7
1 In
the first year
of Belshazzar king
of Babylon, Daniel
had a dream
and visions of
his head while on
his bed. Then
he wrote the
dream and told the
sum of the
matters.
2 Daniel
spoke and said, “I
saw in my vision
by night, and,
behold, the four winds
of the sky broke
out on the great
sea.
3 Four great
animals came up
from the sea,
different from one
another.
4 “The
first was like
a lion, and had
eagle’s wings.
I watched until
its wings were
plucked, and it
was lifted up
from the earth and
made to stand
on two feet as
a man. A man’s
heart was given
to it.
5 “Behold, there
was another animal, a
second, like a
bear. It was
raised up on one
side, and three
ribs were in its
mouth between its teeth.
They said this to
it: ‘Arise! Devour
much flesh!’
6 “After this
I saw, and behold,
another, like a
leopard, which had
on its back four
wings of a
bird. The animal also
had four heads;
and dominion was
given to it.
7 “After
this I saw
in the night
visions, and, behold,
there was a
fourth animal, awesome,
powerful, and
exceedingly strong.
It had great
iron teeth.
It devoured and broke
in pieces, and
stamped the
residue with its
feet. It was
different from all
the animals that
were before it.
It had ten
horns.
8 “I
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 arrogantly.
9 “I watched
until thrones
were placed,
and one who was
Ancient of Days
sat.
His clothing was
white as snow,
and the hair
of his head
like pure wool.
His throne was
fiery flames,
and its wheels
burning fire.
10 A
fiery stream
issued and came
out from before
him.
Thousands of thousands ministered
to him.
Ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before him.
The judgment was
set.
The books were
opened.
11 “I watched
at that time
because of the
voice of the
arrogant words
which the horn
spoke. I watched
even until
the animal was
slain, and its
body destroyed, and
it was given
to be burned with fire.
12 As
for the rest
of the animals,
their dominion was
taken away; yet
their lives were
prolonged for a
season and a
time.
13 “I saw in
the night visions,
and behold, there came
with the clouds
of the sky one
like a son
of man, and he
came even to the
Ancient of Days,
and they brought him
near before him.
14 Dominion
was given him,
and glory, and
a kingdom, that
all the peoples,
nations, and languages should
serve him. His
dominion is an
everlasting dominion,
which will not
pass away, and
his kingdom one
that will not
be destroyed.
15 “As for me,
Daniel, my spirit
was grieved
within my body,
and the visions
of my head troubled me.
16 I
came near to
one of those who
stood by, and
asked him the
truth concerning
all this.
“So he told me,
and made me
know the
interpretation of
the things.
17 ‘These
great animals,
which are four,
are four kings,
who will arise
out of the earth.
18 But the
saints of the Most
High will receive
the kingdom, and
possess the
kingdom forever, even
forever and ever.’
19 “Then
I desired to
know the truth
concerning the
fourth animal, which
was different from
all of them,
exceedingly terrible,
whose teeth were
of iron, and
its nails of
bronze; which devoured, broke
in pieces, and
stamped the
residue with its
feet;
20 and
concerning the ten
horns that were
on its head
and the other horn
which came up,
and before which
three fell, even
that horn that
had eyes and
a mouth that
spoke arrogantly, whose
look was more
stout than its
fellows.
21 I saw,
and the same
horn made war
with the saints,
and prevailed
against them,
22 until
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.
23 “So
he said, ‘The
fourth animal will
be a fourth
kingdom on earth, which
will be different
from all the
kingdoms, and
will devour the
whole earth, and
will tread it
down and break it
in pieces.
24 As
for the ten
horns, ten kings
will arise out
of this kingdom.
Another will arise
after them; and he
will be different
from the former,
and he will put
down three kings.
25 He
will speak words
against the Most
High, and will
wear out the
saints of the
Most High. He
will plan to
change the times
and the law;
and they will be
given into his
hand until a
time and times
and half a
time.
26 “ ‘But the
judgment will be
set, and they
will take away his
dominion, to
consume and
to destroy it to
the end.
27 The
kingdom and the
dominion, and the
greatness of the
kingdoms under the
whole sky, will
be given to
the people of
the saints of
the Most High. His
kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions
will serve and
obey him.’
28 “Here is
the end of
the matter. As
for me, Daniel,
my thoughts troubled
me greatly, and
my face was
changed in me;
but I kept
the matter in
my heart.”