens broke forth upon the great sea.
2 Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another.
3 Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till its wings were plucked; and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
4 “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.
5 And behold, another beast, a second, like unto a bear, and it raised up itself on one side; and [it had] three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and they said thus unto it: Arise, devour much flesh.
5 “Behold, there was another animal, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Arise! Devour much flesh!’
6 After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon its back; and the beast had four heads; and dominion was given to it.
6 “After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceeding strong; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the rest with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another, a little horn, 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.
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 arrogantly.
9 I beheld till thrones were set, and the Ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was flames of fire, [and] its wheels burning fire.
9 “I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
10 A fiery stream issued and came out from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set. The books were opened.
11 I beheld therefore, because of the voice of the great words that the horn spoke; I beheld till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given up to be burned with fire.
11 “I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given 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.
12 As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven [one] like a son of man, and he came up even to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him 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 [that] which shall not be destroyed.
14 Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.
15 As for me Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the certainty of all this. And he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things:
16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. “So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, [that] shall arise out of the earth.
17 ‘These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who will arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most high [places] shall receive the kingdom, and they shall possess the kingdom for ever, even to the ages of ages.
18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19 Then I desired to know the certainty concerning the fourth beast, which was different from them all, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the rest with its feet;
19 “Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
20 and concerning the ten horns that were in its head, and the other that came up, and before which three fell: even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and whose look was more imposing than its fellows.
20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
21 I beheld, and that horn made war with the saints, and prevailed over them;
21 I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,
22 until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most high [places]; and the appointed time arrived, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 He said thus: The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
23 “So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces.
24 And as to the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall arise ten kings; and another shall arise after them; and he shall be different from the former, and he shall subdue three kings.
24 As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most high [places], and think to change seasons and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and a half time.
25 He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
26 And the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
26 “‘But the judgment will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
27 But the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high [places]. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
27 The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’
28 So far is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my countenance was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.
28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Daniel 5:1; Jeremiah 23:28; Amos 3:7; Daniel 4:5; Daniel 1:17
- 2 Revelation 7:1; Revelation 17:15
- 3 Revelation 13:1; Daniel 7:17; Daniel 2:32–33; Daniel 7:4–8; Ezekiel 19:3–8
- 4 Jeremiah 4:7; Isaiah 14:13–17; Daniel 5:18–23; Ezekiel 17:3; Habakkuk 1:6–8
- 5 Daniel 2:39; Jeremiah 50:21–32; Hosea 13:8; 2 Kings 2:24; Isaiah 13:17–18
- 6 Revelation 13:2; Daniel 11:3–20; Daniel 8:20–22; Daniel 2:39; Hosea 13:7
- 7 Revelation 13:1; Revelation 12:3; Revelation 17:12; Daniel 7:23–24; Daniel 7:19–20
- 8 Revelation 13:5–6; Revelation 13:1; Psalm 12:3; Revelation 13:11–13; Revelation 9:7
- 9 Revelation 1:14; Mark 9:3; Daniel 7:13; Matthew 17:2; Daniel 7:22
- 10 Isaiah 30:27; Deuteronomy 33:2; Revelation 20:11–15; Psalm 50:3; Revelation 5:11
- 11 Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10; Daniel 7:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 18:8
- 12 Daniel 8:7
- 13 Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:7; Luke 21:27; Revelation 14:14; Matthew 24:30
- 14 Revelation 11:15; Daniel 7:27; Daniel 2:44; John 3:35; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28
- 15 Daniel 7:28; Jeremiah 17:16; Romans 9:2–3; 2 Peter 1:14; Daniel 2:1
- 16 Revelation 7:13–14; Zechariah 2:3; Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:5; Daniel 12:5–6
- 17 Revelation 13:11; Daniel 7:3–4; Psalm 17:14; John 18:36; Revelation 13:1
- 18 Daniel 7:27; Isaiah 60:12–14; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 2:26–27
- 19 Daniel 7:7; Daniel 2:40–43
- 20 Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:23; Daniel 7:11; Daniel 8:9–11; Daniel 11:36–37
- 21 Daniel 12:7; Revelation 17:14; Daniel 8:24; Revelation 13:5–18; Revelation 12:3–4
- 22 Daniel 7:18; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 14:8–20
- 23 Daniel 7:7; Daniel 2:40; Luke 2:1
- 24 Daniel 7:20; Daniel 11:36; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:3; Revelation 17:16–18
- 25 Daniel 12:7; Revelation 12:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:5–11; Revelation 12:6
- 26 Revelation 20:10–11; Revelation 11:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Daniel 7:10–11; Daniel 7:22
- 27 Psalm 72:11; Revelation 11:15; Luke 1:33; Daniel 7:14; Psalm 22:27
- 28 Luke 2:19; Luke 2:51; Daniel 4:19; Daniel 7:15; Daniel 12:9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For the Scripture saith, "Ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and cried, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth; the whole creation is full of His glory." And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers …
The Lord, strong and mighty." And how also He should come again out of heaven with glory, hear what was spoken in reference to this by the prophet Jeremiah. His words are: "Behold, as the Son of man He cometh in the clouds of heaven, and His angels with Him." Chapter LII — Certain fulfilment of prophecy Since, then, we …
And then, again, since there are many, yea, innumerable angels who surround the Creator, as all the prophets acknowledge,--[saying, for instance,] "Ten thousand times ten thousand stood beside Him, and many thousands of thousands ministered unto Him," --then, according to them, the angels of the Pleroma will have as images the angels of the Creator, and the entire creation remains …
… king, who is recognized as Antichrist, and after this the eternal kingdom of the Son of man, that is to say, of Christ, he says, "My spirit was terrified, I Daniel in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me," etc.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… learned them out of the divine Scriptures used in the Church, and chiefly from the prophecy of Daniel just now read; as Gabriel also the Archangel interpreted it, speaking thus: The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall surpass all kingdoms.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)