Daniel 8 Commentary

Updated: Wed, 11/11/2026 - 11:28 By admin

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Charts from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission

Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of BELSHAZZAR the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously.

BGT Daniel 8:1 ἔτους τρίτου βασιλεύοντος Βαλτασαρ ὅρασις ἣν εἶδον ἐγὼ Δανιηλ μετὰ τὸ ἰδεῖν με τὴν πρώτην
--- Daniel (TH) 8:1 ἐν ἔτει τρίτῳ τῆς βασιλείας Βαλτασαρ τοῦ βασιλέως ὅρασις ὤφθη πρός με ἐγὼ Δανιηλ μετὰ τὴν ὀφθεῖσάν μοι τὴν ἀρχήν

LXE Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Baltasar a vision appeared to me, even to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

KJV Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

NET Daniel 8:1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously.

CSB Daniel 8:1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier.

ESV Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

NIV Daniel 8:1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me.

NLT Daniel 8:1 During the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me.

NRS Daniel 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 at first.

NJB Daniel 8:1 In the third year of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had originally appeared to me.

NAB Daniel 8:1 After this first vision, I, Daniel, had another, in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar.

YLT Daniel 8:1 'In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision hath appeared unto me -- I Daniel -- after that which had appeared unto me at the beginning.

GWN Daniel 8:1 In Belshazzar's third year as king, I, Daniel, saw a vision. This vision came after the one I saw earlier.

BBE Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the rule of Belshazzar the king, a vision was seen by me, Daniel, after the one I saw at first.

RSV Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

NKJ Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me-- to me, Daniel-- after the one that appeared to me the first time.

ASV Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me, Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

DBY Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared unto me, even to me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

BHT Daniel 8:1 Bišnat šälôš lümalkût Bël´šaccar hammeºlek Häzôn nir´â ´ëlay ´ánî däniyyë´l ´aHárê hannir´â ´ëlay BaTTüHillâ

NIRV Daniel 8:1 It was the third year of King Belshazzar's rule. After the vision that had already appeared to me, I had another one.

RWB Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

Third year: Da 7:1
Me, Daniel - Da 8:15 Da 7:15,28 Da 9:2 Da 10:2,7 11:4
I Daniel - phrase occurs in Da 8:15 8:27 9:2 10:2 10:7 12:5
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Related Passages:

Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it.

Daniel 9:2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Daniel 10:2; 7 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. (10:7) Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.

DANIEL'S
SECOND VISION

Daniel 8 marks an important transition as the inspired prophet switches from Aramaic (Da 2:4b–7:28) back to Hebrew (Da 8:1–12:13), the language used in the opening section of the book (Da 1:1–2:4a). While we cannot be dogmatic about the reason, the change appears significant. The Aramaic section, written in the international language of the day, focuses primarily on the rise and fall of Gentile world empires. In contrast, the final five chapters focus more specifically on Israel, God's covenant people, and how these Gentile powers will affect the Jewish people and their land, both in the near future from Daniel's perspective and in the distant future, extending to “the end of the age” (Da 12:13). This prophetic emphasis is underscored by repeated references to “the end” (Da 8:17, 19; 9:26; 11:27, 35, 40; 12:4, 6, 9). Thus, the return to Hebrew appropriately accompanies the renewed focus on Israel's prophetic future and God's ultimate fulfillment of His covenant purposes.

NET Note - The third year of King Belshazzar’s reign would have been ca. 551 B.C. Daniel would have been approximately 69 years old at the time of this vision. Previously = Heb “in the beginning.” This refers to the vision described in chapter seven.

Donald Campbell - The earlier chapters (Da 2:4-7:28) are in Aramaic, the language of the Gentile world of the day, because the material emphasizes the destinies of the Gentile nations-their rise, progress, decline, and collapse. Beginning with Daniel 8 and continuing through the remainder of the book, the emphasis is on the destiny of the people of Israel. The plight and fortunes of Israel are now traced through the period already discussed from a Gentile perspective. Now we are to study human history as it relates to Israel, and the original language of the text is appropriately Hebrew. (Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams - well written, practical, recommended)

Daniel Whitcomb adds that "The introduction to the book of Daniel (Da 1:1-2:4) and the final chapters of the book beginning at this verse (Da 8:1-12:13) were written in Hebrew with the people of Israel primarily in perspective. Daniel 2:4-7:28 was written in Aramaic, the common commercial language of the Fertile Crescent, to reach an ever wider audience for the sake of witness to the true God of Israel (see comments at 2:4). It is fascinating that the Aramaic section begins and ends with the two perspectives of the four great Gentile kingdoms (Daniel 2 and Daniel 7). Similarly, the book Jeremiah was written mainly to Israel, but the one verse in the book that aims at the wider audience is written in Aramaic and contains a powerful challenge to the false gods of the Gentile world: "Thus you shall say to them, 'The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens' " (Jer. 10:11). (Bolding added) (See verse by verse comments in Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

John Walvoord makes the point that "although many expositors divide the book of Daniel into two halves (1–6 and 7–12), there are also good reasons for dividing Daniel into three sections (Da 1, Da 2–7, Da 8–12). The first of Daniel’s own visions recorded in Daniel 7 is a broad summary of the times of the Gentiles, with emphasis on the climactic events culminating in the second coming of Christ to the earth. Beginning in Daniel 8, Daniel’s second vision concerns the empires of Persia and Greece as they relate to Israel. Under Persian government, Israelites went back to rebuild their land and their city, Jerusalem. Under Grecian domination, in particular under Antiochus Epiphanes, the city and the temple were again desolated. Daniel 9 presents Israel’s history from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the inauguration of the kingdom from heaven at the second coming of Christ immediately preceded by the time of great trouble for Israel. Daniel 10–11 reveal the events relating the Persian and Greek Empires to Israel, with emphasis on the Gentile oppression of Israel. The final section, Da 11:36—12:13, deals with the end of the age, the period of the revived Roman Empire, and the deliverance of Israel. It is fitting that the last five chapters of Daniel should be written in Hebrew, the language of Israel. (Daniel 8 The Vision Of The Ram And The Goat)

Appeared to me, Daniel - Daniel is clearly claiming that he is the writer of this book. He is speaking in the first all through chapter 8 (The first person singular pronoun "I" is used in Da 8:2, 8:3, 8:4, 8:5, 8:6, 8:7, 8:13, 8:15, 8:16, 8:17, 8:18, 8:19 8:27)

Outline of Daniel 8 - The Vision of the Ram, the Goat and the Rather Small Horn

Daniel 8:1,2 - The Time and Place of the Vision
Daniel 8:3-14 The Contents of the Vision
Daniel 8:15-26 The Interpretation of the Vision
Daniel 8:27 The Impact of the Vision

Campbell - In the first (Daniel 7), Daniel saw four world empires to which his people would be subject for long centuries -- Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. He now receives more knowledge concerning the second and third of these empires, Persia and Greece. The reason for this is clear: In the latter period of Grecian domination of Israel, a ruler would arise who would unleash terrible hatred against the Jews. (Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams - well written, practical, recommended)

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar - This was two years after Daniel's first vision in Daniel 7:1ff and as shown in the chart below chronologically Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 occur before Daniel 5 (the night of Belshazzar’s feast) which marks the end of the Belshazzar's reign and the end of the Kingdom of Babylon. You will read some commentaries that place Daniel 8 near the downfall of Babylon, but with the discovery of the Babylonian Chronicles (allowing more accurate dating of Belshazzar's reign), it is clear that the vision of Daniel 8 occurred at least 12 years prior to the night of Belshazzar's blasphemous party in Babylon.

The third year is ~551 BC and Daniel is a "mature" older saint (~69yo - my age as I write these notes - as an aside young readers remember that God wants to use you fully, every day of your life, so don't "retire" from Christianity when you grow older! As I revise these notes I am now 80yo - brothers and sisters let our motto be "Let's finish well!") when he received vision #2 of 4 visions. To help keep one's perspective in this great prophetic section of Daniel, recall that Daniel 7-12 describes Daniel's four separate visions which are summarized in the chart below. Notice that the first and second visions are actually given to Daniel during the reign of Belshazzar, and thus chronologically fall between chapters 4 and 5 (are you confused now? See table below). Daniel 5 (Da 5:26-31) marks the fall of the Babylonian kingdom and the rise of the Medo-Persian kingdom, during which the prophet received his third (Da 9:1, Da 9:23) and fourth (Da 10:1) visions. The fourth and final vision begins in Daniel 10:1 and extends through the end of the book, Daniel 12:13.

Subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously - Daniel is alluding to his first vision, described in Daniel 7:1. “Subsequent to” is ‘acharei (0310), “after.” “Previously” is battechillah, from techillah (08462), “at the first, at the beginning.” “Appeared” is the passive (Niphal) of ra’ah, “to see,” that is, “was shown.” The vision was something God showed Daniel, not something Daniel brought about himself. The two visions were about two years apart. The first came in Belshazzar’s first year (Da 7:1) and the second in his third year (Da 8:1).

Daniel links the two visions because the second builds on the first. Chapter 8 focuses on the second and third kingdoms of chapter 7, the bear and the leopard, now pictured as a ram (Medo-Persia, Da 8:20) and a male goat (Greece, Da 8:21). It also introduces another “little horn," specifically "a rather small horn" (Da 8:9). Most conservative interpreters see this horn as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who arose from the Greek kingdom (after Alexander the Great's death and breakup into 4 horns or kingdoms), and distinguish him from the "little horn" of chapter 7, who arises from the fourth kingdom. Yet many feel Antiochus is a foreshadowing of the final Antichrist.

Daniel uses the same word, battechillah, once more, and it points back to this vision. In Daniel 9 he recognizes his visitor as the angel he had met here: “while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering” (Da 9:21; cf. Da 8:16).

CHRONOLOGY OF DANIEL'S FOUR VISIONS
	FIRST VISION	SECOND VISION		THIRD VISION	FOURTH VISION
Daniel 4	Daniel 7	Daniel 8	Daniel 5	Daniel 9	Daniel 10
King: Nebuchadnezzar	King: Belshazzar's First Year	King: Belshazzar's Third Year	Fall of Babylon Last Year of Belshazzar	King Darius (Mede) 1st Year of Reign	King Cyrus (Persian) 3rd Year of Reign
	~553BC	~551BC	539BC	539BC	~534BC
--	Daniel 7:1	Daniel 8:1	--	Da 9:1 Da 9:23	Daniel 10:1
Daniel ~47-51yo	Daniel ~67yo	Daniel ~69yo	Daniel ~81yo	Daniel ~81yo	Daniel ~86yo
For more complete chart see Tony Garland's Book of Daniel - Chronological Structure of Daniel

Or looked at from another vantage point…

AFTER DANIEL 4 BUT BEFORE DANIEL 5

Vision #1 - Daniel 7:1 - First year of King Belshazzar (~553 BC) - Daniel ~ 67 yo
Vision #2 - Daniel 8:1 - Third year of King Belshazzar (~551 BC) - Daniel ~ 69 yo

AFTER THE FALL OF BABYLON 539BC

Vision #3 - Daniel 9:2, 23 - First year of Darius the Mede (~539 BC) - Daniel ~ 81 yo
Vision #4 - Daniel 10:1 - Third year of Cyrus the Persian (~534 BC) - Daniel ~ 86 yo

🙏 THOUGHT – Beloved, Daniel's vision at Susa reminds us that God knows the course of history before its events unfold. While Babylon still ruled, Daniel received a revelation concerning the empires that would follow it. The LORD declares that He is the One who announces “the end from the beginning” and accomplishes all His good pleasure (Isa 46:9,10). This prophetic revelation should deepen our confidence in the reliability of God's Word, especially when earthly powers appear invincible and there are wars and rumors of wars (as is the case in Fall, 2026 with Iran threatening to produce a nuclear bomb!) Daniel would live to see Babylon fall (Da 5:30,31), confirming that no human kingdom can frustrate the purposes of the Most High (Da 4:35). The same sovereign God Who foretold the rise and fall of empires has promised that the kingdom of His Son will never end (Da 7:13–14; Lk 1:32–33). Earthly empires rise and fall, but the God who foretells their history reigns forever!

Kyle Butt - One extremely valuable line of evidence that confirms that the Bible is the inspired Word of God is the presence of accurate, predictive prophecy contained in its pages. Not only are the prophecies of the Bible fulfilled in minute detail with complete accuracy, but these fulfillments are often accomplished centuries after the prophecies were made. Even the skeptic understands that if this is the case, a supernatural agent must be responsible for the writing of the Bible. That is why the skeptic attempts to discredit the prophecies by claiming that they were written after the events, or by claiming that they were not fulfilled in detail. By attempting to disparage the prophecies using these methods, the skeptic admits that if the prophecies were written centuries before the events, and if they are fulfilled in detail, then a supernatural agent is responsible for them. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “As for the prophet who prophecies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent” (28:9). Completely accurate, fulfilled prophecy is a characteristic that verifies the divine inspiration of the Bible. (· Bible and Spade (Second Run) · Vol. 25:3 · 2012)

Daniel 8:2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the ULAI Canal

BGT Daniel 8:2 καὶ εἶδον ἐν τῷ ὁράματι τοῦ ἐνυπνίου μου ἐμοῦ ὄντος ἐν Σούσοις τῇ πόλει ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐν Ἐλυμαΐδι χώρᾳ ἔτι ὄντος μου πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ Αιλαμ
--- Daniel (TH) 8:2 καὶ ἤμην ἐν Σούσοις τῇ βάρει ἥ ἐστιν ἐν χώρᾳ Αιλαμ καὶ εἶδον ἐν ὁράματι καὶ ἤμην ἐπὶ τοῦ Ουβαλ

LXE Daniel 8:2 And I was in Susa the palace, which is in the land of Aelam, and I was on the bank of Ubal.

KJV Daniel 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

NET Daniel 8:2 In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal.

CSB Daniel 8:2 I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa, in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.

ESV Daniel 8:2 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.

NIV Daniel 8:2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.

NLT Daniel 8:2 In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.

NRS Daniel 8:2 In the vision I was looking and saw myself in Susa the capital, in the province of Elam, and I was by the river Ulai.

NJB Daniel 8:2 I gazed at the vision, and as I gazed I found myself in Susa, the citadel in the province of Elam; gazing at the vision, I found myself at the Ulai Gate.

NAB Daniel 8:2 In my vision I saw myself in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam; I was beside the river Ulai.

YLT Daniel 8:2 And I see in a vision, and it cometh to pass, in my seeing, and I am in Shushan the palace that is in Elam the province, and I see in a vision, and I have been by the stream Ulai.

GWN Daniel 8:2 In my vision I saw myself in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam. In my vision I saw myself at Ulai Gate.

BBE Daniel 8:2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw it, I was in the strong town Shushan, which is in the country of Elam; and in the vision I was by the water-door of the Ulai.

RSV Daniel 8:2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the capital, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was at the river Ulai.

NKJ Daniel 8:2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai.

ASV Daniel 8:2 And I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in Shushan the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

DBY Daniel 8:2 And I saw in the vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was in the fortress of Shushan, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

BHT Daniel 8:2 wä|´er´è BeHäzôn wayühî Bir´ötî wa´ánî Büšûšan haBBîrâ ´ášer Bü`êläm hammüdînâ wä´er´è Be|Häzôn wa´ánî häyîºtî `al-´ûbal ´ûläy

NIRV Daniel 8:2 In my vision I saw myself in the city of Susa. It has high walls around it. It is in the land of Elam. In the vision I was beside the Ulai Waterway.

I looked in: Da 8:3 7:2,15 Nu 12:6 Heb 1:1
Susa [Shushan]: Neh 1:1 Esther 1:2 2:8 3:15 7:6 8:15 9:11,15
Province: Ge 10:22 14:1 Isa 21:2 Jer 25:25 49:34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 Ezek 32:24
Ulai Canal: Da 8:16
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

KJV Daniel 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

NET Daniel 8:2 In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal.

CSB Daniel 8:2 I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa, in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.

ESV Daniel 8:2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the capital, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.

SUSA: VISION OF AN
EMPIRE YET TO COME

I looked in the vision (chazon) - Daniel emphasizes that what he is about to describe was a supernatural revelation from God, not an ordinary dream or imagined scene. The Hebrew verb ra'ah means “to see,” “look,” or “perceive.” Its repetition in this verse underscores Daniel's personal observation of the unfolding vision.

In the vision (chazon), and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa - Citadel of Susa (Shushan = means "lily") (Dictionary Descriptions) - Susa - Wikipedia God places Daniel's vision in Susa, a future center of Persian power, preparing him to witness the prophetic rise of Medo-Persia and its eventual defeat by Greece. An important question is whether Daniel was physically in Susa or saw himself there in the vision. The repeated phrase “in the vision” favors the latter interpretation, although the text does not explicitly settle the question. Before Persia conquered Babylon, God gave Daniel a vision set in a city destined to become a major center of Persian power!

Susa (Shushan) (See map above - Susa is ~250 miles east of Babylon in modern day Iran) - This place name is found in 19 verses in the OT - Neh 1:1; Esther 1:2, 5; 2:3, 5, 8; 3:15; 4:8, 16; 8:14-15; 9:6, 11-13, 18; Da 8:2. Susa eventually became one of the capitals of the Persian empire almost 100 years after Daniel's time, when the emperor Xerxes built his royal palace there. Susa is also the site of the main events of the book of Esther (Esther Verse by Verse Commentary on site). Finally, God's man Nehemiah lived in Susa as the king's cupbearer. Nehemiah (in about 445BC, over 100 years after Daniel's vision in Da 8:1) wrote "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol (Heb = biyrah/bira = same word in Da 8:1 for "citadel"), (Neh 1:1)

The setting is significant. In 551 BC Susa was not yet the great city it became. Under the Persian kings, especially Darius I, it became one of the empire’s royal capitals. Nehemiah served the king there (Ne 1:1). Esther’s story took place there too (Est 1:2). While Babylon was still in power, God showed Daniel the future capital of the empire that would replace it. The vision itself begins with a ram that represents Medo-Persia (Da 8:3, 20). A long-standing tradition places Daniel’s tomb at Susa, modern Shush in southwestern Iran.

Citadel (01002) (biyrah/bira) - 16x - 1Chr 29:1, 19; Neh 1:1; 2:8; 7:2; Esther 1:2, 5; 2:3, 5, 8; 3:15; 8:14; 9:6, 11, 12; Da 8:2. NAS = capitol(1), citadel(11), fortress(2), temple(2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Expanded Definition - בִּירָה noun feminine castle, palace (late & probably loan-word; compare Assyrian bîrtu, fortress Dl HA 22; Persian bâru = Sanskrit bura, bari, see Ry Nehemiah 2:8) — (1) of temple at Jerusalem 1Chr 29:1,19 הַבִּירָה; of fortress near temple Neh 2:8; Neh 7:2 Neh 1:1; Neh 2:8; Neh 7:2 — B aβιρά, βειρά — and later βaρις Jos Ant.xiv.11,4). (2) בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2,5; Esther 2:3,5,8; Esther 3:15; Esther 8:14; Esther 9:6,11,12; Daniel 8:2; in these passages it apparently means a fortress in the city bearing the same name (compare especially Esther 3:15; Esther 8:14,15; Esther 9:6,12,15,18).

Susa + biyrah = 12x) - Neh 1:1 Esther 1:2, 1:5, 2:3, 2:5, 2:8, 3:15, 8:14, 9:6, 9:11, 9:12 Dan 8:2

NET Note - Susa (Heb. שׁוּשַׁן, shushan), located some 230 miles (380 km) east of Babylon, was a winter residence for Persian kings during the Achaemenid period. The language of v. 2 seems to suggest that Daniel may not have been physically present at Susa, but only saw himself there in the vision. However, the Hebrew is difficult, and some have concluded that the first four words of v. 2 in the Masoretic Text are a later addition (cf. Theodotion).

Walvoord on Citadel of Susa - (It) was destined in the Persian Empire to become the capital rather than Babylon. This was unknown at the time that this vision was given to Daniel, although Susa had served as the capital of the Elamites in antiquity; and conservative scholars find a genuine prophetic prediction in this reference to Susa… In a word, Daniel finds himself projected in vision to a town little known at that time and unsuspected for future grandeur, but yet destined to be the important capital of Persia, the home of Esther, and the city from which Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. Beginning in 1884, the site of ancient Susa, then a large mound, has been explored and has divulged many archeological treasures. The code of Hammurabi was found there in 1901. The famous palace referred to by Daniel, Esther and Nehemiah was begun by Darius I and enlarged by later kings. Remains of its magnificence can still be seen near the modern village of Shush. This unusual setting described in detail by Daniel in the opening verses of the eighth chapter now becomes the stage on which a great drama is portrayed in symbol describing the conquests of the second and third empires. (Daniel 8 The Vision Of The Ram And The Goat)

NET Note - The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah, “castle, palace”) usually refers to a fortified structure within a city, but here it is in apposition to the city name Susa and therefore has a broader reference to the entire city (against this view, however, see BDB 108 s.v. 2). Cf. NAB “the fortress of Susa”; TEV “the walled city of Susa.”

Related Resources on Susa:

which is in the province of Elam - Elam was an ancient territory east of Babylonia, corresponding to part of modern southwestern Iran. Susa was one of its principal cities long before it became a Persian royal residence. The geographical setting is significant because the vision concerns the rise of Medo-Persia and its eventual overthrow by Greece (Da 8:20–21). Isaiah had previously associated Elam with Babylon's downfall (Isa 21:2). Daniel's vision now looks beyond Babylon to the empires that would succeed it.

Elam - A well-known tract, partly mountainous, whose western boundary, starting on the Northeast side of the Persian Gulf, practically followed the course of the lower Tigris. It was bounded on the North by Media, on the East by Persia and on the West by Babylonia. The great capital of the tract was Susa (Shushan). Elam consisted of a plain occupying a depression in the mountains of Iran or Persia. (Adapted from Dictionary Article)

DANIEL SEES HIMSELF
BESIDE THE ULAI CANAL

And I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal - The Ulai was a watercourse associated with ancient Susa, although its precise identification with modern waterways remains uncertain. Compare "dream and visions" in Da 7:1. This statement suggests (1) that Daniel was awake (contrast "dream" in Da 7:1) and (2) that Daniel was not actually in Susa but more likely was transported there in a vision much like the other exilic prophet Ezekiel was transported from Babylon to Jerusalem in his vision of the Temple (cp Ezekiel's transport in Ezek 8:3, 11:24, Ezekiel 40:1ff). Some commentators interpret Daniel as actually present physically in Susa but the majority favor his being in Babylon physically and transported in the vision to Susa. In short Daniel is transported supernaturally in both space (Babylon to Susa) and time (into the prophetic future regarding Medo-Persia and Greece).

This verse repeats the idea of looking three times: “I looked in the vision… while I was looking… I looked in the vision.” Daniel stresses that what follows is something God showed him, not something he worked out himself.

Henry Morris - Daniel was translated in his vision to the capital of Persia even before the Persians had conquered Babylon. Furthermore, his vision then prophesied the eventual defeat of Persia by Greece, as well as the still more distant break-up of the Grecian empire. It is not surprising that those who deny supernatural divine inspiration must try to assign the book of Daniel to a later period. (Daniel 8 Defender's Study Bible Notes)

NET Note on Ulai Canal - The term אוּבַל (’uval = “stream, river”) is a relatively rare word in biblical Hebrew, found only here and in vv. 3 and 6. The Ulai was apparently a sizable artificial canal in Susa (cf. NASB, NIV, NCV), and not a river in the ordinary sense of that word.

🙏 THOUGHT – Beloved, when world events seem uncertain, we can rest in the unchanging character of our sovereign God, whose purposes can never be thwarted (Job 42:2). The future may be hidden from our eyes, but it is never hidden from God's eyes, for He controls it completely! And what is true of world history is equally true of our personal lives. When circumstances seem out of control (as they often do in our lives), we can be assured that our God is still in control! His promise in Romans 8:28 remains as certain today as when Paul penned it. Our circumstances may change, but God's power to work all things together for good to those who love Him never changes. What seems out of control to us is never out of control to Him! And since we know the end of "HIS story" ("history"), may God gives us the supernatural strength to hold on, for He is coming quickly (Rev 3:11, Rev 22:7, 12, 20). "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Rev 22:21)

Vision (02377) chazown/chazon from chazah = to see or behold) is a masculine noun meaning a revelation by means of a vision, an oracle, a divine communication. The emphasis is not so much on what is seen but on the message that is conveyed by what is seen. Thus chazon describes a divine revelation conveyed by something seen ("seer"). In this sense vision is somewhat similar to a dream, but as used in Scripture however, a vision is not a typical "dream" but represents an actual experience in which the individual is given superhuman insight or awareness. Dreams (not "day dreams"!) occur only when one is asleep whereas visions can occur while one is awake (cp Da 10:7). Some visions were conveyed by angels to men (Da 10:14). Visions usually conveyed prophetic truths that related to Israel (Da 9:21, 10:14).

One of my favorite uses of chazon is Pr 29:18 "When there is no vision (chazon "prophetic vision" Lxx = exegetes = literally one who leads on or out [great description of pastors, teachers!], expounder, interpreter - only 2 other uses in Bible - Ge 41:8, 24; related verb exegeomai of Jesus - Jn 1:18), the people are unrestrained, ("run wild!" which is what is transpiring in America circa 2016!), but happy (better "blessed") is he who keeps (observes) the law."

The NET Note on Pr 29:18 says "The Hebrew word “vision” (from the verb חָזָה [khazah, “to see”]) refers to divine communication to prophets (as in 1 Sa 3:1) and not to individual goals or plans. C. H. Toy sees a problem here: The most calamitous period of Israel’s history was when prophetic vision was at its height, whereas people were often more obedient when God was silent. He also notes that in the book of Proverbs there is no mention of prophetic teaching with wisdom as a guide. So he emends the word to “guidance” following the LXX (see Proverbs [ICC], 512). The TEV has “guidance”; the NIV retains “revelation.” It must be stated that the prophetic ministry was usually in response to the calamitous periods, calling the people back to God. Without them the downward rush to anarchy and destruction would have been faster than with these prophetic calls from God. (THOUGHT - WOULD THIS BE APROPOS FOR AMERICA CIRCA 2026? JUST WONDERING!)

