Daniel 4:34

4:34 But at the end of the appointed time ¹  I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up ²  toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

I extolled the Most High,

and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.

For his authority is an everlasting authority,

and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.

Daniel 7:4

7:4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind ³  was given to it. ⁴ 

Daniel 7:9

7:9 “While I was watching,

thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days ⁵  took his seat.

His attire was white like snow;

the hair of his head was like lamb’s ⁶  wool.

His throne was ablaze with fire

and its wheels were all aflame. ⁷ 

Daniel 7:20

7:20 I also wanted to know ⁸  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 ⁹  and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. ¹⁰ 

Daniel 10:16

10:16 Then ¹¹  one who appeared to be a human being ¹²  was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir, ¹³  due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength.

[4:34]  ¹ tn Aram “days.”

[4:34]  ² tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”

[7:4]  ³ tn Aram “heart of a man.”

[7:4]  ⁴ sn The identity of the first animal, derived from v. 17 and the parallels in chap. 2, is Babylon. The reference to the plucking of its wings is probably a reference to the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity (cf. chap. 4). The latter part of v. 4 then describes the restoration of Nebuchadnezzar. The other animals have traditionally been understood to represent respectively Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome, although most of modern scholarship identifies them as Media, Persia, and Greece. For a biblical parallel to the mention of lion, bear, and leopard together, see Hos 13:7-8.

[7:9]  ⁵ tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”

[7:9]  ⁶ tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.

[7:9]  ⁷ tn Aram “a flaming fire.”

[7:20]  ⁷ tn The words “I also wanted to know” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[7:20]  ⁸ tc The conjunction in the MT before “eyes” is odd. The ancient versions do not seem to presuppose it.

[7:20]  ⁹ tn Aram “greater than its companions.”

[10:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “Behold.”

[10:16]  ¹⁰ tc So most Hebrew MSS; one Hebrew MS along with the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX read “something that looked like a man’s hand.”

[10:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my lord,” here a title of polite address. Cf. v. 19.