Daniel 7

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 7:28

Hitherto 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. The first clause here is in the LXX . joined to the preceding verse, and rendered, "And all power shall be given to him, and they shall obey him to the end of the matter"—a connection that in many ways is suitable. The difficulty is thrown further back. To whom is this power to be given, and whom are all to obey? The Septuagint clearly... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7

Section I. - Analysis of the ChapterThis chapter contains an account of a remarkable prophetic dream which Daniel had in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar, and of the interpretation of the dream. After a brief statement of the contents of the chapter, it will be proper, in order to its more clear exposition, to state the different methods which have been proposed for interpreting it, or the different views of its application which have been adopted. The chapter comprises the following... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:1

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon - On the character and reign of Belshazzar, see Introduction to Daniel 5:0 Section II. He was the last of the kings of Babylon, and this fact may cast some light on the disclosures made in the dream.Daniel had a dream - Margin, as in Hebrew, saw. He saw a series of events in vision when he was asleep. The dream refers to that representation, and was of such a nature that it was proper to speak of it as if he saw it. Compare the notes at Daniel... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:2

Daniel spake and said - That is, he spake and said in the manner intimated in the previous verse. It was by a record made at the time, and thus he might be said to speak to his own generation and to all future times.I saw in my vision by night - I beheld in the vision; that is, he saw represented to him the scene which he proceeds to describe. He seemed to see the sea in a tempest, and these monsters come up from it, and the strange succession of events which followed.And behold, the four winds... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:3

And four great beasts came up from the sea - Not at once, but in succession. See the following verses. Their particular form is described in the subsequent verses. The design of mentioning them here, as coming up from, the sea, seems to have been to show that this succession of kingdoms sprang from the agitations and commotions among the nations represented by the heaving ocean. It is not uncommon for the prophets to make use of animals to represent or symbolize kingdoms and nations - usually... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:4

The first was like a lion - It is to be assumed, in explaining and applying these symbols, that they are significant - that is, that there was some adaptedness or propriety in using these symbols to denote the kingdoms referred to; or that in each case there was a reason why the particular animal was selected for a symbol rather than one of the others; that is, there was something in the lion that was better fitted to symbolize the kingdom referred to than there was in the bear or the leopard,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:5

And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear - That is, after the lion had appeared, and he had watched it until it had undergone these surprising transformations. There are several circumstances, also, in regard to this symbol, all of which, it is to be supposed, were significant, and all of which demand explication before it is attempted to apply them.(a) The animal seen: the bear. For a full description of the bear, see Bochart, Hieroz. lib. iii. c. 9: The animal is well known, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:6

After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard - That is, as before, after the bear had appeared - indicating that this was to be a succeeding kingdom or power. The beast which now appeared was a monster, and, as in the former cases, so in regard to this, there are several circumstances which demand explanation in order to understand the symbol. It may assist us, perhaps, in forming a correct idea of the symbol here introduced to have before us a representation of the animal as it... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:7-8

After this I saw in the night visions - The other beasts were seen also in a dream Daniel 7:1, and this probably in the same night, though as a subsequent part of the dream, for the whole vision evidently passed before the prophet in a single dream. The succession, or the fact that he saw one after the other, indicates a sucession in the kingdoms. They were not to be at the same time upon the earth, but one was to arise after another in the order here indicated, though they were in some... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:9

I beheld - “I continued looking on these strange sights, and contemplating these transformations.” This implies that some time elapsed before all these things had occurred. He looked on until he saw a solemn judgment passed on this fourth beast particularly, as if God had come forth in his majesty and glory to pronounce that judgment, and to bring the power and arrogance of the beast to an end.Till the thrones were cast down - The Chaldee word (כרסון kâresâvân) means, properly, thrones -... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 7:28

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:7-8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:9

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