Daniel 8:3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.

BGT ἀναβλέψας εἶδον κριὸν ἕνα μέγαν ἑστῶτα ἀπέναντι τῆς πύλης καὶ εἶχε κέρατα καὶ τὸ ἓν ὑψηλότερον τοῦ ἑτέρου καὶ τὸ ὑψηλότερον ἀνέβαινε
--- (TH) καὶ ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ κριὸς εἷς ἑστηκὼς πρὸ τοῦ Ουβαλ καὶ αὐτῷ κέρατα καὶ τὰ κέρατα ὑψηλά καὶ τὸ ἓν ὑψηλότερον τοῦ ἑτέρου καὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν ἀνέβαινεν ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων

LXE And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a ram standing in front of the Ubal; and he had high horns; and one was higher than the other, and the high one came up last.

KJV Daniel 8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, 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 came up last.

NET Daniel 8:3 I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one.

CSB Daniel 8:3 I looked up, and there was a ram standing beside the canal. He had two horns. The two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last.

ESV Daniel 8:3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.

NIV Daniel 8:3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later.

NLT Daniel 8:3 As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had grown later than the other one.

NRS Daniel 8:3 I looked up and saw a ram standing beside the river. It had two horns. Both horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up second.

NJB Daniel 8:3 I raised my eyes to look, and I saw a ram standing in front of the gate. It had two horns; both were tall, but one taller than the other, and the one that rose the higher was the second.

NAB Daniel 8:3 I looked up and saw standing by the river a ram with two great horns, the one larger and newer than the other.

YLT Daniel 8:3 And I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a certain ram is standing before the stream, and it hath two horns, and the two horns are high; and the one is higher than the other, and the high one is coming up last.

I lifted: Da 10:5 Nu 24:2 Josh 5:13 1Ch 21:16 Zec 1:18 2:1 5:1,5,9 6:1
Ram: Da 8:20 Da 2:39 Da 7:5
One [horn]: Media was the more ancient kingdom; but Persia, after Cyrus, was the most considerable. Da 5:31 6:28 Ezra 1:2 4:5 Es 1:3 Isa 13:17, 21:2, 44:28, Jer 51:11
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

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DANIEL SEES A RAM WITH
UNEQUAL HORNS

Then I lifted my eyes and looked - This appears to be his vision. One is reminded of John's apocalyptic visions in the Revelation, where he repeatedly uses the words "I saw." God Almighty showed these two great prophets what was soon to come to pass (Yes, John was a prophet!)

And behold (hinneh) a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last - Regarding the figure of a ram, the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge has an interesting note - "The Medo-Persian empire, of which a ram was the ensign; and a ram's head with horns, one higher than the other, is still to be seen on the ruins of Persepolis."

The Ram - From Daniel 8:20 this figure clearly symbolizes Medo-Persia ("the kings of Media and Persia"), the kingdom which followed Babylon (which was still the leading world power at the time Daniel received this prophecy) although it would be inferior to Babylon according to Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Da 2:39, cp Da 7:5). In a separate prophecy given over 150 years earlier (circa 740-680BC), Isaiah had foretold of the Persian King Cyrus (Cyrus the Great) (see note) conquest of nations (see Isa 44:28, 45:1-7, cp Cyrus' decree to allow the Jews to rebuild the Temple - Ezra 1:1, 2, Ezra 6:3).

Horns - “Horn” is qeren ; in the NT, keras. When Scripture uses the horn figuratively, it usually conveys one of three meanings:

Strength in general. “As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his, and his horns are the horns of the wild ox; with them he will push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and those are the thousands of Manasseh” (Dt 33:17).
Arrogant pride. “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; do not lift up your horn on high, do not speak with insolent pride’” (Ps 75:4-5).
Political and military power. “Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself” (Da 8:3-4).

The New Testament even uses the figure of a horn to describe the powerful ministry of the Messiah: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant” (Lk 1:68-69). Ryrie explains that “horn of salvation” in essence means “a powerful Savior.”

Two horns… one longer… coming up last - The accuracy of God’s Word is indisputable. It describes not only Medo-Persia but also Persia’s later rise and its dominance over Media. Media was the older power, and Persia, under Cyrus, rose later and took the lead when he overthrew the Median king Astyages around 550 BC. That is the very period when Daniel received this vision. The prophecy also foresaw the direction of Persia’s conquests, “westward, northward, and southward” (Da 8:4), as the empire expanded into Lydia and Asia Minor, Babylon and the north, and Egypt. God’s Word is inerrant, as this historically precise prophetic description shows. One is reminded of Peter’s words that we as New Testament believers “have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (2Pe 1:19). By “the prophetic word” Peter means the Old Testament Scriptures.

This description of the uneven horns corresponds to the bear in Daniel 7: “And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’” (Da 7:5). The truths revealed in Daniel 8 help us understand the otherwise somewhat puzzling phrase “raised up on one side.” It almost certainly refers to Persia’s later rise to greater power over its older Median partner. Many interpreters also see the “three ribs” as the three major conquests of the Medo-Persian Empire: Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt.

Behold (02009) hinneh is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh generally directs our mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! And so hinneh is used as an exclamation of vivid immediacy (e.g., read Ge 6:13)! Hinneh is a marker used to enliven a narrative, to express a change a scene, to emphasize an idea, to call attention to a detail or an important fact or action that follows (Isa 65:17, Ge 17:20, 41:17). The first use of hinneh in Ge 1:29 and second in Ge 1:31 - "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Hinneh is oftn used in the idiom "Here I am" in Ge 22:1, 7,11 Ge 27:1,18, Ge 31:11, Ge 46:2 Ex 3:4 1Sa 3:4, 3:16, 12:3, 2Sa 1:7, Isa 52:6, Isa 58:9. Hinneh is used most often to point out people but also to point out things (Ge 31:41, 17:4). God uses hinneh to grab man's attention before He brings destruction (Ge 6:13, 17). God uses hinneh when He establishes covenants (Ge 9:9, 15:12, 17 [when Jehovah cut the Abrahamic covenant], Ge 17:4, cp Ge 28:13, 15), when He provided a sacrificial substitute for Isaac (foreshadowing His giving us His only Son!) (Ge 22:13). Hinneh marks the "chance (The Providence of God)" arrival of Boaz at the field where Ruth was gleaning (Ru 2:4-read about this "chance romance" - Indeed, "Behold!"). Hinneh is used to announce the Lord’s sending of a child as a sign and a prophecy of Immanuel-Emmanuel, the Messiah (Isa. 7:14). In fact W E Vine says that it is notable that when behold (hinneh) is used in Isaiah, it always introduces something relating to future circumstances.

Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!"

Horn (07161) qeren The literal image of horn is of the animal horn as an effective defensive weapon. The Bible does not distinguish between horns and antlers, so horn refers to pointed bony structures on the heads of male sheep, goats, deer, cattle, oxen and so forth. They give the animal a regal look and provide such an impressive defense mechanism that their imagery was widely employed to represent power. The metaphorical value of the horn comes primarily from the fact that the size and condition of an animal’s horns are indicative of its power, status and health.

Animal horns were used for a variety of purposes, including the carrying of oil, but no metaphorical development of this function occurs in the Bible. When used as a (quasi-)musical instrument, a horn is, with few exceptions, called a *“trumpet.”

In general, horn represents power or status in a social context. In Deuteronomy 33:17 Moses compares the tribes of Joseph to “a firstborn bull, [whose] horns are the horns of a wild ox” because Ephraim and Manasseh were large and powerful. Therefore, “lifting up the horn” of someone means bestowing power, joy, health and prestige (Ps 92:10; 1 Sam 2:1). Conversely, “cutting off the horn” is the removal of one’s power or influence (Ps 75:10; Jer 48:25). Since God is the source of strength to those who trust in him, David declares, “The LORD is … the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Ps 18:2 NIV par. 2 Sam 22:3). In Revelation 5:6 the lamb has seven horns-his kingly power is perfect.

By metonymy, horn came to symbolize those who had power: political or military. In Mesopotamian art, horns indicate deity and deified kings from Naram-Sin on. Thus in Daniel 7–8 the horns represent successions of kings or multiple branches of military power. The book of Revelation also picks up this kind of imagery: both the dragon and the first beast in Revelation 12–13 have ten horns, which Revelation 17:12 explains as ten kings. In Zechariah 1:18–21 the metaphor is taken both ways: the horns represent both the foreign powers themselves (Zech 1:18) and the condition of their strength and influence (Zech 1:21).

Since horn is a symbol of power, particularly kingly power, it is not unnatural that it represent God’s anointed one (Messiah). Psalm 148:14 and Ezekiel 29:21 possibly use “horn” as a metonym for the expected Messiah.

Horns also became a symbol for radiance. In Habakkuk 3:4 the Lord’s splendor is like the light: “rays flash from his hand” (NIV, lit. “horns are from his hand,” cf. KJV). Psalm 132:17 parallels “horn” and “lamp”-“I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed” (RSV). Thus the Hebrew verb qāran, which may have originally been a verbal form of qeren, the word for horn (cf. Ps 69:31 [69:32 in Heb]), in Exodus 34:29–30 means “to shine.” (This is the source of the medieval idea that Moses had horns.)

The sacrificial altar, similar to other ancient Near Eastern altars, had four horns, which were projections on the four corners of the top (Ex 27:2), on which blood was smeared. The altar of incense also had four horns. The horns of an altar, whatever their original purpose, probably came to symbolize the power of that altar. Just as the cutting off of Moab’s horns was a destruction of Moab’s power, so the cutting off of the horns of the altars at Bethel symbolized the destruction of their religious or cultic power (Amos 3:14). Also, something gave Adonijah the idea that the horns of the altar were a surety against being killed (1 Kings 1:50–53). Probably Adonijah knew that Solomon would hesitate to have him dispatched if it would mean an implicit challenge to the power of God. (See Dictionary of Biblical Imagery)

Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

LXE Daniel 8:4 And I saw the ram butting westward, and northward, and southward; and no beast could stand before him, and there was none that could deliver out of his hand; and he did according to his will, and became great.

KJV Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

NET Daniel 8:4 I saw that the ram was butting westward, northward, and southward. No animal was able to stand before it, and there was none who could deliver from its power. It did as it pleased and acted arrogantly.

CSB Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram charging to the west, the north, and the south. No animal could stand against him, and there was no rescue from his power. He did whatever he wanted and became great.

ESV Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

NIV Daniel 8:4 I watched the ram as he charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

NLT Daniel 8:4 The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great.

NRS Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. All beasts were powerless to withstand it, and no one could rescue from its power; it did as it pleased and became strong.

NJB Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram butting westwards, northwards and southwards. No animal could stand up to it, nothing could escape its power. It did as it pleased and became strong.

NAB Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram butting toward the west, north, and south. No beast could withstand it or be rescued from its power; it did what it pleased and became very powerful.

YLT Daniel 8:4 I have seen the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward, and no living creatures do stand before it, and there is none delivering out of its hand, and it hath done according to its pleasure, and hath exerted itself.

Butting: Da 5:30 7:5 11:2 Isa 45:1-5 Jer 50:1-51:64
No other: Da 8:7 Job 10:7 Ps 7:2 50:22 Mic 5:8
But he did: Da 5:19 11:3,16,36 Isa 10:13,14
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

THE POWERFUL RAM
MAGNIFIES HIMSELF

I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself. - With Persia as the starting point for the 3 directions, historically Medo-Persia defeated Babylon (and other countries) toward the west, Armenia and Scythia toward the north and Egypt and Ethiopia toward the South.

No other beasts - Similar to the symbolism in Daniel 7, we see God's assessment of the great kingdoms of men - they are "beastly"! This description (could not stand, none to rescue, did as he pleased, magnified himself) clearly accentuates the power of the Medo-Persian Kingdom.

I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward - With Persia as the starting point for the three directions, Medo-Persia conquered Babylon (539 BC), Lydia, and Asia Minor to the west. To the north it conquered Armenia and campaigned against the Scythians. To the south it conquered Egypt (525 BC) and Ethiopia. The book of Esther reflects the empire’s vast reach: “Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces” (Est 1:1). The vision does not mention the east. Persia did expand eastward toward India, but the prophecy focuses on the directions that affected the nation of Israel.

No other beasts (chay/chayah) could stand before him - Beasts is literally “living creatures”. As in Daniel 7, we see God’s assessment of the great kingdoms of men as “beastly”! The contrast in chapter 7 is deliberate. After the four beasts ("beastly kindgoms") comes “One like a Son of Man” (Da 7:13), the ever living King Whose kingdom is everlasting. The psalmist describes what man becomes apart from God: “Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish” (Ps 49:20).

Nor was there anyone to rescue (natsal) from his power - No earthly power could snatch away or deliver a nation from Persia. But Daniel knew there was One who could. Darius himself confessed it after the lions’ den: “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (Da 6:27).

But he did as he pleased (ratson) - Literally "according to its pleasure" Daniel uses the same phrase for Alexander the Great: “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases (ratson) ” (Da 11:3). He uses it again for the final willful king (who I interpret as the coming Antichrist): “Then the king will do as he pleases (ratson) , and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done” (Da 11:36). Human rulers only seem to do as they please, and only for a time! Only God truly does whatever He wills, as Nebuchadnezzar learned: “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Da 4:35; cf. Ps 115:3).

And magnified (gadal) himself - This pictures him as making himself great. Magnified (gadal) is a key verb in Daniel 8, and it rises in intensity through the chapter. The ram “magnified himself” (Da 8:4). The male goat “magnified himself exceedingly” (Da 8:8). The rather small horn “grew exceedingly great” (Da 8:9), “grew up to the host of heaven” (Da 8:10), and “magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host” (Da 8:11). At the end he “will magnify himself in his heart” and “even oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human agency” (Da 8:25). Each power exalts itself further than the one before, and each is brought down.

This description, with no beast able to stand, no one to rescue, doing as he pleased, and magnifying himself, clearly emphasizes the power of the Medo-Persian kingdom. But the very next verse shows how quickly that power would be broken (Da 8:5-7).

NET Note on magnified - In the Hiphil the Hebrew verb גָּדַל (gadal, “to make great; to magnify”) can have either a positive or a negative sense. For the former, used especially of God, see Ps 126:2, 3; Joel 2:21. In this chapter (8:4, 8, 11, 25) the word has a pejorative sense, describing the self-glorification of this king. The sense seems to be that of vainly assuming one’s own superiority through deliberate hubris.

🙏THOUGHT - Once again we see the historical fulfillment testifies to the accuracy and faithfulness of God's Word. Beloved, you can stake your life on His Word of Truth, which is like unto none other! Are you ingesting the Word of Life daily (Php 2:16, 1Jn 1:1, cp Dt 32:46-47 the Word which "is your life"? Compare Mt 4:4, 1Pe 2:2 - no intake of "pure milk" = no spiritual growth!)? If you are not daily reading the Word, then is it any wonder that you feel so "spiritually malnourished?" Let the accurate fulfillment of these OT prophecies spur you on to began a serious, systematic study of God's Word, not words about His Word (devotionals, commentaries, etc, but His living and active Word, which will not pass away) (If you're not sure where to begin here is a suggestion - See notes on the incredible adventure known as inductive Bible study).

Beasts (living, alive, live, running, flowing) (02416) chay omes from the verb chayah (H2421), “to live.” It occurs more than 200 times in the Old Testament and has two main uses. As a noun it means “life.” As an adjective it means “living” or “alive.” Genesis 26:19 uses the adjective with “water”: “But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water.” The Hebrew is mayim chayyim, literally “living water.” This was water from a spring or underground source that kept moving and renewing itself. Still water collected in a cistern was a different thing. For a herdsman in the dry Negev, finding living water was a rare gift, which explains why the herdsmen of Gerar were so quick to claim the well (Ge 26:20).

The feminine chayyah. The related feminine form chayyah means a “living creature,” usually an animal, and especially a wild beast as opposed to livestock (Ge 1:24-25; 8:1). It is the word Joseph’s brothers used in their lie: “and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him’” (Ge 37:20). Ezekiel uses it for the four “living beings” around God’s throne (Eze 1:5).

Magnify (become arrogant)(01431) gadal fundamentally means “to grow,” “become great,” “make great,” or “magnify,” and it describes the idea of increase in size, importance, influence, or honor. The root occurs frequently in the Old Testament and applies to a wide range of contexts, including physical growth, social prominence, emotional intensity, and spiritual exaltation. Unlike related Hebrew roots such as rābab or rābâ, which often refer to numerical increase, gādal emphasizes greatness in magnitude, status, value, or significance rather than quantity. Thus the term can describe the natural development of people, animals, and plants, as well as the expansion of influence, authority, wealth, or reputation. In its most literal sense the verb refers to growing up or maturing, as seen in references to children such as Isaac, Moses, Samuel, and others who “grew” as they developed physically and socially (Gen. 21:8; Ex. 2:10; 1 Sam. 3:19). It also describes the growth of animals and plants (2 Sam. 12:3; Isa. 44:14) and even physical extensions such as hair growing long (Num. 6:5). In these cases the word depicts the natural process of development from small beginnings into maturity.

GADAL IS A KEY VERB IN DANIEL - Dan. 1:5; Dan. 8:4; Dan. 8:8; Dan. 8:9; Dan. 8:10; Dan. 8:11; Dan. 8:25; Dan. 11:36; Dan. 11:37;

Beyond physical growth, gādal often refers to becoming great in status, wealth, or influence. Individuals such as Abraham and Isaac are described as becoming “great” because of God’s blessing and prosperity (Gen. 24:35; 26:13). Kings and rulers are likewise described as “great” when their authority, prestige, or power increases; for example, Solomon’s greatness surpassed that of other kings in wealth and wisdom (1 Kgs. 10:23). The word may also refer to the importance or value of something, as when David speaks of Saul’s life being “highly valued” in his eyes (1 Sam. 26:24). In other contexts the term describes intensity or magnitude, such as great grief, loud outcry, or severe punishment (Job 2:13; Gen. 19:13; Lam. 4:6). Thus the root can apply to both tangible and intangible realities—anything that becomes large, significant, influential, or powerful.

A particularly important dimension of gādal is its theological use to describe the greatness of God Himself. Scripture repeatedly affirms that Yahweh is incomparable in greatness and majesty (2 Sam. 7:22; Ps. 104:1). His works are great, His counsel is magnificent, and His acts of salvation demonstrate His sovereign power (Ps. 92:5; Isa. 28:29). The psalmists frequently use the verb in a call to worship, urging believers to “magnify the LORD” and to exalt His name (Ps. 35:27; 40:16; 70:4). In such contexts the word does not mean that humans literally make God greater, but that they recognize, proclaim, and celebrate His greatness. Similarly, God Himself declares that through His acts in history He will “magnify” Himself among the nations, revealing His holiness and sovereignty (Ezek. 38:23). This self-revelation shows that true greatness belongs ultimately to God alone, and all other forms of greatness derive from Him.

The verb also describes the future greatness of the Messiah, who will shepherd His people in the strength of the Lord and whose rule will extend to the ends of the earth (Mic. 5:4). In this sense the word points beyond human kingship to the ultimate ruler whose greatness is universal and enduring. Likewise, God promises to make Abraham’s name great (Gen. 12:2), illustrating how divine blessing can elevate individuals or nations to prominence. Personal names built from this root—such as Gedaliah (“Yahweh is great”)—reflect Israel’s recognition that true greatness comes from the Lord.

Daniel 8:5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

BGT καὶ ἐγὼ διενοούμην καὶ ἰδοὺ τράγος αἰγῶν ἤρχετο ἀπὸ δυσμῶν ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς καὶ οὐχ ἥπτετο τῆς γῆς καὶ ἦν τοῦ τράγου κέρας ἓν ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ
--- (TH) καὶ ἐγὼ ἤμην συνίων καὶ ἰδοὺ τράγος αἰγῶν ἤρχετο ἀπὸ λιβὸς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἁπτόμενος τῆς γῆς καὶ τῷ τράγῳ κέρας θεωρητὸν ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ

LXE And I was considering, and, behold, a he-goat came from the south-west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the earth: and the goat had a horn between his eyes.

KJV And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

NET While I was contemplating all this, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of all the land without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes.

CSB As I was observing, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

ESV 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.

NIV As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground.

NLT While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that he didn't even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes,

NRS As I was watching, a male goat appeared from the west, coming across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a horn between its eyes.

YLT 'And I have been considering, and lo, a young he-goat hath come from the west, over the face of the whole earth, whom none is touching in the earth; as to the young he-goat, a conspicuous horn is between its eyes.

Male goat: Da 8:21 2:32,39 7:6
A conspicuous horn: Da 8:8,21, Da 11:3 = Alexander the Great
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Vision of the Goat
Used by Permission of Ted Larson

While I was observing, behold - “Behold” (hinneh) is another attention-getter!

A male goat (he goat, KJV) - Hebrew = “and behold, a he-goat of the goats.” “Male goat” is tsaphir (06842). Remember that when we encounter symbolic language in Scripture, we must try to discover its literal meaning and not let our imagination run wild with possible meanings, an all too common tactic among interpreters of Bible prophecy. Symbolic or figurative language is always meant to convey a literal meaning. There are two ways to arrive at an accurate meaning:

Examine the context for “clues.”
Compare related or parallel passages, especially passages that use similar symbols but give a literal interpretation. (Compare Scripture with Scripture)

A good example of the second is comparing “the sun, and the moon… and… twelve stars” in Revelation 12:1 with the nearly identical description in Joseph’s dream: “Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, ‘Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me’” (Ge 37:9). The next verse interprets it: “He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’” (Ge 37:10).

In the case of the male goat, we do not have to guess at the interpretation, because Daniel 8:21 identifies it explicitly: “The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king” (Da 8:21). “Shaggy” there is sa'yr, “hairy,” the same word used for Esau, the “hairy man” (Ge 27:11). The goat was a fitting emblem. Ancient tradition associated the goat with Macedonia, and its old royal capital, Aegae, was linked to the Greek word for “goat.”

Was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth - This direction might seem an insignificant detail, but no detail in Scripture is insignificant! It again shows the inerrancy of God’s fully inspired (plenary inspiration) Word, because the kingdom of Greece lay to the west of Medo-Persia. Alexander crossed the Hellespont from Europe into Asia in 334 BC. “Over the surface of the whole earth” points to the vast extent of his conquests, which stretched from Greece and Egypt and even to the borders of India.

Without touching the ground - Compare this figurative description with the parallel in Daniel 7: “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it” (Da 7:6). The comparison shows, first, that the leopard symbolized Greece, and second, that the goat’s conquest of the ram would be rapid. Historically, the Greek forces of Alexander the Great were much smaller than the armies of Medo-Persia, but they were known for the speed of their conquest. In about three years Alexander won three decisive battles, at the Granicus (334 BC), at Issus (333 BC), and at Gaugamela (331 BC), and the Persian Empire was his (see the note below by Miller).

A conspicuous horn between his eyes - Hebrew = “a horn of vision” [or “conspicuousness”], i.e., “a conspicuous horn,” one easily seen.“Conspicuous” is literally “a horn of sight,” that is, a prominent or striking horn. Again, Daniel 8:21 states that this horn is “the first king” of Greece, who historically was Alexander the Great.

John Phillips writes that "The goat was a symbol of Macedonia. According to tradition, Caremus, the first Macedonian king, was directed by an oracle to take a goat for a guide and build a city. This he did, following a herd of goats to Edessa, which he made his capital, changing its name to Egaea (the goat city). When Alexander was thirteen, his father, Philip of Macedon, decided that the boy needed a first-class teacher, and he chose Aristotle. Aristotle believed that slavery was natural, that all barbarians (non-Greeks) were slaves by nature, and, consequently, that it was only right that Greeks should rule over barbarians. These view were heady stuff for the already ambitious Alexander. After the death of his father, Alexander's first task was to thrash into submission the independent Greek city-states—something he did with characteristic speed and thoroughness. Very early, he displayed an uncanny trait of always being able to discern the enemy's tactics in advance. His treatment of the recalcitrant city of Thebes warned others of his ruthlessness. When he finally took the city, he handed it over to wholesale butchery and debauchery and sold the survivors as slaves. The other Greek states rushed to make their peace with the terrible new king. (See Exploring the Book of Daniel: An Expository Commentary - Page 133)

S R Miller explains that "Alexander was one of the great military strategists of history. He was born in 356BC, the son of a great conqueror in his own right, Philip of Macedon. Philip had united Greece with Macedonia and was planning to attack Persia when he was murdered. Alexander, educated under the famed Aristotle, was only twenty in 336BC when he succeeded his father as king. A year and a half later (334BC), he launched his attack against the Persians. In that same year Alexander won the Battle of the Granicus in Asia Minor, thereby bringing to an end the dominance of the Medo-Persian Empire. With his subsequent victories at Issus (333BC - see Battle of Issus) and Arbela (331BC - see Battle of Gaugamela or Arbela) the conquest of Medo-Persia was complete. Incredibly within only three years Alexander had conquered the entire Near East. (See Daniel - Page 223 - Borrow Miller's Shepherd's Notes on Daniel)

Daniel 8:6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath.

BGT Daniel 8:6 καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν κριὸν τὸν τὰ κέρατα ἔχοντα ὃν εἶδον ἑστῶτα πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ καὶ ἔδραμε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν θυμῷ ὀργῆς
--- Daniel (TH) 8:6 καὶ ἦλθεν ἕως τοῦ κριοῦ τοῦ τὰ κέρατα ἔχοντος οὗ εἶδον ἑστῶτος ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ουβαλ καὶ ἔδραμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ὁρμῇ τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ

LXE Daniel 8:6 And he came to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing in front of the Ubal, and he ran at him with the violence of his strength.

KJV Daniel 8:6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

NET Daniel 8:6 It came to the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed against it with raging strength.

