Get the free app for more features and content.
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw 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.2Daniel declared, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.3And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.4The 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.5And behold, 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.’6After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.8I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, 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 a mouth speaking great things.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9“As I looked,

thrones were placed,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

10A stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

11“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.12As for the rest of the beasts, 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 behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

14And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

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 was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.16I 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‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.18But 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 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,20and 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.21As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them,22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23“Thus he said: ‘As for 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.

24As 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.

25He shall speak words against the Most High,

and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,

and shall think to change the times and the law;

and they shall be given into his hand

for a time, times, and half a time.

26But the court shall sit in judgment,

and his dominion shall be taken away,

to be consumed and destroyed to the end.

27And the kingdom and the dominion

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven

shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;

his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,

and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

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

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2001 Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version, ESV, and the ESV logo are registered trademarks of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. Click here to review ESV Full Copyright Notice and Permissions Information.

Featured Resources

Dragons Are All Over the Bible. Here's Why.

Dragons Are All Over the Bible. Here's Why.

Explore how biblical authors use dragon imagery to describe the human and spi...

BibleProject

Kevin DeYoung | What Is the Son of Man?

Kevin DeYoung | What Is the Son of Man?

"Sometimes we think Son of God refers to Jesus’ divinity and Son of Man to hi...

Christ Covenant Church

Jesus, the Son of Man

Jesus, the Son of Man

Sinclair Ferguson explains what Jesus meant when He referred to Himself as th...

Ligonier Ministries

Introduction to Daniel

Introduction to Daniel

Dr. Johnny Ramírez-Johnson introduces Daniel by reflecting on how the book sh...

Fuller Studio

What Is an Old Testament Prophet? (Sandra Richter)

What Is an Old Testament Prophet? (Sandra Richter)

https://seedbed.com Seedbed's mission is to gather, connect, and resource ...

Seedbed

Why Jesus Called Himself the Son of Man

Why Jesus Called Himself the Son of Man

If you thought “Christ” was Jesus’ last name or the title he gave himself, th...

BibleProject

Kevin DeYoung | The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man

Kevin DeYoung | The Ancient of Days and the Son...

Full sermon from: Sunday, October 13, 2019 Given by: Dr. Kevin DeYoung, Senio...

Christ Covenant Church

Jesus the Royal Priest

Jesus the Royal Priest

After humanity’s failure as the royal priests of Eden, God promises that one ...

BibleProject

How Jesus Became the King of the World (That He Always Was)

How Jesus Became the King of the World (That He...

In this video, we trace the origins of the word “gospel” and how it ties the ...

BibleProject

The New Humanity • The New Kind of Existence We're Invited To (Spiritual Beings Series Episode 7)

The New Humanity • The New Kind of Existence We...

In the opening pages of the Bible, God appoints humans to rule the world on h...

BibleProject

Explore Daniel 7