Daniel 8:4
in Daniel 8I saw the ram charging toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against him, and there was no deliverance from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.
KJV
I 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.
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This verse in Daniel 8
Commentary
11 notes on this verseVerse 4. "After this I saw the ram pushing with its horns westward and northward and southward..." Not that he saw the ram itself, that is, the ram of Cyrus or Darius, but rather the ram of the same kingdom as theirs, that is, the second Darius, who was the last king of the Persian power, and who was overcome by the king of the Macedonians, Alexander the son of Philip. And as to the fact that Darius was a very powerful and wealthy king, both the Greek and the Latin and the barbarian historical accounts so relate.
This site's exposition
a ram which had two horns
on Daniel 8:3-4
The ram with two horns, one higher than the other and the higher coming up last, is read by the whole bench as Media and Persia joined, the last-rising horn the dominant partner, since Persia overtook the older Media within the union and gave the empire its lasting name in history. The ram pushes westward, northward, and southward, the very compass of Cyrus's conquests, and none could stand before him or deliver out of his hand until a fiercer beast comes from the west. Nothing in the text points the ram eastward, since no rival power lay in that direction to resist him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
And so as much as he described in the first vision he again recounts in detail these things a second time for the building up of the faithful. For "the ram butting to the sea and to the north and to the south," [Daniel 8:4] he says is Darius the king of the Persians, who prevailed over all nations. For he says, "all the beasts did not stand before him." [Daniel 8:4]
By "beasts" he refers again to the other kingdoms individually, Syria, Cilicia, Arabia, Egypt, calling them "beasts" on account of their being fearsome to those they ruled. So no kingdom, he is saying, could resist that empire charging to the north, south and west, nor …
A commentator
John ChrysostomDISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 5:7.2 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
He was speaking of the Persian power and dominion that overran the whole earth.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward,.... That is, with his horns, as rams do; these kingdoms using all their power and strength, wealth and riches, in fighting with and subduing nations, and pushing on their conquests in all parts here mentioned; to the west, Babylon, Syria, Asia, and part of Greece; to the north, Iberia, Albania, Armenia, Scythia, Colchis, and the inhabitants of the Caspian sea; and to the south, Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and India; all which places were conquered by Cyrus and his successors.
The interpretation of this vision by an angel, showing that the ram signified the Persian empire, the he-goat the Grecian, and the little horn a king of the Grecian monarchy, that should set himself against the Jews and religion, which was Antiochus Epiphanes,
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, Those kingdoms which, when they had power, abused it, and, because none could oppose them, withheld not themselves from the doing of any wrong, may expect to have their power at length taken from them, and to be served in their own kind, Isa. xxxiii. He saw the he-goat made hereby very considerable; but the great horn, that had done all this execution, was broken,
He thought himself great because he did what he would; but to do good is that which makes men truly great. He saw this ram overcome by a he-goat. He was considering the ram (wondering that so weak an animal should come to be so prevalent) and thinking what would be the issue; and, behold, a he-goat came,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
I saw the ram pushing westward - The Persians, who are signified by the ram, as well as their founder Cyrus, pushed their conquests west, north and south. The principal theater of their wars, says Calmet, was against the Scythians, northward; against the Greeks, westward; and against the Egyptians, southward. He did according to his will - There was no other nation at that time that could stay the progress of the Persian arms.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward - Denoting the conquests of the united kingdom. The east is not mentioned, for none of the conquests of the Medo-Persian empire extended in that direction: Yet nothing could better express the conquests actually made by the Medo-Persian empire than this representation. On the west the conquests embraced Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Asia Minor; on the north, Colchis, Armenia, Iberia, and the regions around the Caspian Sea; and on the south, Palestine, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Lybia. - Lengerke. This Medo-Persian power is represented as coming from the east. Isa 41:2: “who raised up the righteous man from the east, etc.” Isa 46:11: “calling a ravenous bird from the east, etc.” He did according to his will, and became great - This expresses well also the character of the Medo-Persian empire. It extended over a great part of the known world, subduing to itself a large portion of the earth. In its early conquests it met with no successful opposition, nor was it stayed until it was subdued by Greece - as at Leuctra and Marathon, and then as it was finally overthrown by Alexander the Great.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רָאִ֣יתִי | raiti | I saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאַ֡יִל | haayil | the ram | H352 → | 187 times |
| מְנַגֵּחַ֩ | menageach | thrusting | H5055 → | |
| יָ֨מָּה | yamah | west -ward | H3220 → | |
| וְצָפ֜וֹנָה | vetzafonah | and north -ward | H6828 → | 153 times |
| וָנֶ֗גְבָּה | vanegbah | and south -ward | H5045 → | 112 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חַיּוֹת֙ | chaiyot | living creatures | H2416 → | 498 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַֽעַמְד֣וּ | yaamdu | they stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לְפָנָ֔יו | lefanav | <to> before it | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וְאֵ֥ין | veein | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מַצִּ֖יל | matzil | [was one] delivering | H5337 → | |
| מִיָּד֑וֹ | miyado | from hand its | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וְעָשָׂ֥ה | veasah | and it did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כִרְצֹנ֖וֹ | khirtzono | according to pleasure its | H7522 → | 56 times |
| וְהִגְדִּֽיל׃ | vehigdil | and it magnified itself | H1431 → | 117 times |
רָאִ֣יתִיI saw
raitiH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאַ֡יִלthe ram
haayilH352 →187 times
מְנַגֵּחַ֩thrusting
menageachH5055 →
יָ֨מָּהwest -ward
yamahH3220 →
וְצָפ֜וֹנָהand north -ward
vetzafonahH6828 →153 times
וָנֶ֗גְבָּהand south -ward
vanegbahH5045 →112 times
וְכָל־and any
vekholH3605 →5413 times
חַיּוֹת֙living creatures
chaiyotH2416 →498 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יַֽעַמְד֣וּthey stood
yaamduH5975 →521 times
לְפָנָ֔יו<to> before it
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
וְאֵ֥יןand there not
veeinH369 →789 times
מַצִּ֖יל[was one] delivering
matzilH5337 →
מִיָּד֑וֹfrom hand its
miyadoH3027 →1618 times
וְעָשָׂ֥הand it did
veasahH6213 →2628 times
כִרְצֹנ֖וֹaccording to pleasure its
khirtzonoH7522 →56 times
וְהִגְדִּֽיל׃and it magnified itself
vehigdilH1431 →117 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 11:36Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the…
it leads to
- Revelation 13:5–6
The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- 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.
- Isaiah 14:13
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…
- Daniel 8:19
and said, “Behold, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath, because it concerns the appointed time of the end.
- Daniel 11:16
The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
- Revelation 13:5–6
Through
Daniel 11:16The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
it leads to
- Daniel 8:9
From one of these horns a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
- Daniel 8:9
Through
Micah 5:8Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which…
it leads to
- Zechariah 10:5
They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame.
- Zechariah 10:5
Through
Daniel 5:19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted…
it leads to
- Daniel 2:12–13
This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 2:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
About Daniel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hippolytus of Rome, Commentary on Daniel 4.26.1-2; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER EIGHT; John Chrysostom, DISCOURSES AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 5:7.2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON DANIEL 8:4.