Major Prophets · Chapter 7 of 12

Daniel 7

In a night vision Daniel sees four great beasts rise from the sea, the last dreadful with ten horns and a boastful little horn. Then thrones are set, the Ancient of days sits in judgment, and one like the Son of man comes with the clouds to receive an everlasting, universal kingdom. An interpreter explains the beasts as kings, and promises the kingdom to the saints of the Most High.

What happens in Daniel 7

In Belshazzar's first year Daniel dreams of the four winds stirring the great sea, from which rise four beasts: a lion with eagle's wings, a bear with three ribs in its teeth, a four-headed winged leopard, and a fourth beast, terrible, with iron teeth and ten horns. Among the horns a little horn with human eyes and a boastful mouth uproots three others. Then the scene shifts to heaven: thrones are set, the Ancient of days takes his seat in fiery glory, thousands minister to him, and the books are opened.

The boastful beast is slain. One like the Son of man comes with the clouds to the Ancient of days and receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom over all peoples that will never pass away. Troubled, Daniel asks the meaning. The beasts are four kings, but the saints of the Most High will receive and possess the kingdom forever, even through the little horn's war against them.

Daniel 7 in context

Chapter 7 opens the second half of Daniel and its series of apocalyptic visions, dated back into Belshazzar's reign. Written in Aramaic, it closes the book's central section and echoes chapter 2's four kingdoms, now seen not as precious metals but as predatory beasts.

Its throne scene and Son of man figure became among the most influential images in later Jewish and Christian expectation. Sober reading resists fixing modern dates to its horns.

Main themes of Daniel 7

Daniel 7 (KJV)

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. 2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse 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 little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22Until 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. 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Verses to carry from Daniel 7

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.”Daniel 7:13

“And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”Daniel 7:14

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”Daniel 7:18

Reflection

When power looks most beastly and the little horn seems to prevail, Daniel 7 lifts your eyes to a throne already set and a verdict already sure. The Son of man has received the kingdom. Let that settled court steady you when the news feels like churning sea.

A prayer from Daniel 7