Daniel 8:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.

NIV: In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.

NASB: I looked in the vision, and while I was looking, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.

CSB: I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa, in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.

NLT: In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.

KJV: And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

NKJV: I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai.

In his vision (Daniel 8:1), Daniel sees himself in Susa, the capital city of the Persians. Though he was physically in Babylon, his perception was more than 200 miles—or 320 kilometers—to the east. Years later, both Esther (Esther 1:2) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1) lived in Susa and served in the palace there. It is thought that the events recorded in the book of Esther occurred from 522–486 BC and that Nehemiah was the cupbearer of Artaxerxes around 446–445 BC.

The citadel Daniel sees in Susa would have been a fortified castle. This was initially built by Darius and expanded by later kings. The city of Susa was in "Elam:" the ancient name for Persia. It was a highlands region and Persia's most important province. The Elamites were descendants of Elam, oldest son of Shem (Genesis 10:22). Daniel saw himself at the Ulai canal. This canal flowed beside Susa and merged with other streams to form a lake.

Another prophet, Ezekiel, also received visions beside a canal: the Chebar (Ezekiel 1:1).

Daniel 8:1–14 changes the written language to Hebrew, after several chapters in Aramaic. This indicates a shift in intended audience: these messages are primarily meant for the benefit of Israel. This section gives the time, place, and contents of another of Daniel's visions. Like the dream and visions of chapter 7, it concerns the time before Christ's birth. While the vision of Daniel 7 provides more detail on the final end times, the vision here includes a prophecy that appears to have dual fulfillment. After the vision, Daniel will record the meaning as given to him by the angel, Gabriel.

Daniel sees a vision, later explained to him by the angel Gabriel. A swift-moving goat overpowers a two-horned ram. This represents the conquest of Greece over Medo-Persia. Then the goat's horn shatters, replaced by four more; this predicts Alexander the Great's death and succession. Later, a ruler arises to brutally persecute God's people. This prophecy refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple and outlawed Jewish religious practices. It also foreshadows the end times when the Antichrist will be tied to similar events. The experience leaves Daniel temporarily bedridden.

The first 6 chapters of Daniel recorded events from his life. The final chapters record his visions of the future. The prior chapter contained a dream involving several animals, depicting powerful nations. The vision explained here also deals with conquering empires, but also touches on events to come in the end times. Daniel's next passage includes his prayer for Israel and further explanation of what will happen in the last days of human history.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.