# Daniel 08 📖: The Ram and the Goat [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Daniel Overview]] | [[Daniel 07]] | [[Daniel 09]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Daniel Has a Vision of a Goat and a Ram [[#Verse 01.]] In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously.  [[#Verse 02.]] In this vision I saw myself in Susa the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision I saw myself at the Ulai Canal.  [[#Verse 03.]] I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one.  [[#Verse 04.]] I saw that the ram was butting westward, northward, and southward. No animal was able to stand before it, and there was none who could deliver from its power. It did as it pleased and acted arrogantly. [[#Verse 05.]] While I was contemplating all this, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of all the land without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes.  [[#Verse 06.]] It came to the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed against it with raging strength.  [[#Verse 07.]] I saw it approaching the ram. It went into a fit of rage against the ram and struck it and broke off its two horns. The ram had no ability to resist it. The goat hurled the ram to the ground and trampled it. No one could deliver the ram from its power.  [[#Verse 08.]] The male goat acted even more arrogantly. But no sooner had the large horn become strong than it was broken, and there arose four conspicuous horns in its place, extending toward the four winds of the sky. [[#Verse 09.]] From one of them came a small horn, but it grew to be very great toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.  [[#Verse 10.]] It grew so great it reached the army of heaven, and it brought about the fall of some of the army and some of the stars to the ground, where it trampled them.  [[#Verse 11.]] It also acted arrogantly against the Prince of the army, from whom the daily sacrifice was removed and whose sanctuary was thrown down.  [[#Verse 12.]] The army was given over, along with the daily sacrifice, in the course of his sinful rebellion. It hurled truth to the ground and enjoyed success. [[#Verse 13.]] Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, “To what period of time does the vision pertain—this vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the destructive act of rebellion and the giving over of both the sanctuary and army to be trampled?”  [[#Verse 14.]] He said to me, “To 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be put right again.” ### An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision [[#Verse 15.]] While I, Daniel, was watching the vision, I sought to understand it. Now one who appeared to be a man was standing before me.  [[#Verse 16.]] Then I heard a human voice coming from between the banks of the Ulai. It called out, “Gabriel, enable this person to understand the vision.” [[#Verse 17.]] So he approached the place where I was standing. As he came, I felt terrified and fell flat on the ground. Then he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”  [[#Verse 18.]] As he spoke with me, I fell into a trance with my face to the ground. But he touched me and stood me upright. [[#Verse 19.]] Then he said, “I am going to inform you about what will happen in the latter time of wrath, for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end.  [[#Verse 20.]] The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia. [[#Verse 21.]] The male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.  [[#Verse 22.]] The horn that was broken and in whose place there arose four others stands for four kingdoms that will arise from his nation, though they will not have his strength.  [[#Verse 23.]] Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king will arise.  [[#Verse 24.]] His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in what he undertakes. He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones.  [[#Verse 25.]] By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart—but not by human agency.  [[#Verse 26.]] The vision of the evenings and mornings that was told to you is correct. But you should seal up the vision, for it refers to a time many days from now.” [[#Verse 27.]] I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and again carried out the king’s business. But I was astonished at the vision, and there was no one to explain it. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The vision is dated to the third year of Belshazzar (8:1). Here the book returns from Aramaic to Hebrew. 2. Daniel saw himself at Susa by the Ulai Canal (8:2). Susa later became a Persian capital and is the setting of Esther and Nehemiah 1. 3. The ram's two horns represent Media and Persia, with the longer horn coming up later (8:3, 20), as Persia rose to dominate. 4. The goat from the west moved without touching the ground (8:5), a picture of the speed of Alexander the Great's conquests. 5. Gabriel identifies the goat as Greece and the large horn as its first king (8:21). 6. The horn was broken and replaced by four horns (8:8, 22). After Alexander died in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his generals. 7. The little horn is widely identified with Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 to 164 BC. 8. Antiochus desecrated the Jerusalem temple and stopped the daily sacrifices in 167 BC (1 Maccabees 1). 9. The temple was cleansed and rededicated in 164 BC, an event still celebrated at Hanukkah, which Jesus attended in John 10:22. 10. This is the first time the angel Gabriel is named in the Bible (8:16). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Prince of princes who breaks the power of evil without human hands. The arrogant king would rise up against the Prince of princes and be broken (8:25), and Jesus disarmed the powers and triumphed over them through the cross (Colossians 2:15). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. God revealed the rise and fall of empires centuries in advance (8:20-22). How does that build your trust in His sovereignty? 2. The little horn grew arrogant and even rose against the Prince of princes (8:11, 25). What does Scripture teach about the end of those who exalt themselves against God? 3. Daniel was exhausted by the vision but got up and went about the king's business (8:27). How do you keep doing your daily work when you do not fully understand what God is doing? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 20: The ram with two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. - 📖 verse 21: The goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn is its first king. - 📖 verse 25: The arrogant king will be broken, but not by human power. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Colossians 02#Verse 15.|Colossians 2:15]] - Christ triumphed over the powers. - 🔗 [[Revelation 17#Verse 14.|Revelation 17:14]] - The Lamb will conquer, for He is Lord of lords. - 🔗 [[Luke 01#Verse 19.|Luke 1:19]] - I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. - 🔗 [[John 10#Verse 22.|John 10:22-23]] - Jesus at the Feast of Dedication. - 🔗 [[Daniel 11#Verse 31.|Daniel 11:31]] - The abomination that causes desolation. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Daniel 08 - SOAP|What To Do In the Meantime]] ## 📂 Internal Notes