7:24 The ten horns
mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom.
Another king will arise after them,
but he will be different from the earlier ones.
He will humiliate 1 three kings.
4:17 This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels;
this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones,
so that 2 those who are alive may understand
that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, 3
and he bestows them on whomever he wishes.
He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
11:14 “In those times many will oppose 13 the king of the south. 14 Those who are violent 15 among your own people will rise up in confirmation of 16 the vision, but they will falter.
7:25 He will speak words against the Most High.
He will harass 18 the holy ones of the Most High continually.
His intention 19 will be to change times established by law. 20
They will be delivered into his hand
For a time, times, 21 and half a time.
7:27 Then the kingdom, authority,
and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven
will be delivered to the people of the holy ones 22 of the Most High.
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
all authorities will serve him and obey him.’
8:13 Then I heard a holy one 32 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?”
1 tn Or “subjugate”; KJV, NASB, NIV “subdue”; ASV, NRSV “put down.”
2 tc The present translation follows an underlying reading of עַל־דִּבְרַת (’al-divrat, “so that”) rather than MT עַד־דִּבְרַת (’ad-divrat, “until”).
3 tn Aram “the kingdom of man”; NASB “the realm of mankind”; NCV “every kingdom on earth.”
3 tc In the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate the verb is active, understanding “judgment” to be the object rather than the subject of the verb (i.e., “the Ancient of Days rendered judgment”). This presupposes a different vocalization of the verb ( יְהַב [yÿhav] rather than the MT יְהִב [yÿhiv]).
4 sn The expression holy ones is either a reference to angels or to human beings devoted to God.
5 tn Heb “extraordinarily he will destroy.”
6 tn Heb “he will succeed and act.”
7 tn See the corresponding Aramaic expression in 7:27. If the “holy ones” are angels, then this probably refers to the angels as protectors of God’s people. One could translate, “people belonging to (i.e., protected by) the holy ones.” If the “holy ones” are God’s people, then this is an appositional construction, “the people who are the holy ones.” One could translate simply “holy people.” For examples of a plural appositional genitive after “people,” see 11:15, 32. Because either interpretation is possible, the translation has deliberately preserved the ambiguity of the Hebrew grammar here.
6 tn Aram “prevailing against” (KJV and ASV both similar); NASB “overpowering them”; TEV “conquered them.”
7 tn The word “horns” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
8 sn The four conspicuous horns refer to Alexander’s successors. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up among four of his generals: Cassander, who took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus, who took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus, who took Syria and territory to its east; and Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt.
9 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
8 tn Heb “stand against.”
9 sn This was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (ca. 203-181
10 tn Heb “sons of violence.” “Son(s) is sometimes used idiomatically in Hebrew to indicate that someone is characterized by a certain quality. So the expression “sons of violence” means that these individuals will be characterized by violent deeds.
11 tn Heb “to cause to stand.”
9 tn Heb “hand.”
10 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.”
11 tn Aram “he will think.”
12 tn Aram “times and law.” The present translation is based on the understanding that the expression is a hendiadys.
13 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.”
11 tn If the “holy ones” are angels, then this probably refers to the angels as protectors of God’s people. If the “holy ones” are God’s people, then this is an appositional construction, “the people who are the holy ones.” See 8:24 for the corresponding Hebrew phrase and the note there.
12 tn Heb “and he will set his face.” Cf. vv. 18, 19.
13 tc The present translation reads מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim, “alliances”) for the MT וִישָׁרִים (viysharim, “uprightness”).
14 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15 tn Heb “the daughter of the women.”
13 tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).
14 tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships.
15 tn Or “taken.”
16 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
17 sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.
14 sn The holy one referred to here is presumably an angel. Cf. 4:13[10], 23 [20].