12:1 “At that time Michael,
the great prince who watches over your people, 1
will arise. 2
There will be a time of distress
unlike any other from the nation’s beginning 3
up to that time.
But at that time your own people,
all those whose names are 4 found written in the book,
will escape.
12:2 Many of those who sleep
in the dusty ground will awake –
some to everlasting life,
and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence. 5
12:3 But the wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.
And those bringing many to righteousness
will be like the stars forever and ever.
12:4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, 6 and knowledge will increase.”
12:5 I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river. 7 12:6 One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?” 12:7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky 8 and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters 9 the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, 10 what will happen after these things?” 12:9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end. 12:10 Many will be purified, made clean, and refined, but the wicked will go on being wicked. None of the wicked will understand, though the wise will understand. 12:11 From the time that the daily sacrifice is removed and the abomination that causes desolation is set in place, 11 there are 1,290 days. 12:12 Blessed is the one who waits and attains to the 1,335 days.
1 tn Heb “stands over the sons of your people.”
2 tn Heb “will stand up.”
3 tn Or “from the beginning of a nation.”
4 tn The words “whose names are” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
5 sn This verse is the only undisputed reference to a literal resurrection found in the Hebrew Bible.
6 tn Or “will run back and forth”; KJV “shall run to and fro”; NIV “will go here and there”; CEV “will go everywhere.”
7 tn Heb “one to this edge of the river and one to that edge of the river.”
8 tn Or “to the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
9 tc The present translation reads יַד־נֹפֵץ (yad-nofets, “hand of one who shatters”) rather than the MT נַפֵּץ־יַד (nappets-yad, “to shatter the hand”).
10 tn Heb “my lord,” a title of polite address.
11 tn Heb “to give.”