Daniel — Chapter 8

📖 Daniel — Chapter 8 (KJV)

Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.

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Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

Daniel 8:1 In ^Rthe 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.

Daniel 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at ^RShushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

Daniel 8:3 Then ^RI 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 ^Tthe other, and the higher came up last.

Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram ^Rpushing 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.

Daniel 8:5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and ^Ttouched not the ground: and the goat had ^RTa notable horn between his eyes.

Daniel 8:6 And 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.

Daniel 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was ^Rmoved 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.

Daniel 8:8 Therefore the he goat ^Rwaxed 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.

Daniel 8:9 And out of one of them ^Rcame forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

Daniel 8:10 And it waxed great, even ^RTto the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

Daniel 8:11 Yea, ^Rhe magnified himself even ^Tto the prince of the host, and ^Tby him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.

Daniel 8:12 And ^RTan 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 8:13 Then I heard ^Rone saint speaking, and another saint said unto ^Tthat certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression ^Tof desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Daniel 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred ^RTdays; then shall the sanctuary be ^Tcleansed.

Daniel 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even ^RI Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

Daniel 8:16 And ^RI heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, ^RI 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.

Daniel 8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, ^RI was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and ^Tset me upright.

Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, ^RI will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

Daniel 8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

Daniel 8:21 And ^Rthe rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Daniel 8:22 Now that being broken, ^Rwhereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Daniel 8:23 And ^Rin the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors ^Tare come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Daniel 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, ^Rbut not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the ^Tholy people.

Daniel 8:25 And ^Rthrough his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by ^Tpeace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Daniel 8:26 And ^Rthe 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.

Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel ^Rfainted, 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.

📚 Study This Chapter

📖 What We’re Reading

Daniel 8:1–9 — A ram, a goat, and growing horns

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Daniel sees a two-horned ram overcome by a swift goat with a notable horn. After that horn breaks, four arise, and a small horn grows toward the south, east, and pleasant land.

Key Truth: Observe the vision before deciding its meaning.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Daniel 8:10–18 — The sanctuary is attacked and an explanation begins

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

The growing power assaults the host, sacrifice, sanctuary, and truth. A question about the duration receives an appointed answer, and Gabriel approaches Daniel to explain while strengthening him from his fear.

Key Truth: Let the text’s explanation guide difficult imagery.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Daniel 8:19–27 — The named kingdoms and a destructive ruler

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

The ram is explicitly identified with Media and Persia and the goat with Grecia, with four succeeding kingdoms. A fierce deceitful ruler rises but is broken without hand; Daniel is distressed before returning to royal work.

Key Truth: Respect the identifications the passage actually gives.

Check What You Remember

Related Scripture (KJV)

Daniel 2:44 — The earlier vision also places earthly kingdoms beneath God’s purpose.

Daniel 2:44 (KJV) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.

Reflect and Apply

How can careful reading protect you from confident but unsupported interpretations?

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