Daniel 8:7
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | And 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. | I saw him approach the ram in a rage against him, and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him, and the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and no one could deliver the ram from his power. | And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger 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 trampled upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedIn Daniel's vision, the he goat from the west charges the two-horned ram, breaks both its horns, throws it down and tramples it. No one can rescue the ram. The angel later explains that the ram is the kings of Media and Persia and the goat is the king of Grecia. Daniel 8:5Daniel 8:6Daniel 8:7Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21
SpeakingDaniel tells the vision in the first person. Daniel 8:1Daniel overview
ToThe book is written for God's people in exile and after it, and later readers looking to the time of the end. Daniel overview
Also involvedThe ram stands for the kings of Media and Persia. The goat stands for the king of Grecia. Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21
The goat comes close, is enraged, strikes the ram and breaks its two horns. The ram has no strength to stand, is cast to the ground and stamped on, and none can deliver it. The ram once did as it pleased and no one could deliver from its hand. Now the same is said of the ram itself. Daniel 8:4Daniel 8:7
In the vision Daniel was at Shushan in the palace, in the province of Elam, by the river Ulai. The ram stood before that river when the goat charged it. Daniel 8:2Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:6
The eventsDaniel saw the vision in the third year of King Belshazzar. Gabriel says it concerns the time of the end, so the events lie ahead of Daniel. Daniel 8:1Daniel 8:17Daniel 8:19
WrittenTraditional: Daniel wrote the book in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date its final form to about 167-164 BC, while others hold to the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse shows the ram's power, which had seemed unstoppable, broken all at once. Gabriel names the ram as Media and Persia and the goat as Grecia. The vision foretells one kingdom falling to the next. Daniel 8:4Daniel 8:7Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21
In the whole of ScriptureDaniel teaches that God sets up and removes kings. The goat's own great horn is soon broken as well, and the later proud king is broken without hand. No earthly power lasts, but God's kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel overviewDaniel 8:8Daniel 8:25
For readersEmpires that seem beyond challenge can fall suddenly, as the ram did. Readers living under strong rulers can trust that the most High rules in the kingdom of men. Daniel 8:4Daniel 8:7Daniel overview
- hornsקֶ֫רֶן
Horn can stand for strength. Here the two horns are explained as the kings of Media and Persia, so breaking them means breaking that kingdom's power. Strong's H7161ADaniel 8:20
- moved with cholerמָרַר
The root means to be bitter, and in this form to be enraged. This shows the goat attacking in fury, matching the fury of his power in 8:6. Strong's H4843Daniel 8:6
- powerכֹּחַ
This word means strength or might. The ram has none left to stand. Leviticus 26:37 uses the picture of having no power to stand before enemies. Strong's H3581BLeviticus 26:37
- stamped uponרָמַס
This word means to trample. The same picture returns when the little horn stamps on the host in 8:10, and the fourth beast of 7:7 stamped with its feet. Strong's H7429Daniel 8:10Daniel 7:7
- deliverנָצַל
This word means to snatch away or rescue. It reverses 8:4, where none could deliver out of the ram's hand. Strong's H5337Daniel 8:4
Takeaway
The ram that no one could resist is itself crushed, with no one to save it. Daniel's vision names these powers as Media-Persia and Grecia and shows that God raises and removes kingdoms. Daniel 8:4Daniel 8:7Daniel 8:20Daniel 8:21Daniel overview
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 Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I saw it | וּרְאִיתִ֞יו | u-re-'i-TIV | H7200G | to see: seeרָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) … |
| approaching | מַגִּ֣יעַ׀ | ma-GI-a' | H5060 | to touchנָגַע (na.ga) 1) to touch, reach, strike 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to touch 1a2) to strike 1a3) to reach, extend to 1a4) to be stricken 1a4a) stricken (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be stricken, be defeated 1c) (Piel) to strike 1d) (Pual) to be stricken (by disease) 1e) (Hiphil) to cause to touch, reach, approach, arrive 1e1) to cause to touch, apply 1e2) to reach, extend, attain, arrive, come 1e3) to approach (of time) 1e4) to befall (of fate) |
