Daniel 8:24
in Daniel 8His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Daniel 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut not by his own power - The strength of the other kingdoms consisted in themselves; but the Roman empire, as a horn or kingdom of the goat, was not mighty by its own power - was not strong by virtue of the goat, but drew its nourishment and strength from Rome and Italy. There grew the trunk and body of the tree; though the branches extended over Greece, Asia, Syria, and Egypt. - Bp. Newton. Shall destroy wonderfully - In the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans ninety-seven thousand Jews were made captives, and eleven hundred thousand were slain.
This site's exposition
a king of fierce countenance
on Daniel 8:23-25
In the latter time of their kingdom a king of fierce countenance, understanding dark sentences, stands up, the bench again reading Antiochus continued from the little horn of verse nine, mighty in power that is not his own, prospering by craft and destroying many by a peace that hides his hand. He stands up against the Prince of princes, God himself by the reading the older writers give the title, yet he shall be broken without hand, the same phrase the stone of chapter two used of the kingdom that crushes the image, echoing 2:34 and 2:45. The commentators mark the phrase as the chapter's real conclusion: no human weapon ends this king, only the judgment of the one he defied.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Nothing will be an obstacle to him; instead, he will do what he wishes. Of such people blessed David says in exhortation, "Do not vie with the one who prospers in his way, with the one who commits lawlessness": it often happens that people living …
That these things are true, just as has been said, Daniel himself testifies. For he spoke in this way, "And it happened when I saw the vision and I sought to understand, and behold, there stood before me an appearance of a man, and I heard the voice of a man above the midst of the Ubal, and he called and he said, 'Gabriel cause him to understand that vision.' And he came and stood holding me, and when he came, I was astounded and fell upon my face and he said to me, 'Understand son of man. For the vision is for the end of time.' And while he spoke with me I was astounded and I fell upon my face upon the ground and he touched me and stood me on my feet and he said, 'Behold, I myself make known to you what will be at the end of wrath. For the vision is of the end of time. The ram which you saw, who had horns, he is the king of the Persians and Medes. And the male goat is king of the Greeks. And the great horn which was above the midst of his eyes, he is the first king. And after he is shattered, four horns stood up after him, four kings from his nation shall arise and not in his strength. And at the end of their kingdom, when their sins are full, a king, shameless in countenance, shall arise, and who understands riddles. And his rule shall be strong and not in his own strength and he shall destroy wonderful things and he shall prosper and he shall practice and he shall destroy the mighty and the holy people, and the yoke of his chain shall prosper. Cunning is in his hand and in his heart he shall be magnified and in cunning he shall destroy many and he shall stand for the destruction of many and he shall shatter people as eggs in a hand. And the vision of evening and morning which was said is true. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Not by his own power - Not by any heroick deeds, but by making use of the Jewish factions, through the divine commission to punish a backsliding nation; and by means of Eumenes and Attalus, by whose help he got up to this height.
11 Yea, 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. 12 And a 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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v11-12
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He destroys wonderfully indeed, for he destroys, [1.] The mighty people, and they cannot resist him by their power. The princes of Egypt cannot stand before him with all their forces, but he practises against them and prospers. Note, The mighty ones of the earth commonly meet with those at length that are too hard for them, that are more mighty than they.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He shall act by the power of Satan, who shall then be permitted to work through him in unrestricted license, such as he has not now (Re 13:2); hence the ten kingdoms shall give the beast their power (2Th 2:9-12; Re 17:13). prosper and practise--prosper in all that he attempts (Da 8:12). holy people--His persecutions are especially directed against the Jews.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And his power shall be mighty - He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests of Egypt and other places show that he deserved to be numbered among the mighty kings of the earth. But not by his own power - That is, it shall not be by any strength of his own, but by the power which God gives him. This is true of all kings and princes (compare Joh 19:11; Isa 10:5, following), but it seems to be referred to here particularly to show that the calamities which he was about to bring upon the Hebrew people were by Divine direction and appointment. This great power was given him in order that he might be an instrument in the Divine hand of inflicting deserved punishment on them for their sins. And he shall destroy wonderfully - In a wonderful or extraordinary manner shall he spread desolation. This refers particularly to the manner in which he would lay waste the holy city, and the land of Judea. The history in the books of Maccabees shows that this was literally fulfilled. And shall prosper - Antiochus was among the most successful kings in his various expeditions. Particularly was he successful in his enterprises against the holy land. And practice - Hebrew, “do.” That is, he shall be distinguished not only for “forming” plans, but for “executing” them; not merely for “purposing,” but for “doing.” And shall destroy the mighty and the holy people - The people of God - the Jewish nation. See the notes at Dan 8:9-12.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָצַ֤ם | veatzam | and it will be mighty | H6105 → | 20 times |
| כֹּחוֹ֙ | kocho | power his | H3581 → | 126 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בְכֹח֔וֹ | vekhocho | by own power his | H3581 → | 126 times |
| וְנִפְלָא֥וֹת | veniflaot | and wonders | H6381 → | |
| יַשְׁחִ֖ית | yashchit | he will destroy | H7843 → | 146 times |
| וְהִצְלִ֣יחַ | vehitzliach | and he will succeed | H6743 → | 65 times |
| וְעָשָׂ֑ה | veasah | and he will act | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וְהִשְׁחִ֥ית | vehishchit | and he will destroy | H7843 → | 146 times |
| עֲצוּמִ֖ים | ʾatzumim | mighty [ones] | H6099 → | |
| וְעַם־ | veam- | and a people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| קְדֹשִֽׁים׃ | kedoshim | holy [ones] | H6918 → | 116 times |
וְעָצַ֤םand it will be mighty
veatzamH6105 →20 times
כֹּחוֹ֙power his
kochoH3581 →126 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
בְכֹח֔וֹby own power his
vekhochoH3581 →126 times
וְנִפְלָא֥וֹתand wonders
veniflaotH6381 →
יַשְׁחִ֖יתhe will destroy
yashchitH7843 →146 times
וְהִצְלִ֣יחַand he will succeed
vehitzliachH6743 →65 times
וְעָשָׂ֑הand he will act
veasahH6213 →2628 times
וְהִשְׁחִ֥יתand he will destroy
vehishchitH7843 →146 times
עֲצוּמִ֖יםmighty [ones]
ʾatzumimH6099 →
וְעַם־and a people of
veam-H5971 →1873 times
קְדֹשִֽׁים׃holy [ones]
kedoshimH6918 →116 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
Daniel 7:25He 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…
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.
- Daniel 12:7
And 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,…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4
He 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.
- Revelation 13:5–11
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- 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.
- Revelation 12:14
Through
Revelation 17:17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
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
- Daniel 7:25
He 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…
- Revelation 10:5–7
Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven.
- Daniel 7:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
About Daniel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel; Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.27.1-2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 8:24-25.