7:1
In the first year of Belshatzar, king of Bavel, Dani’el saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed. Then he wrote the dream and declared the sum of the matters.
7:2
Dani’el answered and said: “I was seeing in my vision by night, and see— the four ruachot of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea.
7:3
And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.
7:4
The first was like a lion and had wings of an eagle. I continued looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted from the earth and made to stand upon two feet like Adam, and the heart of Adam was given to it.
7:5
And see— another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And thus they said to it: ‘Rise. Devour much flesh.’
7:6
After this I was seeing, and see— another, like a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
7:7
After this I was seeing in the visions of the night, and see— a fourth beast, fearsome, terrible, and exceedingly strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured, and crushed, and trampled the remainder with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
7:8
I was considering the horns, and see— another horn, a little one, came up among them. And three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And see— eyes like the eyes of Adam were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
7:9
I continued looking until thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat. His garment was white like snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His Throne was flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.
7:10
A river of fire flowed and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The Judgment sat, and the sefarim were opened.
7:11
I continued looking then because of the sound of the great words which the horn was speaking. I continued looking until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire.
7:12
As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but a lengthening of life was given to them for a season and a time.
7:13
I was seeing in the visions of the night, and see— with the clouds of the heavens there came one like a Son of Adam. And he came to the Ancient of Days and was brought near before Him.
7:14
And to him was given dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and tongues should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his Kingdom shall not be destroyed.
7:15
As for me, Dani’el, my ruach was distressed within its sheath, and the visions of my head troubled me.
7:16
I approached one of those who stood there and sought from him the certainty concerning all this. And he spoke with me and made known to me the interpretation of the matters:
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‘These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who shall arise from the earth.
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But the holy ones of El Elyon shall receive the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
7:19
Then I desired certainty concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly fearsome, whose teeth were iron and whose claws were bronze, which devoured, and crushed, and trampled the remainder with its feet;
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and concerning the ten horns upon its head, and the other horn which came up and before which three fell— the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and whose appearance was greater than its companions.
7:21
I continued looking, and this horn made war with the holy ones and prevailed against them,
7:22
until the Ancient of Days came, and Judgment was given for the holy ones of El Elyon, and the time arrived when the holy ones possessed the Kingdom.
7:23
Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be a fourth Kingdom upon the earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms. And it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it, and crush it.
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And the ten horns from this Kingdom are ten kings who shall arise. And another shall arise after them, and he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall humble three kings.
7:25
And he shall speak words against El Elyon, and shall wear down the holy ones of El Elyon. And he shall intend to change appointed times and law. And they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
7:26
But the Judgment shall sit, and they shall remove his dominion, to destroy and bring it to an end unto the end.
7:27
Then the Kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens shall be given to the people of the holy ones of El Elyon. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
7:28
Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Dani’el, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my color changed. But I guarded the matter in my heart.