Daniel 8

Daniel · Chapter 8

Daniel 8:14

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
14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be properly restored.”And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

In Daniel's vision a little horn grows out of the Greek kingdoms, takes away the daily sacrifice and casts down the sanctuary (8:9-12, 8:21-23). A holy one asks how long this will last (8:13). This verse is the answer: a fixed span of 2,300 'evening-mornings,' after which the sanctuary will be put right. Daniel 8:9Daniel 8:10Daniel 8:11Daniel 8:12Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:21Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:23

SpeakingOne of the 'saints' (holy ones) heard in verse 13 gives the answer, speaking to Daniel ('he said unto me'). Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Strong's H0413

ToDaniel, who is seeing the vision and seeking its meaning. Daniel 8:1Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:15

Also involvedThe sanctuary and the 'host' that are trodden under foot, and the 'holy people' whom the fierce king destroys. Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:24

The verse sets a time limit: the treading down of the sanctuary and the stopping of the daily sacrifice will last 2,300 evening-mornings and no longer. Then the sanctuary 'will be put right,' restored to its proper state. Gabriel explains that the oppressor, a fierce king from the Greek kingdoms, will be 'broken without hand' (8:25), so God ends the oppression. Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:21Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:23Daniel 8:25Strong's H6663Strong's H6153Strong's H1242

In the vision Daniel was at Shushan in the palace, in the province of Elam, by the river Ulai. The sanctuary in question is the place of God's daily sacrifice, in the direction of 'the pleasant land.' Daniel 8:2Daniel 8:9Daniel 8:11

BABYLONIAMEDIABabylon 1SusaUlai

The eventsDaniel saw the vision in the third year of Belshazzar. Gabriel names the ram as the kings of Media and Persia and the goat as the king of Grecia, and places the little horn's work in the latter time of the four kingdoms that follow. He also calls it a vision for 'the time of the end' and 'many days.' Daniel 8:1Daniel 8:17Daniel 8:19Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21Daniel 8:22Daniel 8:23Daniel 8:26

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 hold to the 500s BC date. Daniel overview

HereThe verse answers the question 'How long?' by showing that the desolation has a limit set by God. Daniel is assured that 'the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true.' Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:26

In the whole of ScriptureDaniel teaches that the most High rules over the kingdoms of men. Other passages likewise give the oppression of God's people a numbered, limited span: 'a time and times and the dividing of time' (Daniel 7:25), 1,290 days from when the daily sacrifice is taken away (Daniel 12:11), and the holy city trodden under foot for 42 months (Revelation 11:2). Daniel overviewDaniel 7:25Daniel 12:11Daniel 12:7Revelation 11:2

For readersGod's people under hostile rulers can trust that he has measured how long their trouble will last, and that he will set right what has been defiled. Daniel himself was astonished and did not fully understand, yet he went back to his work (8:27). Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:27Daniel overview

Christians read this differently

The text does not say how to count 'evening-morning.' Some count 2,300 full days, others count evenings and mornings separately (about 1,150 days), and others take each day as standing for a year, reading it as a longer prophetic period. Because Gabriel places the little horn in the latter time of the Greek kingdoms (8:23) yet calls the vision one for 'the time of the end' and 'many days' (8:17, 8:19, 8:26), some see it fulfilled in that Greek period and others see it reaching to a final end. Strong's H6153Strong's H1242Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:17Daniel 8:19Daniel 8:23Daniel 8:26

  • eveningעֶ֫רֶב
    Hebrew · e.rev · H6153

    'Evening' means evening, sunset or night. The count is literally 'evening' joined with 'morning,' and the same pairing names the whole vision in 8:26, 'the vision of the evening and the morning.' Strong's H6153Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:26

  • morningבֹּ֫קֶר
    Hebrew · bo.qer · H1242

    'Morning' means break of day or the next day, and figuratively bright joy after a night of distress. It completes the evening-morning unit by which the time is measured. Strong's H1242Daniel 8:14

  • Hebrew · tsa.daq · H6663

    This verb means to be just or righteous; in this form it means 'to be put or made right, be justified.' The same root is used in Isaiah 45:25, 'In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified.' So the sanctuary is not only cleaned but set back in its right state. Strong's H6663Daniel 8:14Isaiah 45:25

  • [the] sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁ
    Hebrew · qo.desh · H6944G

    The word means holiness or set-apartness, used of God, of places and of things. It names the holy place that the little horn cast down in 8:11. Strong's H6944GDaniel 8:11

Takeaway

Daniel 8:14 tells God's people that the treading down of his sanctuary has a limit he has fixed, and that afterward what is holy will be put right. The vision is declared true, though Daniel was told to shut it up, for it would be for many days. Daniel 8:13Daniel 8:14Daniel 8:25Daniel 8:26

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 he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to meאֵלַ֔י'e-LAIH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

untilעַ֚ד'adH5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

eveningעֶ֣רֶב'E-revH6153
evening

עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev) 1) evening, night, sunset 1a) evening, sunset 1b) night

morningבֹּ֔קֶרBO-kerH1242
morning

בֹּ֫קֶר (bo.qer) 1) morning, break of day 1a) morning 1a1) of end of night 1a2) of coming of daylight 1a3) of coming of sunrise 1a4) of beginning of day 1a5) of bright joy after night of distress (fig.) 1b) morrow, next day, next morning

two thousandאַלְפַּ֖יִם'al-PA-yimH0505G
thousand

אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) : thousand 1) a thousand 1a) as numeral 2) a thousand, company 2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops

and threeוּשְׁלֹ֣שׁu-she-LOSHH7969
three

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) 1) three, triad 1a) 3, 300, third Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

hundredsמֵא֑וֹתme-'otH3967
hundred

מֵאָה (me.ah) 1) hundred 1a) as simple number 1b) as part of larger number 1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100) Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)

and it will be put rightוְנִצְדַּ֖קve-nitz-DAKH6663
to justify

צָדֵק (tsa.daq) 1) to be just, be righteous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right 1a2) to be justified 1a3) to be just (of God) 1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character) 1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified 1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law) 1d2) to declare righteous, justify 1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save 1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness 1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself

[the] sanctuaryקֹֽדֶשׁ׃KO-deshH6944G
holiness

קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness 1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness 1a1) of God 1a2) of places 1a3) of things 1b) set-apartness, separateness

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