Daniel's vision of the four beasts - Woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger

Daniel 7 is the seventh chapter of the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible. It is the last chapter written in Aramaic before it continues again in the Hebraic Masoretic text of the next chapter. This chapter begins the first series of apocalyptic visions that Daniel receives and is given cryptic interpretations for a portion of them.

The chapter includes visions that Daniel receives of four beasts coming out of the sea, as well as a vision of "one like the Son of Man" coming up to the Ancient of Days. Some interpretation of these visions is given to Daniel, but no beast is clearly identified with any specific kingdom. However, some Christian theologians since the second century have connected the eagle winged lion with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonia, a matter still open to considerable debate. One traditional interpretation of these four beasts is that, in order from first to last, they are Neo-Babylonian Empire, followed by Achaemenid Empire (which was made up of Medes and Persia, with one being stronger than the other), then the Macedonian Empire and the Roman Empire.

Medieval Christian writers, especially in Apocalyptic accounts, often identified the beasts with later empires, closer to their own times, believing that Daniel's prophecy had yet to be fulfilled; the rapid rise of the Islamic Caliphate in and around traditionally Christian lands made its identification with the last beast attractive.

Literary structure[link]

Arthur Ferch points out that the vision forms a chiasm:^[1]

A. First 3 beasts (4-6)

B. Fourth beast (7)

C. Little horn (8)

D. The Judgment (9, 10)

C'. Little horn (11a)

B'. Fourth beast (11b)

A'. First 3 beasts (12)

Vision[link]

Engraving by Matthäus Merian of Daniel's vision of the four beasts, 1630. Each beast is labelled with the empire represented: Assyria, Persia, Greece and Rome.

Daniel's first vision ^[2] is that of four beasts and he asks for an interpretation of them. He is told that the four beasts represent Four monarchies to appear on Earth. Unlike Chapter 2, only the latter half of this vision, beginning with the fourth beast, is given a textual interpretation.

Beast like a lion[link]

The first beast is like a lion with eagle’s wings, in which they are torn off. It is then standing on two feet and given a man’s heart.

Beast like a bear[link]

The second beast is like a bear, raised up on one side, and has three ribs in its teeth. He is told to gorge himself on flesh.

Beast like a leopard[link]

The third Beast is like a leopard with four wings and four heads is given authority to rule.

Fourth beast[link]

The fourth beast is a terrifying, powerful beast, unlike any other, crushes and devours the whole earth with its iron teeth—trampling it down.

Vision

7 After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

Textual interpretation

23 The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom.

Chapters of the Book of Daniel
1: Induction into Babylon 2: Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an image 3: The fiery furnace 4: The madness of Nebuchadnezzar 5: Belshazzar's feast 6: Daniel in the lions' den 7: Daniel's first vision 8: Vision of the ram and goat 9: Prophecy of Seventy Weeks 10: Vision of a man 11: Kings of the North and South 12: Epilogue
v t e

Little horn[link]

8 While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Divine judgment[link]

9 As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him;ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

26 But the court will sit,

Execution of judgment[link]

11 "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

Final kingdom[link]

• 13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
• 13 (jewish alternative) "I was watching in night visions and behold! with the clouds of heaven, one like a man [= someone, that is the annointed King (Rashi)] came; he came up to the One of Ancient Days, and they brought him before Him."^[3]
• 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
• 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.

Parallels with Daniel 11[link]

Just as scholars and theologians since the 2nd Century have considered the visions of Chapter 2 and Chapter 7 parallel, so too, Chapter 8 and Chapter 11 were considered parallel with the other two.^{[citation needed]}

Contemporary views[link]

There is general agreement among modern scholars^[4] that the four beasts represent Babylonia, Medes, Persia, and Alexander's Greek empire.^[5] The ten horns represent the kings from Alexander on through the Seleucid kingdom:^[5][6]

1. Alexander the Great
2. Seleucus I Nicator,
3. Antiochus I Soter,
4. Antiochus II Theos,
5. Seleucus II Callinicus,
6. Seleucus III Ceraunus,
7. Antiochus III the Great,
8. Seleucus IV Philopator, (assassinated by the following)
9. Heliodorus,
10. Seleucus IV’s infant son Antiochus (puppet for Heliodorus).

The last three "horns" had to fall to make way for the "little horn" Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his arrival on the throne, effectively by usurpation.^[7] Daniel 7:25 is a reference to the persecutions of Antiochus, his suppression of the Jewish religion, and his attempt to force the Jews to adopt the Greek customs.^[6][8][9]

Historicist views[link]

Just as scholars note parallels between the prophetic chapters, so too have historicists since the Protestant Reformation. "The Reformation ... was really born of a twofold discovery--first, the rediscovery of Christ and His salvation; and second, the discovery of the identity of Antichrist and his subversions."^[10] "The reformers were unanimous in its acceptance. And it was this interpretation of prophecy that lent emphasis to their reformatory action. It led them to protest against Rome with extraordinary strength and undaunted courage. ... This was the rallying point and the battle cry that made the Reformation unconquerable."^[11] The following is a historicist-based illustration of the parallels.

