Daniel 7

Daniel · Chapter 7

Daniel 7:13

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.10A 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.11I 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.12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

In a night vision, after four beasts rise from the sea and the fourth is slain, Daniel sees one like the Son of man come with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of days. He is brought near and given an everlasting kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve. Daniel 7:3Daniel 7:9Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14

SpeakingDaniel tells his own vision in the first person. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:2Daniel 7:15Daniel overview

ToThe book was 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 vision concerns the one like the Son of man, the Ancient of days before whom he is brought, and the saints of the most High, who are also said to receive the kingdom. Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:18Daniel 7:27

The angel who explains the vision says the beasts are kings and kingdoms (7:17, 7:23). Against them Daniel sees a figure in human likeness come with heaven's clouds and be brought before the Ancient of days on his fiery throne. That figure receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom that shall not be destroyed (7:14), and Jesus applied this figure to himself (Mark 14:62). Daniel 7:9Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14Daniel 7:16Daniel 7:17Daniel 7:23Mark 14:61Mark 14:62

Daniel saw the vision on his bed, while serving in Babylon. The scene itself takes place before the fiery throne of the Ancient of days, where the judgment is set and the books are opened. Daniel 7:1Daniel overviewDaniel 7:9Daniel 7:10

BABYLONIAMEDIABabylon 1SusaUlai

The eventsDaniel had this dream in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon. What it shows was still to come: kings that "shall arise," their judgment, and the giving of the kingdom. Daniel 7:1Daniel 7:17Daniel 7:22Daniel 7:26

WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, while others keep the 500s BC date. Daniel overview

HereThe verse shows who receives lasting rule after the beast kingdoms are judged: not the beasts, which lose their dominion, but one like the Son of man, whose kingdom shall not pass away. The chapter also says the kingdom is given to the saints of the most High (7:18, 7:27). Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:12Daniel 7:14Daniel 7:18Daniel 7:27

In the whole of ScriptureDaniel's main theme is that God rules the kingdoms of men and will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed (2:44). This verse shows that kingdom handed over in the heavenly court. When the high priest asked if he was the Christ, Jesus answered: "ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62). Daniel overviewMark 14:61Mark 14:62Matthew 26:64

For readersHowever fierce earthly powers look, they are judged and lose their rule. Jesus said the Son of man will be seen coming in the clouds with power and great glory (Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27). Daniel 7:11Daniel 7:26Mark 13:26Luke 21:27Matthew 24:30

Christians read this differently

Jesus identifies himself as this Son of man (Mark 14:62), but the cited texts do not settle which moment Daniel's scene shows. In Daniel the figure comes with the clouds to the Ancient of days: some read this as Christ going up to God to be enthroned, linking it to "sitting on the right hand of power" (Matthew 26:64); others read it mainly as his return, when every eye shall see him (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30); many hold both. Readers also differ on how the figure relates to the saints, who are likewise given the kingdom (7:18, 7:27): some see one person who shares his kingdom with them, others see the figure as also standing for them. Daniel 7:13Mark 14:62Matthew 26:64Revelation 1:7Matthew 24:30Daniel 7:18Daniel 7:27

  • like a son ofבַּר
    Aramaic · bar · H1247I

    This word means son, and here it is rendered "like a son of." With the word for man, the phrase describes a figure who looks like a human being, unlike the beasts before him, which were like a lion, a bear, and a leopard (7:4-6). Strong's H1247IStrong's H0606Daniel 7:4Daniel 7:5Daniel 7:6

  • manאֱנָשׁ
    Aramaic · e.nash · H0606

    This word means man or human being, and can mean mankind. So "son of man" points to human likeness. Jesus used the title for himself (Mark 14:62). Strong's H0606Mark 14:62

  • cloudsעֲנָן
    Aramaic · a.nan · H6050

    This word means cloud. He comes with the clouds of heaven, and the word for heaven can mean the sky or God's dwelling. The New Testament repeats the image of the Son of man coming in the clouds (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 14:14). Strong's H6050Strong's H8065Matthew 24:30Revelation 14:14

  • ancientעַתִּיק
    Aramaic · at.tiq · H6268

    This word means ancient, aged, or old. It names the one seated on the throne of judgment, whose garment was white as snow and hair like pure wool (7:9). Strong's H6268Daniel 7:9