CSB Daniel 8:6 He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury.

ESV Daniel 8:6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.

NIV Daniel 8:6 He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage.

NLT Daniel 8:6 headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him in a rage.

NRS Daniel 8:6 It came toward the ram with the two horns that I had seen standing beside the river, and it ran at it with savage force.

YLT Daniel 8:6 And it cometh unto the ram possessing the two horns, that I had seen standing before the stream, and runneth unto it in the fury of its power.

Da 8:3
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

ALEXANDER UNLEASHES
PENT UP RAGE ON MEDO-PERSIANS

Mighty wrath - NJB - "charged at it in the full force of its fury." NRSV = "it ran at it with savage force." NLT = "rushing at him in a rage." Notice that Da 8:7 adds that the goat was enraged at the ram. While this might not be easily interpreted in context, when one studies the historical relation between Greece and Medo-Persia, the meaning becomes clear. Alexander was enraged at the Medo-Persians for having attacked the Greeks at the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) (see also the Battle of Salamis in 480/481 BC).

He came up to the ram that had the two horns - Medo-Persia (Da 8:20).

Which I had seen standing in front of the canal - The Ulai canal near Susa (see Da 8:2).

And rushed at him in his mighty wrath - Mighty wrath is literally “the fury of his strength” (bachamat kocho). It combines chemah, “heat, fury, rage,” with koah/koach, “strength, power.” Other translations bring out the force of the phrase: NJB, “charged at it in the full force of its fury.” NRSV, “it ran at it with savage force.” NLT, “rushing at him in a rage.” Daniel 8:7 adds that the goat was “enraged” at the ram. Enraged ( marar), “to be bitter,” in the reflexive stem, “embittered” and is the same root behind Esau’s “bitter cry” (Ge 27:34).

This detail might be hard to explain from the context alone, but the history of Greece and Medo-Persia makes the meaning clear. The Persians had twice invaded Greece. Darius I was defeated at the Battle of Marathon (490 BC). Ten years later Xerxes I invaded with a vast army, burned Athens and its temples on the Acropolis, and was then defeated at sea at the Battle of Salamis (480 BC). Daniel’s later vision foretold that invasion precisely: “And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece” (Da 11:2). The fourth king is generally identified as Xerxes I, who is probably the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther.

The Greeks never forgot. When Alexander set out against Persia in 334 BC, his campaign was presented as Greek revenge for those invasions. After his victory he burned the Persian royal city of Persepolis (330 BC), an act ancient historians described as retaliation for Xerxes’ burning of Athens. The goat’s “mighty wrath” against the ram reflects one hundred fifty years of pent-up Greek anger, unleashed at last.

Daniel 8:7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.

BGT Daniel 8:7 καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν προσάγοντα πρὸς τὸν κριόν καὶ ἐθυμώθη ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπάταξε καὶ συνέτριψε τὰ δύο κέρατα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκέτι ἦν ἰσχὺς ἐν τῷ κριῷ στῆναι κατέναντι τοῦ τράγου καὶ ἐσπάραξεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ συνέτριψεν αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ῥυόμενος τὸν κριὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ τράγου
--- Daniel (TH) 8:7 καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν φθάνοντα ἕως τοῦ κριοῦ καὶ ἐξηγριάνθη πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔπαισεν τὸν κριὸν καὶ συνέτριψεν ἀμφότερα τὰ κέρατα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἰσχὺς τῷ κριῷ τοῦ στῆναι ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρριψεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ συνεπάτησεν αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐξαιρούμενος τὸν κριὸν ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ

LXE Daniel 8:7 And I saw him coming up close to the ram, and he was furiously enraged against him, and he smote the ram, and broke both his horns: and there was no strength in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him on the ground, and trampled on him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

KJV Daniel 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

NET Daniel 8:7 I saw it approaching the ram. It went into a fit of rage against the ram and struck it and broke off its two horns. The ram had no ability to resist it. The goat hurled the ram to the ground and trampled it. No one could deliver the ram from its power.

CSB Daniel 8:7 I saw him approaching the ram, and infuriated with him, he struck the ram, shattering his two horns, and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him. The goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power.

ESV Daniel 8:7 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.

NIV Daniel 8:7 I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power.

NLT Daniel 8:7 The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck him, breaking off both his horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked him down and trampled him. No one could rescue the ram from the goat's power.

NRS Daniel 8:7 I saw it approaching the ram. It was enraged against it and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram did not have power to withstand it; it threw the ram down to the ground and trampled upon it, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from its power.

YLT Daniel 8:7 And I have seen it coming near the ram, and it becometh embittered at it, and smiteth the ram, and breaketh its two horns, and there hath been no power in the ram to stand before it, and it casteth it to the earth, and trampleth it down, and there hath been no deliverer to the ram out of its power.

Enraged: Da 11:11
Had no strength: Lev 26:37 Jos 8:20
So he hurled: Da 7:7
there was none: Da 8:4
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

THE GOAT SHATTERS THE RAM

Was enraged - I like the KJV rendering "moved with choler against him". Webster's 1828 gives us a picturesque definition of choler -

By the superabundance of this fluid, anger was formerly supposed to be produced; or perhaps the opinion was that the bile caused the inflamed appearance of the face in anger. Hence, anger; wrath; irritation of the passions.

In other words, Alexander's aggression toward Medo-Persia was more than just a power play. It was also strongly motivated by a sense of indignation that sought vindication over a hated foe.

The ram had no strength to withstand him- Clearly the sovereign God had ordained that Greece was to supersede Medo-Persia at this time and no amount of human strength (size of armies, etc) could resist His sovereign will (cp God's decree against rebellious Israel in Lev 26:37)

NET Note - The goat of Daniel’s vision represents Greece; the large horn represents Alexander the Great. The ram stands for Media-Persia. Alexander’s rapid conquest of the Persians involved three battles of major significance which he won against overwhelming odds: Granicus (334 B.C.), Isus (333 B.C.), and Gaugemela (331 B.C.).

There was none to rescue from his power - Same phrase in Daniel 8:4 (nor was there anyone to rescue from his power). Remember that when Daniel was given this vision in about 551BC, the third year of Belshazzar's rule (Da 8:1), Babylon was still the leading power in the world and Greece was only a coalition of city states, not even a unified country. If we allow ourselves to read this from Daniel's (time) perspective, we will not be "bored" by the "history" but excited by the God of history Who fulfills His prophetic word. In turn, we will grow in our assurance and trust that He will fulfill His word in our lives, for example the promise that…

He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Php 1:6)

Daniel 8:8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

BGT καὶ ὁ τράγος τῶν αἰγῶν κατίσχυσε σφόδρα καὶ ὅτε κατίσχυσε συνετρίβη αὐτοῦ τὸ κέρας τὸ μέγα καὶ ἀνέβη ἕτερα τέσσαρα κέρατα κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀνέμους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
--- (TH) καὶ ὁ τράγος τῶν αἰγῶν ἐμεγαλύνθη ἕως σφόδρα καὶ ἐν τῷ ἰσχῦσαι αὐτὸν συνετρίβη τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ τὸ μέγα καὶ ἀνέβη κέρατα τέσσαρα ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀνέμους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

LXE And the he-goat grew exceedingly great: and when he was strong, his great horn was broken; and four other horns rose up in its place toward the four winds of heaven.

KJV Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

NET The male goat acted even more arrogantly. But no sooner had the large horn become strong than it was broken, and there arose four conspicuous horns in its place, extending toward the four winds of the sky.

CSB Then the male goat became very great, but when he became powerful, the large horn was shattered. Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.

ESV Then the 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.

NIV The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.

NLT The goat became very powerful. But at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off. In the large horn's place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.

NRS Then the male goat grew exceedingly great; but at the height of its power, the great horn was broken, and in its place there came up four prominent horns toward the four winds of heaven.

YLT 'And the young he-goat hath exerted itself very much, and when it is strong, broken hath been the great horn; and come up doth a vision of four in its place, at the four winds of the heavens.

Magnified: Dt 31:20 Esther 9:4 Jer 5:27 Eze 16:7
As soon as: Da 4:31 5:20 2Ch 26:16 Ps 82:6,7 Eze 28:9
The large horn: Da 8:22 Da 7:6 11:4
toward: Da 7:2 Mt 24:31 Mk 13:27 Rev 7:1
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Related Passages:

Daniel 11:4 “But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

Daniel 7:6 “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

Daniel 8:22 (GABRIEL'S EXPLANATION OF 4 HORNS) “The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

THE LARGE HORN BROKEN
AND REPLACED BY 4 HORNS

Then - While "then" can mean "at that time" it also means immediately, soon afterward, next in order of time or place. Always be alert to this expression of time, especially in prophetic writings as it helps one establish the sequence of events.

Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly - The male goat is Alexander the Great, the first king of Greece (Alexander the Great - Another brief Biography) Historically, Alexander’s conquests stretched from Greece to Egypt and on to the borders of India. With them came growing self-exaltation. In 331 BC the oracle of Zeus-Ammon at Siwa in Egypt hailed him as son of the god.

Magnified (gadal) magnified himself exceedingly - NET = acted even more arrogantly - The ram “magnified himself,” but the goat “magnified himself exceedingly.” The pride escalates with each power. While one might interpret this as Alexander enlarging his kingdom by his rapid conquest, another interpretation is that he grew exceedingly in arrogance. In other words, he really began to believe he was "the Great" as he is so often referred to by secular historians. He forgot (or never even understood) the truth expressed in Daniel 7:6 that "dominion was given to" him by God. For example, he was known to boast of his exploits and once complained that there were no more worlds to conquer. History records Alexander's assumption of the essence of "divinity", claiming to be a descendant of Zeus. His self magnification even caused him to require his troops to prostrate themselves before him in an act of obeisance (a movement of the body [bow] made as an act of reverence, respect or submission).

But (term of contrast - reverse direction) as soon as he was mighty (atsom), the large horn was broken (shabar) - Mighty means “at the height of his strength.” Alexander did not decline slowly. He was cut down at the peak of his power. In June 323 BC, while planning further campaigns, he died in Babylon of a fever, possibly made worse by heavy drinking. He was only thirty-three (or 32). A popular later legend says he wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. Whatever the truth of that story, he left behind an empire with no one able to hold it. Jesus’ parable of the rich fool fits Alexander exactly: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’” (Lk 12:20).

Jesus' question could be applied to Alexander who had conquered much of the known world - “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

God is opposed to proud and "will tear down the house of the proud" (Pr 15:25) for "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD. Assuredly, he will not be unpunished." (Pr 16:5) Solomon’s warning came true for Alexander - “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Pr 16:18).

FOUR CONSPICUOUS
HORNS

And in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven - They match the four heads of the leopard (Da 7:6). This is an incredibly specific prophecy, and from the world’s viewpoint a very unusual one. Most rulers prepare an heir before they die, but not Alexander. He died suddenly in Babylon in June 323 BC, a month short of his thirty-third birthday, and he left no adult heir. Asked on his deathbed to whom he left his kingdom, he reportedly answered, “To the strongest.” His wife Roxana, a princess from Bactria, was pregnant, and his generals named the unborn child (Alexander IV) joint king along with Alexander’s mentally impaired half-brother, Philip Arrhidaeus. Neither lived to rule. Both were murdered, just as Daniel had foretold: “But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them” (Da 11:4).

Just as God had predicted through Daniel around 551 BC, four of Alexander’s generals and officers (called the Diadochi, Greek for “successors”) eventually divided his kingdom after some twenty years of infighting. So again we see how Scripture helps us interpret Scripture (see Key to Accurate Interpretation: Compare Scripture with Scripture) and explains the earlier vision of “another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it” (Da 7:6). The four wings picture the speed with which the “leopard” (Alexander’s forces) was able to move and conquer, while the four heads clearly correspond to the four conspicuous horns, the four successors to Alexander’s divided empire.

NET Note - The four conspicuous horns refer to Alexander’s successors. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up among four of his generals: Cassander, who took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus, who took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus, who took Syria and territory to its east; and Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt.,

FOUR WINDS
OF HEAVEN

Grecian Empire: Four divisions

The four winds depict Alexander’s single empire scattered in every direction as depicted on the map above (click to enlarge). Alexander's empire is demarcated by the red lines. After Alexander died abruptly at age 32/33, the kingdom was eventually divided between 4 of his generals as follows:

(1) South - Ptolemy (green portion south of Israel - Egypt)

(2) East - Seleucus (yellow portion north of Israel -Syria, Babylonia, East toward India)

(3) North - Lysimachus (purple - Thrace, Bithynia)

(4) West - Cassander (pink - Macedonia)

As the scene unfolds in exquisite detail in the parallel passages in Daniel 11 (see notes), the kingdoms of Ptolemy and Seleucus take center stage in the drama, while the kingdoms of Lysimachus and Cassander vanish off the scene of history. Why the focus on only two of the four divisions? Because the Biblical drama centers on the two kingdoms which most directly affect/impact Israel, the "apple of God's eye" (Dt 32:10KJV) which was situated geographically between the the Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms.

W A Criswell says "No more remarkable or accurate prediction could ever be imagined than this detailed analysis of the Grecian Empire."

Alexander, who had conquered more of the world than
any previous ruler, was not able to conquer himself.

John Walvoord sums up this great passage noting that "Expositors, both liberal and conservative, have interpreted this verse as representing the untimely death of Alexander and the division of his empire into four major sections. Alexander, who had conquered more of the world than any previous ruler, was not able to conquer himself. Partly due to a strenuous exertion, his dissipated life, and a raging fever, Alexander died in a drunken debauch at Babylon, not yet thirty-three years of age. His death left a great conquest without an effective single leader, and it took about twenty years for the empire to be successfully divided." (Daniel 8 The Vision Of The Ram And The Goat)

Magnified (01431)(gadal) generally means to become great or to grow. Thus gadal can refer to physical growth (as of people or living things) or of a "growth" of inanimate things (feelings = Job 2:13, authority). Gadal does not refer to being numerous, but to being great in size, importance etc. This verb frequently refers to divine greatness (2Sa 7:22, Ps 104:1, God's works = Ps 92:5, Messiah = Micah 5:4).

In Ezekiel 38:23 the verb gadal is used of God Who declares

I shall magnify (gadal) Myself, sanctify Myself (set Myself apart from the profane to the sacred), and make Myself known in the sight of many nations (~speaks of the Gentiles primarily); and they (the Gentiles) will know that I am the LORD."' (Ezekiel 38:23, cp Ps 35:27, Ps 40:16, Ps 70:4, 2Sa 7:26 = God's Name)

By means of God's intervention in the future, at the time when Gog comes against the land of Israel (Ezek 38:18), the Holy One of Israel (This great name of God occurs 31x in NAS = 2 Ki 19:22 Ps 71:22 78:41 89:18 Isa 1:4 5:19 5:24 10:20 12:6 17:7 29:19 30:11 30:12 30:15 31:1 37:23 41:14 41:16 41:20 43:3 43:14 45:11 47:4 48:17 49:7 54:5 55:5 60:9 60:14 Jer 50:29 51:5) will clearly demonstrate to the Gentile nations that He is God and that there is no other.

In another use gadal speaks of man exalting himself over God, Isaiah asking…

Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt (magnify = gadal) itself over the one who wields it? (Figuratively referring to a man who would seek to magnify himself) That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. (Isaiah 10:15)

Finally, and most relevant to the future of Israel, gadal is used to describe the actions of the Antichrist at the time of the end, as he seeks to show himself omnipotent.

Then the king (in context = the Antichrist) will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify (gadal) himself above every god, and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation ( = Great Tribulation) is finished, for that which is decreed will be done (I.e., God is in control! God is sovereign! He says it, that settles it!). And he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify (gadal) himself above them all. (Daniel 11:36, 37)

So when Daniel records that Alexander magnified himself, it appears to speak most directly to his self magnification. To be sure his genius as one of the world's greatest military strategists garnered a considerable "magnification" from both his friends and his foes, but this verse suggests an additional magnification, a selfish innate arrogance. In a sense, Alexander (as alluded to above), much like the Antichrist will do, attempted to put himself in the position of highest esteem among men, a position that ultimately belongs to God alone (cp 2Th 2:3, 4). And so we are not surprised that Alexander was quickly "cut down" in the prime of his power. God is steadfastly and forever arrayed against those who would be proud and seek the glory that belongs to Him alone (cp a "good prayer" for each of us = Ps 115:1). As believers, we do well to be reminded of this important truth, lest we stop up the supernatural life giving flow of His grace in our lives, even as described by James who states that God…

gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED (antitasso in the present tense = God's continual attitude toward the self-sufficient individual. He continually sets Himself in array against our pride, even as an army goes out to array itself against a host in preparation for a battle! Woe!) TO THE PROUD (huperephanos from huper = over, above, + phaíno = shine = one who shines above or shows himself above his fellows. Pride is that basic sin from which all others issue), BUT GIVES (the present tense signifies God's giving is not just a one time gift but is a continual bestowal from an infinite Source, Christ Jesus = Jn 1:14 grace and truth, Jn 1:16 grace "piled upon" grace!) GRACE (charis = God’s generous favor to undeserving sinners and needy saints) TO THE HUMBLE (tapeinos = low, not high, not rising far from the ground and speaks of the creature's attitude of a "freedom from pride and arrogance" and maintenance of a proper "low" view of one's own importance = a lowliness of mind [in comparison to the Creator]. In Scripture, the humble are those who readily recognize their insufficiency and depend wholly on His sufficiency)." (James 4:6)

Comment: So even as Alexander magnified himself, in effect setting himself against God Almighty (El Shaddai), God repaid his sin of pride "with the same coin", suddenly breaking "the Great" at the height of his power! A powerful lesson from history, to keep us all wary of the ever present danger of pride in its various disguises, sometimes subtle, sometimes readily apparent!

Indeed we have previously encountered a prime example of God's steadfast opposition to the pride of the "great" Nebuchadnezzar, the "head of gold" (Da 2:38), Daniel recording that at the apex of his power…

The king (Nebuchadnezzar) reflected and said,

'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself (cp Alexander who "magnified himself") have built as a royal residence by the might of my power (look again at Da 2:38!) and for the glory of my majesty?' (Da 4:30)

While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying

King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you (cp the removal of Alexander's sovereignty), and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.

Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. (Da 4:30, 31, 32, 33)

KOINE GREEK AND
THE FULNESS OF TIME

As an aside, one of the effects of Alexander's conquest of the "whole earth" (Da 8:5) was that God used him to spread the Greek culture to all the lands he conquered. One of the most important elements was the spread of the Koine Greek language, or the common dialect of the Greeks, which became the commercial "lingua franca" (the common language) of the whole earth. Even more importantly from a theological perspective, Koine Greek became the language which the Hebrew scholars used to translate the Hebrew text of the Old Testament into Greek, thus making it accessible to all the known world, but especially to the Jews who had become more proficient in Greek than in the ancient Hebrew. The Koine Greek continued to be the important language in the time of Jesus and in fact was the language in which the New Testament was written. In short, the sovereign God of the universe had made certain that Koine Greek was the leading language of the entire known world so that all the world could potentially read about His redemptive plan for mankind, which helps one understand Paul's phrase in Galatians 4…

But when the fulness of the time came (God's appointed time = the "perfect time" in history), God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal 4:4,5)

Comment: When God had prepared the language (Koine Greek) in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be recorded and had also prepared the roads (Roman system of roads interconnected major metropolitan areas) on which His missionaries would travel to spread the Gospel, then He had brought about the fulness of time and it was then time to send His Son Who would live out the plan of redemption that would be written down in Koine Greek. What an awesome, loving God we are privileged to know and serve. He desires that all come to know Him and He saw to it that the infrastructure was in place to at least make that possible for both kings and paupers throughout the ancient world.

John MacArthur has these additional comments on the "fulness of time" - The fulness of time refers to the completion of the period of preparation in God’s sovereign timetable of redemption. When the law had fully accomplished its purpose of showing man his utter sinfulness and inability to live up to God’s perfect standard of righteousness, God ushered in a new era of redemption. When He sent forth His Son, He provided the righteousness for man that man could not provide for himself. When Jesus was born, everything was right for the coming of the Messiah.

First of all, the time was right religiously. During the Babylonian captivity, Israel once and for all forsook the idolatry into which she had so often fallen. Despite their many other sins and failures, including the national rejection of their own Messiah, no significant number of Jews has ever again turned to idolatry. Also during the Exile, Jews developed synagogues, which they used as places of worship, as schools, and as courts. In addition to that, they at last had the completed Old Testament, assembled by Ezra and others after the return from Babylon. Those features facilitated the proclaiming of the Messiah’s gospel among the people of Israel.

Second, the time was right culturally. Christians who propagated the Gospel during the first several centuries had a common language (Ed: Koine Greek) with those to whom they witnessed and with whom they worshiped. Alexander the Great had thoroughly established Greek culture and language throughout the known world, and these continued their dominating influence long after Rome succeeded Greece as world ruler.

Third, the time was right politically. Rome had instituted the Pax Romana (Roman peace), which provided economic and political stability. The apostles and other early preachers and teachers could travel freely and safely throughout the empire and could do so on the magnificent system of roads built by the Romans.

Each of those factors was in some unique way a key to the spread of the gospel. God’s timing was perfect (Ed: Beloved, isn't it always!). (SEE Galatians Commentary)

Daniel 8:9 Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.

BGT καὶ ἐξ ἑνὸς αὐτῶν ἀνεφύη κέρας ἰσχυρὸν ἓν καὶ κατίσχυσε καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐπὶ μεσημβρίαν καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἀνατολὰς καὶ ἐπὶ βορρᾶν
--- (TH) καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς αὐτῶν ἐξῆλθεν κέρας ἓν ἰσχυρὸν καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη περισσῶς πρὸς τὸν νότον καὶ πρὸς ἀνατολὴν καὶ πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν

LXE And out of one of them came forth one strong horn, and it grew very great toward the south, and toward the host:

KJV And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

NET From one of them came a small horn. But it grew to be very big, toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.

CSB From one of them a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.

ESV Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.

NIV Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.

NLT Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel.

NRS Out of one of them came another horn, a little one, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the beautiful land.

NJB From one of these, the small one, sprang a horn which grew to great size towards south and east and towards the Land of Splendour.

NAB Out of one of them came a little horn which kept growing toward the south, the east, and the glorious country.

YLT And from the one of them come forth hath a little horn, and it exerteth itself greatly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beauteous land;

Came: Da 8:23,24 7:8,20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 Da 11:21,25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
Beautiful: Da 11:16,41,45 Ps 48:2 105:24 Jer 3:19 Eze 20:6,15 Zec 7:14
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

THE RATHER
SMALL HORN

Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn - The Hebrew reads literally “a horn from smallness” or "a horn from a small one" (“little, insignificant”). The NET renders it “a small horn,” and the ESV “a little horn.” Hereafter abbreviated RSH. The phrase stresses this ruler’s small beginning, not his final size, since the same verse says he “grew exceedingly great”.

Remember that when “horn” is used figuratively, as here, it usually symbolizes the exercise of power or might (see Da 8:3). So who is the small horn? He is not named in Daniel 8, but the historical record leaves little doubt that he is the eighth ruler of the Seleucid dynasty (Map of Seleucid Empire), Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who reigned 175-164 BC. “Out of one of them” means out of one of the four horns of 8:8, specifically the Seleucid kingdom of Syria. He called himself Epiphanes, “God manifest,” and his coins carried the title Theos Epiphanes. His enemies punned on it, calling him Epimanes, “the madman.”

His small beginning fits the history. He was a younger son of Antiochus III. He spent years as a hostage in Rome, and he was not the rightful heir to the throne. When his brother Seleucus IV was assassinated, Antiochus seized power, pushing aside his young nephew Demetrius. Daniel foretold exactly this: “In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue” (Da 11:21).

His three directions match the record. He campaigned south against Ptolemaic Egypt (170-168 BC) and east against Parthia and Armenia (165-164 BC), and he died in Persia in 164 BC. He also turned against the Beautiful Land, Israel, where he profaned the temple and persecuted the Jews (Da 8:10-12).

A rather small horn (Literally = ) (hereafter abbreviated RSH) - Remembering that horn when used figuratively (as here) usually symbolizes the exercise of power or might, who is the small horn? While not mentioned by name in Daniel 8, the historical record leaves little doubt that this person is the eighth ruler of the Seleucid dynasty, Map of Seleucid Empire)

He assumed divine epithets, which no other Hellenistic king had done, such as Theos Epiphanes (Greek = God Manifest) and after his defeat of Egypt, Nikephoros (Greek = mean "Bearer of Victory"). But his often eccentric behavior, capricious actions and even insanity led some of his contemporaries to call him Epimanes ("The Mad One"), a word play off of his title Epiphanes. (Wikipedia)

Small - It is interesting that the Hebrew word for small (tsaiyr) not only means "little" but also conveys the sense of that which is insignificant (cp 1Sa 9:21 = Saul's claim to be "the least" - Would it be that he had remained humble! Cp the use in Ps 119:141 where the psalmist describes himself as "small [insignificant] and despised"). Not surprising this noun tsaiyr was used to describe the last born ("small" in age - e.g., "younger" in Ge 19:31, Ge 29:26, Ge 43:33), for this birth order in the Hebrew culture was the least significant in terms of privilege. Bethlehem was described as too "little (~insignificant) to be among the clans of Judah" (Micah 5:2). And so the use of small (tsaiyr) in the description of Antiochus indicates that he would have an insignificant beginning.

The RSH is clearly not the Little Horn (LH) (aka, the future Antichrist) of Daniel 7:8 as indicated by comparing the two entities in the following table. In view of these clear distinctions between the RSH and the LH, it is very surprising to see some generally literal, conservative commentators like Henry Morris say "This "little horn" is evidently the same as the "little horn" of Daniel 7:8, the Beast of the end-times, also known as the Antichrist. (Morris, Henry: Defenders Study Bible). Once again, the reader can see the importance of doing his or her own observations of the text (see also inductive Bible study) so that they will be able to accurately comment on the commentaries!

