Daniel 8

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1. 1In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me — to me, Daniel — after the one that had appeared to me at the first.
2. 2In this vision, I found myself at the citadel of Shushan in the province of Elam, standing beside the river Ulai.
3. 3I looked up and saw a ram standing by the river. It had 2 horns, both tall, but one was taller than the other — and the taller one had grown up last.
4. 4I watched the ram charge westward, northward, and southward. No animal could stand against it, and nothing could escape its power. It did whatever it wanted and grew mighty.
5. 5While I was thinking about what I'd seen, a male goat came from the west, crossing the entire earth without touching the ground. Between its eyes was a notable horn.
6. 6The goat charged straight at the 2-horned ram I had seen standing by the river, rushing at it with furious power.
7. 7I watched the goat close in on the ram, seething with rage. It struck the ram and shattered both its horns. The ram had no strength left to fight back. The goat threw it to the ground and trampled it, and no one could rescue the ram.
8. 8The male goat became incredibly powerful. But at the height of its strength, the great horn snapped off, and in its place 4 prominent horns grew up, pointing toward the 4 winds of heaven.
9. 9Out of one of them came a small horn, which grew exceedingly great, toward the south, toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
10. 10It grew great, reaching even to the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground and trampled on them.
11. 11It even exalted itself against the prince of the host. It abolished the daily sacrifice and tore down the place of his sanctuary.
12. 12Because of rebellion, the host was handed over to it along with the daily sacrifice. It threw truth to the ground, and everything it did succeeded.
13. 13Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one asked the first, "How long will this vision last — the removal of the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes devastation, and the trampling of the sanctuary and the host?"
14. 14He said to me, 'For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary will be cleansed.'
15. 15As I, Daniel, watched this vision and tried to understand it, suddenly someone who looked like a man appeared standing in front of me.
16. 16Then I heard a man's voice from between the banks of the Ulai, calling out, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision."
17. 17Gabriel came toward where I was standing. When he approached, I was terrified and fell facedown on the ground. He said to me, "Understand this, son of man — this vision concerns the time of the end."
18. 18While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and lifted me back to my feet.
19. 19He said, “Listen, I will tell you what will happen at the final time of anger, because the end will come at the appointed time.”
20. 20The ram you saw with 2 horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
21. 21The shaggy male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.
22. 22The horn that broke off and was replaced by 4 horns means that 4 kingdoms will rise from that nation, but none of them will match the first king's power.
23. 23Near the end of their rule, when rebellion has reached its peak, a fierce-looking king who is a master of intrigue will rise to power.
24. 24His power will be great, but not from his own strength. He will cause astonishing destruction, succeed in what he does, and destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25. 25Through his cunning, he will make deception thrive under his rule. He will become arrogant in his heart and will destroy many through peace. He will even rise up against the Prince of princes, but he will be destroyed, not by human hands.
26. 26The vision of the evenings and mornings that was explained to you is true. Therefore, seal up the vision, for it concerns many days in the future.
27. 27After this, I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay sick for several days. Then I got up and went back to serving the king. I was astonished at the vision, but no one understood it.