Daniel 7 - English Standard Version (ESV)

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of (A)Belshazzar king of Babylon, (B)Daniel saw a dream and (C)visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared,[a] “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, (D)the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts (E)came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, (F)another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a (G)leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and (H)dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, (I)terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; (J)it devoured and broke in pieces (K)and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and (L)it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, (M)there came up among them another horn, a little one, (N)before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and (O)a mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “As I looked,

(P)thrones were placed,
and the (Q)Ancient of Days took his seat;
(R)his clothing was white as snow,
and (S)the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
(T)its wheels were burning fire.
10 (U)A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
(V)a thousand thousands (W)served him,
(X)and ten thousand times ten thousand (Y)stood before him;
the (Z)court sat in judgment,
and (AA)the books were opened.

11 “I looked then because of the sound of (AB)the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, (AC)the beast was killed, and its body destroyed (AD)and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, (AE)their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and (AF)behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the (AG)Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 (AH)And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all (AI)peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
(AJ)his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me[b] was anxious, and (AK)the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 (AL)‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But (AM)the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about (AN)the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 (AO)and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn (AP)made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the (AQ)Ancient of Days came, and (AR)judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when (AS)the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said: ‘As for (AT)the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25 (AU)He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to (AV)change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for (AW)a time, times, and half a time.
26 (AX)But the court shall sit in judgment,
and (AY)his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed (AZ)to the end.
27 (BA)And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of (BB)the saints of the Most High;
(BC)his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’[c]

28 “Here is the end of the matter. (BD)As for me, Daniel, my (BE)thoughts greatly alarmed me, (BF)and my color changed, but (BG)I kept the matter in my heart.”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 7:2 Aramaic answered and said
  2. Daniel 7:15 Aramaic within its sheath
  3. Daniel 7:27 Or their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them

Cross references

  1. Daniel 7:1 : See ch. 5:1
  2. Daniel 7:1 : [ch. 1:17]
  3. Daniel 7:1 : ver. 15; ch. 2:28; 4:5
  4. Daniel 7:2 : ch. 8:8; 11:4; [Ezek. 37:9; Zech. 2:6; Rev. 7:1]
  5. Daniel 7:3 : [Rev. 13:1]
  6. Daniel 7:5 : [ch. 2:39]
  7. Daniel 7:6 : [Hab. 1:8; Rev. 13:2]
  8. Daniel 7:6 : [ch. 11:5]
  9. Daniel 7:7 : ver. 19, 23
  10. Daniel 7:7 : ver. 19, 23
  11. Daniel 7:7 : ver. 19, 23
  12. Daniel 7:7 : ver. 20; [Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:12]
  13. Daniel 7:8 : [ver. 20, 21, 24; ch. 8:9]
  14. Daniel 7:8 : [ver. 20, 21, 24; ch. 8:9]
  15. Daniel 7:8 : ver. 20; [Rev. 13:5, 6]
  16. Daniel 7:9 : Rev. 20:4; [Matt. 19:28]; See 1 Kgs. 22:19
  17. Daniel 7:9 : ver. 22; [Ps. 90:2]
  18. Daniel 7:9 : Matt. 28:3
  19. Daniel 7:9 : Rev. 1:14
  20. Daniel 7:9 : [Ezek. 1:16; 10:2]
  21. Daniel 7:10 : [Ps. 21:9]
  22. Daniel 7:10 : Ps. 68:17; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11
  23. Daniel 7:10 : Ps. 103:21
  24. Daniel 7:10 : Ps. 68:17; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11
  25. Daniel 7:10 : [Zech. 3:4]
  26. Daniel 7:10 : ver. 22, 26; Rev. 11:18; 20:4
  27. Daniel 7:10 : Rev. 20:12
  28. Daniel 7:11 : [See ver. 8 above]; ver. 20; [Rev. 13:5, 6]
  29. Daniel 7:11 : Rev. 19:20; [Rev. 20:10]
  30. Daniel 7:11 : Rev. 19:20; [Rev. 20:10]
  31. Daniel 7:12 : [ver. 14, 26]
  32. Daniel 7:13 : Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Rev. 1:7; 14:14
  33. Daniel 7:13 : [See ver. 9 above]; ver. 22; [Ps. 90:2]
  34. Daniel 7:14 : Ps. 110:1, 2; Isa. 9:6, 7; Rev. 11:15
  35. Daniel 7:14 : See ch. 3:4
  36. Daniel 7:14 : See ch. 2:44
  37. Daniel 7:15 : See ver. 1
  38. Daniel 7:17 : [ver. 3]
  39. Daniel 7:18 : ver. 22, 27; Matt. 25:34; [1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26; 20:4]
  40. Daniel 7:19 : ver. 7
  41. Daniel 7:20 : ver. 8
  42. Daniel 7:21 : [ch. 8:24]
  43. Daniel 7:22 : ver. 9, 13
  44. Daniel 7:22 : [See ver. 18 above]; ver. 22, 27; Matt. 25:34; [1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26; 20:4]
  45. Daniel 7:22 : [See ver. 18 above]; ver. 22, 27; Matt. 25:34; [1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 2:26; 20:4]
  46. Daniel 7:23 : [See ver. 19 above]; ver. 7
  47. Daniel 7:25 : [ch. 11:36]
  48. Daniel 7:25 : ch. 2:9, 21
  49. Daniel 7:25 : ch. 12:7; Rev. 12:14
  50. Daniel 7:26 : See ver. 10
  51. Daniel 7:26 : [ver. 12, 14]
  52. Daniel 7:26 : ch. 6:26
  53. Daniel 7:27 : See ver. 18
  54. Daniel 7:27 : See ver. 18
  55. Daniel 7:27 : See ch. 2:44
  56. Daniel 7:28 : ver. 15; [ch. 8:27; 10:8, 16; Jer. 23:9]
  57. Daniel 7:28 : ch. 4:5, 19; 5:6
  58. Daniel 7:28 : [ch. 5:6, 10]
  59. Daniel 7:28 : [Luke 2:19, 51]

