12:4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about, 1 and knowledge will increase.”
12:5 I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river. 2 12:6 One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?” 12:7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky 3 and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters 4 the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”
12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Sir, 5 what will happen after these things?” 12:9 He said, “Go, Daniel. For these matters are closed and sealed until the time of the end.
1 tn Or “will run back and forth”; KJV “shall run to and fro”; NIV “will go here and there”; CEV “will go everywhere.”
sn Many will dash about is probably an allusion to Amos 8:12.
2 tn Heb “one to this edge of the river and one to that edge of the river.”
3 tn Or “to the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
4 tc The present translation reads יַד־נֹפֵץ (yad-nofets, “hand of one who shatters”) rather than the MT נַפֵּץ־יַד (nappets-yad, “to shatter the hand”).
5 tn Heb “my lord,” a title of polite address.