Daniel 7

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

1Belshazzar was king of Babylon. In his first year, Daniel had a dream. He saw pictures in his mind while he lay in bed. He wrote the dream down. Then he told the main parts of it.

2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

2Daniel said: "At night I looked, and I saw something. Winds blew from all four directions. They stirred up the great sea."

3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

3Four huge animals came up out of the sea. Each one was different from the others.

4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

4The first looked like a lion with eagle wings. I watched until its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted off the ground. It stood up on two feet, like a man. And it was given the mind of a man.

5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

5Then I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It held three ribs in its teeth. Someone said to it, "Get up! Eat lots of meat!"

6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

6After that I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. It had four bird wings on its back. It also had four heads. It was given the power to rule.

7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

7Then, still dreaming at night, I saw a fourth animal. It was frightening and very, very strong. It had big iron teeth. It ate things up and crushed them. It stomped on whatever was left. It was not like the animals before it. And it had ten horns.

8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

8I was looking closely at the horns. Then a little horn grew up among them. Three of the first horns were pulled out to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like a man's eyes. It had a mouth that bragged and boasted.

9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

9I kept watching. Thrones were put in place. Then the Ancient of Days sat down. That name means God, who has always been alive. His clothes were white as snow. His hair was like clean white wool. His throne was like burning flames. Its wheels were blazing fire.

NoteThe King James Version says the thrones were "cast down." In older English that meant the thrones were set down in place, ready to be sat on. It does not mean they were knocked over.

10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

10A river of fire flowed out from in front of him. Thousands and thousands of helpers served him. A huge crowd stood in front of him. The judging began, and the books were opened.

11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

11I kept watching, because the horn was saying proud words. I watched until the fourth animal was killed. Its body was destroyed and thrown into the burning fire.

12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

12The other animals had their power taken away. But they were allowed to live for a while longer.

13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

13Still dreaming at night, I kept watching. I saw someone like a son of man. He came with the clouds of the sky. He came to the Ancient of Days. He was brought close to him.

Note"Son of man" is an old way of saying "a human being." Daniel says the one he saw looked like a person.

14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

14He was given power, honor, and a kingdom. People of every nation and language would serve him. His power will last forever and will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

15I, Daniel, felt sad and upset deep inside me. The pictures I saw in my mind scared me.

16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

16I went up to one of the ones standing there. I asked him what all of this meant. So he told me. He explained the meaning of the things I saw.

17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

17He said, "These four big animals are four kings. They will rise up on the earth."

18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

18"But the holy people who belong to God Most High will get the kingdom. They will keep it forever and ever."

19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

19Then I wanted to know more about the fourth animal. It was different from all the others. It was very frightening. It had iron teeth and claws of bronze. It ate things up, crushed them, and stomped on what was left.

20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

20I also asked about the ten horns on its head. And about the new horn that grew up later. Three horns fell to make room for it. That horn had eyes and a mouth that boasted. It looked bigger and stronger than the other horns.

21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

21I watched, and that horn fought against God's holy people. It was winning against them.

22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

22This went on until the Ancient of Days came. He judged in favor of the holy people of God Most High. Then the time came for them to take the kingdom.

23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

23This is what he said: "The fourth animal is a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will eat up the whole earth. It will stomp the earth down and break it in pieces."

24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

24"The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them, another king will rise up. He will be different from the ones before him. He will defeat three of those kings."

25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

25"He will speak proud words against God Most High. He will be cruel to God's holy people and wear them out. He will try to change set times and laws. God's holy people will be under his power for a time, times, and half a time."

Note"A time, times, and half a time" is an old way of naming a set length of time. The chapter does not say how long it is.

26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

26"But the judging will begin, and his power will be taken away. It will be ended and destroyed for good."

27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

27"Then the ruling power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky will be given away. It will go to the holy people of God Most High. Their kingdom will last forever. All rulers will serve and obey him."

28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

28"That is the end of the matter." I, Daniel, was very troubled by my thoughts. My face turned pale. But I kept the whole thing to myself.