Daniel sees a ram with two horns defeated by a goat with one great horn, which grows and then breaks, giving way to four horns. The angel Gabriel explains the vision, which concerns kingdoms to come, and Daniel is overcome.
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 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 .
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.
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.
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 .
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 practised , and prospered .
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 ?
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days ; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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.
20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia .
21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia : and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king .
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 .
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 .
24 And his power shall be mighty , but not by his own power : and he shall destroy wonderfully , and shall prosper , and practise , and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people .
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 .
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 .
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.