  • brought nearקְרֵב
    Aramaic · qe.rev · H7127

    The word means to approach or come near. The figure is presented before the Ancient of days and then given the kingdom (7:14). Strong's H7127Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14

Takeaway

Daniel 7:13 shows the heavenly court handing everlasting rule to one like the Son of man after the beast kingdoms are judged. Jesus claimed this title and this coming with the clouds of heaven as his own. Daniel 7:13Daniel 7:14Mark 14:62Matthew 26:64

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
  1. 612 BC
    WarNineveh 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)

  2. 605 BC
    WarBattle 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)

  3. 597 BC
    WarJerusalem 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)

  4. 586 BC
    WarJerusalem 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

  5. c. 575 BC
    BuildingBabylon 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

  6. 562 BC
    RulersNebuchadnezzar dies

    His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34

  7. c. 553-543 BC
    RulersNabonidus 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

  8. 550 BC
    WarCyrus 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

  9. October 539 BC
    WarBabylon 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

  10. 538 BC
    God'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

  11. c. 536 BC
    God'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

  12. 334-331 BC
    WarAlexander 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

  13. 323-301 BC
    WarAlexander'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

  14. 167 BC
    WarAntiochus 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.

EnglishAramaicSay itStrong'sMeaning
seeingחָזֵ֤הcha-ZEHH2370
to see

חֲזָה (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 wasהֲוֵית֙ha-VEITH1934
to be

הֲוָא (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 [the] visions ofבְּחֶזְוֵ֣יbe-chez-VEIH2376
vision

חֱזוּ (che.zev) 1) vision, appearance 1a) vision 1b) appearance

night theלֵֽילְיָ֔אleil-YA'H3916
night

לֵילָא (le.le.ya) night

and lo!וַאֲרוּ֙va-'a-RUH0718
behold!

אֲרוּ (a.ru) behold, lo Aramaic of al.lay (אַלְלַי "woe!" H0480)

withעִם־'im-H5974
with

עִם (im) 1) with 1a) together with, with 1b) with, during

[the] clouds ofעֲנָנֵ֣י'a-na-NEIH6050
cloud

עֲנָן (a.nan) cloud Aramaic of a.nan (עָנָן "cloud" H6051)

heavens theשְׁמַיָּ֔אshe-mai-YA'H8065
heaven

שָׁמַ֫יִן (sha.ma.yin) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible sky 1b) Heaven (as abode of God)

like a son ofכְּבַ֥רke-VARH1247I
son

בַּר (bar) son Aramaic of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

manאֱנָ֖שׁ'e-NASHH0606
man

אֱנָשׁ (e.nash) 1) man, human being 2) mankind (collective) Aramaic of e.nosh (אֱנוֹשׁ "human" H0582)

comingאָתֵ֣ה'a-TEHH0858
to come

אֲתָה (a.tah) 1) to come, arrive 1a) (P'al) to come 1b) (Aphel) to bring 1c) (Hophal) to be brought 2) used in the NT in the phrase "maranatha" -"Lord come" Aramaic of a.tah (אָתָה "to come" H0857)

he wasהֲוָ֑הha-VAHH1934
to be

הֲוָא (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

and toוְעַד־ve-'ad-H5705
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) even to, until, up to, during conj 2) until, up to the time that, ere that

[the] [one] ancient ofעַתִּ֤יק'a-TIKH6268
ancient

עַתִּיק (at.tiq) ancient, advanced, aged, old, taken away Aramaic of at.tiq (עַתִּיק "ancient/taken" H6267)

the daysיֽוֹמַיָּא֙yo-mai-YA'H3118
day

יוֹם (yom) 1) day 2) day always refers to a twenty-four hour period when the word is modified by a definite or cardinal number

he reachedמְטָ֔הme-TAHH4291
to reach

מְטָא (me.ta) 1) to reach, come upon, attain 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to reach, come to 1a2) to reach, extend 1a3) to come upon

and before himוּקְדָמ֖וֹהִיu-ke-da-MO-hiH6925
before

קֳדָם (qo.dam) 1) before, in front of 1a) before 1b) from before

they brought near himהַקְרְבֽוּהִי׃hak-re-VU-hiH7127
to approach

קְרֵב (qe.rev) 1) to approach, come near 1a) (P'al) to approach 1b) (Pael) to offer, draw near 1c) (Aphel) to be summoned

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.