Daniel 8:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.

NIV: "In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

NASB: And in the latter period of their dominion, When the wrongdoers have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.

CSB: Near the end of their kingdoms, when the rebels have reached the full measure of their sin, a ruthless king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne.

NLT: At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.

KJV: And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

NKJV: “And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.

The angel Gabriel (Daniel 8:16) continues to explain Daniel's vision (Daniel 8:1–2). A fast-moving goat has overcome a prior rival, but its horn shattered and was replaced with four others (Daniel 8:5–8). From that, another horn arises only to be associated with terrible evil (Daniel 8:9–12). This predicts the rise of Alexander the Great, whose rapid conquest would end in his sudden death and the division of his territory among four successors. It also warns of an infamous persecutor of Israel, who himself foreshadows events of the end times.

Interpreters vary in their identification of this bold-faced, highly intelligent king. The best fit for the depiction seems to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who gained the throne in the early 2nd century BC. He warred with other remnants of Alexender's conquests and heavily persecuted the Jewish people. Epiphanes spitefully outlawed Jewish religious practices and defiled the temple by sacrificing an unclean pig and spreading its blood everywhere.

This also seems to be a dual-fulfillment prophecy. At times, prophecy has a short-term completion which, itself, predicts another fulfillment later. The figure depicted in this part of Daniel's vision appears to be both Epiphanes and the end-times person commonly called "the Antichrist" (Revelation 13:14–15).

Daniel 8:15–27 includes the angel Gabriel's explanation of Daniel's vision, along with Daniel's reaction. The symbols Daniel saw predict the end of the Medo-Persian empire, the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, and the emergence of a tyrant who persecutes the Jewish people. Though the prophecy has been "explained" Daniel doesn't fully grasp everything that's going to occur. What he's told is disturbing enough to keep him bedridden for several days.

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.