THE LITTLE HORN versus THE RATHER SMALL HORN
CHAPTER	Daniel 7	Daniel 8
KINGDOM OF ORIGIN	Fourth Kingdom DT Beast "Revived" Rome	Third Kingdom Greece Divided Stage
HORN "NUMBER"	From and After 10 Thus = "11th" Da 7:7, 20, 24	From One of the 4 Horns = "5th" Da 8:9
TIME OF PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL	Time, times, half a time 3.5 Years Da 7:25	2300 Mornings & Evenings 6+ Years Da 8:14
MESSIANIC KINGDOM FOLLOWS DESTRUCTION	Yes Da 7:14, 18, 22, 26, 27	No

Gleason Archer offers an insightful comment that helps understand why there is so much detail concerning the RSH noting that his origin - "from the third kingdom serves as a prototype of the little horn of the fourth kingdom. The crisis destined to confront God’s people in the time of the earlier little horn, Antiochus Epiphanes, will bear a strong similarity to the crisis that will befall them in the eschatological or final phase of the fourth kingdom in the last days (as Christ himself foresaw in the Olivet Discourse - Mt 24:15)." (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Page 188)

which grew exceedingly great (gadal) toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. - This speaks of the increasing power and conquests of other land by the RSH, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Toward the south… east… the Beautiful - From the historical record we know that the RSH (Antiochus IV Epiphanes) made conquests in each of these directions. If we take Syria as his base of operations, the directions make perfect sense: south, Egypt; east, Persia, Parthia, and Armenia; the Beautiful Land, Israel. On a map you will see that the Beautiful Land also lies south of Syria. It is singled out because of the significant, evil impact Antiochus would have on God’s land and God’s people.

The Beautiful Land (tsebi/tsebiy) - The word signifies the land of Israel here and in the other two uses in Daniel (Da 11:16, Da 11:41). In Daniel 11:45, tsebi/tsebiy describes “the beautiful Holy Mountain,” Jerusalem (Da 11:45). The land’s beauty was not mainly physical. It was spiritual. God chose this tiny, otherwise nondescript strip of land as the center stage for His “beautiful” drama of redemption, Christ’s crucifixion at Calvary, and as the place of the throne of the Beautiful One, Christ the King in the Millennium.

The noun tsebi/tsebiy conveys the idea of splendor, glory, and beauty. Depending on the context it can describe a gazelle, an animal prized for its grace and swiftness: “Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field” (2Sa 2:18). Or, as in this verse, it can describe something beautiful or glorious, such as the glorious land God gave Israel, a land “flowing with milk and honey”: “on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands” (Eze 20:6; cf. 20:15). Jeremiah uses the word twice in one phrase: “Then I said, ‘How I would set you among My sons and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father, and not turn away from following Me’” (Jer 3:19). Notably, the noun is also used of the Messiah and of God Himself. Isaiah uses it of “the Branch,” the Messiah in His coming reign: “In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel” (Isa 4:2). He also uses it of the LORD: “In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people” (Isa 28:5).

Miller explains why God gave Daniel this vision in Daniel 8 noting that "In the previous chapter God (Daniel 7) had given a preview of (Gentile) world history with emphasis on the end times, particularly the evil activities of the Antichrist (the "Little Horn", (cp "time, times and half a time" Da 7:25). God’s people (Jews) also needed to be warned of another crisis that would come in less than four hundred years after Daniel’s lifetime—the persecutions of a madman named Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164BC). It would be one of the most horrible periods in history for believers (ED: Referring to believing Jews, also known as the believing remnant), a time when the very existence of the true religion (Judaism) and its adherents was threatened. God knew that for those brief—only a few years (ED: 2300 days)—but extremely dark days His people would need a supernatural revelation to encourage them as they faced their “great tribulation.” (ED: As horrible as this time was for Israel, it was but a foretaste of the endtimes Great Tribulation about which Jesus had warned His disciples in the Olivet Discourse in Mt 24-25 (Mt 24:15, 21) (SEE Daniel: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy ... - Page 219) (Bolding and links added)

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (AE)

Compiled from various sources…

His name Epiphanes means Manifest, Conspicuous, Illustrious. The Jews mocked his name, calling him Antiochus Epimanes ("Madman")

Of Grecian descent, and specifically a Syrian. He was born about 215 BC and died 164BC.

He ruled the Seleucid Empire (East Division of Alexander the Great's empire) from 175-164 BC.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes was singled out for a detailed description in Daniel 8 (also described in Da 11:21-35) because of his evil treatment of the Jews of Palestine, his opposition to God's Temple in Jerusalem and his attempts to get rid of God's Word of Truth, the Scriptures.

AE was anti-Semitic to the core. He assaulted Jerusalem, murdering over 40,000 in three days, and selling an equal number into cruel slavery. It is thought that on September 6, 171 B.C., he began his evil actions toward the Temple.

Notable events during the reign of Antiochus IV include his near-conquest of Egypt, which led to a confrontation that became an origin of the metaphorical phrase, "line in the sand" and the rebellion of the Jewish Maccabees.

He assumed divine epithets, which no other Hellenistic king had done, such as Theos Epiphanes ("God Manifest") and after his defeat of Egypt, Nikephoros ("Bearer of Victory"). But his often eccentric behavior, capricious actions and possible insanity led some to call him Epimanes ("The Mad One").

He was the Son of Antiochus III who became king after his brother, Seleucus IV, was murdered. As a boy Antiochus lived at Rome as a hostage. The Pergamene monarchs, Eumenes and Attalus, succeeded in placing upon the throne the brother of Seleucus, although Heliodorus had wished to ascend the throne himself. The young king was even more enterprising than his father. He was called in to settle a quarrel between Onias III and his brother, Jason, the leader of the Hellenizing faction in Jerusalem, and Onias was driven out (2Macc 4:4-6). Jason became high priest in his stead (2Macc 4:9-16; 1Macc 1:10-15). Antiochus himself afterward visited Jerusalem and was signally honored (2Macc 4:22).

On the death of Ptolemy VI in 173, Antiochus laid claim to Coelesyria, Palestine and Phoenicia; whereupon war broke out between Syria and Egypt. In this war Antiochus was victorious. Ptolemy Philometor was taken prisoner, and Antiochus had himself crowned king of Egypt (171-167 BC) at Memphis; whereupon Alexandria revolted and chose Ptolemy's brother as their king. The Roman ambassador, Popilius Laenas, demanded the surrender of Egypt and the immediate withdrawal of its self-constituted king. Antiochus yielded; gave up Pelusium and withdrew his fleet from Cyprus, but retained Coelesyria, Palestine and Phoenicia.

While Antiochus was on a second campaign in Egypt, he heard of the siege of Jerusalem. He returned immediately, slew many thousands of the inhabitants and robbed the temple of its treasures (1Macc 1:20-24; 2Macc 5:11-21). By his prohibition of the Jewish worship and his introduction or substitution of the worship of the false "god" Zeus (1Macc 1:54; 2Macc 6:2) he brought about a revolt among the faithful remnant of Jews under the leadership of Judas Maccabees who fought against Antiochus IV Epiphanes during the years 167-164 BC. After this war Antiochus retired to the eastern provinces and died, after having failed in an attack on the temple of the Sun in Elymais, in Persia.

All through Palestine altars to Jupiter were set up and the Jews were forced to sacrifice on them. But at a little Jewish town called Modin (seventeen miles northwest of Jerusalem) there lived a Jewish priest named Mattathias, of the House of Hasmon. He had five sons and this brave old man not only refused to worship Antiochus' idols, but boldly slew the king's religious ambassador. The Jewish revolt was on. One of his sons was named Judas and he was called the Maccabee, which means "the hammer''.

For the next few years Judas successfully led an army of Jews against the Syrians. Their brave exploits are described in two Apocrypha books, first and second Maccabees. On December 25, 164/165BC, the Jewish patriots cleansed and rededicated the Temple Antiochus had defiled. One day’s supply of oil miraculously kept the golden lampstand burning for eight days. This cleansing has been celebrated by the Jews as the Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22).

HOW IS THE LITTLE HORN RELATED TO THE RATHER SMALL HORN? - The two horns are related, but as foreshadowing, not identity. Antiochus "is a foreshadowing of the Antichrist (Da 7; Da 11:36–45), and this revelation clarifies why the two resemble each other yet are distinct" (Steinmann, "Is the Antichrist in Daniel 11?" Bibliotheca Sacra 2005). Constable puts it as a principle: "the little horn arising from the third kingdom serves as a prototype of the little horn of the fourth kingdom. The crisis destined to confront God's people in the time of the earlier little horn, Antiochus Epiphanes, will bear a strong similarity to the crisis that will befall them in the eschatological or final phase of the fourth kingdom in the last days" (Constable on Daniel 8). Patterson agrees: the person in the third kingdom, "unanimously identified as Antiochus Epiphanes, stands either as a type or prophetic precursor to his antitype in the fourth kingdom" (Patterson, "The Key Role of Daniel 7," GTJ 1991 - see full quote below).

Patterson -- "It may be added that the fourth of these kingdoms/eras most likely began with Rome and stretches on to the divinely instituted kingdom.26 The appearance of the figure of a little horn in both the third and fourth kingdoms indicates that the person involved in the third (unanimously identified as Antiochus Epiphanes) stands either as a type or prophetic precursor to his antitype in the fourth kingdom. Thus, chapter 8 can be viewed as “historically fulfilled in Antiochus, but to varying degrees foreshadowing typically the future world ruler who would dominate the situation at the end of the times of the Gentiles”27 or by seeing chapter 8 as prophetic fulfillment without consummation. Consistency of approach also predisposes one to treat chapter 11 in similar fashion." (Patterson, "The Key Role of Daniel 7)

Daniel 8:10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down.

BGT καὶ ὑψώθη ἕως τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐρράχθη ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων καὶ ἀπὸ αὐτῶν κατεπατήθη
--- (TH) ἐμεγαλύνθη ἕως τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἄστρων καὶ συνεπάτησεν αὐτά

LXE and it magnified itself to the host of heaven; and there fell to the earth some of the host of heaven and of the stars, and they trampled on them.

KJV And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

NET It grew so big it reached the army of heaven, and it brought about the fall of some of the army and some of the stars to the ground, where it trampled them.

CSB It grew as high as the heavenly host, made some of the stars and some of the host fall to the earth, and trampled them.

ESV It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

NIV It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.

NLT Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them.

NRS It grew as high as the host of heaven. It threw down to the earth some of the host and some of the stars, and trampled on them.

NJB It grew right up to the armies of heaven and flung armies and stars to the ground, and trampled them underfoot.

NAB Its power extended to the host of heaven, so that it cast down to earth some of the host and some of the stars and trampled on them.

YLT yea, it exerteth unto the host of the heavens, and causeth to fall to the earth of the host, and of the stars, and trampleth them down.

to the host: or, against the host, Da 8:24,25 11:28,30,33, 34, 35, 36
Trampled: Da 8:7 7:7
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Related Passages:

Daniel 8:11-13 It (Rather Small Horn - RSH) even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host (GOD); and it removed the regular sacrifice (SURELY TEMPLE SACRIFICES) from Him, and the place of His sanctuary (THE HOLY TEMPLE) was thrown down. 12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice (SURELY TEMPLE SACRIFICES); and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply (SURELY TEMPLE SACRIFICES), while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place (SURELY THE HOLY TEMPLE TEMPLE) and the host to be trampled?”

THE FATE OF THE HOSTS
AND THE STARS

It grew (gadal) up to the host (tsaba') of heaven and caused some of the host (tsaba') and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down - This is a difficult verse to interpret for it is filled with figurative language. First, who is "it?" In context this is the RSH that grew toward the Beautiful Land of Israel. Then the question arises as to identity of the host and the stars? The two malor considerations would be angels and human beings, especially the Jews? Notice that the RSH has the same effect on both the host and the stars, causing them to fall and then trampling them.

Keeping the context in mind (see Daniel 8:11-13 above) and noting specifically "It" refers to the RSH (Antiochus IV Epiphanes), it makes little sense to identify host and stars as angelic beings. Why would we say that? The actions the RSH carries out (Da 8:12 "host will be given over to the horn" and Da 8:13 "host to be trampled.") would not be possible if the host referred to angels. It follows that the reasonable interpretation is that host refers to the Jews. In addition, the premise that host represents the Jews is substantiated by the fact that Israel is occasionally referred to elsewhere in Scripture as God's hosts (Ex 7:4, cp Ex 12:17, 41, Nu 33:1 where "armies" is same Hebrew word tsaba' translated "hosts").

Furthermore, most interpreters understand “the host” and “the stars” as synonymous and are representative of God’s faithful people, especially Jews. Gabriel’s explanation supports this: “His (RSH's) power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; he will destroy mighty men and the holy people” (Da 8:24). Daniel elsewhere compares the godly to stars: “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Da 12:3). “The Commander of the host” is God Himself, the LORD of hosts. Antiochus did not merely attack a nation. He set himself against heaven’s King.

If one examines the historical records of time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, there is clear documentation of the facts that (1) many of Jews transgressed the covenant motivated/coerced by the evil influence of Antiochus Epiphanes (which would be compatible with the phrase "the transgression of the host" in Da 8:12) and (2) many "non-compliant" Jews (probably either "orthodox" or actually genuine believers) were mercilessly slaughtered by Antiochus (compare this historical record with the phrase "host… trampled" in Da 8:13).

Antiochus did not merely threaten God’s people. He brought them down by force. Historically this describes his savage persecution of faithful Jews in 167 BC. The Jewish history of the period, 1 Maccabees, records that anyone found with a copy of the Law, or anyone who kept the Sabbath or circumcised a child, was put to death. Mothers who had their babies circumcised were executed with the infants hung from their necks (1 Macc 1:56-61). 2 Maccabees tells of the aged scribe Eleazar and of a mother and her seven sons who died rather than eat pork in defiance of God’s law (2 Macc 6-7). Notice the word “some” (some of the host). Not all of God’s people fell. Many stood firm, and their resistance grew into the Maccabean revolt.

Leupold - That stars should signify God’s holy people (the Jews) is not strange when one considers as a background the words that were spoken to Abraham concerning the numerical increase of the people of God, Ge 15:5; Ge 22:17. To this may be added Da 12:3, where a star like glory is held out to those who “turn many to righteousness.” (cp Mt 13:43)… (He adds) If the world calls those men and women stars who excel in one or another department of human activity, why should not a similar statement be still more appropriate with reference to God’s people?

The stars - In addition to Leupold's insightful comment above, when we compare Revelation 12:1, we observe that the "great sign" had "twelve stars" which in context most clearly describes the 12 sons of Jacob as described in Joseph's dream in Genesis 37:9 (See Rev 12:1 commentary)

Phillips agrees that the "host of heaven" is a poetical description of God's chosen people; "the stars" are prominent individuals among them. (See Exploring the Book of Daniel: An Expository Commentary - Page 140)

Trampled - This Hebrew word means to tread upon, as when one presses on object (or person) with the foot upon an object, which gives the picture that the object stamped on is conquered, harmed or even killed, all of which were historically fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes' treatment of the Jews in God's Beautiful land!

Host (tsaba') primarily describes military service, and so an army, a military company organized to serve as a fighting unit: “from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies” (Nu 1:3). It came to mean service or labor more generally, including the Levites’ work at the tabernacle: “from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting” (Nu 4:3; cf. 4:23).

Tsaba’ is also used of the heavenly realm, both the stars: “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts” (Ge 2:1). “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Ps 33:6). “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing” (Isa 40:26). And the angels: “Micaiah said, ‘Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left’” (1Ki 22:19).

It is also part of one of God’s great names, YHWH Tseva’ot, “the LORD of hosts” (Jehovah Sabaoth), the Commander of all the armies of heaven and earth. The title occurs nearly 300 times in the Old Testament, first at Shiloh: “Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there” (1Sa 1:3). The New Testament carries the Hebrew word over as Sabaōth: “Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth” (Jas 5:4; cf. Ro 9:29). Joshua met the Commander Himself before the battle of Jericho: “He said, ‘No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’” (Jos 5:14).

Daniel 8:11 It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.

BGT ἕως ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος ῥύσεται τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸν τὰ ὄρη τὰ ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος ἐρράχθη καὶ ἐξήρθη ὁ τόπος αὐτῶν καὶ θυσία καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὴν ἕως χαμαὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ εὐωδώθη καὶ ἐγενήθη καὶ τὸ ἅγιον ἐρημωθήσεται
--- καὶ ἕως οὗ ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος ῥύσηται τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸν θυσία ἐρράχθη καὶ ἐγενήθη καὶ κατευοδώθη αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἅγιον ἐρημωθήσεται

LXE And this shall be until the chief captain shall have delivered the captivity: and by reason of him the sacrifice was disturbed, and he prospered; and the holy place shall be made desolate.

KJV Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

NET It also acted arrogantly against the Prince of the army, from whom the daily sacrifice was removed and whose sanctuary was thrown down.

CSB It made itself great, even up to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary.

ESV It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.

NIV It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low.

NLT It even challenged the Commander of heaven's army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple.

NRS Even against the prince of the host it acted arrogantly; it took the regular burnt offering away from him and overthrew the place of his sanctuary.

YLT And unto the prince of the host it exerteth itself, and by it taken away hath been the continual sacrifice, and thrown down the base of his sanctuary.

Magnified: Da 8:25 5:23 2Ki 19:22,23 2Ch 32:15-22 Isa 37:23,29 Jer 48:26,42, Compare the Antichrist - Da 7:25, 11:36, 2Th 2:4 Rev 13:5, 6, 7
Commander of the host: Jos 5:14,15 Heb 2:10 Rev 17:14 19:13-16
Regular sacrifice: Da 8:12 11:31 12:11 Ex 29:38-42 Nu 28:3 Eze 46:14
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries
Antiochus Epiphanes - Brittanica

RATHER SMALL HORN
SEEKS DEITY

It even magnified (gadal) itself to be equal with the Commander of the host - In essence Antiochus made himself equal with God, a pre-figuring of the even more evil future persecutor of the Jews, the Little Horn (the Antichrist - see Da 7:21, Da 7:25, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14, Rev 13:7) who will oppose and exalt "himself above every so-called god or object of worship… displaying himself as being God." (2Thes 2:3, 4).

Commander of the host (KJV = Prince) - While one could use this passage to support the premise that host signifies angels (host can also mean armies - as the angelic armies of heaven), it could also indicate the God of the Jews, an interpretation I feel fits better with the immediate context. Although some notes suggest this might be an angel, the fact that the regular sacrifice is removed from Him, leaves little doubt that this is clearly a divine title.

Notice that some versions like the NLT render this phrase in such a way as to clearly favor the interpretation of hosts as heavenly rather than earthly ("Commander of heaven's army"). This is another reason the serious student of Scripture should assiduously avoid paraphrased versions!

J Vernon McGee - He chose for himself the title Theos Epiphanes, meaning "God manifest."

Theos Epiphanes (meaning "God Manifest") was the official title assumed on his coins by Antiochus IV Epiphanes

(c. 215–164 BC), the ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC

. While he styled himself Theos Epiphanes

("God manifest"), his eccentric, erratic, and unpredictable behavior led his contemporaries to pun on the name, calling him Epimanes

("the Mad")

John Whitcomb - The "Commander" of the people of God, in the light of Da 8:25 ("the Prince of princes") is probably God Himself, rather than the Jewish high priest (who served as the supreme ruler of the Jews during these centuries when there was no king). "The regular sacrifice" (timid) means literally "continuousness" but obviously refers to the regular ceremonial observances in the Tabernacle/Temple (cf. Ex. 29:38; Nu. 28:3; Dan. 8:12-13; 11:31; 12:11). In shocking contradiction to his name Epiphanes (which refers to glorious manifestations that belong only to God) (ED: Epiphanes is a Greek title meaning "God Manifest" or "the Glorious/Illustrious," which Antiochus adopted to claim divine status), Antiochus IV in 169 B.C. not only "arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar," the lampstand for the light, but two years later "sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem . . . to profane Sabbath and feasts, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals," and to "forget the law and change all the ordinances" (1 Macc. 1:41-49). Finally, in December 167 B.C., "they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering, . . . and on the 25th day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering" (1 Macc. 1:54-59). (See Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down - Regular sacrifice is Daniel’s shorthand for the daily burnt offerings, a lamb offered every morning and every evening, which the Law required to go on without interruption (Ex 29:38, Ex 29:42). In context this refers to the cessation of the sacrifices that were offered to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. Antiochus replaced the Biblical sacrifices to God with sacrifices to idols, including sacrifice of an unclean animal a pig in God's Sanctuary! From Him is significant because the offerings belonged to God. By stopping them, Antiochus attacked not merely a Jewish custom but the worship owed to the LORD Himself, “the Commander of the host.”

Bob Utley - "it removed the regular sacrifice from Him and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down" This seems to refer to something involving the daily morning and evening sacrifices in the temple ritual called "the continual" (cf. Ex 29:38-42; Nu 28:1-8) and/or all the sacrificial system. This daily ritual was stopped ("removed," Hophal PERFECT; which is the Qere reading. The second VERB, Hophal PERFECT, may refer to the same event) by Antiochus IV Epiphanes and he further defiled the temple by regularly offering a swine on the altar and placing an image of Zeus in the Holy Place (cf. Dan. 11:31; 12:11)(ED: ONE WONDERS IF THIS FORESHADOWED Rev 13:14,15, 2Th 2:4). Antiochus IV tried to Hellenize the Jews (cf. 1 Macc. 1.54-61; 2 Macc. 4.11-6.11) by forcing them to eat the flesh of swine. This caused the rebellion led by the priest of Moden, whose son, Judas Maccabees, through an extended guerilla warfare, finally succeeded in defeating the Seleucid army and, in 165 B.C., cleansed and restored the temple. In modern times, this is known as the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah) , and is celebrated in December (the date changes each year because the Jews use a lunar calendar).

The place of His sanctuary was thrown down - The Temple of God in Jerusalem was not destroyed but it was defiled by the abominations of Antiochus Epiphanes. The Septuagint (LXX) translation supports this interpretation rendering this verse "the holy place shall be made desolate."

On December 15, 168 BC, the desecration of the Temple reached an ultimate low, when Antiochus apparently sacrificed a pig on an altar in the Temple. He then forced the Jewish priests to swallow its flesh, made a broth of it, and sprinkled the entire Temple with the abominable broth. He carried off the golden candlesticks, table of shewbread, altar of incense, various other vessels, and destroyed the sacred books of the Law. A large image of the Roman "god" Jupiter (Greek counterpart = Zeus), the so-called "king of the gods", was erected in the Holy of Holies. The horrified Jews referred to these despicable actions as "the abomination of desolation" (see description of Antiochus abomination in Da 11:31). In carrying out these despicable acts against God's Temple and God's people, he gave a "preview of coming attractions" to be fulfilled in the end of time when the Antichrist commits the ultimate abomination of desolation (cp Da 9:27, Mt 24:15, 2Th 2:3,4, cf Rev 13:14, 15).

John Whitcomb - Even though Antiochus did not totally destroy the sanctuary, he so polluted and desecrated it that three years later, after the Syrian armies were driven out, Judas Mactabeus and his courageous compatriots actually "rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple" and "replaced the altar of burnt offering" (1 Macc. 4:43-48) (See Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

Dwight Pentecost sums this section up - This part of the vision anticipated the rise of a ruler in the Greek Empire who subjugated the people and land of Israel, desecrated her temple, interrupted her worship, and demanded for himself the authority and worship that belongs to God.

The Disciple's Study Bible note on God's sovereignty as related to this verse reminds us that "Human monarchs may establish famous empires through treachery, intrigue, and evil; but their success will be temporary. No one can oppose God and escape punishment. Only God rules forever.

The apocryphal book First Maccabees records a number of acts during the ruthless reign of the Rather Small Horn and focuses especially on his evil actions against the Jews…

Then the king (the RSH, Antiochus IV Epiphanes) wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many Israelites were in favor of his religion (Ed: Idolatry); they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath (Ed: Cp "the transgression of the hosts" Da 8:12 referring to faithless Jews). The king sent messengers with letters to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to follow customs foreign to their land; to prohibit holocausts (Ed: hol = whole + kaustos = burnt > whole burnt offerings - makes one ponder the horrible Nazi holocaust!), sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the Sabbaths and feast days, to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers, to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination, so that they might forget the law and change all their observances. Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king should be put to death. Such were the orders he published throughout his kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people, and he ordered the cities of Judah to offer sacrifices, each city in turn (Ed: Sacrifices to idols not to the Living God). Many of the people, those who abandoned the law (Ed: Jews who abandoned the Law of God), joined them and committed evil in the land. Israel (Ed: Those who would not capitulate to Antiochus' godless decrees) was driven into hiding, wherever places of refuge could be found.

On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king (Antiochus) erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets. Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. (Ed: Antiochus tried to rid the land of Israel of the Word of God!) Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree.

So they used their power against Israel, against those who were caught, each month, in the cities. On the twenty-fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the altar erected over the altar of holocausts. Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree, with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed.

But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel. (1 Mac 1:41-63)

First Maccabees records that after his first conquest in Egypt, Antiochus IV Epiphanes…

returned and went up to Israel and to Jerusalem with a strong force. He insolently invaded the sanctuary and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures, the offering table, the cups and the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the golden ornament on the facade of the temple. He stripped off everything, and took away the gold and silver and the precious vessels; he also took all the hidden treasures he could find. (1Macc 1:20, 21, 22, 23, cp 1 Macc 4:48)

Daniel 8:12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.

BGT καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ἐπὶ τῇ θυσίᾳ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι καὶ ἐρρίφη χαμαὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη καὶ ἐποίησε καὶ εὐωδώθη
--- (TH) καὶ ἐδόθη ἐπὶ τὴν θυσίαν ἁμαρτία καὶ ἐρρίφη χαμαὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη καὶ ἐποίησεν καὶ εὐοδώθη

LXE And a sin-offering was given for the sacrifice, and righteousness was cast down to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

KJV And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

NET The army was given over, along with the daily sacrifice, in the course of his sinful rebellion. It hurled truth to the ground and enjoyed success.

