Daniel 7:11
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. | Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. | I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel watches the heavenly court sit in judgment (7:9-10). Because of the boastful words of the little horn, he keeps watching until the fourth beast is killed and its body is burned. The angel later explains that the beast is a kingdom whose rule is taken away and destroyed (7:23, 7:26). Daniel 7:9Daniel 7:10Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:23Daniel 7:26
SpeakingDaniel tells what he saw in a dream and night visions in the first year of Belshazzar. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:2Daniel overview
ToThe book is written for God's people in exile and after it, and for later readers looking to the time of the end. Daniel overview
Also involvedThe fourth beast, a kingdom, is judged (7:23). So is its little horn, a king who speaks great words against the most High and wears out the saints (7:24-25). Daniel 7:23Daniel 7:24Daniel 7:25
The horn's 'great words' (7:8, 7:20, 7:25) are the reason Daniel keeps looking. The judgment ends with the beast slain and given to the fire, while the other beasts lose their rule but live on for a time (7:12). The angel says the beast is 'the fourth kingdom upon earth' and the horn a king who rises after ten kings (7:23-24). The chapter does not name which kingdom or king it is. Then dominion is given to one like the Son of man and to the saints (7:13-14, 7:27). Daniel 7:8Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:12Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14Daniel 7:20Daniel 7:23Daniel 7:24Daniel 7:25Daniel 7:27
Daniel received the vision on his bed in Babylon, where he served the king. The judgment scene itself takes place before the throne of the Ancient of days. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:9Daniel overview
The eventsDaniel saw the vision in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon. The judgment it shows lies in the future, when 'the judgment shall sit' (7:26). Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:26
WrittenTraditional view: Daniel wrote it in the 500s BC. Scholarly view: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, under Antiochus IV, because chapter 11 describes those years in detail. Others keep the 500s BC date, pointing to Matthew 24:15. Daniel overview
HereThe verse shows that the proudest power in the vision, the one that speaks against God, is fully destroyed by God's court. It does not merely lose its rule as the other beasts do. Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:12Daniel 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 will never be destroyed. The fall of the beast clears the way for that everlasting kingdom. Daniel overviewDaniel 7:14Daniel 7:27
For readersSaints who are worn out under a boasting ruler are told that his time is limited and his end is certain. Daniel 8:25 says a similar proud king 'shall be broken without hand', and 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says the Lord will destroy 'that Wicked'. Daniel 7:21Daniel 7:22Daniel 7:25Daniel 8:252 Thessalonians 2:8
- because ofמִן־
The word can mean 'by reason of' or 'as a result of'. That ties Daniel's watching, and the judgment that follows, directly to the horn's boastful words. Strong's H4481Daniel 7:25
- hornקֶ֫רֶן
Among its senses is 'symbolic (in visions)'. The angel explains that the horns stand for kings (7:24). Strong's H7162Daniel 7:24
- slainקְטַל
The word means to be slain or killed. The fourth beast's end is death, unlike the other beasts, whose lives 'were prolonged for a season and time' (7:12). Strong's H6992Daniel 7:12
- burningיְקֵדָא
The word means 'a burning', and here it goes with the word for fire. It echoes the fiery stream that flows from the Ancient of days' throne (7:10). Strong's H3346Strong's H0785Daniel 7:10
Takeaway
No power that boasts against the most High lasts. God's court will end it completely and give the kingdom to his saints for ever. Revelation 19:20 likewise shows the beast cast into a lake of fire. Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:26Daniel 7:27Revelation 19:20
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seeing | חָזֵ֣ה | cha-ZEH | H2370 | to seeחֲזָה (cha.zah) 1) to see, behold 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, behold, witness 1a3) to behold (in a dream or vision) 1a4) customary, seemly (passive) |
| I was | הֲוֵ֔ית | ha-VEIT | H1934 | to beהֲוָא (ha.va) 1) to come to pass, become, be 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to come to pass 1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be 1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing) 1a3) to be |
| in then | בֵּאדַ֗יִן | be-DA-yin | H0116 | thenאֱדַ֫יִן (e.da.yin) then, afterwards, thereupon, from that time Aramaic of az (אָז "then" H0227A) |
| 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) |
| [the] sound of | קָל֙ | kal | H7032G | voice: soundקָל (qal) : sound voice, sound Aramaic of qol (קוֹל ": sound" H6963H) |
| words the | מִלַּיָּ֣א | mi-lai-YA' | H4406 | wordמִלָּה (mil.lah) 1) word, thing 1a) word, utterance, command 1b) thing, affair, matter |
| the great | רַבְרְבָתָ֔א | rav-re-va-TA' | H7260 | greatרַבְרַב (rav.rav) adj 1) great 1a) great 1b) great (fig. of power) n 2) captain, chief |
| which | דִּ֥י | 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 |
| horn the | קַרְנָ֖א | kar-NA' | H7162 | hornקֶ֫רֶן (qe.ren) 1) horn 1a) as musical instrument 1b) symbolic (in visions) 1c) of an animal |
| [was] speaking | מְמַלֱּלָ֑ה | me-ma-le-LAH | H4449 | to speakמְלַל (me.lal) (Pael) to speak, say Aramaic of ma.lal (מָלַל "to speak" H4448A) |
| seeing | חָזֵ֣ה | cha-ZEH | H2370 | to seeחֲזָה (cha.zah) 1) to see, behold 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, behold, witness 1a3) to behold (in a dream or vision) 1a4) customary, seemly (passive) |
| I was | הֲוֵ֡ית | ha-VEIT | H1934 | to beהֲוָא (ha.va) 1) to come to pass, become, be 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to come to pass 1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be 1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing) 1a3) to be |
| until | עַד֩ | 'ad | H5705 | tillעַד (ad) prep 1) even to, until, up to, during conj 2) until, up to the time that, ere that |
| that | דִּ֨י | 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 |
| it was killed | קְטִילַ֤ת | ke-ti-LAT | H6992 | to slayקְטַל (qe.tal) 1) to slay, kill 1a) (P'al) to be slain 1b) (Pael) to slay 1c) (Ithp'al) to be slain 1d) (Ithpael) to be slain |
| beast the | חֵֽיוְתָא֙ | chei-ve-TA' | H2423 | beastחֵיוָא (che.va) beast, animal Aramaic of chay.yah (חַיָּה "living thing" H2416C) |
| and it was destroyed | וְהוּבַ֣ד | ve-hu-VAD | H0007 | to destroyאֲבַד (a.vad) 1) to perish, vanish 1a) (P'al) shall perish 1b) (Aphel) destroy 1c) (Hophal) be destroyed |
| body its | גִּשְׁמַ֔הּ | gish-MAH | H1655 | bodyגְּשֵׁם (ge.shem) body |
| and it was given | וִיהִיבַ֖ת | vi-hi-VAT | H3052 | to giveיְהַב (ye.hav) 1) to give, provide 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to give 1a2) to place, lay (foundations) 1b) (Hithp'al) 1b1) to be given 1b2) to be paid |
| to [the] burning of | לִיקֵדַ֥ת | li-ke-DAT | H3346 | burningיְקֵדָא (ye.qe.da) a burning Aramaic of ye.qod (יְקוֹד "burning" H3350) |
| fire | אֶשָּֽׁא׃ | 'e-SHA' | H0785 | fireאֶשָּׁא (esh) fire Aramaic of esh (אֵשׁ "fire" H0784) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.