The Skeptics Annotated Bible (671 page)

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

(7.1-28) Daniel’s dream

7
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon
Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed
: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

(7.1)
“Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed.”

2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold,
the four winds
of the heaven
strove upon the great sea
.

(7.2) “The four winds … strove upon the great sea.”

3 And
four great beasts came up from the sea
, diverse one from another.

(7.3) “Four great beasts came up from the sea.”

4
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings
: I beheld till
the wings thereof were plucked
, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man,
and a man’s heart was given to it.

(7.4)
“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings … the wings thereof were plucked … and a man’s heart was given to it.”

5 And behold another beast,
a second, like to a bear
, and it raised up itself on one side,
and it had three ribs
in the mouth of it
between the teeth of it: and they said
thus unto it,
Arise, devour much flesh.

(7.5)
“A second, like to a bear … and it had three ribs … between the teeth of it: and they said … Arise, devour much flesh.”

6 After this I beheld, and lo
another, like a leopard
, which
had
upon the back of it
four wings
of a fowl; the beast had also
four heads; and dominion was given to it.

(7.6) “Another, like a leopard … had … four wings … [and]
four heads; and dominion was given to it.”

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold
a fourth beast
, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it
had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it
: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;
and it had ten horns.

(7.7) “A fourth beast … had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it … and it had ten horns.”

8 I considered the horns, and, behold,
there came up
among them
another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things
.

(7.8) “There came up … another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

(7.10) “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”

11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till
the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame
.

(7.11)
“The beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.”

12
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time
.

(7.12) “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.”

13
I saw
in the night visions, and, behold,
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days
, and they brought him near before him.

(7.13)
“I saw … one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days.”

14 And
there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion
, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(7.14)
“There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion.”

15
I Daniel was grieved
in my spirit in the midst of my body,
and the visions of my head troubled me
.

(7.15) “I Daniel was grieved … and the visions of my head troubled me.”

16
I came near unto one of them
that stood by,
and
asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

(7.16)
“I came near unto one of them … and … he told me … the interpretation of the things.”

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

(7.17)
“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings.”

18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

(7.18)
“But the saints … shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever.”

19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

(7.19) “The fourth beast … whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet.”

20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

(7.20) “The ten horns … even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things.”

21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

(7.21) “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.”

22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

(7.22)
“Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”

23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

(7.23)
“The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth … shall devour the whole earth.”

24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

(7.24)
“The ten horns … are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them … and he shall subdue three kings.”

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

(7.25) “He shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints … and … change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

(7.26)
“But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

(7.27)
“The kingdom … shall be given to the people of the saints … whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

(7.28) “Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.”

(8.1-14) Daniel’s vision

8
In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

(8.1)
“A vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.”

2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

(8.3) “There stood before the rivera ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.”

4
I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him
, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand;
but he did according to his will, and became great
.

(8.4)
“I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him … but he did according to his will, and became great.”

5 And as I was considering,
behold, an he goat came from the west
on the face of the whole earth,
and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

(8.5)
“Behold, an he goat came from the west … and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.”

6 And
he came to the ram that had two horns
, which I had seen standing before the river,
and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

(8.6)
“He came to the ram that had two horns … and ran unto him in the fury of his power.”

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and
he
was moved with choler against him, and
smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and
there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but
he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him
: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

(8.7)
“He … smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and … he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him.”

8 Therefore
the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven
.

(8.8) “The he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.