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 7:18

7:18 The holy ones ⁴  of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’

Daniel 7:22

7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered ⁵  in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.

Daniel 7:27

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 ⁶  of the Most High.

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;

all authorities will serve him and obey him.’

[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.”

[7:18]  ⁴ sn The expression holy ones is either a reference to angels or to human beings devoted to God.

[7:22]  ⁵ 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]).

[7:27]  ⁶ 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.