Daniel 8

Daniel · Chapter 8

Daniel 8:12

1In 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.2And 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.3Then 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.4I 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.5And 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.6And 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.7And 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.8Therefore 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.9And 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.10And 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.11Yea, 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.12And 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.13Then 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?14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.15And 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.16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.17So 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.18Now 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.19And 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.20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.22Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.23And 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.24And 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.25And 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.26And 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.27And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
12And 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.And in the rebellion, the host and the daily sacrifice were given over to the horn, and it flung truth to the ground and prospered in whatever it did.And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Gabriel explains the vision: the ram is the kings of Media and Persia, the goat is the king of Grecia, and its great horn is the first king, followed by four kingdoms. A little horn grows out of one of the four and attacks the host of heaven, the sanctuary and the daily sacrifice. This verse says 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. Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:9Daniel 8:10Daniel 8:11Daniel 8:12

SpeakingDaniel tells, in his own words, a vision he saw in the third year of king Belshazzar. Daniel 8:1Daniel overview

ToThe book is written for God's people in exile and after it. Daniel is told to shut up the vision, for it shall be for many days. Daniel overviewDaniel 8:26

Also involvedThose affected are the daily sacrifice, the sanctuary, the host, and the mighty and the holy people whom the king of fierce countenance destroys. Daniel 8:11Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:24

A host is given to the little horn against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression. It casts truth to the ground and succeeds in what it does. Gabriel uses the same words, that he "shall prosper, and practise," of the king of fierce countenance who stands up in the latter time of the four kingdoms. Daniel 8:12Daniel 8:23Daniel 8:24

In the vision Daniel was at Shushan in the province of Elam, by the river Ulai. The horn grows toward the south, the east and the pleasant land, and by him the place of the sanctuary is cast down. Daniel 8:2Daniel 8:9Daniel 8:11

BABYLONIAMEDIABabylon 1SusaUlai

The eventsDaniel saw the vision in the third year of Belshazzar. Gabriel places the fierce king in the latter time of the four kingdoms that come out of Grecia, when the transgressors are come to the full, and says the vision is for the time of the end. Daniel 8:1Daniel 8:17Daniel 8:21Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:23

WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, under the Greek king Antiochus IV, while others keep the 500s BC date, pointing to Jesus' words in Matthew 24:15 and the book's knowledge of the Babylonian court. Daniel overview

HereThe verse shows that the host was given to him, and the next verses show its time has a limit. A saint asks how long it will last, the answer is 2,300 days and then the sanctuary is cleansed, and the king is finally broken without hand. Daniel 8:12Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:25

In the whole of ScriptureDaniel teaches that the most High rules in the kingdom of men and sets up and removes kings. Here even a power that casts down truth acts only until the end comes at the time appointed. Revelation 13:7 uses similar words: "it was given unto him to make war with the saints." Daniel overviewDaniel 8:19Revelation 13:7

For readersReaders who ask with Jeremiah why the way of the wicked prospers, or who see that truth is fallen in the street, as Isaiah said, are shown that such success is given and measured. It ends when the proud king is broken without hand. Jeremiah 12:1Isaiah 59:14Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:25

Christians read this differently

Gabriel ties the horn to a king of fierce countenance from the four Greek kingdoms, but no cited passage names which king. Some Christians read it as fulfilled in a past king of those kingdoms; others also see a later end-time enemy, linking "the time of the end" (8:17) with Revelation 13 and 2 Thessalonians 2. Readers also differ on whether a host is given to the horn or the host is given over to it (compare 8:13), and on whose transgression is meant (compare 8:23). Daniel 8:17Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:23Daniel 8:13Strong's H5414GStrong's H5921ARevelation 13:72 Thessalonians 2:10

  • dailyתָּמִיד
    Hebrew · ta.mid · H8548

    The word means continuity or perpetuity, and here it is rendered "the perpetual [offering]." The attack is on the regular offering, the daily sacrifice taken away when the place of the sanctuary is cast down. Strong's H8548Daniel 8:11Daniel 8:13

