Daniel 8:5

And as I was considering,.... The ram, and the strange things done by him; wondering that a creature of so little strength, comparatively with other beasts, should be able to do such exploits: and

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.

An he-goat; Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia and all Greece, called a he-goat because the Greeks were called Ægeans, as was their sea, that country and its islands abounding in goats, as the word signifies, goatish. The word he-goat signifies a young he-goat; for so was Alexander, called pellaeus juvenis. The he-goat goes before the flock, . This notes him to be the Grecian captain and leader. This he-goat answers to the belly and thighs of the image, and to the leopard and third beast. On the face of the whole earth, i.e. in that part of Asia where he opposed Xerxes, and overran all the Eastern empire. Touched not the ground; therefore called a leopard with wings, for he conquered with incredible swiftness in a short time, for in six years’ space he overcame the Medes and Persians, Babylon, Egypt, and all the countries round far and near; as if he had but travelled over them, he so came, saw, and overcame them. A notable horn between his eyes: this was Alexander the Great, the western emperor. Creatures that have one horn are therefore strong, as the monoceros or unicorn, . Between his eyes, noting his power and policy; also his wise council, captains, and conduct, as Parmenio, Clitus, Philotes, &c.

Daniel 8:5 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.Ver. 5. And as I was considering.] Such as are studious shall see more of God’ s mind. Behold, an he-goat came from the west,] i.e., From Greece and Macedon, west from Persia. This goat, more nimble, swift, and potent than a ram, was the Grecian monarch Alexander, who came capering and prancing over the whole earth - that is, over the whole Persian monarchy, and more - setting fire on all Asia, as the magicians foretold he would do, as being born the same day that Diana’ s temple at Ephesus was set on fire. This Alexander the Great was Dux gregis ipse caper, of all whose victories we have here a notable abridgement, more like a history than a prophecy. The high-priest Jaddus is said to have shown it to Alexander in his march against Darius Codomannus, the last king of Persia, who thereby, much encouraged in his enterprise, bestowed upon the Jews many favours and freedoms. And touched not the ground.] Alexander was notably nimble, thinking nothing too hard for him to achieve, and slipping no opportunity. When he was to encounter with Darius’ s army at Granicum, Parmenion persuaded him to stay till the next day, but he would not, neither was success wanting. With wonderful celerity, in six years’ time, he overrun so great a part of the habitable world, that he might rather seem to fly than to march. Apelles pictured Alexander with a thunderbolt, signifying his great swiftness in his exploits. And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.] This notable horn is Alexander, founder of the Grecian monarchy. The Macedonians were at that time called Aegeades - i.e., goatish; the, occasion whereof see in Justin, lib. vii. Alexander is here fitly called Hircus caprarum, a he-goat, or the horn of sight, between the eyes of that goat - a fit emblem of a good prince, whose virtues are conspicuous as a horn is, who defendeth his people and offendeth their enemies; who, like this horn rising up between the eyes, is circumspect and well advised, doing all with counsel. Alexander had his father Philip’ s counsellors about him, who were excellent in wisdom beyond any that came after them in the same empire. Josephus. Sic Darius dicitur Aiil - i.e., Aries Persiae, Hebraice et Chaldaice, Elam.

(5) An he goat.—This, according to Daniel 8:21, means the Greek empire, the large horn being the first king, or Alexander the Great. It may be remarked that the goat and the ram form the same contrast as the panther and the bear. Matchless activity is contrasted with physical strength and brutal fierceness. Touched not the ground.—An exact prediction of the early conquests of Alexander, all whose movements were characterised by marvellous rapidity. This is expressed by “the wings of a fowl” (Daniel 7:6). A notable horn.—See margin. This is explained (Daniel 8:21) to be Alexander himself.

Verse 5. Behold, a he-goat] This was Alexander the Great; and a goat was a very proper symbol of the Grecian or Macedonian people. Bp. Newton very properly observes that, two hundred years before the time of Daniel, they were called AEgeadae, the goats' people; the origin of which name is said to be as follows: Caranus, their first king, going with a multitude of Greeks to seek a new habitation in Macedonia, was advised by an oracle to take the goats for his guides; and afterwards, seeing a herd of goats flying from a violent storm, he followed them to Edessa, and there fixed the seat of his empire, and made the goats his ensigns or standards; and called the place AEge or AEgea, the goats' town; and the people AEgeadae, the goats' people; names which are derived from αιξαιγος, a goat. The city AEge or AEgea, was the usual burying-place of the Macedonian kings; and, in reference to this origin, Alexander called his son by Roxana, Alexander AEgus, Alexander the goat. All this shows the very great propriety of the symbol here used. Came from the west] Europe lies westward of Asia. On the face of the whole earth] Carrying every thing before him. Touched not the ground] Seemed to fly from conquest to conquest. By the time Alexander was thirty years of age he had conquered all Asia: and, because of the rapidity of his conquests, he is represented as a leopard with four wings, in the preceding vision. A notable horn between his eyes.] This, says the angel, is the first king, Daniel 8:21, that is, the first kingdom of the Greeks in Asia, which was erected by Alexander; and continued some years in his brother Philip Aridaeus, and in his two young sons, Alexander AEgus and Hercules. See Newton.

5–7. A he-goat, with a conspicuous horn between its eyes, appearing from the west, attacked the ram, and beat it down to the ground. The empire of the Greeks; the horn (cf. Daniel 8:21) being Alexander the Great.

And as I was considering - As I was looking on this vision. It was a vison which would naturally attract attention, and one which would not be readily understood.

5. This he-goat was the Grecian empire impersonated in Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:21), as the Babylonian in Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:38).