Daniel 7:10
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. | A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. | A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedIn Daniel's night vision, four beasts rise from the sea, and a little horn speaks great things. Then the Ancient of days takes his throne, and this verse shows his heavenly court gathering: fire streams from him, countless servants attend him, the court sits, and the books are opened. What follows is the verdict: the beast is slain and the everlasting kingdom is given to one like the Son of man. Daniel 7:3Daniel 7:8Daniel 7:9Daniel 7:10Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14
SpeakingDaniel tells his own vision in the first person. He wrote down the dream and told the sum of it. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:2Daniel overview
ToThe book is written for God's people in exile and after it, including later readers looking to the time of the end. Daniel overview
Also involvedThe court sits to judge the fourth beast and its boasting little horn, whose dominion is taken away. The saints of the most High then receive the kingdom. Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:22Daniel 7:26Daniel 7:27
The verse pictures God's heavenly court opening session. A stream of fire comes out from before the Ancient of days. Thousands upon thousands serve him and stand before him, and the books are opened for judgment. The text does not say what is written in the books. Daniel 7:9Daniel 7:10Daniel 7:26
Daniel lived and served in Babylon. The scene he sees, though, is the throne of the Ancient of days, set apart from the beasts that rise from the sea. Daniel overviewDaniel 7:2Daniel 7:3Daniel 7:9
The eventsDaniel had this vision in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon. Within the vision, the court sits after the little horn speaks great words and makes war with the saints. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:8Daniel 7:21Daniel 7:22
WrittenTraditional view: Daniel wrote the book in the 500s BC. Scholarly view: many critical scholars date its final form to about 167-164 BC, under Antiochus IV, while others hold to the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse answers the horn's proud words with God's court. One of those who stood by explains the vision to Daniel, and he says the judgment shall sit and take away the horn's dominion, to consume and destroy it. Daniel 7:8Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:16Daniel 7:25Daniel 7:26
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel shows that the most High rules over the kingdoms of men and will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed. Other Scripture pictures God the same way, coming with fire before him and with ten thousands. Revelation 5:11 counts the angels about God's throne as "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." Daniel overviewDaniel 7:14Daniel 7:27Psalms 50:3Deuteronomy 33:2Psalms 68:17Revelation 5:11
For readersFor God's people living under harsh rulers, this verse shows that no empire has the last word. A court above them all sits in judgment, and the kingdom is given to the saints. Revelation 20 shows a similar throne judgment, with the book of life deciding who is cast into the lake of fire. Daniel overviewDaniel 7:22Daniel 7:27Revelation 20:11Revelation 20:15
- judgmentדִּין
The word means judgment, and here it names the court itself. The scene is a court in session, and the same chapter says "the judgment shall sit" to take away the horn's dominion. Strong's H1780Daniel 7:26
- was set (sat)יְתִב
The verb means to sit or be seated. The court "sat," just as the Ancient of days "did sit" on his throne in the verse before, so judges are taking their seats. Strong's H3488Daniel 7:9
- booksסְפַר
The word means scroll or book. The opened scrolls belong to the court's work of judging. The verse does not say what they contain. Strong's H5609Daniel 7:10
- ministeredשְׁמַשׁ
The verb means to minister or serve. The vast crowd are servants attending the Ancient of days. One of those standing by later explains the vision to Daniel. Strong's H8120Daniel 7:16
Takeaway
When earthly powers boast, God's court sits, and its books are open. The beast's dominion is taken away, and an everlasting kingdom is given to one like the Son of man and to the saints of the most High. Daniel 7:10Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:14Daniel 7:26Daniel 7:27
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Aramaic words
This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.
| English | Aramaic | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a river | נְהַ֣ר | ne-HAR | H5103H | Riverנְהַר (ne.har) The River Aramaic of pe.rat (פְּרָת "Euphrates" H6578) |
| of | דִּי־ | di- | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| fire | נ֗וּר | Nur | H5135 | fireנוּר (nur) fire |
| [was] flowing | נָגֵ֤ד | na-GED | H5047 | to flowנְגַד (ne.gad) (Pael) to stream, flow |
| and [was] coming out | וְנָפֵק֙ | ve-na-FEK | H5312 | to go outנְפַק (ne.phaq) 1) to go or come out, bring or come forth 1a) (P'al) to go out or forth 1b) (Aphel) to bring forth |
| from | מִן־ | min- | H4481 | fromמִן־ (min) 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons) |
| before him | קֳדָמ֔וֹהִי | ko-da-MO-hi | H6925 | beforeקֳדָם (qo.dam) 1) before, in front of 1a) before 1b) from before |
| a thousand of | אֶ֤לֶף | 'E-lef | H0506 | thousandאֲלַ֑ף (a.laph) a thousand, 1000 Aramaic of e.leph (אֶ֫לֶף ": thousand" H0505) |
| thousands | אַלְפִין֙ | 'al-fa-yim | H0506 | thousandאֲלַ֑ף (a.laph) a thousand, 1000 Aramaic of e.leph (אֶ֫לֶף ": thousand" H0505) |
| they were ministering to him | יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּ֔הּ | ye-sham-me-shu-NEH | H8120 | to ministerשְׁמַשׁ (she.mash) (Pael) to minister, serve Aramaic of she.mesh (שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ "sun" H8121) |
| and a myriad of | וְרִבּ֥וֹ | ve-ri-BO | H7240 | myriadרִבּוֹ (rib.bo) myriad, ten thousand times ten thousand Aramaic of rib.bo (רִבּוֹ "ten thousand" H7239) |
| myriads | רִבְבָ֖ן | ra-be-van | H7240 | myriadרִבּוֹ (rib.bo) myriad, ten thousand times ten thousand Aramaic of rib.bo (רִבּוֹ "ten thousand" H7239) |
| before him | קָֽדָמ֣וֹהִי | ka-da-MO-hi | H6925 | beforeקֳדָם (qo.dam) 1) before, in front of 1a) before 1b) from before |
| they were standing | יְקוּמ֑וּן | ye-ku-MUN | H6966I | to stand: riseקוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to arise, stand 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to arise from 1a2) to come on the scene (fig) 1a3) to arise (out of inaction) 1a4) to stand 1a5) to endure 1b) (Pael) to set up, establish 1c) (Aphel) 1c1) to set up 1c2) to lift up 1c3) to establish 1c4) to appoint 1d) (Hophal) to be made to stand |
| court the | דִּינָ֥א | di-NA' | H1780 | judgmentדִּין (din) judgment Aramaic of din (דִּין "judgment" H1779) |
| it sat | יְתִ֖ב | ye-TIV | H3488 | to dwellיְתִב (ye.tiv) 1) to sit, dwell 1a) (P'al) to sit, be seated 1b) (Aphel) to cause to dwell |
| and books | וְסִפְרִ֥ין | ve-sif-RIN | H5609 | scrollסְפַר (se.phar) scroll, book Aramaic of se.pher (סֵ֫פֶר ": document" H5612A) |
| they were opened | פְּתִֽיחוּ׃ | pe-TI-chu | H6606 | to openפְּתַח (pe.tach) 1) to open 1a) (P'il) to open |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.