In the first year
of Belshazzar
king
of Babylon
Daniel
saw
a adream
and visions
1in his mind
as he lay on his bed
; then
he bwrote
the dream
down
and related
the 2following summary
of 3it.
Daniel 1said
, "I was alooking
in my vision
by night
, and behold
, the bfour
winds
of heaven
were stirring
up the great
sea
.
"And four great
abeasts
were coming
up from the sea
, different
from one
another
.
"The first was alike a lion
and had the wings
of an eagle
. I kept
looking
until
its wings
were plucked
, and it was lifted
up from the ground
and made
to stand
on two feet
like a man
; a human
1mind
also was given
to it.
"And behold, another
beast
, a second
one, resembling
a bear
. And it was raised
up on one
side
, and three
ribs
were in its mouth
between
its teeth
; and thus
they said
to it, `Arise
, devour
much
meat
!'
"After this
I kept
looking
, and behold
, another
one, alike a leopard
, which
had on its 1back
four
wings
of a bird
; the beast
also had bfour
heads
, and dominion
was given
to it.
"After this
I kept
looking
in the night
visions
, and behold
, a afourth
beast
, dreadful
and terrifying
and extremely
strong
; and it had large
iron
teeth
. It devoured
and crushed
and trampled
down
the remainder
with its feet
; and it was different
from all
the beasts
that were before
it, and it had bten
horns
.
"While I was contemplating the horns
, behold
, aanother
horn
, a little
one
, came
up among
them, and three
of the first
horns
were pulled
out by the roots
before
it; and behold
, 1this
horn
possessed eyes
like the eyes
of a man
and ba mouth
uttering
great
boasts.
"I kept looking
Until
athrones
were set
up, And the Ancient
of Days
took
His seat
; His bvesture
was like white
snow
And the chair
of His head
like pure
wool
. His dthrone
was 1ablaze
with flames
, Its ewheels
were a burning
fire
.
"A river of afire
was flowing
And coming
out from before
Him; bThousands
upon thousands
were attending
Him, And myriads
upon myriads
were standing
before
Him; The ccourt
sat
, And dthe books
were opened
.
"Then I kept
looking
because
of the sound
of the 1boastful
words
which
the horn
was speaking
; I kept
looking
until
the beast
was slain
, and its body
was destroyed
and given
to the aburning
2fire
.
"As for the rest of the beasts
, their dominion
was taken
away
, but an extension
of life
was granted
to them for an appointed
period
of time
.
"I kept looking
in the night
visions
, And behold
, with the clouds
of heaven
One like a aSon
of Man
was coming
, And He came
up to the Ancient
of Days
And was presented
before
Him.
"And to Him was given adominion
, Glory
and 1 ba kingdom
, cThat all
the peoples
, nations
and men of every 2language
Might serve
Him. dHis dominion
is an everlasting
dominion
Which
will not pass
away
; eAnd His kingdom
is one Which
will not be destroyed
.
"As for me, Daniel, my spirit
was distressed
1within
me, and the avisions
2in my mind
kept balarming
me.
"I approached one
of those who were astanding
by and began asking
him the 1exact
meaning
of all
this
. So he btold
me and made
known
to me the interpretation
of these things
:
`These great
beasts
, which
are four
in number, are four
kings
who will arise
from the earth
.
`But the 1 asaints of the Highest
One
will breceive
the kingdom
and possess
the kingdom
forever
, 2for all
ages
to come
.'
"Then I desired
to know
the 1exact
meaning
of the afourth
beast
, which
was different
from all
2the others, exceedingly
dreadful
, with its teeth
of iron
and its claws
of bronze
, and which devoured
, crushed
and trampled
down
the remainder
with its feet
,
and the meaning of the ten horns
that were on its head
and the other
horn which
came
up, and before
which three
of them fell
, namely, that horn
which had eyes
and a mouth
uttering
great
boasts and 1which was larger
in appearance
than
its associates
.
"I kept looking
, and that horn
was awaging
war
with the 1saints
and overpowering
them
until the Ancient
of Days
came
and ajudgment
was 1passed
in favor of the 2saints
of the Highest
One
, and the time
arrived
when the 2saints
took
possession
of the kingdom
.
"Thus he said
: `The fourth
beast
will be a fourth
kingdom
on the earth
, which
will be different
from all
the other kingdoms
and will devour
the whole
earth
and tread
it down
and crush
it.
`As for the aten horns
, out of this kingdom
ten
kings
will arise
; and another
will arise
after
them, and he will be different
from the previous
ones
and will subdue
three
kings
.
`He will aspeak 1out against
the bMost
High
and cwear
down
the 2saints
of the Highest
One
, and he will intend
to make
dalterations
in times
and in law
; and 3they will be given
into his hand
for a 4 etime
, 4times
, and half
a 4time
.
`But the court will sit
for judgment, and his dominion
will be ataken
away
, 1annihilated
and destroyed
2forever
.
`Then the 1 asovereignty, the dominion
and the greatness
of all the kingdoms
under
the whole
heaven
will be given
to the people
of the 2saints
of the Highest
One
; His kingdom
will be an beverlasting
kingdom
, and all
the dominions
will cserve
and obey
Him.'
" 1At this point
the revelation
ended
. As for me, Daniel
, my thoughts
were agreatly
alarming
me and my 2face
grew
pale
, but I bkept
the matter
3to myself
."