Daniel 7:25
in Daniel 7He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Daniel 7
Commentary
16 notes on this verseVerse 25. "And he shall utter (variant: "he utters") speeches against the Lofty One." Or else, as Symmachus has rendered it: "He utters speeches like God," so that one who assumes the authority of God will also arrogate to himself the words of divine majesty. "...And he shall crush the saints of the Most High, and will suppose himself to be able to alter times and laws."
This site's exposition
devour the whole earth
on Daniel 7:23-25
The fourth kingdom will “devour the whole earth”, then after its ten kings another will subdue three and “oppress the saints of the Most High”. Traditional and dispensational readers place this king, the horn of verse 8, in the future; others see Antiochus, and this note sets no date.
This site's exposition
times, and half a time
Hippolytus of Rome counted the period as three and a half years. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, following Tregelles, took a time as one year, and also set out the year-day reading from Ezekiel 4:6. John Wesley saw these numbers agree with John's in Revelation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
For he says, "It was given into his hand for time and times and half a time," [Daniel 7:25] which signals three-and-a-half years, and after these things the coming judgment, for he says, "thrones were set and the judgment sat and the kingdom was … the beast was given to the burning of fire." [Daniel 7:9-11, 26-27]
He will prevent the priests from performing their duties and holy service. "And [he] shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law," which means he shall attempt to delete the holy laws of God and to abolish the traditional festivals and Neomenias.
And he will think that he will be able to overturn completely their godliness, which will be flourishing at that time. Daniel alludes to this when he says, "He will change the times and the law," that is, the way of life prevailing at the …
But if so great a power is shown to have followed and to be still following the dispensation of His suffering, how great shall that be which shall follow His glorious advent! For He shall come on the clouds as the Son of man, so Daniel foretold, and His angels shall come with Him. These are the words: [quotes Daniel 7:9-28]
If, sirs, it were not said by the Scriptures which I have already quoted, that His form was inglorious, and His generation not declared, and that for His death the rich would suffer death, and with His stripes we should be healed, and that He would be led away like a sheep; and if I had not explained that there would be two advents of His,-one in which He was pierced by you; a second, when you shall know Him whom you have pierced, and your tribes shall mourn, each tribe by itself, the women apart, and the men apart,-then I must have been speaking dubious and obscure things. But now, by means of the contents of those Scriptures esteemed holy and prophetic amongst you, I attempt to prove all [that I have adduced], in the hope that some one of you may be found to be of that remnant which has been left by the grace of the Lord of Sabaoth for the eternal salvation. In order, therefore, that the matter inquired into may be plainer to you, I will mention to you other words also spoken by the blessed David, from which you will perceive that the Lord is called the Christ by the Holy Spirit of prophecy; and that the Lord, the Father of all, has brought Him again from the earth, setting Him at His own right hand, until He makes His enemies His footstool; which indeed happens from the time that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, after He rose again from the dead, the times now running on to their consummation; and he whom Daniel foretells would have dominion for a time, and times, and an half, is even already at the door, about to speak blasphemous and daring things against the Most High. But you, being ignorant of how long he will have dominion, hold another opinion.
8 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
Now I am aware that your teachers, sirs, admit the whole of the words of this passage to refer to Christ; and I am likewise aware that they maintain He has not yet come; or if they say that He has come, they assert that it is not known who He is; but when He shall become manifest and glorious, then it shall be known who He is. And then, they say, the events mentioned in this passage shall happen, just as if there was no fruit as yet from the words of the prophecy.
A commentator
Hippolytus of RomeHippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Of the visions of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar · Written before 235.
proposed
1. In speaking of a "lioness from the sea," he meant the rising of the kingdom of Babylon, and that this was the "golden head of the image." And in speaking of its "eagle wings," be meant that king Nebuchadnezzar was exalted and that his glory was lifted up against God. Then he says "its wings were plucked off," i.e., that his glory was destroyed; for he was driven out of his kingdom. And the words, "A man's heart was given it, and it was made stand upon the feet of a man," mean that he came to himself again, and recognised that he was but a man, and gave the glory to God. Then after the lioness he sees a second beast, "like a bear," which signified the Persians. For after the Babylonians the Persians obtained the power. And in saying that "it had three ribs in its mouth," he pointed to the three nations, Persians, Medes, and Babylonians, which were expressed in the image by the silver after the gold. Then comes the third beast, "a leopard," which means the Greeks; for after the Persians, Alexander of Macedon had the power, when Darius was overthrown, which was also indicated by the brass in the image. And in saying that the beast "had four wings of a fowl, and four heads," he showed most clearly how the kingdom of Alexander was parted into four divisions. For in speaking of four heads, he meant the four kings that arose out of it. For Alexander, when dying, divided his kingdom into four parts. Then he says, "The fourth beast (was) dreadful and terrible: it had iron teeth, and claws of brass." Who, then, are meant by this but the Romans, whose kingdom, the kingdom that still stands, is expressed by the iron? "for," says he, "its legs are of iron." 2. After this, then, what remains, beloved, but the toes of the feet of the image, in which "part shall be of iron and part of clay mixed together? […]
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
) that this fourth beast is a fourth kingdom, that shall devour the whole earth, or (as it may be read) the whole land. That the ten horns are ten kings, and the little horn is another king that shall subdue three kings, and shall be very abusive to God and his people, shall act, (1.) Very impiously towards God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Until a time and times - The numbers of Daniel and John seem to agree. Daniel was certainly prophetical in these things, and his prophecy reacheth to the end of times, even of antichrist's reign.
