In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, that surpassed all previous revelations in its clarity and terror. I had journeyed to the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam, standing by the Ulai Canal whose waters flowed like liquid silver beneath the Persian sun. As I gazed upon the ancient walls and bustling commerce of that royal city, my spirit grew heavy with anticipation of divine mysteries.
Suddenly, I lifted my eyes and beheld a magnificent ram standing proudly before the canal. This creature possessed two horns of extraordinary length, both rising high toward the heavens, yet one horn stretched upward later than the other and achieved greater prominence. I watched in awe as this ram charged relentlessly—westward toward the lands beyond the great sea, northward toward the cold mountains, and southward toward the fertile deserts. No beast in all the earth could withstand its power, nor could any deliverance be found for those it oppressed. The ram did according to its will and grew exceedingly great, its horns tearing at the fabric of empires.
As I sought to understand this spectacle, a male goat appeared from the west, moving across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground. Between its eyes shone a single, formidable horn that seemed carved from light itself. This goat approached the two-horned ram I had seen standing by the canal, and in a furious rage, it charged with the force of a tempest. I witnessed the goat strike the ram, shattering both its horns, leaving the mighty ram powerless beneath its feet. The ram fell broken upon the earth, and none remained to rescue it from destruction.
The male goat waxed exceedingly powerful, but at the height of its strength, the great horn between its eyes was broken. In its place emerged four notable horns pointing toward the four winds of heaven—east and west, north and south—each vying for dominion.
From one of these four horns came forth a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land of promise. This horn expanded until it reached the very host of heaven, casting some stars down to earth and trampling them beneath its pride. It magnified itself even to the Prince of the heavenly host, disrupting the continual burnt offering and desecrating the sanctuary foundation. Truth was thrown to the ground, and this horn prospered in everything it undertook.
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one speaking, “How long will this vision endure—the continual burnt offering revoked, the transgression causing desolation, and the sanctuary and host being trampled underfoot?”
He answered, “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed and restored to its rightful state.”
As I, Daniel, sought to understand this vision, behold, one having the appearance of a man stood before me. Then I heard a human voice calling from between the banks of the Ulai Canal, saying, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
So Gabriel came near where I stood, and when he approached, I fell on my face in terror. But he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”
As he spoke with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and set me upright in my place, saying, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.
“The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
“In the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, fierce in countenance and understanding hidden schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own strength; he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper in what he does. He shall destroy the mighty men and the holy people. Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity and shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken—not by human hands.
“The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true. But you should seal up the vision, for it pertains to many days in the future.”
I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days. Then I arose and went about the king’s business, but I remained appalled by the vision and could not comprehend its full meaning. The mystery weighed upon my spirit like chains of iron, and though I performed my duties, my soul dwelled in the shadow of what was to come. The words echoed in my chambers and in the courts: “he shall be broken—not by human hands,” and this alone brought comfort to my troubled heart.
