22. not in his power—not with the power which Alexander possessed [MAURER]. An empire united, as under Alexander, is more powerful than one divided, as under the four Diadochi. read more
5. The interpretation of this vision 8:15-26 read more
Gabriel identified the ram with the two horns as Media and Persia (cf. Daniel 8:3-4), not just Media as many liberal interpreters insist because of their second-century composition hypothesis. The goat, here further described as shaggy, represents Greece (cf. Daniel 8:5-7), not Persia as many liberals contend. The large horn on the goat is the first king of Greece, namely, Alexander the Great. The four kingdoms that arose to replace Alexander when he died were Macedonia and Greece, Thrace and... read more
The Vision of the Ram and the He-GoatIn the third year of Belshazzar Daniel has a vision in which he seems to stand by the river Ulai, near Susa (Daniel 8:1-2). He sees a two-homed ram which behaves aggressively for a time (Daniel 8:3-4), but is attacked and overthrown by a he-goat which comes rapidly from the w, (Daniel 8:5-7). The he-goat has a notable horn (Daniel 8:5), which is presently broken, and instead of which four others come up (Daniel 8:8). From one of these there springs a little... read more
(20-22) See Notes on Daniel 8:3-8. read more
(22) Not in his power—i.e., not like the first king. read more
Daniel 8:2 In his Remarkable Passages of the Life and Death of Mr. John Semple, minister of Carsphairn in Galloway, Patrick Walker tells how 'that night after his wife died, he spent the whole ensuing night in prayer and meditation in his garden. The next morning, one of his elders coming to see him, and lamenting his great loss and want of rest, he replied: "I declare I have not, all night, had one thought of the death of my wife, I have been so taken up in meditating on heavenly things. I... read more
THE RAM AND THE HE-GOATThis vision is dated as having occurred in the third year of Belshazzar; but it is not easy to see the significance of the date, since it is almost exclusively occupied with the establishment of the Greek Empire, its dissolution into the kingdoms of the Diadochi, and the godless despotism of King Antiochus Epiphanes.The seer imagines himself to be in the palace of Shushan: "As I beheld I was in the castle of Shushan." It has been supposed by some that Daniel was really... read more
CHAPTER 8 The Ram and the He-Goat 1. The vision (Daniel 8:1-14 ) 2. The interpretation of the vision (Daniel 8:15-27 ) Daniel 8:1-14 . Beginning with this chapter to the end of the book prophecy will lead us mostly upon Jewish ground. While some of these prophecies were fulfilled in the past, most of them are related to the future when the great end fulfillment takes place before the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven to receive the kingdom. The phrases “the latter times,”... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Daniel 8:21
21. the first king—Philip was king of Macedon before Alexander, but the latter was the first who, as a generalissimo of Greece, subdued the Persian empire. read more