Daniel 8

1 In the third [specific, appointed] year of the reign [royal power, kingdom] of King [sovereign ruler] Belshazzar, a vision [divine revelation, prophetic insight] appeared to me, Daniel [God is my judge], subsequent [after, following] to the one that had appeared to me earlier [at the beginning, previously]. word study 2 And in the vision [a revelation from God, a prophetic dream] I saw myself [in a state of spiritual awareness] in the citadel [stronghold, fortified city] of Susa [Shushan, the royal palace], in the province [district, region] of Elam [a land of ancient wisdom]. I saw in the vision [a divine revelation, a glimpse of the future] that I was beside [near, alongside] the Ulai Canal [river, stream of life]. word study 3 Then I lifted up my eyes [to gaze intently] and saw a ram [a strong male sheep] with two horns [a horn; a hill or peak] standing beside the canal [a stream or river, providing water]. The horns were long [high, elevated], but one was longer [higher, more elevated] than the other, and the longer one [the higher, more prominent horn] grew up later [came up last, ascended afterwards]. word study 4 I saw the ram [a strong tree] charging [pushing with force, using its horns] toward the west [the Mediterranean Sea, or a large body of water] and the north [Zaphon, a direction or location] and the south [the Negeb, the southern district of Judah]. No animal [living creature] could stand [remain, endure] against him, and there was no deliverance [rescue, salvation] from his power [hand, strength]. He did as he pleased [according to his will, with acceptance] and became great [magnified himself, grew powerful]. word study 5 As I [the prophet Daniel] was contemplating [reflecting on, considering] all this, suddenly [without warning, unexpectedly] a goat [male goat, he-goat] with a prominent [notable, conspicuous] horn [a horn; a hill or peak] between his eyes [the center of his vision, his gaze] came out of the west [the direction of the evening sun, the western region], crossing [racing across, traversing] the surface [the face, the presence] of the entire [whole, all] earth [land, territory] without touching [not reaching, not striking] the ground [the land, the soil]. word study 6 He came toward [approached] the two-horned [with the two horns, possessing horns] ram [strong tree, symbolizing strength] I had seen standing [to stand, in a strong sense] beside the canal [river, stream] and rushed [ran, moving quickly] at him with furious [intense anger, burning fire] power [strength, might]. word study 7 I saw him approach [come close unto, draw near to] the ram [a strong tree] in a rage [being moved with choler, intense anger] against him, and he struck [smiteth, hit] the ram and shattered [broke] his two [a pair, dual] horns [a horn; a hill or peak]. The ram was powerless [had no strength, lacked might] to stand [to be in a strong position, to endure] against him, and the goat threw [cast, hurled] him to the ground [the earth, the land] and trampled [stamped upon, crushed] him, and no one [none, no person] could deliver [rescue, snatch away] the ram from his power [hand, strength, might]. word study 8 Thus the goat [he-goat, male goat] became very great [exceedingly powerful, magnified], but at the height [peak, strongest point] of his power, his large [great, prominent] horn [a horn; a hill or peak] was broken off [shattered, ruptured], and four [a quartet, a group of four] prominent [notable, conspicuous] horns came up in its place [instead of it, to replace it], pointing toward the four [cardinal, directional] winds [breezes] of heaven [the sky, the celestial realm]. word study 9 From [a portion of, out of] one of these horns a little [small, insignificant] horn emerged [came out, went forth] and grew extensively [became very great, waxed strong] toward [in the direction of, against] the south [Negeb, the southern district] and the east [the direction of sunrise] and toward the Beautiful Land [the glorious land, the pleasant land]. word study 10 It grew [waxed great, became powerful] as high as the host [army, heavenly forces] of heaven [the visible universe, the abode of God], and it cast down [threw down, caused to fall] some of the host [army, heavenly beings] and some of the stars [celestial bodies, representatives of God’s people] to the earth [land, ground], and trampled [stamped upon, tread down] them. word study 11 It magnified [exalted, lifted itself up] itself, even to the Prince [ruler, leader] of the host [army, heavenly forces]; it removed [took away, cast off] His daily [continual, regular] sacrifice [offering, burnt offering] and overthrew [threw down, cast down] the place [foundation, sanctuary] of His sanctuary [holy place, temple]. word study 12 And in the rebellion [transgression, revolt against God], the host [army, large group] and the daily sacrifice [continual burnt offering] were given over [handed over, surrendered] to the horn, and it flung [threw, cast away] truth [faithfulness, stability] to the ground [earth, land] and prospered [succeeded, rose to power] in whatever it did [practiced, worked]. word study 13 Then I heard [with attention and obedience] a holy one [set apart, sacred] speaking, and another holy one [a saint, an angel] said to him, “How long until [for what duration] the fulfillment of the vision [a revelation from God, a prophetic dream] of the daily sacrifice [the continual burnt-offering, a regular worship ritual], the rebellion [transgression, a revolt against God] that causes desolation [to be desolate, left empty and