Daniel Chapter 8

Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat

¹ In the third year of Belshazzar’s regency, I, Daniel, had another vision. ² I was in Susa the capital, in the province Elam beside the Ulai Canal. ³ I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing by the canal. The horns were long, one longer than the other even though the longer one had grown up last. ⁴ The ram was butting west, north, and south. No other animals could stand up to it, and nobody could rescue anyone from it. It did what it pleased and became great.                                                                                                                       

Dan 8:1-4

⁵ A male goat was coming from the west across the earth without touching the ground. It had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. ⁶ It came toward the ram that was by the canal and rushed at him in powerful fury. ⁷ It butted the ram and broke off its two horns. The ram wasn’t strong enough to resist it; so it slammed the ram to the ground and tramped on it. ⁸ The male goat promoted itself highly. But as soon as it got powerful, its big horn broke, and in its place four conspicuous horns sprouted up in four directions.    

Dan 8:5-8

⁹ A little horn came up out of one of them and grew very big toward the south, east, and the Glorious Land. ¹⁰ It grew up to the stars, knocked some of them to earth, and tramped on them. ¹¹ It even promoted itself against the Commander of the host, canceled the daily sacrifice to him, and tore down his sanctuary. ¹² Because of sin, the army will be given over to the horn along with the daily sacrifice. The horn will dash truth to the ground and do whatever it wants to. ¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking and another one answering,

“How long will the vision last about the regular sacrifice while sin causes horror, so that the holy place and the army both get overrun?”

¹⁴ He told me, “For 2,300 mornings and evenings. Then the holy place will be restored to its rightful position.” 

Dan 8:9-14

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

¹⁵ When I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was trying to understand it, one that looked like a man was standing in front of me. ¹⁶ I heard a man between the banks of Ulai call out, “Gabriel, tell him what the vision means.” ¹⁷ So he came closer, and I fell on my face in fear. But he said, “Son of man, the vision deals with the end of time.” ¹⁸ While he was talking to me, I fainted facedown on the ground, but he took hold of me and stood me up. ¹⁹ He said,

“I’m letting you know what will happen at the end of indignation; it deals with the appointed end of time. ²⁰ The ram you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ The shaggy goat represents Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is its first king. ²² The broken horn and the four horns that came up in place of it represent four kingdoms that will grow out of his nation, though not with his power. ²³ Toward the end of their rule, when sinners have become extreme, a king will rise up insolent, adept at intrigue, ²⁴ and very powerful. He’ll cause extraordinary destruction and do whatever he wants to. He’ll destroy powerful men and the holy people. ²⁵ Through his shrewdness, he’ll make deceit succeed by his influence. He’ll honor himself in his own mind and destroy many by surprise. He’ll even oppose the Prince of princes and be broken without human agency. ²⁶ The vision about the mornings and evenings is real; but keep it to yourself because it deals with the distant future.”

²⁷ I lay sick and drained for several days. Then I got up to carry on the king’s business, but the vision kept troubling me, and nobody came to explain it to me.          

Dan 8:15-27