Daniel 7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:10

A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him - Streams of fire seemed to burst forth from his throne. Representations of this kind abound in the Scriptures to illustrate the majesty and glory of God. Compare Revelation 4:5, “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices.” Exodus 19:16; Habakkuk 3:4; Psalms 18:8.Thousand thousands ministered unto him - “A thousand of thousands;” that is, thousands multiplied a thousand times. The mind is struck with the fact... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:11

I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake - I was attracted by these words - by their arrogance, and haughtiness, and pride; and I saw that it was on account of these mainly that the solemn judgment proceeded against the beast. The attitude of the seer here is this - he heard arrogant and proud words uttered by the “horn,” and he waited in deep attention, and in earnest expectation, to learn what judgment would be pronounced. He had seen Daniel 7:8 that horn... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:12

As concerning the rest of the beasts - They had been superseded, but not destroyed. It would seem that they were still represented in vision to Daniel, as retaining their existence, though their power was taken away, and their fierceness subdued, or that they still seemed to remain alive for a time, or while the vision was passing. They were not cut down, destroyed, and consumed as the fourth beast was.They had their dominion taken away - They were superseded, or they no longer exercised power.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:13

I saw in the night visions - Evidently in the same night visions, or on the same occasion, for the visions are connected. See Daniel 7:1, Daniel 7:7. The meaning is, that he continued beholding, or that a new vision passed before him.And, behold, one like the Son of man ... - It is remarkable that Daniel does not attempt to represent this by any symbol. The representation by symbols ceases with the fourth beast; and now the description assumes a literal form - the setting up of the kingdom of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:14

And there was given him dominion - That is, by him who is represented as the “Ancient of days.” The fair interpretation of this is, that he received the dominion from him. This is the uniform representation in the New Testament. Compare Matthew 28:18; Joh 3:35; 1 Corinthians 15:27. The word dominion here means rule or auhority - such as a prince exercises. He was set over a kingdom as a prince or ruler.And glory - That is the glory or honor appropriate to one at the head of such an empire.And a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:15

I Daniel was grieved in my spirit - That is, I was troubled; or my heart was made heavy and sad. This was probably in part because he did not fully understand the meaning of the vision, and partly on account of the fearful and momentous nature of what was indicated by it. So the apostle John Revelation 5:4 says, “And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book.”In the midst of my body - Margin, as in the Chaldee, sheath. The body is undoubtedly referred to, and is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:16

I came near unto one of them that stood by - That is, to one of the angels who appeared to stand near the throne. Daniel 7:10. Compare Daniel 8:13; Zechariah 4:4-5; Revelation 7:13. It was natural for Daniel to suppose that the angels who were seen encircling the throne would be able to give him information on the subject, and the answers which Daniel received show that he was not mistaken in his expectation. God has often employed angels to communicate important truths to men, or has made them... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:17

These great beasts, which are four, are four kings - Four kings or four dynasties. There is no reason for supposing that they refer to individual kings, but the obvious meaning is, that they refer to four dominions or empires that would succeed one another on the earth. So the whole representation leads us to suppose, and so the passage has been always interpreted. The Latin Vulgate renders it regna; the Septuagint βασιλεῖαι basileiai; Luther, Reiche; Lengerke, Konigreiche. This interpretation... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:18

But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom - That is, they shall ultimately take possession of the rule over all the world, and shall control it from that time onward to the end. This is the grand thing which the vision is designed to disclose, and on this it was evidently the intention to fix the mind. Everything before was preparatory and subordinate to this, and to this all things tended. The phrase rendered the Most High - in the margin “high ones, i. e., things or places” -... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:19

Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast - I desired to know particularly what was symbolized by that. He appears to have been satisfied with the most general intimations in regard to the first three beasts, for the kingdoms represented by them seemed to have nothing very remarkable. But it was different in regard to the fourth. The beast itself was so remarkable - so fierce and terrific; the number of the horns was so great; the springing up of the little horn was so surprising; the... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:10

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:11

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:13

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:14

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:15

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:16

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:17

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:18

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Daniel 7:19

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