destroyed], and the surrender [to give, to put] of the sanctuary [the Holy Place, a sacred area] and of the host [an army, a large group of people] to be trampled [trodden under foot, crushed]?” word study 14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 [two thousand three hundred, a thousand and three hundred times] evenings [sunset, the time of day] and mornings [the break of day, a new beginning]; then the sanctuary [the Holy Place, a sacred area] will be [made, declared] properly restored [cleansed, justified, made right].” word study 15 While I, Daniel [the prophet, a man of God], was watching the vision [a revelation from God, a prophetic dream] and trying to understand [to seek wisdom, to discern] it, there stood before me one having the appearance [like, resembling] of a man [a great man]. word study 16 And I heard [perceived with attention and obedience] the voice [sound or utterance] of a man [human being, Adam] calling [crying out] from between [in the midst of] the banks of the Ulai [a river in Persia]: “Gabriel [warrior of God, archangel], explain [make to understand, give insight] the vision [supernatural appearance, sight] to this [specific, particular] man [individual, person].” word study 17 As he came near [approached, drew close] to where I stood, I was terrified [afraid, filled with fear] and fell [was knocked down, prostrated] facedown [on my face, in a prone position]. “Son of man [human, descendant of Adam],” he said to me, “understand [discern, comprehend] that the vision [revelation, prophetic insight] concerns [pertains to, is related to] the time [period, era] of the end [conclusion, finality].” word study 18 While he was speaking [communicating, conversing] with me, I fell [was overcome, became unconscious] into a deep sleep [a trance-like state, unconsciousness], with my face [presence, being] to the ground [earth, land]. Then he touched [reached out, made contact] me, helped [assisted, supported] me to my feet [to stand upright, to be established], word study 19 and said, “Behold [look, pay attention], I will make known [reveal, disclose] to you what will happen [occur, come to pass] in the latter [last, final] time of wrath [indignation, intense anger], because it concerns [pertains to, belongs to] the appointed [set, designated] time of the end [conclusion, finality]. word study 20 The two-horned [with the power of] ram [strong tree] that you saw [as a provider, looked after] represents [symbolizes, signifies] the kings [royal rulers, monarchs] of Media [the Medes, a people descended from Japheth] and Persia [an ancient country, including a vast territory]. word study 21 The shaggy [hairy, rough] goat [male goat, he-goat] represents the king [royal person, ruler] of Greece [Grecia, Javan], and the large [great] horn [a horn; a hill or peak] between [in the midst of] his eyes [sources of vision, understanding] is the first [primary, initial] king [ruler, monarch]. word study 22 The four [a quartet of, consisting of four] horns that replaced [stood up in place of, succeeded] the broken [shattered, fractured] one represent [symbolize, signify] four kingdoms [royal powers, dominions] that will rise [arise, emerge] from that nation [Gentile people, non-Hebrew land], but will not have [lack, be without] the same [identical, equal] power [strength, might]. word study 23 In the latter part [end, final stage] of their reign [royal power, kingdom], when the rebellion [transgression, sin] has reached its full measure [is complete, has run its course], an insolent [fierce, proud] king [ruler, monarch], skilled [understanding, expert] in intrigue [dark sayings, riddles], will come to the throne [stand up, take power]. word study 24 His power [great strength, mighty] will be great, but it will not be his own [not by his own strength, from an external source]. He will cause [bring about, inflict] terrible destruction [wonderful, astonishing ruin] and succeed [prosper, have success] in whatever he does [all his undertakings, everything he sets out to do]. He will destroy [ruin, lay waste] the mighty men [strong, powerful ones] along with the holy people [set apart, dedicated ones, saints]. word study 25 Through his craft [cunning, cleverness] and by his hand [strength, power], he will cause deceit [trickery, lies] to prosper [succeed, flourish], and in his own mind [heart, thoughts] he will make himself great [exalt himself, proud]. In a time of peace [security, ease] he will destroy [ruin, corrupt] many [a large number, multitude], and he will even stand [oppose, rebel] against the Prince [Ruler, Leader] of princes [kings, rulers]. Yet he will be broken [shattered, defeated] off, but not by human [mortal, earthly] hands [power, strength]. word study 26 The vision [appearance, supernatural sight] of the evenings [sunset, time of day] and the mornings [break of day, new beginnings] that has been spoken [declared, revealed] is true [faithful, trustworthy]. Now you must seal up [close, keep secret] the vision [revelation, prophecy], for it concerns [belongs to, is related to] the distant future [many days to come, a long time ahead].” word study 27 I, Daniel [the prophet, a man of God], was exhausted [became weak, fainted] and lay ill [sick, devastated] for days [a period of time, certain days]. Then I got up [rose, stood up] and went about the king’s [royal, sovereign] business [work, employment]. I was confounded [astonished, perplexed] by the vision [appearance, supernatural sight]; it was beyond understanding [could not be comprehended, none understood it]. word study