While I was watching,
there was a tree in the middle of the land. 9
It was enormously tall. 10
7:5 “Then 15 a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribs 16 in its mouth between its teeth. 17 It was told, 18 ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’
7:23 “This is what he told me: 19
‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth
that will differ from all the other kingdoms.
It will devour all the earth
and will trample and crush it.
8:27 I, Daniel, was exhausted 27 and sick for days. Then I got up and again carried out the king’s business. But I was astonished at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.
11:7 “There will arise in his 30 place one from her family line 31 who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully. 32
11:21 “Then there will arise in his place a despicable person 37 to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit.
1 tc Theodotion and the Vulgate lack the phrase “and as iron breaks in pieces.”
2 tn The Aramaic text does not have this word, but it has been added in the translation for clarity.
3 tn The words “the others” are supplied from the context.
4 tn Aram “from me is placed an edict.”
5 tn Aram “speaks negligence.”
6 sn This explanation of the meaning of the name Belteshazzar may be more of a paronomasia than a strict etymology.
7 tc The present translation assumes the reading חֲזִי (khazi, “consider”) rather than the MT חֶזְוֵי (khezvey, “visions”). The MT implies that the king required Daniel to disclose both the dream and its interpretation, as in chapter 2. But in the following verses Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream, while Daniel presents only its interpretation.
8 tc The LXX lacks the first two words (Aram “the visions of my head”) of the Aramaic text.
9 tn Instead of “in the middle of the land,” some English versions render this phrase “a tree at the center of the earth” (NRSV); NAB, CEV “of the world”; NLT “in the middle of the earth.” The Hebrew phrase can have either meaning.
10 tn Aram “its height was great.”
11 tn Aram “the beasts of the field” (also in vv. 23, 25, 32).
12 tc The translation reads מִפְשַׁר (mifshar) rather than the MT מְפַשַּׁר (mÿfashar) and later in the verse reads וּמִשְׁרֵא (mishre’) rather than the MT וּמְשָׁרֵא (mÿshare’). The Masoretes have understood these Aramaic forms to be participles, but they are more likely to be vocalized as infinitives. As such, they have an epexegetical function in the syntax of their clause.
13 tn Aram “to loose knots.”
14 tn Aram “let [Daniel] be summoned.”
15 tn Aram “and behold.”
16 sn The three ribs held securely in the mouth of the bear, perhaps representing Media-Persia, apparently symbolize military conquest, but the exact identity of the “ribs” is not clear. Possibly it is a reference to the Persian conquest of Lydia, Egypt, and Babylonia.
17 tc The LXX lacks the phrase “between its teeth.”
18 tn Aram “and thus they were saying to it.”
19 tn Aram “thus he said.”
20 tn Or “beast” (NAB).
21 tn Heb “hand.” So also in v. 7.
22 tn In the Hiphil the Hebrew verb גָּדַל (gadal, “to make great; to magnify”) can have either a positive or a negative sense. For the former, used especially of God, see Ps 126:2, 3; Joel 2:21. In this chapter (8:4, 8, 11, 25) the word has a pejorative sense, describing the self-glorification of this king. The sense seems to be that of vainly assuming one’s own superiority through deliberate hubris.
23 tn The word “horns” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
24 sn The four conspicuous horns refer to Alexander’s successors. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up among four of his generals: Cassander, who took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus, who took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus, who took Syria and territory to its east; and Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt.
25 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
26 tn Heb “the broken one.” The word “horn” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.
27 tn The Hebrew word here is נִהְיֵיתִי (nihyetiy). Its meaning is not entirely clear. Hebrew הָיָה (hayah) normally has meanings such as “to be” or “become.” Here, however, it describes Daniel’s emotional and physical response to the enigmatic vision that he has seen. It is parallel to the following verb, which refers to illness, and seems to refer to a state of utter exhaustion due to the amazing things that Daniel has just seen. The LXX lacks the word. On the meaning of the word see further, BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2; DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3.
28 tn Heb “and behold.”
29 tc The Greek version of Theodotion reads “I left him [i.e., Michael] there,” and this is followed by a number of English translations (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT).
30 sn The reference is to the king of Egypt.
31 tn Heb “the stock of her roots.”
sn The reference to one from her family line is probably to Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes (ca. 246-221
32 tn Heb “will deal with them and prevail.”
33 tn Heb “on his place.”
34 sn The one who will send out an exactor of tribute was Seleucus IV Philopator (ca. 187-176
35 sn Perhaps this exactor of tribute was Heliodorus (cf. 2 Maccabees 3).
36 tn Heb “broken” or “shattered.”
37 sn This despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ca. 175-164
38 tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 28.
39 tn Heb “speak.”