CSB Because of rebellion, a host, together with the daily sacrifice, will be given over. The horn will throw truth to the ground and will be successful in whatever it does.

ESV And a host 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.

NIV Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.

NLT The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did. (NOTE: NLT INTERPRETS HOST AS ANGELIC HOSTS)

NRS Because of wickedness, the host was given over to it together with the regular burnt offering; it cast truth to the ground, and kept prospering in what it did.

YLT And the host is given up, with the continual sacrifice, through transgression, and it throweth down truth to the earth, and it hath worked, and prospered.

Fling truth: Ps 119:43,142 Isa 59:14 2Th 2:10-12
Perform its will: Da 8:4 11:28,36 1Sa 23:9 Job 12:6 Jer 12:1 Rev 13:11-17
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Related Passages:

Daniel 8:13-14 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?” 14 He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.”

SUBJUGATION OF THE SAINTS
CESSATION OF SACRIFICE

And on account of transgression (pesha') the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice - NET - in the course of his sinful rebellion." The sins (on account of transgression) of the Jews ("the host") against God and His covenant would result in God giving them over to the RSH, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. First Maccabees records events that are very compatible with the transgression of the Jews…

In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law (see note above), and they seduced many people, saying: “Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.” The proposal was agreeable; some from among the people promptly went to the king (Antiochus IV Epiphanes), and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing… 43 and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. (1 Mac 1:11-15, 43).

Regarding on account of transgression there are 3 interpretations - (1)the sins of the Jewish people (cf. Da 9:24) which God allowed to be punished by a foreign leader (cf. Isa. 10:5; Jer. 51:20) (2) the sins of Jewish leadership which helped Antiochus (3)or more probably in this context, Antiochus IV Epiphanes' sin (cf. Dan. 8:13,23)

NET NOTE on account of transgression - Heb “in (the course of) rebellion.” The meaning of the phrase is difficult to determine. It could mean “due to rebellion,” referring to the failures of the Jews, but this is not likely since it is not a point made elsewhere in the book. The phrase more probably refers to the rebellion against God and the atrocities against the Jews epitomized by Antiochus.

John Whitcomb on account of transgression - It is possible that the "transgression" refers to that of "the host" (the people of Israel). But in the light of the use of this term in Da 8:13, it more probably refers to the transgression committed by Antiochus. Thus, not only will the people of Israel be subjected to him, but also their regular sacrifices will be stopped, and the precious truths of God's revealed Word will be utterly degraded. Thus, "the books of the law which they found they tore in pieces and burned with fire. Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of anyone, or if anyone adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned them to death" (1 Macc. 1:56-57). Antiochus (and Satan) knew that the uniqueness of Israel and her sacrificial system depended totally upon the truth and availability of her written laws. (See Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

ESV Study Bible - Because of renewed transgression on the part of God’s people, the saints and the temple sacrifices were handed over into the hands of Antiochus IV,

It (RSH) will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper (salah) - NLT - "The horn succeeded in everything it did." Regarding flingling truth to the ground Antiochus forbade the reading of the Old Testament scriptures, going so far as to execute those who broke his decree (see preceding quotation from 1Maccabees 1:44-49). NET Note adds "Truth here probably refers to the Torah. According to 1 Macc 1:56, Antiochus initiated destruction of the sacred books of the Jews."

Prosper (salah also used in Da 8:24, 25) - CSB - "will be successful in whatever it does." NLT - "The horn succeeded in everything it did." NIV = "It prospered in everything it did". Prosper (salah) means to accomplish satisfactorily what is intended. The idea is that Antiochus IV Epiphanes will accomplish satisfactorily what he intends (evil!). Generally this word expresses the idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure. Note however that just as with the Antichrist (who has only 1260 days to "prosper" - see Rev 13:5), God allows Antiochus Epiphanes only 2300 days (Da 8:14). His "dark" day in the sun will come to an end because God is in control and has set limits on his evil actions against the Jews.

As alluded to earlier many of the aspects of the evil reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes are but a foreshadowing of similar aspects of the reign of terror of the Antichrist. And so we note that Daniel 11 describes the fact that the Antichrist will prosper…

Then the king (Antichrist) will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god (2Th 2:4), and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods (Rev 13:6, Da 7:7, Da 7:25); and he (Antichrist) will prosper (salah) until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. (Da 11:36)

Comment: The indignation in the context of Da 11:36 refers to the 3.5 year period of the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist will be allowed by the Most High God (and empowered by Satan - Rev 13:2, 2Th 2:9) to "prosper" for 1260 days and no more (Rev 13:5, Da 7:25, Rev 12:6, 14), for then he will come to destruction (Da 7:11, Da 7:26, Da 11:45, 2Thes 2:8, 9, Rev 17:8, Rev 17:11) (even as Antiochus Epiphanes comes to destruction without human agency - Da 8:25).

Daniel 8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”

BGT καὶ ἤκουον ἑτέρου ἁγίου λαλοῦντος καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἕτερος τῷ φελμουνι τῷ λαλοῦντι ἕως τίνος τὸ ὅραμα στήσεται καὶ ἡ θυσία ἡ ἀρθεῖσα καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐρημώσεως ἡ δοθεῖσα καὶ τὰ ἅγια ἐρημωθήσεται εἰς καταπάτημα
--- TH - καὶ ἤκουσα ἑνὸς ἁγίου λαλοῦντος καὶ εἶπεν εἷς ἅγιος τῷ φελμουνι τῷ λαλοῦντι ἕως πότε ἡ ὅρασις στήσεται ἡ θυσία ἡ ἀρθεῖσα καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐρημώσεως ἡ δοθεῖσα καὶ τὸ ἅγιον καὶ ἡ δύναμις συμπατηθήσεται

LXE And I heard one saint speaking, and a saint said to a certain one speaking, How long shall the vision continue, even the removal of the sacrifice, and the bringing in of the sin of desolation; and how long shall the sanctuary and host be trampled?

KJV Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

NET Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, "To what period of time does the vision pertain– this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?"

CSB Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, "How long will the events of this vision last-- the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled?"

ESV 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 regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?"

NIV Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled--the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?"

NLT Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, "How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven's army be trampled on?"

NRS Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one that spoke, "For how long is this vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled?"

YLT 'And I hear a certain holy one speaking, and a certain holy one saith to the wonderful numberer who is speaking: Till when is the vision of the continual sacrifice, and of the transgression, an astonishment, to make both sanctuary and host a treading down?

GWN Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, "How long will the things in this vision-the daily burnt offering, the destructive rebellion, the surrender of the holy place, and the trampling of the army-take place?"

Holy one: Da 4:13 7:16 12:5,6 De 33:2 Zec 1:9-12,19 2:3,4 14:5 1Th 3:13 1Pe 1:12 Jude 1:14
How long: Da 12:6 Ps 74:9 79:5 Isa 6:11 Rev 6:10
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Related Passages:

Psalm 74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary revile, And the enemy spurn Your name forever?

TRANSGRESSION
THAT MAKES DESOLATE

Then - Marker of sequence.

I heard a holy one (cp Da 4:13) - While the text does not define the identity of the holy ones who are speaking with one another, most interpreters agree that these are angelic beings. What is amazing is that the angels are interested in human events, seeking to know when the desecration of God's Temple (the holy place) and His saints, the Jews, would be freed from the evil effects of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply - This question refers to the sacrifices in the Holy Temple which were not occurring because the Temple would be defiled by Antiochus. Daniel 11:31 is a parallel passage - "“And forces from him (Antiochus IV Epiphanes) will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation."

Bob Utley - "How long" This does not refer to Jeremiah's prophcy about a seventy year exile (cf. Dan. 9:2; Jer. 25:11,12; 29:10; Zech. 7:5). It is connected to the "little horn" of the third empire (i.e., Greece, cf. Dan. 8:21), which is being discussed in Dan. 8:9-14. Therefore, this time frame is related to the atrocities of Antiochus IV (175-164 B.C.), who desecrated the temple and attempted to force individual, faithful Jews to become Hellenists.

John Whitcomb - Daniel then overheard two angels discussing the length of time that would be involved in the horrible desecration of God's holy place and His holy people. Two years earlier an angel had told Daniel that the Great Tribulation under the final Little Horn would last for three-and-a-half years (Da 7:27). The exact duration of the persecutions and sufferings of God's people is not only of tremendous concern to those who must endure it, but is of infinite concern to the God Who inflicts it. Although wicked human beings (LIKE ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES) are often the instruments of Satan in such persecutions, we learn from the book of Job that Satan himself is actually an instrument of our God in bringing about such testings for the refinement and purifying of His people (See Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

The transgression (pesha') causes horror (shamem/samem) so as to allow both the holy place (Temple) and the host (Jews) to be trampled?” (mirmas) - ESV = "transgression that makes desolate", NIV = "rebellion that causes desolation" Here the transgression appear to refer to the desecration of the holy place brought about by Antiochus. In other words the context suggests that Israel’s own transgression opened the door to this judgment. Gabriel’s explanation confirms this: the king would arise “when the transgressors have run their course” (Da 8:23). Indeed, many Jews in Jerusalem had already embraced Greek ways before Antiochus’s persecution, even building a gymnasium in Jerusalem and hiding their circumcision (1 Macc 1:11-15). God used the arrogant king to discipline an apostate people.

The idea of horror is that the Jews would be appalled. Antiochus’s sacrilege made the sanctuary desolate, emptied of true worship (1 Macc 1:39 says “her sanctuary became desolate like a desert”), and it appalled the faithful Jews who witnessed it. Daniel himself was so overwhelmed by the vision that he was “astounded” (the same verb shamem/samem) and sick for days (Da 8:27).

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who has been labeled the "Antichrist of the Old Testament", caused an altar to be set up in the Jewish Temple and on this altar he placed an idolatrous image of Zeus (cf 2Macc 6:2). In addition, he turned the priest's chambers into brothels, creating the "abomination that causes desolation". In other words, the Temple was desolate to pious Jews because of the desecration of the altar which destroyed its true purpose. They had no desire to worship in such a polluted environment and thus the Temple was deprived of Jewish worshippers. Just so will the Antichrist establish an abomination in the sanctuary, a demonic counterfeit worship (Da 9:27; Da 12:11). Even more blatantly defiant of God, the Antichrist will command worship of himself and his image! (2Th 2:3,4, Rev 13:14, Rev 13:15) God will allow this gross evil because He is using this devilish man to fulfill His purging and purifying purpose in the nation of Israel. While the infinitely good and holy God does not cause evil, in His infinite wisdom and omnipotence is able to bring good out of what others mean for evil. (cf Ge 50:20, Ro 8:28)

Horror (desolation)(08074) (shamem/samem) meaning to be desolate, to be deserted, to be laid waste, and also to be appalled, to be astonished, to be horrified. The two meanings are closely connected. The first describes the condition of a place that has been devastated, often by divine judgment; the second describes the reaction of people who see it, a stunned, speechless horror. A ruined city is “desolate,” and those who pass by are “appalled.”

The different stems. In the Qal stem, shāmēm means to be desolate (of lands, cities, roads, and sanctuaries) or to be appalled (of people). The Niphal means to be made desolate or to be appalled. The Hiphil means to devastate, to make desolate, or to cause someone to be appalled. The participle of the Polel (and Poel) describes one who makes desolate, a devastator, which is its sense in Daniel’s “abomination of desolation.” The Hithpolel means to be astonished, to be stunned, or even to cause oneself desolation (Eccl 7:16).

Desolation as covenant judgment. The verb first takes on theological weight in the covenant curses, where God warned Israel what would happen if they broke His covenant. In one verse both meanings appear together (Lev 26:32). The land would lie desolate while the people were in exile, finally enjoying the sabbaths Israel had refused to give it (Lev 26:34-35). Solomon heard the same warning about the temple he had just built (1 Kgs 9:8). Jeremiah watched the warning come true. After Jerusalem fell, Lamentations mourns the desolate city (Lam 1:4, 13, 16) and ends with a haunting picture in (Lam 5:18). Daniel, praying near the end of the seventy years of exile, used the word to plead for the ruined temple (Dan 9:17), and “see our desolations” (Dan 9:18).

Appalled at sin and suffering. The second meaning describes deep shock and dismay. When Ezra learned that the returned exiles had intermarried with pagan peoples, he was overwhelmed (Ezra 9:3). David used it of his own distress (Ps 143:4). Remarkably, the word is even used of God Himself, who was “astonished” at the absence of anyone to intervene for His people (Isa 59:16; cf. Isa 63:5). Most strikingly, Isaiah uses it of the Suffering Servant (Isa 52:14). People were appalled at the sight of the Messiah, disfigured by the suffering He bore for others.

Shāmēm in Daniel. The word is a key term in Daniel’s prophecies about the desecration of the temple. In Daniel 8:13 the NASB renders the participle as “causes horror”. The “transgression that causes horror” (or “makes desolate”) was fulfilled when Antiochus IV Epiphanes abolished the daily sacrifices in 167 BC and set up a pagan altar in the temple, which 1 Maccabees 1:54 calls “a desolating sacrilege.” Daniel himself was stunned by the vision (Da 8:27), where “astounded” is the Hithpolel of shāmēm. The vision that describes desolation left the prophet desolate in spirit. The same root forms the phrase “abomination of desolation” (šiqqûṣ mᵊšōmēm), literally “the detestable thing that makes desolate” or “that causes horror.” Daniel uses it three more times Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, Daniel 12:11.

Daniel 11:31 was fulfilled in Antiochus. But Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation as still future in His day (Mt 24:15). So Antiochus’s desecration served as a preview of a later and greater desecration. Many interpreters see a partial fulfillment in the Roman destruction of the temple in AD 70, and premillennial interpreters expect a final fulfillment by the coming Antichrist, who “opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Th 2:4).

SHAMEN IN DANIEL - Da 8:13, 27; Da 9:18, 26, Da 9:27; Da 11:31; Da 12:11

Transgression (06588)(pesha') means rebellion or revolt against authority (rising up in clear defiance of authority), guilt (incurred by transgressing). Pesha' is derived from a root describing the breach of relationship between two parties (civil or religious). The idea of this noun is that the individual makes a willful choice to reject God's authority and hence to deviate from the path of godly living. Defection from God's standard. Pesha' is “a stepping aside from the (correct) path" and speaks of commission of willful sin. Which of us has not been guilty of pesha'?

PESHA' IN DANIEL - Dan. 8:12; Dan. 8:13; Dan. 9:24

Trampled (04823)(mirmas) is a masculine noun which describes something that is tread upon, trampled down, stepped on, destroyed: a vineyard (Isa. 5:5); a field (Isa. 7:25; Ezek. 34:19 used figuratively to refer to what God's flock [Israel] has trampled on); the Jewish people are "trampled" with acts of judgments (Isa. 10:6; 28:18; Mic. 7:10, Da 8:13 where Septuagint -Lxx uses Greek noun katapatema = trampling).

Mirmas translated - trample(1), trample down(1), trampled(1), trampled down(1), trampled ground(1), trampling(1), tread down(1), what you tread down(1).

Mirmas - 7v - Isa 5:5; 7:25; 10:6; 28:18; Ezek 34:19; Dan 8:13; Mic 7:10

Daniel 8:14 He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.”

BGT Daniel 8:14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ ἡμέραι δισχίλιαι τριακόσιαι καὶ καθαρισθήσεται τὸ ἅγιον
--- Daniel (TH) 8:14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ ἡμέραι δισχίλιαι καὶ τριακόσιαι καὶ καθαρισθήσεται τὸ ἅγιον

LXE Daniel 8:14 And he said to him, Evening and morning there shall be two thousand and four hundred days; and then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.

KJV Daniel 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

NET Daniel 8:14 He said to me, "To 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be put right again."

CSB Daniel 8:14 He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored."

ESV Daniel 8:14 And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state."

NIV Daniel 8:14 He said to me, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated."

NLT Daniel 8:14 The other replied, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again."

NRS Daniel 8:14 And he answered him, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state."

NJB Daniel 8:14 The first replied, 'Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings have gone by: then the sanctuary will have its rights restored.'

NAB Daniel 8:14 He answered him, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be purified."

YLT Daniel 8:14 And he saith unto me, Till evening -- morning two thousand and three hundred, then is the holy place declared right.

GWN Daniel 8:14 He told me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the holy place will be made acceptable to God."

Other prophetic time phrases but all referring to different events than the present verse: Da 7:25 12:7,11 Rev 11:2,3 12:14 13:5 = all relate in some way to Daniel's Seventieth Week)
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

GOD SETS A LIMIT
TO THE TRAMPLING

He said to me - The holy one turns to Daniel and gives the pronouncement.

2,300 evenings and mornings (See similar time phrase in Ge 1:5) - Daniel could take some comfort from knowing that there would be an end to the desecration of the holy place. If these are 2300 literal days as most commentators interpret this phrase, these horrid events would persists for over 6 years (6 years and 20 days)! This could hardly be a reference to the Great Tribulation which will last for 1260 days, 42 months, 3.5 years or "time, times, half a time." However the event Daniel describes in the past history of Israel certainly could foreshadow the future time of horrible persecution of Israel by the Antichrist (Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14). In sum, the holy place was trampled not only because a wicked king was strong, but because God’s people had first trampled His covenant. Yet even in judgment, God set the limit and fixed the day of restoration.

NET Note - The language of evenings and mornings is reminiscent of the creation account in Genesis 1. Since “evening and morning” is the equivalent of a day, the reference here would be to 2,300 days. However, some interpreters understand the reference to be to the evening sacrifice and the morning sacrifice, in which case the reference would be to only 1,150 days. Either way, the event that marked the commencement of this period is unclear. The event that marked the conclusion of the period is the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem following the atrocious and sacrilegious acts that Antiochus implemented. This took place on December 25, 165 B.C. The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah each year commemorates this victory.

Rich Cathers notes that "William Miller thought this meant 2300 years, and starting from 457BC figured that Christ would return in 1843. When it didn't happen, he recalculated and said it would happen in 1844. When that didn't happen, a lady named Ellen G. White came along and said that Jesus really did come in 1844 but only those on the inside knew about it and this was the start of the Seventh Day Adventists.

Will be properly restored - The Hebrew verb here is tsadaq which in the Niphal (passive) literally means to be made righteous. Young's Literal renders it "then is the holy place declared right". The idea seems to be that the Temple that had been defiled by the actions of Antiochus was made ceremonially right (righteous). The Septuagint uses the verb katharizo (literally, as thoroughly cleansing for sacred use) which can be translated "the sanctuary shall be cleansed" (cp the statement in 1 Macc 4:48).

The Jews celebrate the cleansing of the Temple in December 25, 164BC with the Feast of Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of the Dedication (John 10:22) or the Festival of Lights (see 1Macc 4:56).

John Whitcomb asks " to what period of history do these 2,300 days refer? According to 1 Maccabees 4:52-59, "the holy place" was "properly restored" on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month of the year 164 B.C. Working backward 2,300 days from that date, we come to the fall of 170 B.C. Now 1 Maccabees 1:10-21 does not tell us specifically what happened on that day, but it does give us a general picture of the frightening events of that period:

Antiochus Epiphanes . . . [175 B.C.]. In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying, "let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us." This proposal pleased them, and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile customs, and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil. . . . After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the 143rd year [169 B.C.]. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar. (Ibid., p. 189.)

We can see from this portion of the remarkably accurate historical document of 1 Maccabees that the beginning of the 2,300 days of trampling of "the host" (Da 8:13), as well as the holy place, could very easily have occurred in the fall of 170 B.C. It was when the apostate Jews "abandoned the holy covenant" and received official authorization from Antiochus "to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles" that this six-year-and-four-month period of horror began (See Daniel - Everyday Bible Commentary Series)

Donald Campbell records the following interesting quote - A persecutor of the Jews in Russia asked a Jew what he thought the outcome would be if the wave of persecutions continued. The Jew answered, ‘The result will be a feast! Pharaoh tried to destroy the Jews, but the result was the Passover (Ex 12:11, 21, 26, 27, Lev 23:5). Haman attempted to destroy the Jews, but the result was the Feast of Purim (Wikipedia) (Esther 9:26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32). Antiochus Epiphanes tried to destroy the Jews, but the result was the Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22). (Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams - well written, practical, recommended)

Daniel 8:15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man.

BGT Daniel 8:15 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ θεωρεῖν με ἐγὼ Δανιηλ τὸ ὅραμα ἐζήτουν διανοηθῆναι καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔστη κατεναντίον μου ὡς ὅρασις ἀνθρώπου
--- Daniel (TH) 8:15 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἰδεῖν με ἐγὼ Δανιηλ τὴν ὅρασιν καὶ ἐζήτουν σύνεσιν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔστη ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ ὡς ὅρασις ἀνδρός

LXE Daniel 8:15 And it came to pass, as I, even I Daniel, saw the vision, and sought to understand it, that, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

KJV Daniel 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

NET Daniel 8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision, I sought to understand it. Now one who appeared to be a man was standing before me.

CSB Daniel 8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.

ESV Daniel 8:15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.

NIV Daniel 8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.

NLT Daniel 8:15 As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me.

NRS Daniel 8:15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone appeared standing before me, having the appearance of a man,

NJB Daniel 8:15 As I, Daniel, gazed at the vision and tried to understand it, I saw someone standing in front of me who looked like a man.

NAB Daniel 8:15 While I, Daniel, sought the meaning of the vision I had seen, a manlike figure stood before me,

YLT Daniel 8:15 'And it cometh to pass in my seeing -- I, Daniel -- the vision, that I require understanding, and lo, standing over-against me is as the appearance of a mighty one.

GWN Daniel 8:15 Now as I, Daniel, watched the vision and tried to understand it, I saw someone who looked like a man standing in front of me.

Da 7:28
Understand: Da 7:16-19 12:8 Mt 13:36 24:15 Mk 4:12 13:14 1Pe 1:10,11 Rev 13:18
Like a man: Da 10:5,16 Jos 5:14 Isa 9:6 Eze 1:26-28 Mt 24:30 Rev 1:13
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

DANIEL SEEKS
AN INTERPRETATION

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold (hinneh), standing before me was one who looked like a man - The angel Gabriel (Da 8:16), the first angel named in Scripture and one of only two named (good) angels (Satan a fallen angel is of course named), the other being the archangel Michael (cp Da 10:13, 21)

Daniel 8:16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.”

BGT Daniel 8:16 καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἀνθρώπου ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Ουλαι καὶ ἐκάλεσε καὶ εἶπεν Γαβριηλ συνέτισον ἐκεῖνον τὴν ὅρασιν καὶ ἀναβοήσας εἶπεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐκεῖνο ἡ ὅρασις
--- Daniel (TH) 8:16 καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἀνδρὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Ουβαλ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν καὶ εἶπεν Γαβριηλ συνέτισον ἐκεῖνον τὴν ὅρασιν

LXE Daniel 8:16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of the Ubal; and he called, and said, Gabriel, cause that man to understand the vision.

KJV Daniel 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

NET Daniel 8:16 Then I heard a human voice coming from between the banks of the Ulai. It called out, "Gabriel, enable this person to understand the vision."

CSB Daniel 8:16 I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man."

ESV Daniel 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision."

NIV Daniel 8:16 And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision."

NLT Daniel 8:16 And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision."

NRS Daniel 8:16 and I heard a human voice by the Ulai, calling, "Gabriel, help this man understand the vision."

YLT Daniel 8:16 And I hear a voice of man between the banks of Ulai, and he calleth and saith: Gabriel, cause this one to understand the appearance.

GWN Daniel 8:16 I heard a man in Ulai Gate call loudly, "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man."

I heard: Da 10:11,12 Ac 9:7 10:13 Rev 1:12
Give this man: Da 9:22 10:14,21 12:7 Zec 1:9 2:4 Heb 1:14 Rev 22:16
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

A VOICE COMMANDS THE
ANGEL GABRIEL

And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out - Surely this is God. Notice here He speaks with a human voice. Some think the voice could be that of Michael the Archangel, but it is not identified in the text. Calvin believes that the man speaking is Christ.

And said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding (bin/biyn) of the vision (mareh) - Daniel needed divine illumination of what he had envisioned. Beloved, we too need the divine illumination of the Spirit when we "envision" God's Word!

Gabriel ("hero of God", "warrior of God") - 4x in 4v - Da 8:16 9:21 Lk 1:19, 26

NET Note - The only angels whose names are given in the OT are Gabriel (Dan 8:16; 9:21; cf. Luke 1:19, 26) and Michael (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; cf. Jude 9; Rev 12:7). The name Gabriel means in Hebrew “man of God,” and Michael means “who is like God?”

The writer of Hebrews explains one of the ministries of God's angels asking "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)

Understanding (0995)(bin/biyn) means to understand or perceive. Bin/biyn conveys the same idea as our word discrimination. It entails the idea of making a distinction as in 1Ki 3:9 where Solomon ask God for the ability "to discern (bin/biyn) between good and evil". Many of the OT uses of bin/biyn are translated "understanding," an understanding which is the result of comparative "study" or "mental separation".

Vision (04758) mareh is a masculine noun meaning a sight, an appearance, a vision. It is derived from the verb rāʾāh (H7200), “to see,” and carries many of the same shades of meaning as the verb. The noun occurs just over 100 times in the Old Testament, especially in Ezekiel and Daniel. It can refer to the act of seeing, the appearance of an object, the object that is seen, the visible form or face of a person, the ability to see, the brightness of fire or lightning, and a supernatural vision. A closely related feminine noun, marʾâ (H4759), means “vision” and is used of visions God gave to Jacob, Moses, and Daniel (Gen 46:2; Num 12:6; Dan 10:7-8, 16). The Septuagint translates marʾeh with several words, including horasis (3706), “a sight, appearance, vision”; opsis (3799), “appearance, face”; eidos (1491), “form, appearance, sight”; and horama (3705), “a vision.”

