Daniel 7:9

7:9 “While I was watching,

thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days ¹  took his seat.

His attire was white like snow;

the hair of his head was like lamb’s ²  wool.

His throne was ablaze with fire

and its wheels were all aflame. ³ 

Daniel 7:22

7:22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendered ⁴  in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.

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¹ tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”

² tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.

³ tn Aram “a flaming fire.”

⁴ tc In the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate the verb is active, understanding “judgment” to be the object rather than the subject of the verb (i.e., “the Ancient of Days rendered judgment”). This presupposes a different vocalization of the verb ( יְהַב [yÿhav] rather than the MT יְהִב [yÿhiv]).