| beside | אֵ֣צֶל | 'E-tzel | H0681 | besideאֵ֫צֶל (e.tsel) 1) beside, by, near, nearness, joining, proximity subst 2) (BDB) 2a) conjunction, proximity 2b) beside, in proximity, contiguous to, from beside |
| the ram | הָאַ֗יִל | ha-'A-yil | H0352A | ramאַ֫יִל (a.yil) 1) ram 1a) ram (as food) 1b) ram (as sacrifice) 1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle) |
| and it was enraged | וַיִּתְמַרְמַ֤ר | vai-yit-mar-MAR | H4843 | to provokeמָרַר (ma.rar) 1) to be bitter 1a) (Qal) to be bitter 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to show bitterness 1b2) to make bitter 1c) (Hiphil) to make bitter, embitter 1d) (Hithpalpel) 1d1) to embitter oneself 1d2) to be enraged 2) (TWOT) to be strong, strengthen |
| against it | אֵלָיו֙ | 'e-LAV | H0413 | 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) |
| and it struck | וַיַּ֣ךְ | vai-YAKH | H5221 | to smiteנָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) … |
| the ram | הָאַ֔יִל | ha-'A-yil | H0352A | ramאַ֫יִל (a.yil) 1) ram 1a) ram (as food) 1b) ram (as sacrifice) 1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle) |
| and it broke | וַיְשַׁבֵּר֙ | vay-sha-BER | H7665 | to breakשָׁבַר (sha.var) 1) to break, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench 1a2) to break, rupture (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked 1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig) 1c) (Piel) to shatter, break 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth 1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406) |
| [the] two | שְׁתֵּ֣י | she-TEI | H8147 | twoשְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number) |
| horns its | קְרָנָ֔יו | ke-ra-NAV | H7161A | hornקֶ֫רֶן (qe.ren) 1) horn 1a) horn 1b) of strength (fig) 1c) flask (container for oil) 1d) horn (as musical instrument) 1e) horn (of horn-like projections on the altar) 1f) of rays of light 1g) hill Aramaic equivalent: qe.ren (קֶ֫רֶן "horn" H7162) |
| and not | וְלֹא־ | ve-lo'- | H3808 | notלֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809) |
| it was | הָ֥יָה | HA-yah | H1961 | to beהָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) … |
| strength | כֹ֛חַ | KHO-ach | H3581B | strengthכֹּחַ (ko.ach) 1) strength, power, might 1a) human strength 1b) strength (of angels) 1c) power (of God) 1d) strength (of animals) 1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil) |
| in the ram | בָּאַ֖יִל | ba-'A-yil | H0352A | ramאַ֫יִל (a.yil) 1) ram 1a) ram (as food) 1b) ram (as sacrifice) 1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle) |
| to stand | לַעֲמֹ֣ד | la-'a-MOD | H5975G | to stand: standעָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against … |
| to before it | לְפָנָ֑יו | le-fa-NAV | H6440G | face: beforeפָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of |
| and it threw it | וַיַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤הוּ | vai-yash-li-KHE-hu | H7993 | to throwשָׁלַךְ (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) |
| [the] ground towards | אַ֙רְצָה֙ | 'ar-tzah | H0776H | earth: soilאֲרַע (a.ra) : soil earth, world, ground Aramaic of e.rets (אֶ֫רֶץ ": soil" H0776H) |
| and it trampled it | וַֽיִּרְמְסֵ֔הוּ | vai-yir-me-SE-hu | H7429 | to trampleרָמַס (ra.mas) 1) to trample 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to trample 1a2) trampler (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be trampled |
| and not | וְלֹא־ | ve-lo'- | H3808 | notלֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809) |
| anyone was | הָיָ֥ה | ha-YAH | H1961 | to beהָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) … |
| delivering | מַצִּ֛יל | ma-TZIL | H5337 | to rescueנָצַל (na.tsal) 1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder 1a)(Niphal) 1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself 1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to strip off, spoil 1b2) to deliver 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to take away, snatch away 1c2) to rescue, recover 1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death) 1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt 1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out 1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338) |
| to the ram | לָאַ֖יִל | la-'A-yil | H0352A | ramאַ֫יִל (a.yil) 1) ram 1a) ram (as food) 1b) ram (as sacrifice) 1c) ram (skin dyed red, for tabernacle) |
| from hand its | מִיָּדֽוֹ׃ | mi-ya-DO | H3027H | handיָד (yad) : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.