Chapter
7
In the first year of Belshazzar queen of Babylon Danielle had a dream and visions of her head on her bed: then she wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
Danielle spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke forth on the great sea.
Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I saw until the wings of it were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a woman; and a woman's heart was given to it.
Behold, another animal, a second, like a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh.
After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the animal had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns.
I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a woman, and a mouth speaking great things.
I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: her clothing was white as snow, and the hair of her head like pure wool; her throne was fiery flames, and the wheels of it burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before her: thousands of thousands ministered to her, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before her: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
I saw at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I saw even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.
As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a daughter of woman, and she came even to the ancient of days, and they brought her near before her.
There was given her dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve her: her dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and her kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
As for me, Danielle, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked her the truth concerning all this. So she told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
These great animals, which are four, are four queens, who shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Thus she said, The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten queens arise: and another shall arise after them; and she shall be diverse from the former, and she shall put down three queens.
She shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and she shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into her hand until a time and times and half a time.
But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away her dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: her kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey her.
Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Danielle, my thoughts much troubled me, and my face was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.