7:7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visions 1 a fourth beast appeared – one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. 2 It had two large rows 3 of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.
“And with 4 the clouds of the sky 5
one like a son of man 6 was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted 7 before him.
7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed, 8 and the visions of my mind 9 were alarming me.
1 tn The Aramaic text has also “and behold.” So also in vv. 8, 13.
2 sn The fourth animal differs from the others in that it is nondescript. Apparently it was so fearsome that Daniel could find nothing with which to compare it. Attempts to identify this animal as an elephant or other known creature are conjectural.
3 tn The Aramaic word for “teeth” is dual rather than plural, suggesting two rows of teeth.
4 tc The LXX has ἐπί (epi, “upon”) here (cf. Matt 24:30; 26:64). Theodotion has μετά (meta, “with”) here (cf. Mark 14:62; Rev 1:7).
5 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
6 sn This text is probably the main OT background for Jesus’ use of the term “son of man.” In both Jewish and Christian circles the reference in the book of Daniel has traditionally been understood to refer to an individual, usually in a messianic sense. Many modern scholars, however, understand the reference to have a corporate identity. In this view, the “son of man” is to be equated with the “holy ones” (vv. 18, 21, 22, 25) or the “people of the holy ones” (v. 27) and understood as a reference to the Jewish people. Others understand Daniel’s reference to be to the angel Michael.
7 tn Aram “they brought him near.”
8 tn The Aramaic text includes the phrase “in its sheath,” apparently viewing the body as a container or receptacle for the spirit somewhat like a sheath or scabbard is for a knife or a sword (cf. NAB “within its sheath of flesh”). For this phrase the LXX and Vulgate have “in these things.”
9 tn Aram “head.”