John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 7:4
The first was like a lion ,.... That which rose up first, the kingdom of the Babylonians, as the Syriac version expresses it; or the Assyrian monarchy, founded by Nimrod, increased by the Assyrians, and brought to its height under Nebuchadnezzar by the Babylonians and Chaldeans; this is said to be like a "lion" for its strength and power, for its greatness, dignity, and majesty; the same with the head of gold in Nebuchadnezzar's dream; see Jeremiah 4:7 , and had eagles' wings ;... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 7:1-8
The date of this chapter places it before Dan. 5:1-31, which was in the last year of Belshazzar, and Dan. 6:1-28, which was in the first of Darius; for Daniel had those visions in the first year of Belshazzar, when the captivity of the Jews in Babylon was drawing near a period. Belshazzar's name here is, in the original, spelt differently from what it used to be; before it was Bel-she-azar?Bel is he that treasures up riches. But this is Bel-eshe-zar?Bel is on fire by the enemy. Bel was the god... read more