DAN 8:23 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 8:23–25

Gabriel described the rule of an evil and powerful king who would even challenge God himself.

8:23a

In the latter part of their reign,

¶ “Near the end of their reign/rule,
¶ “During the end of the time when these four kingdoms are powerful
¶ “At the end of end of the time when these kings ruled

In the latter part of their reign: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as In the latter part of their reign refers to the final years of the four kingdoms that succeeded Alexander the Great’s empire. Here are some other ways to translate this:

In the last days of those kingdoms (REB)

At the end of their rule (NLT)

When the end of those kingdoms is near (GNT)

8:23b

when the rebellion has reached its full measure,

when wicked people sin as much as possible,
and when those who do evil act as wickedly as they can,
that evil people will become so wicked that they must be punished.

when the rebellion has reached its full measure: There is a textual problem here. Ancient translations, including the Septuagint, refer to sins or transgressions rather than to rebellion. The two possibilities are:

the reference is to people, transgressors. For example:
When those rulers have become as evil as possible (CEV) (NIV, NASB, RSV, ESV, CEV, NCV, GNT)
the reference is to rebellious acts or transgressions. See the NET footnote. For example:
when their transgressions have reached their full measure (NRSV) (BSB, NRSV, NJB, NET, REB, NLT, GW)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), the reading of the Masoretic Text. However, in some languages the two readings may result in similar translations, since the meaning is similar: evil people have sinned so seriously that God must intervene and punish. Here is another way to translate this:

When…they have become so wicked that they must be punished (GNT)

has reached its full measure: The Hebrew text says “are completed.” In this context this verb seems to indicate that the sinners or rebels have sinned as much as they can.

8:23c

an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne.

a new king will begin to rule, a king bold, defiant and deceitful.
another king gains power to rule. He will be bold, cruel and skilled in intrigue.
At that time there will be a stubborn, vicious, and deceitful king.

an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne: This verse part describes the arrival of a new king, whom scholars identify as Antiochus Epiphanes. He came to power in one of the four nations that emerged after Alexander the Great’s death. He is described in two ways, as a fierce-looking king and a master of intrigue. Here is another way to translate this:

a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power (NLT)

insolent: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as insolent is more literally “strong of face” or “stern-faced.” It is implied that the fierce or stern look on his face showed his character. That is, it showed that he was a hard-hearted or cruel man. Other ways to translate this include:

a fierce king (NLT)

a bold and cruel king (NCV)

dangerous (CEV)

skilled in intrigue: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as skilled in intrigue is more literally “understanding riddles.” In this context it implies that he will be clever in an evil way. Consider how it is natural to refer to such evil intelligence in your language. For example:

an evil geniusUBS Handbook, page 224.

will come to the throne: The Hebrew verb that the BSB translates as will come to the throne here means “will rise to power” or “will become powerful.” This evil man will become a powerful king.

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.