In the ¹third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a second vision appeared to me, Daniel, this was two years after the one that first appeared to me. 2 I ^alooked in the vision and it seemed that I was at the citadel of ^1bSusa, the capital of Persia, which is in the province of ^cElam; and I looked in the vision and I saw myself by the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there in front of the canal stood a lone ^aram (the Medo-Persian Empire) which had two horns. The two horns were high, but one (Persia) was higher than the other (Media) , and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram (Medo-Persia) ^acharging westward and northward and southward; no beast could stand before him, nor was there anyone who could rescue anything from his power, but ^bhe did as he pleased and magnified himself. Dan 8:20

5 As I was observing this, behold, a male goat (Greece) was coming from the west rushing across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a ^aconspicuous and remarkable horn (Alexander the Great) between his eyes. Dan 8:21 6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and charged at him in the fury of his power and wrath. 7 In my vision I saw him come close to the ram (Medo-Persia) , and he was filled with rage toward him; and the goat (Greece) struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to stand before him. So the goat threw him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly, and when ^ahe was young and strong, the ^bgreat horn (Alexander) was suddenly ¹broken; and in its place there came up four prominent horns among whom the kingdom was divided, one toward each of the ^cfour winds of heaven.

9 Out of one of them (Antiochus IV Epiphanes) came forth a rather ^asmall horn but one of irreverent presumption and profane pride which grew exceedingly powerful toward the south, toward the east, and toward the ^bBeautiful Land (Israel) . Dan 8:23 10 And in my vision this ¹horn grew up to the host of heaven, and caused some of the host and some of the ^astars to fall to the earth, and it ^btrampled on them. 11 Indeed, it ^amagnified itself to be equal with the ¹Commander of the host of heaven; and it took away from Him the ^bdaily sacrifice (burnt offering) , and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down (profaned) . 12 Because of the transgression of God’s people—their irreverence and ungodliness the host will be given over to the wicked horn, along with the regular sacrifice; and righteousness and truth will be ^aflung to the ground, and the horn will do as it pleases by divine permission and prosper. 13 Then I heard a ^aholy one (angel) speaking, and another holy one said to the one who was speaking, “^bHow much time will be required to complete the vision regarding the regular sacrifice, the transgression that brings horror, and the ^ctrampling underfoot of both the sanctuary and the host of the people?” Luke 21:24 14 He said to me, “For ^a2,300 evenings and mornings; ¹then the sanctuary will be cleansed and properly restored.”

15 When ^aI, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; then behold, standing before me was one who looked like a ^bman. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of the Ulai, which called out and said, “^aGabriel, give this man (Daniel) an understanding of the vision.” Dan 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26 17 So he came near where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and ^afell face downward; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the fulfillment of the vision pertains to events that will occur in the ^btime of the end.”

18 Now as he (Gabriel) was speaking with me, I ^adrifted into a deep sleep (unconsciousness) with my face to the ground; but he ^btouched me and made me stand where I had stood before. 19 He said, “Behold, I am going to ^alet you know what will happen during the final time of the indignation and wrath of God upon the ungodly, for it concerns the appointed time of the end.

20 The ^aram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

21 The shaggy (rough-coated) male goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the great horn between his eyes is the ¹first king. 22 Regarding the ^ashattered horn and the ¹four others that arose in its place, four kingdoms will rise from his (Alexander’s) nation, although not with his power and heritage.

27 And I, Daniel, was ^aexhausted and was sick for several days. Afterward I got up and ^bcontinued with the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one who could explain it.

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, ¹Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me ²previously. 2 I ^alooked in the vision, and while I was looking, I was in the citadel of ^bSusa, which is in the province of ^cElam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a ^aram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were ¹long, but one was ²longer than the other, with the ³longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram ^abutting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand against him nor was there anyone to rescue from his ¹power, but ^bhe did as he pleased and made himself great.

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a ^aprominent horn between his eyes. 6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 And I saw him come up beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and smashed his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his ¹power. 8 Then the male goat made himself exceedingly great. But once ^ahe became powerful, the ^blarge horn was broken; and in its place four prominent horns came up toward the ^cfour winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came a rather ^asmall horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the ^1bBeautiful Land. 10 It grew up to the heavenly ¹lights, and some of the ²lights, ³that is, some of the ^astars it threw down to the earth, and it ^btrampled them. 11 It even ^aexalted itself ¹to be equal with the ²Commander of the army; and it removed the ^bregular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And because of ¹an offense the army will be given to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will ^ahurl truth to the ground and do as it pleases and be successful. 13 Then I heard a ^aholy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “^bHow long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, ¹while the offense causes horror, so as to allow both the sanctuary and the army ²to be ^ctrampled?” 14 And he said to me, “For ^a2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be ¹properly restored.”

15 When ^aI, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought ¹to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one ²who looked like a ^bman. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “^aGabriel, explain the vision to this man.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and ^afell on my face; and he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the ^btime of the end.”

18 Now while he was talking with me, I was ^adazed with my face to the ground; but he ^btouched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to ^ainform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

20 The ^aram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

21 The shaggy ¹goat represents the ²kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The ^abroken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

27 Then I, Daniel, was ^1aexhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and ^bcarried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, ¹Daniel, after the one which appeared to me ²previously. 2 And I ^alooked in the vision. And it happened that while I was looking, I was in the citadel of ^bSusa, which is in the province of ^cElam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai ¹Canal. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ^aram which had two horns was standing in front of the ¹canal. Now the two horns were ²long, but one was ³longer than the other, with the ⁴longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram ^abutting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before it, nor was there anyone to deliver from its ¹power, but ^bit did as it pleased and magnified itself.

5 And while I was considering, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the ¹goat had a ^aconspicuous horn between its eyes. 6 Then it came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the ¹canal, and ran at it in his strong wrath. 7 And I saw it reach the side of the ram, and it was enraged at it; and it struck the ram and broke its two horns in pieces, and the ram had no strength to stand in ¹opposition to it. So it threw it down to the ground and trampled on it, and there was none to deliver the ram from its ²power. 8 Then the male goat magnified itself exceedingly. But as soon as ^ait was mighty, the ^blarge horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the ^cfour winds of ¹heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a rather ^asmall horn. And it grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the ^1bBeautiful Land. 10 Then it grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the ^astars to fall to the earth, and it ^btrampled them down. 11 And it even ^amagnified itself ¹to be equal with the ²Commander of the host; and it removed the ^bregular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. 12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will ^athrow truth down to the ground and do its will and succeed. 13 Then I heard a ^aholy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “^bHow long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, ¹while the transgression causes desolation, so as to allow both the holy place and the host ²to be ^ctrampled?” 14 He said to me, “For ^a2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be ¹made righteous.”

15 Now it happened when ^aI, Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought ¹to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one ²who had the appearance of a ^bman. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “^aGabriel, give this man an understanding of what has appeared.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was terrified and ^afell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the ^btime of the end.”

18 Now while he was talking with me, I ^asank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he ^btouched me and made me stand ¹upright. 19 Then he said, “Behold, I am going to ^alet you know what will happen at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. 20 The ^aram which you saw with the two horns is the kings of Media and Persia. 21 Now the shaggy ¹goat is the ²king of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 And the ^abroken horn and the four horns that stood in its place are four kingdoms which will take their stand from his nation, although not with his power.

27 Then I, Daniel, was ^1aexhausted and sick for days. Then I rose up again and ^bdid the king’s work; but I was ²appalled at what had appeared, and there was none to make me understand it.