Daniel 8:7

And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

And I saw {H7200} him come {H5060} close unto {H681} the ram {H352}, and he was moved with choler {H4843} against him, and smote {H5221} the ram {H352}, and brake {H7665} his two {H8147} horns {H7161}: and there was no power {H3581} in the ram {H352} to stand {H5975} before {H6440} him, but he cast him down {H7993} to the ground {H776}, and stamped {H7429} upon him: and there was none that could deliver {H5337} the ram {H352} out of his hand {H3027}.

I watched as it advanced on the ram, filled with rage against it, and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one that could rescue it from the goat's power.

I saw him approach the ram in a rage against him, and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him, and the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and no one could deliver the ram from his power.

And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

Commentary

Daniel 8:7 provides a vivid and dramatic scene from Daniel's prophetic vision, illustrating the swift and overwhelming defeat of one great empire by another. It describes the male goat's furious assault on the two-horned ram, leading to the ram's utter destruction.

Context

This verse is central to the vision recounted in Daniel chapter 8, which symbolically portrays future world powers. The ram, seen earlier in the vision, is explicitly identified later as the kingdoms of Media and Persia. The male goat, introduced in Daniel 8:5, represents the Grecian Empire, particularly under its first great king, Alexander the Great. Verse 7 details the precise moment of conquest: the Grecian forces, driven by fierce determination, attacked and decisively shattered the power of the Medo-Persian Empire, leaving it utterly defenseless and subjugated.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty Over Empires: The vision vividly illustrates God's ultimate control over the rise and fall of nations. This detailed prophecy, given centuries before its fulfillment, demonstrates that human history unfolds according to His predetermined plan.
  • Prophetic Accuracy: The precise and brutal imagery ("smote the ram," "brake his two horns," "cast him down," "stamped upon him") accurately depicts the historical conquest of Persia by Greece. It underscores the unerring reliability of God's prophetic word.
  • Decisive Overthrow: The description emphasizes the completeness of the victory. The ram had "no power...to stand before him," signifying the total collapse of the Medo-Persian dominance and the overwhelming power of the new Grecian empire.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "moved with choler" translates the Hebrew word marar (מָרַר), which conveys intense bitterness, rage, or fury. This highlights the fierce and relentless aggression with which the Grecian power, under Alexander, would confront and dismantle the existing Medo-Persian dominion, leaving no room for resistance or recovery.

Practical Application

Daniel 8:7 serves as a powerful reminder that God is actively involved in the course of human history, orchestrating the movements of nations and empires. For believers, this instills deep confidence that even amidst geopolitical turmoil and shifts in world power, God's purposes will ultimately prevail. It encourages us to look beyond the transient nature of earthly kingdoms and to place our trust in the eternal kingdom that God is establishing, as prophesied in Daniel 2:44. This verse also teaches us about the certainty of God's prophetic word and His unwavering faithfulness to His plans.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Daniel 11:11

    And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, [even] with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.

  • Daniel 7:7

    After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.

  • Joshua 8:20

    And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

  • Leviticus 26:37

    And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.