Daniel Chapter 8

From The Open Bible Project

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.

• (a) After the general vision, he comes to certain particular visions with regard to the destruction of the monarchy of the Persians, and Macedonians: for the ruin of the Babylonians was at hand, and also he had sufficiently spoken of it.

8:2 I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

• (b) That is, of Persia.

8:3 Then I lifted up my 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.

• (c) Which represented the kingdom of the Persians and Medes, which were united together.
• (d) Meaning Cyrus, who after grew greater in power than Darius his uncle and father-in-law.

8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no animals could stand before him, neither was there any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

• (e) That is, no kings or nations.

8:5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and didn't touch the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

• (f) Meaning Alexander that came from Greece with great speed and warlike undertaking.
• (g) Even though he came in the name of all Greece, yet he bore the title and dignity of the general captain, so that the strength was attributed to him, which is meant by this horn.

8:6 He came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran on him in the fury of his power.

8:7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled on him; and there was none who could deliver the ram out of his hand.

• (h) Alexander overcame Darius in two different battles, and so had the two kingdoms of the Medes and Persians.

8:8 The male goat magnified himself exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable [horns] toward the four winds of the sky.

• (i) Alexander’s great power was broken: for when he had overcome all the East, he thought to return towards Greece to subdue those that had rebelled, and so died along the way.
• (k) That is, who were famous: for almost in the space of fifteen years there were fifteen different successors before this monarchy was divided to these four, of which Cassander had Macedonia, Seleucus had Syria, Antigonus had Asia the less, and Ptolemeus had Egypt.

8:9 Out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious [land].

• (l) Which was Antiochus Epiphanes, who was of a servile and flattering nature, and also there were others between him and the kingdom: and therefore he is here called the little horn, because neither princely conditions, nor any other thing was in him, why he should obtain this kingdom.
• (m) That is, towards Egypt.
• (n) By which he means Ptolemais.
• (o) That is, Judea.

8:10 It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.

• (p) Antiochus raged against the elect of God, and tread his precious stars underfoot, who are so called because they are separated from the world.

8:11 Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual [burnt offering], and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

• (q) That is, God, who governs and maintains his Church.
• (r) He laboured to abolish all religion, and therefore cast God’s service out of his temple, which God had chosen as a little corner from all the rest of the world to have his name there truly called upon.

8:12 The army was given over [to it] together with the continual [burnt offering] through disobedience; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did [its pleasure] and prospered.

• (s) He shows that their sins are the cause of these horrible afflictions: and yet comforts them, in that he appoints this tyrant for a time, whom he would not allow to utterly abolish his religion.
• (t) This horn will abolish for a time the true doctrine, and so corrupt God’s service.

8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, How long shall be the vision [concerning] the continual [burnt offering], and the disobedience that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the army to be trodden under foot?

• (u) Meaning that he heard one of the angels asking this question of Christ, whom he called a certain one, or a secret one, or a marvellous one.
• (x) That is, the Jews’ sins, which were the cause of its destruction.
• (y) That is, which suppresses God’s religion and his people.

8:14 He said to me, To two thousand and three hundred evenings [and] mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

• (z) Christ answered me for the comfort of the Church.
• (a) That is, until so many natural days have passed, which make six years, and three and a half months: for the temple was profaned this long under Antiochus.

8:15 It happened, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

• (b) Who was Christ who in this manner declared himself to the old fathers, how he would be God manifest in flesh.

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

• (c) This power to command the angel, declared that he was God.

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, son of man; for the vision belongs to the time of the end.

• (d) The effect of this vision will not yet appear, until a long time after.

8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.

8:19 He said, Behold, I will make you know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongs to the appointed time of the end.

• (e) Meaning that great rage which Antiochus would show against the Church.

8:20 The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

8:21 The rough male goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

8:22 As for that which was broken, in the place where four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.

• (f) That is, out of Greece.
• (g) They will not have similar power as Alexander had.

8:23 In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

• (h) Noting that this Antiochus was impudent and cruel, and also crafty so that he could not be deceived.

8:24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do [his pleasure]; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

• (i) That is, not like Alexander’s strength.
• (k) Both the Gentiles that dwelt around him, and also the Jews.

8:25 Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in [their] security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

• (l) Whatever he goes about by his craft, he will bring it to pass.
• (m) That is, under pretence of peace, or as it were in sport.
• (n) Meaning, against God.
• (o) For God would destroy him with a notable plague, and so comfort his Church.

8:26 The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true: but seal up the vision; for it belongs to many days [to come].

• (p) Read (Daniel 8:14).

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

• (q) Because of fear and astonishment.