MAREH - 72V - appear(1), appearance(48), appears(7), desires(1), face(2), form(2), good-looking*(1), impressive(1), like(2), looked(2), looking(1), openly(1), pattern(1), saw*(1), see*(1), sight(5), something(2), vision(10), what...see(2), who looked(1). Gen. 2:9; Gen. 29:17; Gen. 39:6; Exod. 3:3; Exod. 24:17; Lev. 13:3; Lev. 13:4; Lev. 13:12; Lev. 13:20; Lev. 13:25; Lev. 13:30; Lev. 13:31; Lev. 13:32; Lev. 13:34; Lev. 13:43; Lev. 14:37; Num. 8:4; Num. 9:15; Num. 9:16; Num. 12:8; Deut. 28:34; Deut. 28:67; Jos. 22:10; Jdg. 13:6; 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Sam. 17:42; 2 Sam. 11:2; 2 Sam. 14:27; 2 Sam. 23:21; Est. 2:7; Job 4:16; Job 41:9; Eccl. 6:9; Eccl. 11:9; Cant. 2:14; Cant. 5:15; Isa. 11:3; Isa. 52:14; Isa. 53:2; Ezek. 1:5; Ezek. 1:13; Ezek. 1:14; Ezek. 1:16; Ezek. 1:26; Ezek. 1:27; Ezek. 1:28; Ezek. 8:2; Ezek. 8:4; Ezek. 10:1; Ezek. 10:9; Ezek. 10:10; Ezek. 10:22; Ezek. 11:24; Ezek. 23:15; Ezek. 23:16; Ezek. 40:3; Ezek. 41:21; Ezek. 42:11; Ezek. 43:3; Dan. 1:4; Dan. 1:13; Dan. 1:15; Dan. 8:15; Dan. 8:16; Dan. 8:26; Dan. 8:27; Dan. 9:23; Dan. 10:1; Dan. 10:6; Dan. 10:18; Joel 2:4; Nah. 2:4

The act of seeing and the object seen. In its first occurrence, marʾeh describes the beauty of Eden’s trees, made both to delight the eye and to nourish the body (Gen 2:9). It can also describe the thing seen. When Moses saw the bush burning but not consumed, he said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up” (Ex 3:3). Literally, “this great marʾeh.” The Preacher uses the word for the ability to see, contrasting contentment with what is before us against restless craving: “What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind” (Eccl 6:9). In Leviticus 13 the word is used repeatedly of the priest examining the appearance of a skin disease to determine whether it was clean or unclean (Lev 13:3, 12).

Physical appearance and beauty. Marʾeh frequently describes a person’s appearance, often in the phrase “beautiful (or good) of appearance.” Sarai was a woman of beautiful appearance (Gen 12:11), as was Rebekah (Gen 24:16). Joseph is described in the same terms (Gen 39:6). In Babylon, after eating vegetables and water, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than the youths who ate the king’s food (Dan 1:15). In the Song of Songs, the bridegroom longs to see his bride’s face (Song 2:14), where “form” is marʾeh.

God does not judge by appearance. Scripture warns repeatedly that appearance can deceive. When Samuel admired Jesse’s son Eliab, God corrected him (1 Sam 16:7). The first “appearance” in that verse is marʾeh. Isaiah says the coming Messiah would judge with the same divine discernment (Isa 11:3). Literally, “not by the marʾeh of His eyes.” Jesus made the same point to His critics (Jn 7:24: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”).

The appearance of the Messiah. Isaiah uses marʾeh twice in his prophecy of the Suffering Servant, and both uses are striking. The Servant had no outward attractiveness to draw people to Him (Isa 53:2). And His suffering would disfigure Him beyond human likeness: “Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men” (Isa 52:14). In Israel’s history, the beautiful appearance of a Saul or an Eliab could mislead people, but God’s chosen King came without outward beauty, and was marred for our sake.

The appearance of God’s glory. Marʾeh is used for the visible manifestations of God’s presence. Over the tabernacle, the cloud by day became “the appearance of fire” by night (Num 9:15-16: “Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.”). God distinguished Moses from other prophets because He spoke with him directly: “With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?” (Num 12:8). “Openly” here is marʾeh, “plainly, in clear sight,” in contrast to riddles. Ezekiel uses the word again and again in describing his vision of God’s glory, piling up the phrase “the appearance of” as if to show that what he saw could only be described indirectly: “As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking” (Ezek 1:28; cf. 8:4). The careful layering of “appearance” and “likeness” shows reverent restraint: the prophet saw something real, yet no human words could fully capture the glory of God. John’s description of the throne in heaven uses the same kind of language (Rev 4:3: “And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.”).

Visions in Daniel. In Daniel 8–10, marʾeh is a key word alongside ḥāzôn (H2377), the more common word for a prophetic vision. The two are often paired. When Daniel sought to understand the vision (ḥāzôn), one “who looked like (kᵊmarʾēh) a man” stood before him, and a voice said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision (marʾeh)” (Dan 8:15-16). Gabriel later affirmed, “The vision (marʾeh) of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision (ḥāzôn) secret, For it pertains to many days in the future” (Dan 8:26). Many commentators note that in these chapters marʾeh sometimes refers to a specific part of the revelation (here, the 2,300 evenings and mornings), while ḥāzôn refers to the vision as a whole. The vision overwhelmed the prophet: “but I was astounded at the vision (marʾeh), and there was none to explain it” (Dan 8:27). Gabriel later returned and urged Daniel to “give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision” (Dan 9:23), and at last Daniel “understood the message and had an understanding of the vision” (Dan 10:1). Daniel’s experience shows that understanding God’s revelation requires both seeing and divine explanation. In the final vision, the heavenly messenger’s face had “the appearance of lightning” (Dan 10:6: “His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.”).

From sight to faith. The New Testament places the visible appearance of things in proper perspective. Believers live by what God has revealed rather than by outward appearances: “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7), where “sight” is eidos, the Septuagint’s common rendering of marʾeh. Paul explains why: “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18).

THOUGHT: Marʾeh teaches us to look carefully at what we look at. The trees of Eden were “pleasing to the sight,” yet sight became the doorway to sin. Eliab looked like a king, but God rejected him. The Messiah had “no appearance that we should be attracted to Him,” yet He was the King of glory, marred for our salvation. In a culture obsessed with image and appearance, may we learn to see as God sees, looking past the outward appearance to the heart, and past the things that are seen to the eternal things that are unseen, until the day when we see Him face to face (1 Cor 13:12).

TWOT (online) - mar’eh. Sight, vision, appearance, countenance, beauty. This word merits attention in three respects: 1) its essential general meaning, 2) a special meaning with reference to "the Servant of the Lord" in Isaiah and 3) a special meaning in connection with biblical prophecy.

1. Essential general meanings. Being derived directly from the verb rāʾâ "to see," by simple addition of a familiar noun-making prefix, this word bears much of the variety of significance of that word. The verb appears in every main Hebrew stem, except possibly Piel, and exhibits every conceivable sort of literal, metaphorical, and extended meaning of "to see"—as in English. As one would expect, the word rāʾâ appears hundreds of times. Our noun marʾeh can mean almost anything having to do with outward appearance, the way things look. So the notions of a "sight" or phenomenon, the thing seen, whether usual (Leviticus 13:3, and ten times in the chapter), or unusual (Exodus 3:3) is common. The act of looking (Isaiah 11:3) and the faculty or function of seeing (Eccles. 6:9) are two other senses; also "appearance" in the sense of how something seems outwardly to be, as opposed to the inner reality (1 Samuel 16:7). By a slight extension our word expresses the very common notion of face or countenance, the part of a person visible to the eye (Song 2:14; Song 5:15). Adjectives for fair and desirable as well as ugly and undesirable are commonly used with marʾeh.

2. Special meaning with reference to the Servant of the Lord.

a. The opening canto of the last "Song of the Servant" (Isaiah 52:13—53:12) has this line: "His visage (marʾēhâ) was more marred than any man" (Isaiah 52:14). This strange statement seems to give the reason why "many were astonished" at the Servant when they saw him at Golgotha, the low point in his career as far as human acceptance was concerned. What does it mean? Taken (as it surely must be) as a characterization of what happened to his "physique" at the crucifixion, men have supposed many things. Perhaps it refers to the physical injuries—and no one was ever so injured ("more than any man"). But quite a point is made of the fact in the Gospels that not a bone of his body was broken. People receive more disfiguring injuries from fire, explosions, etc. every day and live to bear the scars. Someone has suggested the inward suffering of abandonment by God and man. But that has nothing to do with marʾeh, outward appearance. The correct understanding of marʾeh here can be adequately interpreted if we start with mēʾîsh "than any man," better translated literally, "from a human adult male." The male of our species in his perfection, dignity, and privilege was most thoroughly degraded, not by smashing him physically but by destroying all evidence of that perfection, dignity, and privilege which man has as viceregent lord of earth's creatures. Convicted as a criminal, tortured as a sneak-thief, abused as being of no status whatsoever and then ignored by his executioners, as they amused themselves with his attire—perhaps this was how mishḥat mē’îsh marʾēhû "ruined from a human male as regard his appearance" was fulfilled.

b. In Isaiah 53:2 it is said of him, "And when we shall see him there is no beauty (marʾeh) that we should desire him." Though close to the last mentioned reference where the meaning is somewhat unique, here another nearly unique sense is employed. Without any qualifying adjective for beautiful, attractive, lovely, etc., the bare noun means good appearance, hence rendered beauty" here and here alone in KJV. To get the sense here, think of what a husband means when he calls his new bride a "vision" as opposed to what he might be thinking of if he called her a "sight." The missing "beauty" was regal trappings, prestigious accoutrements. Like John the Baptist, he wore none of the soft clothing and had no flabby muscles, characteristic of those who live in kings' courts. The Jews wanted a courtly prince; God offered them a muscular carpenter.

3. Special meaning with reference to biblical prophecy. There is a nearly identical noun marʾâ, distinguished from marʾeh only by the second vowel. This related word is used almost exclusively for vision(s) as a vehicle of divine revelation to prophets. The words alternate in this obvious sense in Ezekiel and Daniel. See BDB, p. 909.

Daniel 8:17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”

γὰρ εἰς ὥραν καιροῦ τοῦτο τὸ ὅραμα
--- Daniel (TH) 8:17 καὶ ἦλθεν καὶ ἔστη ἐχόμενος τῆς στάσεώς μου καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐθαμβήθην καὶ πίπτω ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου καὶ εἶπεν πρός με σύνες υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου ἔτι γὰρ εἰς καιροῦ πέρας ἡ ὅρασις

LXE Daniel 8:17 And he came and stood near where I stood: and when he came, I was struck with awe, and fell upon my face: but he said to me, Understand, son of man: for yet the vision is for an appointed time.

KJV Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

NET Daniel 8:17 So he approached the place where I was standing. As he came, I felt terrified and fell flat on the ground. Then he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision pertains to the time of the end."

CSB Daniel 8:17 So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown. "Son of man," he said to me, "understand that the vision refers to the time of the end."

ESV Daniel 8:17 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."

NIV Daniel 8:17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. "Son of man," he said to me, "understand that the vision concerns the time of the end."

NLT Daniel 8:17 As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. "Son of man," he said, "you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end."

NRS Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I became frightened and fell prostrate. But he said to me, "Understand, O mortal, that the vision is for the time of the end."

YLT Daniel 8:17 And he cometh in near my station, and at his coming in I have been afraid, and I fall on my face, and he saith unto me: Understand, son of man, for at the time of the end is the vision.

GWN Daniel 8:17 Gabriel came up beside me, and when he came, I was terrified and immediately knelt down. He said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision is about the end times."

I was: Da 10:7,8,16 Ge 17:3 Eze 1:28 Mt 17:8 Mk 9:4,5 Rev 1:17 19:9,10 Rev 22:8
Understand: Da 8:15 9:23 10:11
Son of man: Ezek 2:1 6:2
The time of the end: Da 8:19, 9:27, 11:35,36, 12:4,13 Hab 2:3
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

A SERIES OF
TIME PHRASES

Fell on my face - This is a frequent posture when natural men encounter the supernatural - Abram in Genesis 17:3; The people of Israel when they saw the first from before Jehovah consume the burnt offering - Lev 9:24. Moses and Aaron when Jehovah told them to separate themselves - Nu 16:21-22. Joshua before one I interpret as an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ - Josh 5:14-15. Ezekiel in Ezek 1:28. John on Patmos before the gloried Christ - Rev 1:17. John before an angel - Rev 22:8, where the angel instructed him "“Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God.” (Rev 22:9)

Son of man - Title given to the prophet Daniel and repeatedly given to the other exilic prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 2:1, 3, 6, 8, 3:1,etc - 93x total) and once to Jesus in the OT (Da 7:13). In the NT this is one of Jesus' favorite ways to refer to Himself (85x in 81v - Mt 8:20, 9:6, 10:23, 11:19, etc)

Time of the end (or "end time") - These two Hebrew words (time = 'eth and end = qets) occur together in 5 OT passages - Da 8:17, Da 11:35, Da 11:40, Da 12:4, Da 12:9. In context the last 4 uses all seem to describe the end time of this present evil age, with Da 11:40 referring specifically to the time when the Antichrist will exert his "Antiochus" like persecution of the Jews.

The time of the end - There is some disagreement about what "time period" this phrase (and the two that follow in Da 8:19) refers. Walvoord summarizes the four major views (See Dr. Walvoord's lengthy discussion of the various interpretations of these time phrase - Daniel 8 The Vision Of The Ram And The Goat)…

View #1 the historical view that all of Daniel 8 has been fulfilled;

View #2 the futuristic view, the idea that it is entirely future;

View #3 the view based upon the principle of dual fulfillment of prophecy, that Daniel 8 is intentionally a prophetic reference both to Antiochus Epiphanes, now fulfilled, and to the end of the age and the final world ruler who persecutes Israel before the second advent;

View #4 the view that the passage is prophecy, historically fulfilled but intentionally typical of similar events and personages at the end of the age.

Examination of ancient secular writings and the historical record of the apocryphal book of First Maccabees (providing information about persons and events in Jewish history during the Second century BC) strongly support the fact that the description of the rise and fall of the Rather Small Horn (RSH) in Daniel 8 has been fulfilled in the person of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (View #1).

Based on the fact that the RSH emerges from the kingdom of Greece in its "four horn stage" and the Little Horn (Antichrist) emerges from the "revived" stage of the "DT Beast" ("Revived" Rome) in its ten horn/ten king stage, the events of Daniel 8 cannot readily be explained as solely a future fulfillment (View #2). Another distinction between Antiochus and the Antichrist is the former persecuted the Jews 2300 days while the latter will persecute them for 1260 days (time, times, half a time

On the other hand, the time phrases (see following explanation) in Daniel 8:17 (pertains to the time of the end) and Daniel 8:19 (the final period of the indignation… the appointed time of the end) strongly suggest that God's intention is to use the character and actions of Antiochus Epiphanes to presage (provide a forewarning of) the coming world dictator, the Antichrist. Whether one choose to refer to this as a double fulfillment (near future = Antiochus, far future = Antichrist) or classifies Antiochus as a historical type of the future Antichrist is a moot point (View #3 and View #4), in my opinion. In either case the historical person Antiochus Epiphanes is "descriptively" predictive of the future Antichrist. This is the view which this writer espouses.

THE TIME
OF THE END

The same phrase end time (using the same 2 Hebrew nouns as Da 8:17) is used in Daniel 11 to describe events future not only to Daniel but also future to the modern reader.

For example, in Daniel 11 we read that…

And at the end time ("time of the end" = NET, ESV, NIV) the king of the South will collide with him (in context this is the Antichrist), and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through. He (Antichrist) will also enter the Beautiful Land (Israel), and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. (Da 11:40, 41-note)

This phrase "the end of time" (again the same 2 Hebrew nouns as Da 8:17) is used in Daniel 12

But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time ("time of the end" = NET, ESV, NIV); many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase. (Da 12:3)

These parallel phrases support the view that the present passages that were fulfilled in the person of the Rather Small Horn, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, were actually a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist (some commentators use the phrase that Antiochus is "typical" of the Antichrist and others such as Donald Campbell state that the description in Daniel 8 has a "double fulfillment", historically in the events of 175-164BC and in the future in the reign of terror of the Antichrist). In fact, study of the following passages suggest many points of similarity between these two enemies of God and Israel. (Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams - well written, practical, recommended)

Leupold comments that "King Antiochus is seen to be a kind of Old Testament antichrist like unto the great Antichrist; the overthrow and the defilement of the sanctuary shall correspond to similar experiences of the church (Ed: I disagree here with Leupold and feel the church is not in view during the Great Tribulation and the persecution by the Antichrist-in fact just as with Antiochus, the hatred of Antichrist will be anti-Semitic! Of course Gentiles who are alive during this horrible time and refuse the mark of the Beast will also be persecuted!); the suffering of the holy people corresponds to suffering in the last Great Tribulation. When this is borne in mind, the chapter loses its isolation from present-day events and is seen to be typical in a very definite sense."

The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes that "the little horn arising from the third kingdom (Da 8:9) serves as a prototype (Ed: an individual that exhibits the essential features of a later type) of the little horn of the fourth kingdom (Ed: Revived stage of Rome). The crisis destined to confront God's people in the time of the earlier little horn, Antiochus Epiphanes, will bear a strong similarity to the crisis that will befall them in the eschatological or final phase of the fourth kingdom in the last days (as Christ himself foresaw in the Olivet Discourse - Mt 24:15). In each case a determined effort will be made by a ruthless dictator to suppress completely the biblical faith and the worship of the one true God. Rather than concluding, as the Maccabean date hypothesis insists, that the little horn of chapter 7 is also intended as a prophecy of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (with a resultant identification of the fourth kingdom as the Greek or Seleucid Empire), we are to understand the relationship between the little horn of the Greek Empire (third kingdom) and that of the latter-day fourth kingdom to be that of type and antitype similar to that between Joshua and Jesus (Heb 4:8) and Melchizedek and Christ (He 6:20, Heb 7:1). In Daniel 11… both the typical little horn (Antiochus) and the antitypical little horn (Ed: Antichrist) appear in succession (Ed: Actions of Antiochus are described in detail in Da 11:21-35), the transition from the one to the other taking place at 11:40 (Ed: I disagree - There is a earlier definitive "break" in Da 11:36, the subsequent passages describing more facts which could only be fulfilled by the future Antichrist - See Da 11:36-45), after which are predicted the circumstances of the destined death of the antitype that were not at all true of Antiochus Epiphanes himself. Therefore, the two figures cannot be identical, nor can the Greek Empire be equated with the fourth kingdom of Daniel's prophetic scheme. (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary)

There are a number of relatively similar time phrases in the eschatological section of Daniel 8-12…

Da 8:17 = the time of the end
Da 8:19 = the appointed time of the end
Da 8:26 = pertains to many days in the future
Da 9:26 = even to the end there will be war
Da 10:14 = in the latter days… pertains to the days yet future
Da 11:27 = the end is still to come at the appointed time
Da 11:35 = until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time
Da 11:40 = at the end time
Da 12:4 = until the end of time
Da 12:6 = until the end of these wonders
Da 12:9 = until the end time

Daniel 8:18 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.

BGT Daniel 8:18 καὶ λαλοῦντος αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐκοιμήθην ἐπὶ πρόσωπον χαμαί καὶ ἁψάμενός μου ἤγειρέ με ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου
--- Daniel (TH) 8:18 καὶ ἐν τῷ λαλεῖν αὐτὸν μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ πίπτω ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἥψατό μου καὶ ἔστησέν με ἐπὶ πόδας

LXE Daniel 8:18 And while he spoke with me, I fell upon my face to the earth: and he touched me, and set me on my feet.

KJV Daniel 8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

NET Daniel 8:18 As he spoke with me, I fell into a trance with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood me upright.

CSB Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, made me stand up,

ESV Daniel 8:18 And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.

NIV Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.

NLT Daniel 8:18 While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.

NRS Daniel 8:18 As he was speaking to me, I fell into a trance, face to the ground; then he touched me and set me on my feet.

NJB Daniel 8:18 He was still speaking, when I fainted, face downwards on the ground. He touched me, however, and raised me to my feet.

NAB Daniel 8:18 As he spoke to me, I fell forward in a faint; he touched me and made me stand up.

YLT Daniel 8:18 And in his speaking with me, I have been in a trance on my face, on the earth; and he cometh against me, and causeth me to stand on my station,

GWN Daniel 8:18 As he spoke to me, I fainted facedown on the ground, but he touched me and made me stand up.

I was: Da 8:17,27 10:8,9 Lk 9:32 22:45
he touched me: Da 10:10,16,18 Ge 15:12 Job 4:13 Eze 2:2 Zec 4:1 Ac 26:6
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

While he was talking with me I sank into a deep sleep - Clearly Daniel was neither bored or sleepy in the normal sense. In fact such a divine encounter would have quite the opposite effect - a very sobering experience to put it mildly!

Sank into a deep sleep (A single Hebrew verb = radam) can refer to literal sleep (usually a deep, sound sleep) as in Jonah 1:5,6 or with Sisera before Jael put the peg through his head (Jdg 4:21). There are 2 uses in Daniel and both are associated with divine encounters. While one cannot be definitive, it seems that the awesome character of this (presumed) angelic communication caused him to "faint", much like we see when someone receives incredible unexpected news (good or bad). It would be difficult to say much more about Daniel's two unique experiences (Da 8:18, Da 10:9).

Radam - 7 uses in the OT - Jdg 4:21 (Sisera "was sound asleep"); Ps 76:6 ("were cast into a dead sleep" = context refers to the "sleep" of death ); Pr 10:5 ("sleeps in harvest" - conveys the picture of inactivity as might be seen with laziness or apathy); Da 8:18; 10:9; Jonah 1:5f

Daniel 10:9 But 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. (Comment: And just as in Da 8:18 a supernatural hand touched and aroused Daniel - Da 10:10).

Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.

Made me stand upright - The Hebrew is more literally "made me stand upon my standing"

He touched me - The "holy one" presumably an angel. Interesting, that one from the "unseen" world can physically touch one in the visible world.

Daniel's reaction to these divine encounters (Da 8:18, Da 10:9) is reminiscent of John's encounter with the Risen Christ in Revelation where the apostle records…

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Rev 1:17, Rev 1:18)

Daniel 8:19 He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

BGT Daniel 8:19 καὶ εἶπέ μοι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀπαγγέλλω σοι ἃ ἔσται ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῆς ὀργῆς τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ λαοῦ σου ἔτι γὰρ εἰς ὥρας καιροῦ συντελείας μενεῖ
--- Daniel (TH) 8:19 καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ γνωρίζω σοι τὰ ἐσόμενα ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῆς ὀργῆς ἔτι γὰρ εἰς καιροῦ πέρας ἡ ὅρασις

LXE Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I make thee know the things that shall come to pass at the end of the wrath: for the vision is yet for an appointed time.

KJV Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

NET Daniel 8:19 Then he said, "I am going to inform you about what will happen in the latter time of wrath, for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end.

CSB Daniel 8:19 and said, "I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.

ESV Daniel 8:19 He said, "Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

NIV Daniel 8:19 He said: "I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.

NLT Daniel 8:19 Then he said, "I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.

NRS Daniel 8:19 He said, "Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath; for it refers to the appointed time of the end.

NJB Daniel 8:19 'Come,' he said, 'I shall tell you what is going to happen when the Retribution is over, about the final times.

NAB Daniel 8:19 "I will show you," he said, "what is to happen later in the period of wrath; for at the appointed time, there will be an end.

YLT Daniel 8:19 and saith: Lo, I -- I am causing thee to know that which is in the latter end of the indignation; for, at the appointed time is the end.

I am going to: Da 8:15, 16, 17 Rev 1:1
The final period of indignation: Da 8:17,23 Da 9:26,27 11:27,35,36 12:7,8 Hab 2:3 Rev 10:7 11:18 Rev 15:1 17:17
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

THE FINAL PERIOD
OF INDIGNATION

Behold (hinneh) - Remember this is always calculated to get the hearer's (or reader's) attention. The idea is "Listen up. Pay very careful attention to what follows."

Final period (0319) (acharith from achar = to remain behind, tarry) means the end of a period of time, the last time, the latter time. I would propose that the use of this specific noun in Daniel 8:19 is meant transport the reader from the historical prophecy (future to Daniel, but fulfilled from our perspective) of the character and conduct of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (and the tribulation he invokes on the Jews) into the far future in which the Antichrist carries out a similar, albeit of far greater magnitude, anti-Semitic attack on the chosen people in the end times. I do not however agree with some who interpret that Daniel 8 is describing the future Antichrist, but only that the events "foreshadow" that future evil Satanically inspired personage. In other words, God gave Daniel a glimpse of the final period of the indignation through the portrait of Antiochus Epiphanes but God was saying in essence that there is a worse time yet to come.

Acharith - 60v - Gen 49:1; Num 23:10; 24:14, 20; Deut 4:30; 8:16; 11:12; 31:29; 32:20, 29; Job 8:7; 42:12; Ps 37:37f; 73:17; 109:13; 139:9; Prov 5:4, 11; 14:12f; 16:25; 19:20; 20:21; 23:18, 32; 24:14, 20; 25:8; 29:21; Eccl 7:8; 10:13; Isa 2:2; 41:22; 46:10; 47:7; Jer 5:31; 12:4; 17:11; 23:20; 29:11; 30:24; 31:17; 48:47; 49:39; 50:12; Lam 1:9; Ezek 23:25; 38:8, 16; Dan 8:19, 23; 10:14; 11:4; 12:8; Hos 3:5; Amos 4:2; 8:10; 9:1; Mic 4:1

NAS Usage: come(2), descendants(1), end(20), final end(1), final period(1), future(7), last(8), latter(7), latter ending(1), latter period(1), least(1), outcome(3), posterity(3), remotest part(1), rest(2), survivors(2).

Here are some other uses of acharith that are clearly used in the context of end times events that impact Israel.

