Old Testament Commentary - Daniel 8

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
            CHAPTER 8             

Daniel sees in vision a ram (Media and Persia), a he goat (Grecia), four other kings, and then, in the last days, a fierce who shall destroy the holy people; but he shall be broken when he stands up against the Messiah.

 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.
 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 ariver of Ulai.
 3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a aram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
 4 I saw the ram apushing 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 bdid according to his will, and became great.
 5 And as I was considering, behold, an he agoat 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.
 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.
 7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was amoved with bcholer 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.
 8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and afor it came up bfour notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
 9 And out of one of them came forth a little ahorn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
 10 And it waxed great, even ato the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
 11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the adaily bsacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was ccast down.
 12 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.
 13 ¶ Then I heard one asaint 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?
 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
 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.
 16 And I heard a man's voice between the abanks of Ulai, which called, and said, bGabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
 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.
 18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he atouched me, and set me upright.
 19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be ain the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
 20 The aram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
 21 And the rough agoat is the bking of Greciaa: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
 22 Now that being abroken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
 23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding adark sentences, shall stand up.
 21a the rough goat is the king of Grecia The remarkable thing of prophecy is that it may by very name so identify the future, here Daniel hundreds of years prior has seen the Greek empire began by its 'first king' Alexander the Great. Alexander would not live until 356-323 BC. Daniel lived in the 500s BC, some two hundred or so years before Alexander, yet Daniel in the spirit of prophecy did see Alexander's day and the rise of the Grecian empire and so on even down to our very day in many of his prophetic dreams and visions. And thus considering this, that Daniel fore saw Alexander the Great and it came to pass, so also we must consider that when Daniel sees and speaks of our day, it also will surely come to pass as well.
 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall adestroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall bdestroy the mighty and the choly people.
 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and aby peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken awithout hand.
 26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it ashall be for many days.
 27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the bking's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.