You Might Also Like:

Daniel 7 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel hath seen a dream, and the visions of his head on his bed, then the dream he hath written, the chief of the things he hath said. 2 Answered hath Daniel and said, `I was seeing in my vision by night, and lo, the four winds of the heavens are c...
Read More

Daniel 7 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

7 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a sweven, either a dream. Forsooth he wrote the vision of his head in his bed, and the dream, and comprehended in short word; (In the first year of Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. And he wrote down the vision in his ...
Read More

Daniel 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters. 2 Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea. 3 Four great a...
Read More

Daniel 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

7 In the first year of Belshazzar’s reign over Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he slept in his bed. When he got up, he remembered the dream and wrote it down. This is the beginning of his record: These events most likely take place in 554 b.c. They are a flashback to before the feast ...
Read More

Daniel 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was on his bed. He wrote down a summary of the dream. 2 Daniel said: “I was looking in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were churnin...
Read More

Daniel 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Visions of the Four Beasts7 In the first year of Belshaz′zar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirrin...
Read More

Daniel 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Visions of the Four Beasts7 In the first year of Belshaz′zar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel said, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirrin...
Read More

Daniel 7 - Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

7 In the first year of Belshatzar melech Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed; then he wrote down the dream, and the sum of the matters he related. 2 Daniel answered and said, I saw in my vision that came by night, and, hinei, the arbah ruchot (four winds) of Shomayim bur...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Visions of the Four Beasts7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream:[a] 2 I,[b] Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, 3 and four great beasts came up o...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Visions of the Four Beasts7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream:[a](A)2 I,[b] Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, 3 and four great beasts came up o...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts7 Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon,[a] Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw. 2 In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great ...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New Life Version (NLV)

Daniel’s Special Dream of the Four Animals7 In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon, Daniel had a special dream in his mind as he lay on his bed. And he wrote the dream down, telling what he saw. 2 Daniel said, “In my dream at night I looked and saw the four winds of heaven causing wa...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Vision of the Four Beasts7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, (A)Daniel [a]had a dream and (B)visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling [b]the main facts. 2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were s...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Daniel’s dream of four beasts7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven ...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New International Version (NIV)

Daniel’s Dream of Four Beasts7 In the first year of Belshazzar(A) king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions(B) passed through his mind(C) as he was lying in bed.(D) He wrote(E) down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four w...
Read More

Daniel 7 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Daniel Has a Dream About Four Animals7 It was the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon. Daniel had a dream. He was lying in bed. In his dream, visions passed through his mind. He wrote down what he saw. 2 Daniel said, “I had a vision at night. I looked up and saw the four winds of heaven. ...
Read More