The Prophecy of Daniel 8 & 9
From the book of Daniel:
8:1 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.
8:2 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.
8:3 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.
8:4 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.
8:5 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.
8:6 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.
8:7 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.
8:8 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.
8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding
great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant [land].
8:10 And it waxed great, [even] to the host of heaven; and it cast down [some]
of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
8:11 Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him the
daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
8:12 And an host was given [him] against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of
transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and
prospered.
8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain
[saint] which spake, How long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily
[sacrifice], and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and
the host to be trodden under foot?
8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three
hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
(2,300 days or 2,300 years)
8:15 And it came to pass, when I, [even] I Daniel, had seen the vision, and
sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of
a man.
8:16 And I heard a man's voice between [the banks of] Ulai, which called, and
said, Gabriel, make this [man] to understand the vision.
8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell
upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of
the end [shall be] the vision.
8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the
ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall
be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end
[shall be].
8:20 The ram which thou sawest having [two] horns [are] the kings of Media and
Persia.
8:21 And the rough goat [is] the king of Grecia: and the great horn that [is]
between his eyes [is] the first king.
8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall
stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to
the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall
stand up.
8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall
destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the
mighty and the holy people.
8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand;
and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he
shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken
without hand.
8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told [is] true:
wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it [shall be] for many days.
8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and
did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood
[it].
NOTE: Daniel 9:1-20 are being omitted here because they do not really help us understand this prophecy. These verses contain Daniel's prayer for his people and for the end of captivity.
9:21 Yea, whiles I
[was] speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at
the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the
evening oblation.
9:22 And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come
forth to give thee skill and understanding.
9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am
come to show [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved: therefore understand the
matter, and consider the vision.
NOTE: Which "vision" is being spoken of
here? The vision given in Daniel 8 is the only vision Daniel was trying to
understand at the time. Daniel 8 verses 13 & 14 refer to 2,300 days or
2,300 years. The angel Gabriel begins to explain the vision by telling
Daniel that "70 weeks" of this prophecy (70 weeks = 490 days or 490
years) are specifically for Daniel's people (the Jews).
9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy
holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to
seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
9:25 Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall
be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again,
and the wall, even in troublous times.
9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for
himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and
the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of
the war desolations are determined.
9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and
in the midst
of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.