4:33 Now in that very moment 1 this pronouncement about 2 Nebuchadnezzar came true. 3 He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. 4
“For he is the living God;
he endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed;
his authority is forever. 5
7:25 He will speak words against the Most High.
He will harass 6 the holy ones of the Most High continually.
His intention 7 will be to change times established by law. 8
They will be delivered into his hand
For a time, times, 9 and half a time.
9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. 10
But in the middle of that week
he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.
On the wing 11 of abominations will come 12 one who destroys,
until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”
“Three 19 more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth 20 king will be unusually rich, 21 more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against 22 the kingdom of Greece.
1 tn Aram “hour.”
2 tn Or “on.”
3 tn Aram “was fulfilled.”
4 tn The words “feathers” and “claws” are not present in the Aramaic text, but have been added in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Aram “until the end.”
6 tn Aram “wear out” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NASB, NLT “wear down.” The word is a hapax legomenon in biblical Aramaic, but in biblical Hebrew it especially refers to wearing out such things as garments. Here it is translated “harass…continually.”
7 tn Aram “he will think.”
8 tn Aram “times and law.” The present translation is based on the understanding that the expression is a hendiadys.
9 sn Although the word times is vocalized in the MT as a plural, it probably should be regarded as a dual. The Masoretes may have been influenced here by the fact that in late Aramaic (and Syriac) the dual forms fall out of use. The meaning would thus be three and a half “times.”
10 tn Heb “one seven” (also later in this line).
11 tn The referent of the Hebrew word כְּנַף (kÿnaf, “wing”) is unclear here. The LXX and Theodotion have “the temple.” Some English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV) take this to mean “a wing of the temple,” but this is not clear.
12 tn The Hebrew text does not have this verb, but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Or “a treasured person”; KJV “a man greatly beloved”; NASB “man of high esteem.”
14 tn The Hebrew participle is often used, as here, to refer to the imminent future.
15 tn Heb “stand upon your standing.”
16 tn Heb “spoke this word.”
17 tn Heb “treasured man.”
18 tn Heb “my lord may speak.”
19 sn Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522
20 sn This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465
21 tn Heb “rich with great riches.”
22 tn The text is difficult. The Hebrew has here אֶת (’et), the marker of a definite direct object. As it stands, this would suggest the meaning that “he will arouse everyone, that is, the kingdom of Greece.” The context, however, seems to suggest the idea that this Persian king will arouse in hostility against Greece the constituent elements of his own empire. This requires supplying the word “against,” which is not actually present in the Hebrew text.
23 tn Heb “and he will set his face.” Cf. vv. 18, 19.
24 tc The present translation reads מֵישָׁרִים (mesharim, “alliances”) for the MT וִישָׁרִים (viysharim, “uprightness”).
25 tn Heb “him”; the referent (the king of the south) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Heb “the daughter of the women.”
sn The daughter refers to Cleopatra, the daughter of Antiochus, who was given in marriage to Ptolemy V.
27 tn Heb “heart.”
28 sn This king of the south was Ptolemy Philometer (ca. 181-145