Daniel 7:9

7:9 “While I was watching,

thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days ¹  took his seat.

His attire was white like snow;

the hair of his head was like lamb’s ²  wool.

His throne was ablaze with fire

and its wheels were all aflame. ³ 

Daniel 7:13

7:13 I was watching in the night visions,

“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.

Daniel 7:22

7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered ⁸  in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.

[7:9]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn Aram “a flaming fire.”

[7:13]  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).

[7:13]  ⁵ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[7:13]  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.

[7:13]  ⁷ tn Aram “they brought him near.”

[7:22]  ⁷ 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]).