And he shall speak great words against the most High,....
Belshazzar's name here is, in the original, spelt differently from what it used to be; before it was Bel-she-azar--Bel is he that treasures up riches.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He shall speak great words against the Most High - Sermones quasi Deus loquetur; “He shall speak as if he were God.” So St. Jerome quotes from Symmachus. To none can this apply so well or so fully as to the popes of Rome. They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins, which belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The original word for "time" denotes a stated period or set feast; or the interval from one set feast to its recurrence, that is, a year [TREGELLES]; Le 23:44, "feasts." The passages in favor of the year-day theory are Eze 4:6, where each day of the forty during which Ezekiel lay on his right side is defined by God as meaning a year.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמִלִּ֗ין | umilin | and words | H4406 → | 24 times |
| לְצַ֤ד | letzad | to [the] side of | H6655 → | |
| עִלָּאָה֙ | ilaya' | Most High the | H5943 → | 10 times |
| יְמַלִּ֔ל | yemalil | he will speak | H4449 → | 5 times |
| וּלְקַדִּישֵׁ֥י | ulekadishei | and <obj.> [the] holy [ones] of | H6922 → | 13 times |
| עֶלְיוֹנִ֖ין | elyonin | [the] Most High | H5946 → | 4 times |
| יְבַלֵּ֑א | yevale' | he will wear out | H1080 → | |
| וְיִסְבַּ֗ר | veyisbar | so he may think | H5452 → | |
| לְהַשְׁנָיָה֙ | lehashnayah | to change | H8133 → | 21 times |
| זִמְנִ֣ין | zimnin | appointed times | H2166 → | 11 times |
| וְדָ֔ת | vedat | and law | H1882 → | 14 times |
| וְיִתְיַהֲב֣וּן | veyityahavun | so they may be given | H3052 → | 28 times |
| בִּידֵ֔הּ | bideh | in hand his | H3028 → | 17 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5705 → | 35 times |
| עִדָּ֥ן | ʾidan | a time | H5732 → | 13 times |
| וְעִדָּנִ֖ין | veidanin | and times | H5732 → | 13 times |
| וּפְלַ֥ג | ufelag | and half of | H6387 → | |
| עִדָּֽן׃ | ʾidan | a time | H5732 → | 13 times |
וּמִלִּ֗יןand words
umilinH4406 →24 times
לְצַ֤דto [the] side of
letzadH6655 →
עִלָּאָה֙Most High the
ilaya'H5943 →10 times
יְמַלִּ֔לhe will speak
yemalilH4449 →5 times
וּלְקַדִּישֵׁ֥יand <obj.> [the] holy [ones] of
ulekadisheiH6922 →13 times
עֶלְיוֹנִ֖ין[the] Most High
elyoninH5946 →4 times
יְבַלֵּ֑אhe will wear out
yevale'H1080 →
וְיִסְבַּ֗רso he may think
veyisbarH5452 →
לְהַשְׁנָיָה֙to change
lehashnayahH8133 →21 times
זִמְנִ֣יןappointed times
zimninH2166 →11 times
וְדָ֔תand law
vedatH1882 →14 times
וְיִתְיַהֲב֣וּןso they may be given
veyityahavunH3052 →28 times
בִּידֵ֔הּin hand his
bidehH3028 →17 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5705 →35 times
עִדָּ֥ןa time
ʾidanH5732 →13 times
וְעִדָּנִ֖יןand times
veidaninH5732 →13 times
וּפְלַ֥גand half of
ufelagH6387 →
עִדָּֽן׃a time
ʾidanH5732 →13 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 12:6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
it leads to
- Revelation 13:5
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 11:2–3
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.
- Revelation 13:5
Through
Daniel 12:7And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…
it leads to
- Revelation 12:14
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 12:14
Through
Revelation 12:14But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…
it leads to
- Exodus 19:4
‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
- Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
- Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
- Exodus 19:4
Through
2 Thessalonians 2:4He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of…
- Isaiah 14:13–14
You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of…
- Ezekiel 28:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies25
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About Daniel

This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 7:25; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.14.2; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Of the visions of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXI; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXII; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter CX; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 7:25.