This word acharith is used by Moses to describe what will happen to rebellious Israel at the end of time (during the time of the Great Tribulation) declaring…

When you are in distress (tribulation) and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. (Dt 4:30)

Comment: Compare the use in Isaiah 2:2-note [Micah 4:1] where acharith is translated "last" and as in Dt 4:30 clearly refers to the inauguration of the Messianic Kingdom when the King of kings returns and Jews repent and return and listen to their Messiah - a glorious day to anticipate! See a parallel description of "the last (acharith) days" in Hosea 3:5.

Here are some uses of acharith in a distinctly futuristic, end times context…

The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it. (Jer 23:20, cp Jer 30:24, Jer 48:47, 49:39, Da 2:28)

Comment: Here last refers to the final act of this present age during the Great Tribulation with the inauguration of the New Age of the Messiah when the terms of the New Covenant will be fully and finally fulfilled for the believing Jews who God had promised through Jeremiah 31:31, 32, 33, 34 - note especially the phrase in verse 34 "they shall all know me", cp Hebrews 8:11. Zech 12:10 also alludes to the eyes of the Jews being opened by grace so that they come to understand what their forefathers had done to the Messiah - compare "in the last days you [Jews] will clearly understand it".

Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future. (Da 10:14)

Comment: Here latter clearly refers to the end time events in which Israel will be a central player on the world stage. This vision in fact extends from Daniel 10 through Daniel 12 and describes the final evil anti-Semitic world ruler, the Antichrist and a time of distress for the Jews of unprecedented proportions (cp Da 12:1)

Indignation (02195) (za'am) literally means frothing at the mouth and speaks of fury and in the Scriptures is often a dramatic picture of God's great displeasure with sin (Isa 26:20; Isa 30:27; Hab 3:12).

Za'am - 22 verses - Ps 38:3; 69:24; 78:49; 102:10; Isa 10:5, 25; 13:5; 26:20; 30:27; Jer 10:10; 15:17; 50:25; Lam 2:6; Ezek 21:31; 22:24, 31; Da 8:19; 11:36; Hos 7:16; Nah 1:6; Hab 3:12; Zeph 3:8. NAS = indignation(21), insolence(1).

Indignation is defined as (extreme) anger (mingled with contempt, disgust, abhorrence) aroused by something unjust, unworthy, or mean. The 1828 Webster's defines indignation as " The anger of a superior; extreme anger; particularly, the wrath of God against sinful men for their ingratitude and rebellion. The effects of anger; the dreadful effects of God’s wrath; terrible judgments."

Final period of the indignation - If one postulates that Daniel 8 is historically fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes and has no future "foreshadowing" of the Antichrist, this time phrase would not make good sense considering the Biblical prediction of the future history of Israel, for the time of Antiochus was not in fact the literal final period of the indignation. The final period of indignation will only be fulfilled during the time of Jacob's distress (Jer 30:7), the time of the Great Tribulation.

In support of this phrase foreshadowing a future event, note that the identical phrase, the indignation, is used only one other time in Daniel 11 where it clearly describes a time period which is most compatible with the actions of the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation…

Then the king (in context this is almost certainly the Antichrist - notice how his actions in the remainder of the verse describe his "anti" or against Christ actions leaving little doubt as to his identity) will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods (cp the actions of the Antichrist in 2Th 2:3,4; Rev 13:6, Da 7:25); and he will prosper until the indignation (za'am) is finished (Rev 13:5, "time, times and half a time" - Da 7:25), for that which is decreed will be done. (Daniel 11:36)

Comment: In context the king in Da 11:36 is clearly the "Little Horn", the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, the final world dictator who God will allow to exert power for 3.5 years in the final period of divine or discipline of His people Israel, a refining fire which will result in one-third of the nation repenting and turning in faith to the Messiah (Zech 12:10, Zech 13:7, 8). In short, indignation in this verse clearly refers to the time of the Great Tribulation (click to see chart for synonyms), in short the final period of indignation.

In a parallel passage that uses the word "indignation" Isaiah records…

Come (All verbs in red are commands), my people, enter into your rooms, and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while, until indignation (za'am) runs its course ("has passed by" - NIV, ESV). For behold (interjection to arrest the reader's attention - Listen up!), the LORD (Jehovah) is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth (When will Jesus return to punish the earth? Has this happened yet? This must speak of His Second Coming - see chart comparing the Rapture versus the Second Coming) for their iniquity (cp Rev 19:11-21); and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:20, 21)

Thomas Constable: Before the restoration of Israel, however, God’s people would experience hard times (in the Tribulation, cf. Rev. 12)… Yahweh would come out of His heavenly place of quiet to punish Earth Dwellers for their secret sins in the Tribulation. The earth itself, the forces of nature, would assist the Lord, metaphorically, by exposing sins that lay hidden (cf. Isa 26:12). (Daniel Expository Commentary Notes)

KJV Bible commentary on Isaiah 26:20: The passing over of the indignation (za'am, indignant denunciation) may refer to the survival of the Jewish remnant during the Tribulation Period. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)

Bible Knowledge Commentary: Isaiah wrote that the future remnant should hide during the time of distress (God’s wrath in the Tribulation) (Ed note: See same phrase Da 12:1), knowing that deliverance from the Lord will come. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R)

THE APPOINTED TIME
OF THE END

The appointed time of the end - This phrase would amplify and explain that the final period of indignation is truly at the end of time and as such would be descriptive of events yet to occur. To be sure the Jews suffered indignation under Antiochus Epiphanes, but it was not meant to convey the message that there would be no further indignation. In fact, history gives ample proof that the Jews have continued to suffer for the last 2000 plus years. This indignation will come to its appointed time of the end only when Christ returns to terminate the rule of the Antichrist in the last 3.5 year period of this present age.

The Hebrew Word (qets) for end is used 13 times in Daniel (Da 8:17, 19; 9:26; 11:6, 13, 27, 35, 40, 45; 12:4, 6, 9, 13) and several times the context leaves little doubt that the reference is to a time in the far future…

Daniel 11:35 "Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

Daniel 11:40 "And at the end time the king of the South will collide with him (the Antichrist), and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through.

Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time (Context: Da 12:1 describing the last 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation); many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

Daniel 12:6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?"

Daniel 12:9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.

Daniel 12:13 "But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age (The present age which will come to an abrupt close when the Lord returns to put an end to the Great Tribulation)."

It is also noteworthy that in most of the preceding "futuristic" passages (Da 11:35, 40, 12:4, 12:6, 12:13) the Septuagint translates end (Hebrew - qets) with the noun sunteleia which describes a point in time marking the consummation, end or close of an age. In the NT sunteleia is repeatedly used to describe the end of this present age!

And He answered and said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them (the tares) is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. "Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end (sunteleia) of the age… 49 "So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, (Mt 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20).

And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (sunteleia) of the age?" (Mt 24:3)

Go therefore and make disciples (aorist imperative = Command [the only actual command in the great commission] to do this now! Don't delay. It is vitally important! Even urgent!) of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end (sunteleia) of the age. (Mt 28:19,20)

Daniel 8:20 The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

--- Daniel (TH) 8:20 ὁ κριός ὃν εἶδες ὁ ἔχων τὰ κέρατα βασιλεὺς Μήδων καὶ Περσῶν

LXE Daniel 8:20 The ram which thou sawest that had the horns is the king of the Medes and Persians.

KJV Daniel 8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

NET Daniel 8:20 The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia.

CSB Daniel 8:20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

ESV Daniel 8:20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.

NIV Daniel 8:20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

NLT Daniel 8:20 The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.

NRS Daniel 8:20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.

NJB Daniel 8:20 As for the ram which you saw, its two horns are the kings of Media and of Persia.

NAB Daniel 8:20 "The two-horned ram you saw represents the kings of the Medes and Persians.

YLT Daniel 8:20 'The ram that thou hast seen possessing two horns, are the kings of Media and Persia.

Da 8:3 Da 11:1-2
Media… Persia: Da 6:12
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Vision Upon the Ulai
Used by Permission of Ted Larson

The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

The ram - see Da 8:3

The angel interprets the details of the vision in Daniel 8:3, Media coming up first as the actual conqueror of Babylon's King Belshazzar (Da 5:30, 31), and was followed by Persia which eventually became the dominant power of these two divisions.

Two horns… Media and Persia (cp Da 11:1-2) - First mentioned in Da 6:12.

Daniel 8:21 “The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

BGT Daniel 8:21 καὶ ὁ τράγος τῶν αἰγῶν βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐστί καὶ τὸ κέρας τὸ μέγα τὸ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ πρῶτος
--- Daniel (TH) 8:21 καὶ ὁ τράγος τῶν αἰγῶν βασιλεὺς Ἑλλήνων καὶ τὸ κέρας τὸ μέγα ὃ ἦν ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ πρῶτος

LXE Daniel 8:21 The he-goat is the King of the Greeks: and the great horn which was between his eyes, he is the first king.

KJV Daniel 8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

NET Daniel 8:21 The male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.

CSB Daniel 8:21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king.

ESV Daniel 8:21 And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.

NIV Daniel 8:21 The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.

NLT Daniel 8:21 The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire.

NRS Daniel 8:21 The male goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is the first king.

NJB Daniel 8:21 The hairy he-goat is the king of Greece, the large horn between its eyes is the first king.

NAB Daniel 8:21 The he-goat is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn on its forehead is the first king.

YLT Daniel 8:21 And the young he-goat, the hairy one, is the king of Javan; and the great horn that is between its eyes is the first king;

Shaggy goat - Da 8:5-7 Da 10:20
Large horn - Da 8:8 Da 11:3
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king

Shaggy goat (there are two similar words in Hebrew both of which can mean goat) - The NET in says the phrase literally is "the he-goat, the buck" and adds that "The expression is odd, and the second word may be an explanatory gloss."

The large horn… the first king - History leaves no doubt as to his identity as Alexander the Great. (cp Da 8:8, Da 11:3)

Daniel 8:22 The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

BGT Daniel 8:22 καὶ τὰ συντριβέντα καὶ ἀναβάντα ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ τέσσαρα κέρατα τέσσαρες βασιλεῖς τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ ἀναστήσονται οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ
--- Daniel (TH) 8:22 καὶ τοῦ συντριβέντος οὗ ἔστησαν τέσσαρα ὑποκάτω κέρατα τέσσαρες βασιλεῖς ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ ἀναστήσονται καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ

LXE Daniel 8:22 And as for the one that was broken, in whose place there stood up four horns, four kings shall arise out of his nation, but not in their own strength.

KJV Daniel 8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

NET Daniel 8:22 The horn that was broken and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength.

CSB Daniel 8:22 The four horns that took the place of the shattered horn represent four kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.

ESV Daniel 8:22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.

NIV Daniel 8:22 The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

NLT Daniel 8:22 The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first.

NRS Daniel 8:22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.

NJB Daniel 8:22 The horn which snapped and the four horns which sprouted in its place are four kingdoms rising from his nation but not having his strength.

NAB Daniel 8:22 The four that rose in its place when it was broken are four kingdoms that will issue from his nation, but without his strength.

YLT Daniel 8:22 and that being broken, stand up do four in its place, four kingdoms from the nation do stand up, and not in its power.

GWN Daniel 8:22 The horn broke off, and four horns replaced it. Four kingdoms will come out of that nation, but they won't be as strong as the first king was.

Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

In Daniel's fourth vision the fact of the four horns is alluded to again - "But as soon as he has arisen, his (Alexander the Great's) kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass (Da 8:8), though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded; for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them. (Da 11:4)

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge comments that "After Alexander's death, in the prime of life and in the height of his conquests, his brother and two sons were all murdered; and the kingdom was divided among four of his generals. 1. Seleucus, who had Syria and Babylon; 2. Lysimachus, who had Asia Minor; 3. Ptolemy, who had Egypt; and, 4. Cassander, who had Greece, etc."

The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

Daniel 8:23 “In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.

BGT καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῶν πληρουμένων τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν ἀναστήσεται βασιλεὺς ἀναιδὴς προσώπῳ διανοούμενος αἰνίγματα
--- (TH) καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῶν πληρουμένων τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν ἀναστήσεται βασιλεὺς ἀναιδὴς προσώπῳ καὶ συνίων προβλήματα

LXE And at the latter time of their kingdom, when their sins are coming to the full, there shall arise a king bold in countenance, and understanding riddles.

KJV And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

NET Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king will arise.

CSB Near the end of their kingdoms, when the rebels have reached the full measure of their sin, an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne.

ESV And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.

NIV "In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

NLT "At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.

NRS At the end of their rule, when the transgressions have reached their full measure, a king of bold countenance shall arise, skilled in intrigue.

YLT 'And in the latter end of their kingdom, about the perfecting of the transgressors, stand up doth a king, fierce of face, and understanding hidden things;

In the: Da 10:14 Nu 24:24 Eze 38:8,16 1Ti 4:1
When: Ge 15:16 Mt 23:32 1Th 2:16
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

And - The original Hebrew text and the Greek Septuagint both begin this verse with a connecting conjunction which is deleted from the 1995 version of the NAS (1977 retains the "and"), the NET and the NIV. I think this word is important as it serves to link this description even closer to the previous passage.

In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.

As Miller says Da 8:23-26 represent "the heart of the vision" and presents important truths that the people of Israel would need to know in order to prepare them for the evil reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. So herein we see that one of the great values of prophecy is to comfort and to strengthen faithfulness in those who are destined to experience the times of tribulation which the prophecy speaks. And it strikes me that the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ will have a similar value to those who are destined to endure the unspeakably evil times of the "greater Antiochus", the Satanically energized Antichrist in the Daniel's Seventieth Week and especially during the last 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation (the "time of Jacob's Trouble" or "Distress"- Jer 30:7) when this evil anti-Semitic king seeks to eradicate the Jews and the nation of Israel, a goal that Satan has continually sought to accomplish from the moment he was made aware that redemption would come through Israel and her Messiah (cp God addressing Satan and issuing the clear prophecy of His future and final "victory" over Evil - Ge 3:15).

Latter period - The text again uses the word acharith (see discussion in Da 8:19), but here the context clearly demonstrates that this is referring to the latter period (about 175BC) of the rule of the 4 divisions of Alexander's kingdom (Division followed his death in 323BC - so 175BC would be in the latter period of the divided kingdoms). The king that will arise is Antiochus Epiphanes who begins his reign in about 175BC.

When the transgressors have run their course (KJV = come to the full, NET = when rebellious acts are complete; ESV = when the transgressors have reached their limit; NLT paraphrases it = when their sin is at its height) - The transgressors or rebels are those Jews who have rebelled against God's law (see Da 8:12 notes) and this phrase seems to indicate that their "iniquity… is… complete" and "ripe" for the disciplining/refining hand of God (see this principle in Ge 15:16; Mt 23:32; 1Th 2:16).

The Septuagint is interesting as it translates "run their course" with the verb pleroo which means to make full or fill up to the brim (in this case with their sins).

A king will arise - One has to examine extra-biblical documents to arrive at the identity of this king. The description fits with the attitude and actions of Antiochus Epiphanes. Notice that God's Spirit gives us additional details of his evil character and conduct in Daniel 11 (Da 11:21-35-note). Note that in Daniel 11:36-note the description abruptly leaps forward into the future to the end times of the Antichrist and his description continues through Da 11:45-note.

Insolent (NET = rash, NIV = stern faced, YLT = fierce of face, KJV = of fierce countenance, ESV = of bold face) is actually two words in the Hebrew (05794) ('az) an adjective meaning strong and when referring to a person's attitude of wrath means insolent, excessive, fierce (cp Ge 49:7) and the second Hebrew word is (06440)(paniym) which means face. Taken together this phrase is an idiom meaning "strong of faces" picturing one as determined or defiant (cp Dt 28:50).

The Septuagint (LXX) translates the Hebrew with a Greek adjective (anaides - often used with a description of one's countenance - see LXX of Dt 28:50 for "fierce" countenance, Pr 7:13 for "brazen" face, Pr 25:23 "angry" countenance, Eccl 8:1 "stern" face) meaning shameless, bold, ruthless, reckless. Clearly Antiochus fit such a description, for a man's face often conveys what is in a man's heart.

Skilled in intrigue (literally = "understanding hidden things", "understanding riddles") (NET - He will be "crafty", a veritable "master of intrigue" (NIV) who "understands riddles" (ESV) and difficult problems. The Hebrew word for intrigue (hiydah - 02420) is used to describe King Solomon's ability to handle "difficult questions" (hiydah) a reputation about which even the Queen of Sheba had heard (1Ki 10:1).

Daniel 8:24 His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.

BGT Daniel 8:24 καὶ στερεωθήσεται ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμαστῶς φθερεῖ καὶ εὐοδωθήσεται καὶ ποιήσει καὶ φθερεῖ δυνάστας καὶ δῆμον ἁγίων
--- Daniel (TH) 8:24 καὶ κραταιὰ ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμαστὰ διαφθερεῖ καὶ κατευθυνεῖ καὶ ποιήσει καὶ διαφθερεῖ ἰσχυροὺς καὶ λαὸν ἅγιον

LXE Daniel 8:24 And his power shall be great, and he shall destroy wonderfully, and prosper, and practise, and shall destroy mighty men, and the holy people.

KJV Daniel 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

NET Daniel 8:24 His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in what he undertakes. He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones.

CSB Daniel 8:24 His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful along with the holy people.

ESV Daniel 8:24 His power shall be great-- but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.

NIV Daniel 8:24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people.

NLT Daniel 8:24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.

NRS Daniel 8:24 He shall grow strong in power, shall cause fearful destruction, and shall succeed in what he does. He shall destroy the powerful and the people of the holy ones.

NJB Daniel 8:24 His power will grow greater and greater, though not through any power of his own; he will plot incredible schemes, he will succeed in whatever he undertakes, he will destroy powerful men and the holy ones, God's people.

NAB Daniel 8:24 He shall be strong and powerful, bring about fearful ruin, and succeed in his undertaking. He shall destroy powerful peoples;

YLT Daniel 8:24 and his power hath been mighty, and not by his own power; and wonderful things he destroyeth, and he hath prospered, and wrought, and destroyed mighty ones, and the people of the Holy Ones.

GWN Daniel 8:24 He will become very strong, but not by his own strength. He will cause astounding destruction and will be successful in everything he does. He will destroy those who are powerful along with some holy people.

but: Rev 13:3-9 17:12,13,17
prosper: Da 8:12 11:36
destroy: Da 8:10,12 7:25 11:31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 Rev 13:10 16:6 17:6 19:2
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

His power will be mighty - When Antiochus became king, the Seleucid dynasty was not strong politically, but Antiochus was ruthless and skilled in leadership so that his power "grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land." (Da 8:9-note) So even in this small detail describing the increase in power in a relatively weak dynasty is another indication of God's sovereign power to bring about every jot and tittle about which He prophesies! We can trust His Word!

But not by his own power (See parallel truths regarding the future Antichrist - Rev 13:2-note, Rev 17:12,13,17-note) - This means Antiochus' power derived from an external source. Given his incredibly evil conduct, his source surely would be none other than evil spirits, possibly even Satan himself.

As noted this specific fact closely parallels John's statement that "the dragon (Satan) gave him (the Antichrist) his power and his throne and great authority." (Rev 13:2b-note). Once again we must remember that even though God allows evil to manifest itself through evil angels and evil men, He is sovereign and in control and orders all the events of history (read Da 2:21-note as you ponder Antiochus' and Antichrist's rise to power and subsequent fall) toward their final consummation, at which time He finally, once and for all time and eternity, replaces unrighteousness with the rule and reign of His Righteous Branch (the Messiah - Is 4:2-note, Is 11:1-note, Is 53:2, Jer 23:5, Jer 33:15, Zech 3:8, Zech 6:12)

He will… prosper (06743)(tsalach/salah) is from a root which means to accomplish satisfactorily what is intended. It generally expresses idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure. See comments on Daniel 8:12. Antiochus IV Epiphanes will succeed in his evil enterprise and activity, becoming strong and flourishing (which is also stated in essence in the prophecy in Da 8:9).

Salah - 54x in NAS - advanced(1), give us success(1), made his successful(1), make his successful(1), make your prosperous(1), make your successful(1), prosper(16), prospered(7), prosperous(1), prospers(2), send prosperity(1), succeed(10), succeeding(1), successful(4), successfully completed(1), thrive(2), useful(1), victoriously(1), worthless*(2). Ge24:21, 40, 42, 56; 39:2f, 23; Num 14:41; Deut 28:29; Josh 1:8; Jdg 18:5; 1Kgs 22:12, 15; 1Chr 22:11, 13; 29:23; 2 Chr 7:11; 13:12; 14:7; 18:11, 14; 20:20; 24:20; 26:5; 31:21; 32:30; Neh 1:11; 2:20; Ps 1:3; 37:7; 45:4; 118:25; Prov 28:13; Isa 48:15; 53:10; 54:17; 55:11; Jer 2:37; 5:28; 12:1; 13:7, 10; 22:30; 32:5; Ezek 15:4; 16:13; 17:9f, 15; Dan 8:12, 24-25; 11:27, 36

Expositor's Bible Commentary - While we are not definitely told whether Antiochus made a formal claim to deity while enthroned in splendor in the court of the Jerusalem temple, he certainly did assume the right to determine what gods his subjects should worship, feeling that he was the earthly embodiment of the powers of heaven and that all rule and authority was given him. Like Nebuchadnezzar, he expected all his subjects to bow down to the great image he had set up. But he went even beyond Nebuchadnezzar in trying to abolish the ancestral religion of the Jews, forbidding them on pain of death to circumcise their children and making the possession of the Hebrew Scriptures a capital offense. By erecting the statue of Zeus Olympius (or Capitolinus) in the temple of Yahweh and sacrificing swine on the altar, he committed the greatest possible sacrilege and affront to the Jewish people.

He will destroy… the holy people - The holy people in context is not the church but the Jews (cp Dt 7:6, 14:2, 21, Dt 28:9). This might refer to genuine believers (part of the remnant) but one cannot be dogmatic. In Daniel 12 we read of a destruction of the Jews at the end of this age - "that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed." (Da 12:7-note, cp Da 7:25-note, "the woman" is a description of Israel in Revelation 12 - Rev 12:6-note, Rev 12:14-note)

Destroy (corrupt)(07843)(shachath) means to decay, to go to ruin, to corrupt, to destroy (Sodom and Gomorrah = Ge 13:10, Ge 18:28, 31-32), to lay waste (Egypt from swarms of flies -Ex 8:24). Shachath is used of Israelites who worshiped the golden calf (Ex 32:7; Dt 9:12; 32:5, Hos 9:9). God warned He would destroy Israel if they were turned away from following Him (Nu 32:15). Shachath describes Israel's behavior as more corrupt after a judge died (Jdg 2:19).

Daniel 8:25 “And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency.

BGT Daniel 8:25 καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁγίους τὸ διανόημα αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐοδωθήσεται τὸ ψεῦδος ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται καὶ δόλῳ ἀφανιεῖ πολλοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ ἀπωλείας ἀνδρῶν στήσεται καὶ ποιήσει συναγωγὴν χειρὸς καὶ ἀποδώσεται
--- Daniel (TH) 8:25 καὶ ὁ ζυγὸς τοῦ κλοιοῦ αὐτοῦ κατευθυνεῖ δόλος ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ μεγαλυνθήσεται καὶ δόλῳ διαφθερεῖ πολλοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ ἀπωλείας πολλῶν στήσεται καὶ ὡς ᾠὰ χειρὶ συντρίψει

LXE Daniel 8:25 And the yoke of his chain shall prosper: there is craft in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by craft shall destroy many, and he shall stand up for the destruction of many, and shall crush them as eggs in his hand.

KJV Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

NET Daniel 8:25 By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart– but not by human agency.

CSB Daniel 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper through his cunning and by his influence, and in his own mind he will make himself great. He will destroy many in a time of peace; he will even stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be shattered-- not by human hands.

ESV Daniel 8:25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken-- but by no human hand.

NIV Daniel 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

NLT Daniel 8:25 He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.

NRS Daniel 8:25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall be great. Without warning he shall destroy many and shall even rise up against the Prince of princes. But he shall be broken, and not by human hands.

NJB Daniel 8:25 Such will be his resourcefulness of mind that all his treacherous activities will succeed. He will grow arrogant of heart and destroy many people by taking them unawares. He will challenge the power of the Prince of princes but, without any human intervention, he will be broken.

NAB Daniel 8:25 his cunning shall be against the holy ones, his treacherous conduct shall succeed. He shall be proud of heart and destroy many by stealth. But when he rises against the prince of princes, he shall be broken without a hand being raised.

YLT Daniel 8:25 'And by his understanding he hath also caused deceit to prosper in his hand, and in his heart he exerteth himself, and by ease he destroyeth many; and against the prince of princes he standeth -- and without hand he is broken.

through: Da 8:23,24 7:8 11:21-25,32,33
magnify: Da 8:11 11:36,37 Jer 48:26
At ease: Da 11:21
Oppose:: Da 8:11 11:36 Rev 17:14 19:16
But: Da 2:34,35,44,45 7:26 11:45 Job 34:20 La 4:6 Ac 12:23 Rev 19:19-21
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Coins with Antiochus' Image

And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency.

MacArthur - Many believe that the description here transcends that of Antiochus alone, and uses him as a type of the Antichrist who will oppose Christ during the Great Tribulation. Certainly the devious work of Antiochus and of the Antichrist is of the same heinous character.

Shrewdness (07922)(sekel from sakal = to be prudent) can convey the ideas of prudence, good sense, insight, understanding but clearly here speaks of these traits in a bad sense which could be summed up as cunning, treachery (only such negative use). Sekel speaks of intelligence that is more than just mere book knowledge or learning about a particular subject. It has a greater significance and means insight or understanding.

Sekel - 16v - 1 Sam 25:3; 1 Chr 22:12; 26:14; 2 Chr 2:12; 30:22; Ezra 8:18; Neh 8:8; Job 17:4; Ps 111:10; Prov 3:4; 12:8; 13:15; 16:22; 19:11; 23:9; Dan 8:25. NAS Usage: discretion(3), insight(4), intelligent*(1), repute(1), sense(1), shrewdness(1), understanding(4), wisdom(1).

