79Ch. 8:1 - end is again in Hebrew. Historical Account: 1 In Belshazzar’s 3rd year of reigning over Babylon, i.e., BC 551 April 16 to 550 April 04, Daniel received another symbolic vision of things to come. 2 In a vision I was in the capital of Elam (a province between Babylon and Persia) on the (east?) side of the Ulai River (near modern Karkheh River?). 3 I saw a ram also on the (east) side of the river representing the Medo-Persian Kingdom. The Medes were dominant until the Persian King Cyrus the Great, and thereafter the Persian emperors led Medo-Persia to new greatness. 4 Medo-Persia conquered the fabulously wealthy Kingdom of Lydia to the west in BC 546, Babylon in the North in BC 539 October 12, and Egypt to the south in BC 525, and they conquered all opposition and built magnificent cities and palaces.
8: 2 And I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in Shushan the 80palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river 81Ulai.
80Or, castle, or, citadel,
81Greek Eulaeus. An artificial canal.
8: 3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a 82ram which had 83two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
82So Massoretic, Vg. GkTh. But 4QDana 4QDanb Sept. read large ram
83So Massoretic, Aram. 4QDana 4QDanb read horns, horns: Sept., GkTh read horns:
8: 4 I saw the ram goring westward,84 and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.
844QDana Sept. insert and eastward,
8: 5 85And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and 86touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
855 And then a he-goat representing Grecia (Macedonia) came from the west in BC 334 under Alexander (b. 355), and went with amazing speed over all the land of the Persian Empire. 6 And Grecia came against Medo-Persia with all its strength, 7 And Grecia destroyed both Median and Persian power and utterly destroyed their empire, and conquered everywhere it went. 8 And Grecia became a great empire. But in BC 323 Alexander suddenly died, and the empire was divided between Macedonia to the west under Cassander (and then the Antigonid kings), Egypt to the south under the Ptolemys, Syria to the east under the Seleucids, and Thrace to the north (under Lysimachus and/or the later Roman emperors who ruled from Constantinople).
86Hb. none touched the ground:
8: 6 And he came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran upon him in the fury of his power.
8: 7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger 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 trampled upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8: 8 And the he-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 heaven.
8: 9 87And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
879 And to the northwest, Rome grew up (Thracians, amid Greek culture), and conquered Carthage and all North Africa, Asia Minor and Judea. 10 And Roman Emperor Constantine (AD 313-337) placed himself as an arbiter of the Christian Church and caused many Christians to become involved in the world, where they were subjugated. 11 Then the sovereign put humself on a par with Messiah, and he substituted other things for the acceptable sacrifice, and justification by faith was thrown down. 12 And on account of their sins, the faithful and the sacrifice will not be kept from oppression, and Rome will suppress the truth and will do as it pleases. 13 But the faithful will want to know how long Messiah and his host will be oppressed. 14 The answer is that it will last 2300 years, and afterwards the righteous will be justified (by the day of wrath?). [As one suggestion, the Roman rise commences after the Gauls lift their siege of Rome in BC 387; 2300 years later World War I begins in AD 1914. For other possibilities, look for beginnings between BC 553 and the Punic Wars beginning about BC 264.]
8: 10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them.
8: 11 Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and 88it took away from him the continual burnt-offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
88So Massoretic, Aram., Vg. Sept., GkTh read the continual burnt-offering was taken away from him,
8: 12 And 89the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.
89Or, a host was given to it against the or, a host was set over the
8: 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the Holy and the host to be trodden under foot?
8: 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the Holy 90be cleansed.
90Hb. be justified.
8: 15 91And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to 92understand it; and, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
9115 I Daniel wanted to understand, and I saw a man representing Michael, 16 And he commanded to make it understandable, 17 And it was explained that the vision pertains to the last age of the present world. 18 Be alert and be righteous, 19 And you may understand the fourth and final indignation during the present age. 20 The two-horned ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire; 21 And the shaggy goat represents the Grecian Empire, and the large horn is Alexander, king of Macedonia (BC 336-323), 22 And on his death four kingdoms will dominate: (1) Macedonia (BC 323-310), (2) Egypt (310-198), (3) Syria (198-166), and (4) Thrace (predominantly after AD 330), 23 And after the capital of the Roman Empire has been moved to Constantinople in Thrace, after much imperial unrighteousness, a power will arise in Rome, skilled in lawlessness and intrigue, 24 And it will reign by manipulating the kings of this world, and it will corrupt terribly and succeed, and it will destroy powers of this world and destroy the people of the saints (or, destroy the peoples of the Holies?) 25 Rome will deceive, exalt itself, destroy the unsuspecting, and oppose Messiah’s way, but the Lord will see to its destruction; 26 And the vision of the 2300 years is sure, but it will not be understood before its time. 27 And thinking of what was to happen made Daniel sick.
92Hb. understanding it;
8: 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
8: 17 So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was affrighted, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end.
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 93upright.
93Or, where I had stood.
8: 19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end.
8: 20 The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
8: 21 And the rough he-goat is the king of 94Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
94Hb. Javan (from which Javania, or, Ionia)
8: 22 And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
8: 23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
8: 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not 95by his own power; and he shall 96destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the people of the saints.
95Or, with his power;
96Or, corrupt (both times). And in verse 25.
8: 25 And 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.
8: 26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings which hath been told is true: but shut thou up the vision; for it belongeth to many days to come.
8: 27 And I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for days; then I rose up, and did the king’s business: and I wondered at the vision, 97but none understood it.
97Or, but there was none to make it understood.