  • hostצָבָא
    Hebrew · tsa.va · H6635A

    The word can mean an organized army, the host of angels, or the sun, moon and stars; here it is rendered "an army." "Host" runs through this vision (8:10, 8:11, 8:13). Strong's H6635ADaniel 8:10Daniel 8:11Daniel 8:13

  • transgressionפֶּ֫שַׁע
    Hebrew · pe.sah · H6588

    The word means transgression or rebellion, including rebellion against God. The vision speaks of "the transgression of desolation" (8:13) and of the time "when the transgressors are come to the full" (8:23). Strong's H6588Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:23

  • truthאֱמֶת
    Hebrew · e.met · H0571H

    The word covers firmness, faithfulness and truth, including truth of divine instruction. Isaiah 59:14 uses a similar picture: "truth is fallen in the street." Strong's H0571HIsaiah 59:14

  • prosperedצָלֵחַ
    Hebrew · tsa.lech · H6743B

    The word means to advance, succeed or prosper. The fierce king is likewise said to prosper in 8:24-25, and his success ends when he is broken without hand. Strong's H6743BDaniel 8:24Daniel 8:25

Takeaway

Evil may seem to win, casting truth down and prospering for a time, but its power is given, its days are counted, and it is broken without hand. Daniel 8:12Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:25

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 Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and an armyוְצָבָ֛אve-tza-VA'H6635A
army

צָבָא (tsa.va) : army 1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host 1a) army, host 1a1) host (of organised army) 1a2) host (of angels) 1a3) of sun, moon, and stars 1a4) of whole creation 1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war 1c) service

it will be setתִּנָּתֵ֥ןti-na-TENH5414G
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

overעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

the perpetual [offering]הַתָּמִ֖ידha-ta-MIDH8548
continually

תָּמִיד (ta.mid) 1) continuity, perpetuity, to stretch 1a) continually, continuously (as adverb) 1b) continuity (subst)

in transgressionבְּפָ֑שַׁעbe-FA-sha'H6588
transgression

פֶּ֫שַׁע (pe.sah) 1) transgression, rebellion 1a1) transgression (against individuals) 1a2) transgression (nation against nation) 1a3) transgression (against God) 1a3a) in general 1a3b) as recognised by sinner 1a3c) as God deals with it 1a3d) as God forgives 1a4) guilt of transgression 1a5) punishment for transgression 1a6) offering for transgression

and it will throw downוְתַשְׁלֵ֤ךְve-tash-LEKHH7993
to throw

שָׁלַךְ (sha.lakh) 1) to throw, cast, hurl, fling 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to throw, cast, throw away, cast off, shed, cast down 1a2) to cast (lots) (fig) 1b) (Hophal) 1b1) to be thrown, be cast 1b2) to be cast forth or out 1b3) to be cast down 1b4) to be cast (metaph)

truthאֱמֶת֙'e-METH0571H
truth: faithful

אֱמֶת (e.met) : faithful 1) firmness, faithfulness, truth 1a) sureness, reliability 1b) stability, continuance 1c) faithfulness, reliableness 1d) truth 1d1) as spoken 1d2) of testimony and judgment 1d3) of divine instruction 1d4) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge 1d5) true doctrine adv 2) in truth, truly

[the] ground towardsאַ֔רְצָה'AR-tzahH0776H
earth: soil

אֲרַע (a.ra) : soil earth, world, ground Aramaic of e.rets (אֶ֫רֶץ ": soil" H0776H)

and it will actוְעָשְׂתָ֖הve-'a-se-TAHH6213A
to make: do

עָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

and it will succeedוְהִצְלִֽיחָה׃ve-hitz-LI-chahH6743B
to prosper

צָלֵחַ (tsa.lech) 1) to advance, prosper, make progress, succeed, be profitable 1a) (Qal) to prosper 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to make prosperous, bring to successful issue, cause to prosper 1b2) to show or experience prosperity, prosper Aramaic equivalent: tse.lach (צְלַח "to prosper" H6744)

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