Daniel 7:20

7:20 I also wanted to know ¹  the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes ²  and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. ³ 

Daniel 7:25

7:25 He will speak words against the Most High.

He will harass ⁴  the holy ones of the Most High continually.

His intention ⁵  will be to change times established by law. ⁶ 

They will be delivered into his hand

For a time, times, ⁷  and half a time.

¹ tn The words “I also wanted to know” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

² tc The conjunction in the MT before “eyes” is odd. The ancient versions do not seem to presuppose it.

³ tn Aram “greater than its companions.”

⁴ tn Aram “wear out” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NASB, NLT “wear down.” The word is a hapax legomenon in biblical Aramaic, but in biblical Hebrew it especially refers to wearing out such things as garments. Here it is translated “harass…continually.”

⁵ tn Aram “he will think.”

⁶ tn Aram “times and law.” The present translation is based on the understanding that the expression is a hendiadys.

⁷ sn Although the word times is vocalized in the MT as a plural, it probably should be regarded as a dual. The Masoretes may have been influenced here by the fact that in late Aramaic (and Syriac) the dual forms fall out of use. The meaning would thus be three and a half “times.”