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Concerning the "little horn", interpreters of the Historicist school (e.g. Adventist) identify the "little horn" as Papal Rome that came to power among the 10 Barbarians tribes (the 10 horns) that had broken up the Pagan Roman empire. The reference to changing "times and law" (Daniel 7:25) refers to the change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. The "time, times and half a time" (Daniel 7:25) was the 1260 years spanning 538 CE and 1798 CE, when the Roman Church dominated the Christian world. (See Day-year principle for details) However there are various groups who disagree with this interpretation of the fourth beast because the Roman Empire did not desecrate the Temple but simply destroyed it. Recently this interpretation is attributed to Islam because of its long domination over the Holy Mountain and because Islam proclaims throughout all Middle east celebration of Friday as day of rest and also is based on a different lunar calendar. Interpretation of the fourth beast is a very delicate subject since Daniel suggests that each beast conquered and subdued all territories of the previous beast... The fact that Daniel mentioned this beast "different" than other three is what gave scholars to substitute the meaning of it towards a "religious" power .. The entire vision and prophecy is from the start about what military empire will dominate the world. Rome today is not a superpower that dominates the territories of the previous Alexandrian Empire. Rome today does not dominate the middle east. The Roman Empire did occupied all the territories of the previous Greek empire and this contradicts exactly the next chapter of Daniel where it is written that the horn of Antichrist is one of the four kingdoms which the Greek empire was broke later. Since a fourth part of the Greek empire can not be greater than the Greek empire itself,then the attribution of Rome as the fourth beast is counted as error. Another important point that contradicts this interpretation is the fact that the capital of the Roman Empire was not Rome but Constantinopole.

Adam Clarke's commentary written in 1836 supports the interpretation that the little horn is Papal Rome by this comment "Among Protestant writers this is considered to be the popedom."^[14]

Futurist views[link]

In the Futurist view, the "little horn" is identified as the future antichrist who will rise to power through the "revived Roman Empire"(the fourth beast). The "time, times and half a time" (Daniel 7:25) is taken as a literal 3½ year period corresponding to the last half of the 7 year tribulation within the 70th week of Daniel 9:24-27.

See also[link]

• 1260 day prophecy
• Abomination of desolation
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees
• Antinomianism

Appendix[link]

Over the centuries Bible Scholars have identified specific kingdoms as fulfillment of the beast and horn symbols as illustrated in the following table.

References[link]

1. ^ Ferch 1988, p. 27
2. ^ Collins, edited by John J.; VanEpps, Peter W. Flint ; with the assistance of Cameron (2002). The book of Daniel : composition and reception ([Reprint] ed.). Boston: Brill Academic Publishers. p. 295. ISBN 0-391-04128-2. 
3. ^ Brander, edited by Nosson Scherman ; contributing editors, Yaakov Blinder, Avie Gold, Meir Zlotowitz ; designed by Sheah (1998). Tanakh = Tanach : Torah, Neviʼim, Ketuvim : the Torah, Prophets, Writings : the twenty-four books of the Bible, newly translated and annotated (1st student size ed., Stone ed. ed.). Brooklyn, N.Y.: Mesorah Publications. ISBN 1-57819-109-2. 
4. ^ Journal of Biblical literature, Volume 97, p. 101
5. ^ ^{a b} Rowley 1935, p. 97
6. ^ ^{a b} New American Bible
7. ^ After the Battle of Magnesia, Antiochus IV Epiphanes lived in Rome as a hostage in connection with the reparations his father Antiochus III the Great had to pay. In 175 BC, he was released by the intervention of his brother Seleucus IV Philopator who substituted his own son Demetrius I Soter as hostage. While Antiochus IV Epiphanes was at Athens, Seleucus IV Philopator was assassinated by his chief minister Heliodorus who then seized the throne. Antiochus IV Epiphanes with the military sanction of Pergamon monarch Eumenes II expelled Heliodorus and usurped the throne to the exclusion of Demetrius and the late king's younger son, Antiochus, still a baby in Syria. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Bromiley, 145)
8. ^ Bright 2000, pp. 424–425
9. ^ Bar 2001, p. 211
10. ^ Froom 1948, p. 243
11. ^ Froom 1948, pp. 244, 245
12. ^ Smith 1944
13. ^ Anderson 1975
14. ^ Adam Clarke's Commentary of Daniel, Chapter 7 (see notes on verse 8)
15. ^ After table in Froom 1950, pp. 456–7
16. ^ After table in Froom 1950, pp. 894-75
17. ^ ^{a b} After table in Froom 1948, pp. 528–9
18. ^ After table in Froom 1948, pp. 784–5
19. ^ After table in Froom 1946, pp. 252–3
20. ^ After table in Froom 1946, pp. 744–5