CHAPTER 7

¹In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylonia Daniel saw a dream and the visions in his head on his couch. Thus he wrote down the dream, the beginning of the words he said. ²Daniel spoke out and said: “I was seeing in my vision by night, and, look, the four winds of the heavens were rippling the Great Sea. ³And four great beasts were coming out of the sea, each different from the others. ⁴The first was like a lion, and it had eagle’s wings. I was watching till its wings pulled apart and it was lifted from the earth and made to stand on its legs like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. ⁵And, look, a second beast resembling a bear, and on one side it was made to stand, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth, and thus were they saying to it: ‘Arise, consume much flesh.’ ⁶After this I was watching, and, look, another like a leopard, and it had four bird’s wings on its back, and the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. ⁷After this I was seeing among the visions of the night, and, look, a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and exceedingly powerful, and it had great iron teeth. It was devouring and mangling, and the remains at its feet it trampled, and it was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸I was watching the horns, and, look, another small horn came up among them, and three of the previous horns were torn out before it, and, look, eyes like a man’s eyes were in this horn and a mouth uttering overweening things. ⁹I was looking, until thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His garment was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool, His throne tongues of flame, its wheels burning fire. ¹⁰A river of fire was flowing and went out before Him. Thousands upon thousands ministered to Him, and myriad upon myriad stood before Him. The court was seated and the books were opened. ¹¹I was looking—then from the sound of the overweening words that the horn was uttering I looked till the beast was slain and its body destroyed and consigned to the burning fire. ¹²As to the remaining beasts, their dominion was taken over, and an extension of life was given to them for a time and season. ¹³I was seeing in the visions of the night and, look, with the clouds of the heavens one like a human being was coming, and he reached the Ancient of Days, and they had him approach before Him. ¹⁴And to him were given dominion and honor and kingship, and all the people, nations, and tongues did serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away and his kingdom will not be destroyed. ¹⁵I, Daniel, my spirit was downcast within me and the visions within my head panicked me. ¹⁶I approached one of those standing there and asked of him the truth about all this, and he spoke to me and made known to me the meaning of the things. ¹⁷‘These great beasts, which are four—four kings shall rise up from the earth, ¹⁸and the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and take possession of the kingdom forever and forever.’ ¹⁹Then I wanted the truth about the fourth beast that was different from all of them, exceedingly fearsome—its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, consuming and mangling and trampling what remained with its feet. ²⁰And concerning the ten horns that were on its head and another that came up and three fell before it, and that horn had eyes and a mouth uttering overweening things, and its appearance was greater than its fellows. ²¹I was watching, and that horn did battle with the holy ones and prevailed over them. ²²Until the Ancient of Days came and meted out justice for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones took possession of the kingdom. ²³Thus did he say: ‘The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that shall be on the earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms and shall consume all the earth and shall harrow it and grind it to dust. ²⁴And the ten horns from that kingdom, ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them, and he shall be different from those before him, and three kings shall he bring low, ²⁵and he shall utter words against the Most High and afflict the holy ones, and he shall think to change the times and the law. And they shall be given in his hand for a season, a season, and a half-season. ²⁶And the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, destroying and expunging to the end. ²⁷And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of all kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. Its kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve it and obey it. ²⁸This marks the end of the matter.’ I, Daniel, my thoughts sorely panicked me and my countenance changed, and I kept the matter in my heart.”