Deceit (04820)(mirmah) is a feminine noun meaning fraud, deceit and describes intentional misleading of someone through distorting or withholding the truth. Jacob stole Esau’s blessing through deceit (Ge 27:35; cf. Ge 34:13). Deceit fills the heart of those who plan evil (Pr. 12:20; cf. Ps. 36:3; Pr 12:5, 17; 14:8).

The Septuagint (Lxx) translates mirmah with dolos which is the word of bait for fish and then spoke of any cunning contrivance for deceiving or catching (think o the Trojan horse). Dolos was used of a mouse trap. This word includes any trick or stratagem.

Mirmah - 38v - Gen 27:35; 34:13; 2 Kgs 9:23; Job 15:35; 31:5; Ps 5:6; 10:7; 17:1; 24:4; 34:13; 35:20; 36:3; 38:12; 43:1; 50:19; 52:4; 55:11, 23; 109:2; Prov 11:1; 12:5, 17, 20; 14:8, 25; 20:23; 26:24; Isa 53:9; Jer 5:27; 9:6, 8; Dan 8:25; 11:23; Hos 11:12; 12:7; Amos 8:5; Mic 6:11; Zeph 1:9.

Mirmah in NAS Usage: deceit(21), deceitful(6), deceitfully(2), deception(2), deceptive(1), dishonest(1), false(3), treacherous(1), treachery(2).

To succeed (06743)(see salah above) is from a root which means to accomplish satisfactorily what is intended. ) is from a root which means to accomplish satisfactorily what is intended.

Magnify (gadal) himself in his heart (Literally = "in his heart he will act arrogantly") - Obviously this speaks of Antiochus' pride, arrogance, and self-exaltation. In fact, Antiochus Epiphanes even had coins minted which bore his image on one side and an inscription on the other (see above) which said "Antiochus, image of God, bearer of victory".

He will destroy many while they are at ease (ESV = Without warning he shall destroy many; NIV = When they feel secure, he will destroy many)

Destroy (corrupt)(07843)(shachath) means to decay, to go to ruin, to corrupt, to destroy (Sodom and Gomorrah = Ge 13:10, Ge 18:28, 31-32), to lay waste (Egypt from swarms of flies -Ex 8:24).

At ease (KJV = by peace) - The NET note states that "The Hebrew word used here is difficult. It may refer to the security felt by those who did not realize the danger of imminent attack, or it may refer to the condition of being unaware of the impending danger."

The Prince of princes - This could be a reference to God. Or possibly it is a specific reference to Messiah (cp "Messiah the Prince" in Da 9:25) Some interpreters see this as a piece of evidence that the description in Da 8:23-25 applies to someone else other than Antiochus, specifically to the end-times Antichrist. However simply observing the text Da 8:23 clearly states that a king will arise "in the latter period of their rule." This time phrase begs the question whose rule? The nearest antecedent is the "four kingdoms" that arose after Alexander died and his kingdom of Greece was divided into "four conspicuous horns." (Da 8:22, Da 8:4) So clearly the king of Da 8:23 arises from the third great world kingdom (in its divided stage). In other words this king earlier referred to as the "rather small horn" (Da 8:9) arises from 4 horns and would be essentially the "fifth" horn. In contrast the Little Horn of Da 7:7-8 arises from the fourth kingdom (Rome) in its "10 horn" stage and would essentially be the "eleventh" horn. Notice how the subsequent description of the king (in Da 8:23) is linked by "and" (5 times) in Da 8:23-25. Given that this description applies to the king that originates from the third world kingdom, it is highly unlikely that the statement "He will even oppose the Prince of princes" now should be interpreted as describing the actions of the future Antichrist.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that the future Antichrist will manifest a similar character and conduct as that ascribed to this king (Antiochus Epiphanes). And so Paul warned the saints at Thessalonica exhorting them to…

Let no one in any way deceive you (implying such would be the case), for it (Day of the Lord in 2Thes 2:2) will not come unless (1) the apostasy comes first, and (2) the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed (apokalupto), the son of destruction (cp description of Antiochus - Da 8:24, 25), who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship (cp Da 8:25), so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (2Thes 2:3,4)

Walvoord on prince of princes - Another problem is the statement that the king “shall also stand up against the Prince of princes.” H. A. Ironside expresses a common viewpoint that the “Prince of princes can be none other than the Messiah; consequently, these words were not fulfilled in the life and death of Antiochus.” However, this objection is not unanswerable, because opposition to God, to Israel, and to the Messianic hope in general, which characterized blasphemers of the Old Testament, can well be interpreted as standing up against “the Prince of princes.” After all, Christ existed in Old Testament times as God and as the Angel of Jehovah and as the defender of Israel.

Broken without human agency - Was Antiochus "broken without human agency?" The phrase means that he would not be killed by another human, but (by implication) ultimately terminated by God the Righteous Judge (cp what happened to King Herod - Acts 12:21-23 = "immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died."). Similarly the Antichrist will be defeated and destroyed by God, specifically at the return of the King of kings (see Rev 19:11-16, Rev 19:20)

First Maccabees 6:1-16 records the events surrounding the death of Antiochus…

As King Antiochus (Epiphanes) was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais (Note in New American Bible = Elymais: the mountainous region of Elam, north of the Persian Gulf. This section continues the story from 1 Macc 3:37 and pertains to events preceding those in 1 Macc 4:37, 38, 39), famous for its wealth in silver and gold, 2 and that its temple was very rich, containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander, son of Philip, king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks. 3 He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city. But he could not do so, because his plan became known to the people of the city 4 who rose up in battle against him. So he retreated and in great dismay withdrew from there to return to Babylon. 5 While he was in Persia, a messenger brought him news that the armies sent into the land of Judah had been put to flight; 6 that Lysias had gone at first with a strong army and been driven back by the Israelites; that they had grown strong by reason of the arms, men, and abundant possessions taken from the armies they had destroyed; 7 that they had pulled down the Abomination (cp Abomination of desolation Antiochus set up in Da 11:31 - a foreshadowing of the future "Abomination of Desolation" described by Jesus in Mt 24:15 [cp Da 9:27, 2Th 2:3,4] which would mark the beginning of the horrible "indignation" [Da 8:19, Is 26:20], the "time of Jacob's distress" [Jer 30:7], Great Tribulation) which he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded with high walls both the sanctuary, as it had been before, and his city of Beth-zur.

8 When the king heard this news, he was struck with fear and very much shaken. Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed. 9 There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die. 10 So he called in all his Friends and said to them:

“Sleep has departed from my eyes, for my heart is sinking with anxiety. 11 I said to myself: ‘Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! 12 Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.’ But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. 13 I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”

14 Then he summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and put him in charge of his whole kingdom. 15 He gave him his crown, his robe, and his signet ring, so that he might guide the king’s son Antiochus and bring him up to be king. 16 King Antiochus died in Persia in the year one hundred and forty-nine. (Note in the New American Bible on this verse = The year one hundred and forty-nine: September 22, 164, to October 9, 163 B.C. A Babylonian list of the Seleucid kings indicates that Antiochus died in November or early December of 164)

Daniel 8:26 THE VISION OF THE EVENINGS AND MORNINGS WHICH HAS BEEN TOLD IS TRUE; BUT KEEP THE VISION SECRET, FOR IT PERTAINS TO MANY DAYS IN THE FUTURE:

BGT Daniel 8:26 τὸ ὅραμα τὸ ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ ηὑρέθη ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας καὶ νῦν πεφραγμένον τὸ ὅραμα ἔτι γὰρ εἰς ἡμέρας πολλάς
--- Daniel (TH) 8:26 καὶ ἡ ὅρασις τῆς ἑσπέρας καὶ τῆς πρωίας τῆς ῥηθείσης ἀληθής ἐστιν καὶ σὺ σφράγισον τὴν ὅρασιν ὅτι εἰς ἡμέρας πολλάς

LXE Daniel 8:26 And the vision of the evening and morning that was mentioned is true: and do thou seal the vision; for it is for many days.

KJV Daniel 8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

NET Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and mornings that was told to you is correct. But you should seal up the vision, for it refers to a time many days from now."

CSB Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. Now you must seal up the vision because it refers to many days in the future."

ESV Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now."

NIV Daniel 8:26 "The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."

NLT Daniel 8:26 "This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret."

NRS Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. As for you, seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now."

NJB Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings which has been revealed is true, but you must keep the vision secret, for there are still many days to go.'

NAB Daniel 8:26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings is true, as spoken; Do you, however, keep this vision undisclosed, because the days are to be many."

YLT Daniel 8:26 And the appearance of the evening and of the morning, that is told, is true; and thou, hide thou the vision, for it is after many days.'

GWN Daniel 8:26 The vision about the evenings and mornings that was explained to you is true. Seal the vision, because it is about things that will happen in the distant future."

vision: Da 8:11-15 10:1
But: Da 12:4,9 Eze 12:27 Rev 10:4 22:10
For it pertains: Da 10:1,14 Isa 24:22 Ho 3:3,4
Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Keep the vision of secret (ESV, NIV, NET = "seal up the vision") in some passages can mean to authenticate or certify, but in the present passage is more compatible with shutting the vision for safekeeping and preservation. This verb could allude to the ancient practice of making a scroll secure and preserving it by "shutting" it with a wax seal. Certainly this vision was given so that the Jews of a later generation would be able to refer to it and thereby clearly recognize Antiochus Epiphanes and resist him (knowing that he would have only 2300 days in order to carry out his evil persecution of the Jews).

John MacArthur on keeping the vision secret - Since he told it here (Ed: That is it was clearly not kept a total secret in the strict sense of the word!), this did not mean to shut it up to secrecy but to preserve it as truth even if not to be fulfilled for a long time.

Keep… secret (shut...up - KJV) (05640)(satam) is a verb which means "to stop, to stop up. It means to plug up, to stop the function of a well by filling the well cylinder with dirt and debris (Ge. 26:15, 18). It describes the filling in of springs as well (2Kgs. 3:19, 25); or gaps in a broken wall (Neh. 4:7). It is used, with be on the front, as an adverb to mean secretly, in secret (Ps. 51:6). It means to hide or to keep something hidden, secret (Dan. 8:26; 12:4)." (Baker)

Brown-Driver-Briggs Expanded Definition - Satam - סָתַם verb stop up, shut up, keep close

1 stop up springs of water 2 Kings 3:19,25; 2 Chronicles 32:3,4, compare 2 Chronicles 32:30.

2 shut up, keep close, prophetic words Daniel 8:26; Daniel 12:4,9; בְּסָתֻם Psalm 51:8 in (the) closed (chamber of the breast; "" טֻחוֺת). — כָּלסָֿתוּם Ezekiel 28:3 usually no secret is too dark for thee, but doubtful (see II. עמם); ᵐ5 σοφοί, Co חַרְטֻמִּים < Toy חֲכָמִים, or Berthol. קֹסְמִים.

Niph`al Infinitive construct לְהִסָּתֵם Nehemiah 4:1 the breaches [in the walls] had begun to be stopped up.

Pi`el Perfect 3 plural suffix סִתְּמוּם Genesis 26:16; Imperfect 3 masculine plural suffix וַיְסַתְּמוּם Genesis 26:18, both of stopping wells quite up (R JE).

Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary says satam means - "to stop up," "to block" or "to keep secret," sātham occurs thirteen times in the Bible, ten times in the Qal stem, one time in the Niphal stem and two times in the Piel stem. The verb is widely attested in Semitic. In the Qal stem, sātham refers to stopping up a spring of water belonging to an enemy (2 Ki. 3:19, 25) and to stopping up one's own springs of water to prevent enemy forces from obtaining water to sustain them during a siege (2 Chr. 32:3f). King Hezekiah stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon in order to reroute the water by tunnel to the west side of Jerusalem (2 Chr. 32:30). Sātham is also used to refer to shutting up or sealing a book of prophecy (Dan. 12:4), to figuratively shutting up or keeping secret the words of a prophecy (v. 9) or to shutting up or sealing a vision (Dan. 8:26). The Qal passive participle is used as a noun to refer to the hidden parts of one's inner being (Ps. 51:6). Used in parallel with "inward parts," it refers to a secret, that is, something closed up in one's inner being (Ezek. 28:3). The Niphal stem is used to refer to closing up the gaps in broken city walls (Neh. 4:7). The Piel stem, with a more intensive sense, refers to stopping up a well by filling it with dirt (Gen. 26:15, 18).

Satam - 13v - NAS Usage: closed(1), conceal(1), concealed(1), cut off(1), hidden part(1), keep the secret(1), secret(1), stop(1), stopped(5).

Genesis 26:15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped up by filling them with earth.
18 Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them.
2 Kings 3:19 'Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.'"
25 Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it.
2 Chronicles 32:3 he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him.
4 So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?"
30 It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.
Nehemiah 4:7 ¶ Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.
Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Ezekiel 28:3 Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; There is no secret that is a match for you.
Daniel 8:26 "The vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, For it pertains to many days in the future."
Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.

Bible Knowledge Commentary - Daniel was told to seal up the vision in the sense of concluding it, not in the sense of keeping it secret, because it needed to be preserved for the future. He kept it in his mind and later preserved it in writing when he wrote it down under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., et al)

It pertains to many days - First note that "in the future" is added by the NAS translators. Nevertheless the context does support that this time phrase is a reference to "many days" in the future. If Daniel received this vision in about 551BC and Antiochus Epiphanes did not come on the scene until 175BC, the fulfillment of this vision would not be for "many days" (in fact about ~376 years). This time phrase could also be an allusion to the fact that this historical fulfillment in Antiochus is also a foreshadowing of the Antichrist.

In his fourth vision Daniel receives a similar message…

Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.

Comment: This passage identifies this vision as a reference to the future culminating in the events surrounding the second coming of Christ.

As an aside note that there are a number of closely related time phrases used in the OT which are eschatological (refer to future events):

Latter days = Dt 4:30 31:29 Jer 30:24 48:47 Da 2:28 10:14

Last days = Isa 2:2 Je 23:20 49:39 Ho 3:5 Mic 4:1

Days to come = Ge 49:1 Isa 27:6 Nu 24:14

Related Resources:

Daniel 8:27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

BGT Daniel 8:27 ἐγὼ Δανιηλ ἀσθενήσας ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπραγματευόμην πάλιν βασιλικά καὶ ἐξελυόμην ἐπὶ τῷ ὁράματι καὶ οὐδεὶς ἦν ὁ διανοούμενος
--- Daniel (TH) 8:27 καὶ ἐγὼ Δανιηλ ἐκοιμήθην καὶ ἐμαλακίσθην ἡμέρας καὶ ἀνέστην καὶ ἐποίουν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐθαύμαζον τὴν ὅρασιν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ συνίων

LXE Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fell asleep, and was sick: then I arose, and did the king's business; and I wondered at the vision, and there was none that understood it.

KJV Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

NET Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and again carried out the king's business. But I was astonished at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.

CSB Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.

ESV Daniel 8:27 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 did not understand it.

NIV Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

NLT Daniel 8:27 Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.

NRS Daniel 8:27 So I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days; then I arose and went about the king's business. But I was dismayed by the vision and did not understand it.

NJB Daniel 8:27 At this I, Daniel, lost consciousness; I was ill for several days. Then I got up to discharge my duties in the king's service, keeping the vision a secret and still not understanding what it meant.

NAB Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was weak and ill for some days; then I arose and took care of the king's affairs. But I was appalled at the vision, which I could not understand.

YLT Daniel 8:27 And I, Daniel, have been, yea, I became sick for days, and I rise, and do the king's work, and am astonished at the appearance, and there is none understanding.

GWN Daniel 8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and worked for the king. The vision horrified me because I couldn't understand it.

exhausted: Da 8:7 7:28 10:8,16 Hab 3:16

Carried on: Da 8:2 2:48,49 5:14 6:2,3 1Sa 3:15

but: Da 8:15-17

Daniel 8 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries

Then I Daniel was exhausted and sick for days - Donald Campbell writes - Daniel is shaken as he sees in prophetic vision a coming conflict between two great powers. Clouds of doom are gathering, which portend deep trials for his own people, the Jews… A retired United States Army colonel introduced himself after I had concluded a prophetic message at a church in a southwestern city. He seemed eager to tell his story. Having been retired from the army for only a short time, he said that the last thing he did while still in the military was to participate in a mock staging of World War III. Joining other officers from the Pentagon, he left Washington, D.C., and went to a remote underground retreat, established to carry on the affairs of government in the event of a nuclear attack. There these military men staged the "final conflict" between the nations. They projected that it would begin with a nuclear exchange between Israel and the Arab nations. The great superpowers, the U.S.A. and Russia, would next be drawn in and, finally, the European nations would join the conflict. The ensuing worldwide nuclear warfare would result in the loss of 55 million lives in the U.S.A. alone. So shaken at the prospect was this Christian army officer that he resigned his commission and now spends his time trying to reach people, especially children, with the gospel before the end comes.(Borrow Daniel, decoder of dreams - well written, practical, recommended)

Related Resource:

Sermon notes by Chuck Smith Doing the King's Business

Guzik - Daniel didn't let either spiritual mysteries or physical weakness keep him from doing his duty. This shows us that our interest in prophecy should make us more about our king's business, not less about it.

Then I got up again and carried on the king's business - Once again Daniel gives us an example of faithfulness to imitate (cp Heb 6:11, 12). And what an example - despite the miraculous nature of the vision, Daniel faithfully went back to the mundane task which God had provided for him on earth. This is all the more remarkable because King Belshazzar was not even aware of Daniel's efforts in his behalf (cp Da 5:10, 11, 12, 13). We are all "faithful" in the spotlight, but what about when we're in the limelight like Daniel? Beloved, as children of the King are we not also to carry on His business, "for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Therefore, my beloved brethren, (my prayer for each of us is to) be (present imperative - See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey NT commands) steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1Cor 15:58) Amen

F B Meyer - Our Daily Homily

Few men have been favored with such visions and revelations as fell to the lot of Daniel. The future, in so many different aspects, was repeatedly unfolded before him, and he saw much that elated and that depressed him. But through it all he steadily did the king’s business; so far as he knew, nothing was allowed to suffer or get behind. He would have counted it a great slur on his religious life if it could have been said that his visions and exercises interfered with his service to the king. Probably he did better work because his life was hid with God.

In all this there is much of suggestion and warning. We too must have our secret mount of vision. We too must look across the valley for that blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. We too must have the vision of the evenings and mornings. But that is not enough. We must do our business in the world. Not star-gazing, but following the Star; not always standing at the window, but going to and fro in the King’s household, seeing that every one is at his post, and that the Royal household is properly fed; not always on the mount of transfiguration, but hastening whithersoever the uplifted hand of human need beckons us.

At the same time, it will quicken us to do our business better if we have had a vision. Nothing makes so good a workman as thorough comprehension of his master’s purposes. And when Jesus calls us not servants only, but friends, we serve Him with deep appreciation of his thoughts and plans. Our service is more refined, diligent, and intelligent. Get your plan in the mount, and then build.

ANOTHER STUDY OF THE ATROCITIES
OF ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES

Includes multiple references. References to journals require a subscription to view ($5/mo or $50/yr) which gives full access to over 25,000 journal articles from scholarly theological journals.

Atrocities of Antiochus IV Epiphanes Against the Jews

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–163 BC), the eighth ruler of the Seleucid empire, is the figure most Bible scholars identify as the "little horn" of Daniel 8 and "the contemptible person" of Daniel 11 (Wood (1998). "Three Coins From a Mountain"). The sources below catalog his offenses, which the prophets foresaw (Dan 8:9–25, 23–25; 11:21–34) and which 1–2 Maccabees and Josephus record.

Corruption of the Priesthood and Usurpation

- Usurped the throne in 175 BC after the assassination of his brother Seleucus IV, seizing power through intrigue rather than rightful succession (Wood (1998); bible.org (2008). "11. World History From Darius To The Time Of The End").
- Removed the legitimate high priest Onias III and appointed his Hellenized brother Jason in his place; he later replaced Jason with Menelaus, who helped Antiochus rob the Temple of 1,800 talents of gold (bible.org (2013). "Appendix 6: A Table of Dates and Rulers"; Malick (2004). "An Argument of the Book of Daniel").

Plundering Jerusalem and the Temple

- After his first campaign against Egypt (170–169 BC), he savagely attacked Jerusalem to settle a dispute over the high priesthood, butchered the inhabitants, and confiscated the Temple treasure (Wood (1998)).
- He plundered Jerusalem in 170 BC, tore down its wall, desecrated the temple by abolishing its sacrifices and carrying away its furniture, and massacred many (Lancaster (1995). "Jesus' Celebration of Hanukkah in John 10").
- The attack involved looting the temple treasures and a bloodbath, after which the city was left under Menelaus and a Phrygian named Philip (bible.org (2014). "23. Judaism During The Greek Period").

Religious Persecution — Outlawing Judaism

- He outlawed Jewish observances like circumcision, Sabbath-day observance, and temple ritual — "in an effort to obliterate Yahwism" (Ross (2006). "1. Introduction and Historical Setting").
- He forbade the Jews to follow the Mosaic Law and did away with the Jewish sacrifices, festivals, and circumcision; he even burned copies of their law (Constable on Daniel 11).
- He ordered copies of the Torah to be destroyed and required offerings to the Greek god Zeus (bible.org (2015). "New Testament Insights").
- He made the possession of the Hebrew Scriptures a capital offense and forbade circumcision on pain of death (Precept Austin on Daniel 8).
- He forced Jews to eat pork (bible.org (2013). "Appendix 6") and compelled them to eat pork and food sacrificed to idols (εἰδωλόθυτον) at a "high place" — an act carrying clear connotations of participating in idol worship (Witherington III (1993). "Not So Idle Thoughts About 'Eidolothuton'").
- His decrees forbade burnt offerings, sacrifices, and drink offerings in the sanctuary; profaned sabbaths and feasts; defiled the sanctuary and priests; ordered altars and shrines for idols to be built; and required the sacrifice of swine and unclean animals (Hellerman (2003). "Purity and Nationalism in Second Temple Literature").

The Desecration of the Temple — the "Abomination of Desolation"

- He sent his general Apollonius with 22,000 soldiers into Jerusalem on a Sabbath, when the Jews were reluctant to exert themselves. Apollonius killed many Jews, took many Jewish women and children captive as slaves, plundered the temple, and burned the city (Constable on Daniel 11; Wood (1998)).
- Jerusalem's walls were demolished and a Seleucid military garrison took up residence in the "Akra" (Wood (1998)).
- All Jewish rites were outlawed, the daily sacrifice was taken away, and worship of Olympian Zeus was instituted in the Temple (Wood (1998)).
- On the 25th of Kislev (December), a pig was sacrificed on the altar to Zeus that had been erected over the altar of burnt offering — Scripture calls this the "abomination that causes desolation" (Dan 11:31; 12:11) (Wood (1998); bible.org (2013). "Lesson 11: Those Whom God Helps (Zechariah 9:1-17)"). Sources date this variously to December 168 BC (Lancaster (1995)) or December 167 BC (Wood (1998); Ross (2006); bible.org (2012). "Appendix Four" gives "Dec. 13, 168").
- He entered the temple with a pig, shed its blood, and sprinkled it exactly where the blood of the innocent lamb should have been; he erected an idol to Zeus making the image look like himself, and issued coins with the title "Epiphanes," claiming he manifested divine honors (Lancaster (1995); Franz (1998). "Hanukkah: The Festival of Light").
- Offerings were made on the 25th of each month in celebration of the birthday of Epiphanes, so the sacrifices were actually offered to him (Wood (1998)).
- He sent troops from village to village with a statue of himself, ordering people to bow down to it (Franz (1998); Franz (2007). "Jesus Celebrates Hanukkah!").

Massacres and Crucifixions

- Josephus records one of the most brutal accounts of crucifixion from antiquity: Jews who opposed him "were whipped with rods and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were crucified while they were still alive and breathed: they also strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were upon the crosses" (Caba (2014). "Crucifixion: History And Practice", quoting Josephus).
- The 167 BC assault involved massacre, pillaging, destruction, and many Jews sold into slavery (bible.org (2014). "23. Judaism During The Greek Period").
- He sought to obliterate the Jewish people — Lancaster compares the magnitude of the persecution to the Holocaust of World War II (Lancaster (1995)).

His Death

- Antiochus died in Tabae, Persia, in late 164 BC after hearing of the successes of the Jews (Wood (1998)). Ancient historians agree he died of "a disease," "distemper," or "madness" that was not the result of any human means — Josephus records that he confessed his calamity was sent upon him "for the miseries he had brought upon the Jewish nation, while he plundered their temple and condemned their God" (Butt (2012). "The Prophecy Of Daniel 8"; Merrins (1904). "The Deaths Of Antiochus IV., Herod The Great, And Herod Agrippa I"). This fulfills Daniel's prediction that the little horn "will be broken apart—but not by human agency" (Dan 8:25).

The Aftermath: Hanukkah

The revolt began when Mattathias, a priest of the Hasmonean family at Modein, refused to offer pagan sacrifice, killed the Jew who complied and the Seleucid official who demanded it, then fled to the hills with his five sons (Ross (2006); Franz (1998)). Under Judas Maccabeus ("the Hammer"), the Jews drove the Syrians out and reclaimed and rededicated the Temple on Kislev 25 — the festival known today as Hanukkah, commemorated each December (Wood (1998); Lancaster (1995)). Sources date the rededication to 165 BC (Lancaster (1995); Franz (2007)) or 164 BC (Franz (1998)); bible.org (2013). "Appendix 6" gives "Dec. 25 either 165 or 164 B.C."

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Atrocities of Antiochus IV Epiphanes Against the Jews

Corruption of the Priesthood and Usurpation

Plundering Jerusalem and the Temple

Religious Persecution — Outlawing Judaism

The Desecration of the Temple — the "Abomination of Desolation"

Massacres and Crucifixions

His Death

The Aftermath: Hanukkah

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