DAN 8:19 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–27 Daniel had a dream about a ram and a goat

At this point in the narrative, the author of the book of Daniel again began to write in the Hebrew language. He described another vision, this one occurring during the third year of Belshazzar’s reign over Babylon. In this vision Daniel was by the bank of a canal near the city of Susa. He saw a very powerful ram with two horns that charged in all directions. Next he saw a goat with one large horn between its eyes. The goat attacked and defeated the ram and grew very powerful. Its large horn broke and four prominent horns grew in its place. From one of those four horns grew a small horn. That little horn grew as high as the stars, as high as the army of heaven, and as high as the commander of the army. When it was at its highest, it stopped the daily sacrifices and desecrated the temple.

The angel Gabriel came to Daniel and explained the meaning of what he had seen. The ram and the goat represented kings and their kingdoms. The little horn represented a particularly wicked king. That king would even defy God, but in the end that wicked king would be destroyed.

Some versions have two headings within this section. For example:

NET Daniel Has a Vision of a Goat and a Ram (8:1)

An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision (8:15)

NRSV Vision of a Ram and a Goat (8:1)

Gabriel Interprets the Vision (8:15)

GNT Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

The Angel Gabriel Explains the Vision (8:15)

BFrCL88 Second vision: the Ram and the Goat (8:1)

Interpretation of the second vision (8:15)

GeCL97 A second vision: The battle between the Ram and the Goat (8:1)

The meaning of the vision of the ram and the goat (8:15)

There are a number of similarities between chapter eight and chapter seven. For example, both chapters use symbolic language to describe kingdoms, and both use the symbol of a horn to refer to particular rulers of those kingdoms. In spite of these similarities, it is important to understand that the symbols in the two chapters do not necessarily refer to the same things. For example, while there are similarities between the two little horns, there are also important differences. The Notes will explain some of these differences. The Notes will also suggest ways to translate these symbols.

As noted above, the chapter is divided into two parts, one that describes the vision and one that gives the interpretation of the vision. Both parts lead to a climax. In the first part the horn grew until it became so great that it succeeded in everything it did (8:12). A similar sequence of events occurs in the second part of the vision. Gabriel described the growth of the horn and its climactic success (8:24–26). At the end of the chapter, Gabriel announced that God would destroy the horn (8:25).

The vision includes a number of images that may seem obscure and confusing. It is usually best to translate these images in a literal way. Even Daniel did not understand the full meaning of what he saw.

Paragraph 8:17–19

This paragraph introduces Gabriel’s explanation of Daniel’s vision.

8:19a

and said, “Behold, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath,

Then he said, “Listen, I am about to tell you what will happen later, during the time of God’s anger,
Then Gabriel said, “I will now show/reveal to you what will happen in the period when God shows his anger--

Behold, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath: Gabriel told Daniel that he was going to explain to him things that would take place in the future. This future time is called the time of wrath. This phrase refers to the time when God will be angry and punish his enemies. Other ways to translate this include:

Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath (NRSV)

I will tell you what will happen in the last days, the time of God’s anger (GW)

Behold, I will make known to you: The Hebrew text introduces this verb phrase with an exclamation that is often translates as Behold. Here it calls attention to what Gabriel is about to say. Here is another way to translate this:

Listen, and I will tell you (NRSV)

8:19b

because it concerns the appointed time of the end.

for there is a set time for the end.
for there is a time appointed/chosen by God to end it/this.

because it concerns the appointed time of the end: The Hebrew conjunction that the BSB translates as because here introduces further explanation of the last clause in 8:19a—“what will happen in the latter time of wrath.” It does not introduce the cause of the main verb in 8:19a, “I am going to tell you.” Other ways to translate this include:

for it refers to the appointed time of the end (NRSV)

The vision refers to the time of the end (GNT)

for there is an end at the appointed time (REB)

it concerns the appointed time of the end: The Hebrew word it refers to “what will happen in the latter time of wrath” (8:19a). Some English versions do not say it, but say “the vision.” These words are not included explicitly in the MT but is supplied by many English versions and the Septuagint (LXX). You may include it if it is natural in your language. If it is not necessary, you may wish to follow one of these models:

it refers to the appointed time of the end (NRSV)

the end time has been determined (GW)

the appointed time of the end: The Hebrew noun that the BSB translates as appointed time refers in a general way to a set time, such as for a meeting or feast. Here the emphasis is on the fact that God has set a time for the ending of the events in the vision. The suffering and oppression will not last forever. God has appointed a time limit. See how you translated the time of the end in 8:17c. Here are some other ways to translate this:

at a set moment an end will come

it will end in God’s time

General Comment on 8:19a–b

In some languages it may be natural to combine the information in these verse parts. For example:

Listen, and I will tell you what will happen at the end of time, when God has chosen to show his anger. (CEV)

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.