Daniel 7:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.

NIV: Daniel said: 'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.

NASB: Daniel said, 'I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.

CSB: Daniel said, "In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea.

NLT: In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction.

KJV: Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

NKJV: Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.

This begins the description of a dream Daniel had during the early rule of Belshazzar (Daniel 7:1). This verse switches from the third person point of view to Daniel writing as if he was speaking directly—the "first person" perspective. That change coincides with this book's change from concrete stories to the imagery and symbolism of prophecy.

The first thing Daniel saw in his dream was the sea being thrashed from the four cardinal directions, by winds controlled by heaven. As this is a dream, the description is not meant to imply anything about the nature of weather or wind in the real world. Scripture often pictures God revealing His presence or judgment in the wind (1 Kings 19:11; Psalm 18:10; 50:3; Amos 1:14). The mention of "the great sea" points to the Mediterranean, not the smaller Red Sea or the Sea of Galilee.

The scene where Daniel's dream takes place portrays the Mediterranean region; from there four tumultuous kingdoms emerged. These four kingdoms (Daniel 7:17) are described in subsequent verses as animal-like creatures. From God's standpoint each kingdom is bestial, brutal, immoral, savage, and ignorant of God. Just as Daniel saw heaven's winds influencing the sea, Scripture portrays God's ultimate control over the empires that emerged in human history.

Daniel 7:1–12 looks back to a time before the story contained in chapter 6. This passage describes a dream Daniel had during the rule of Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1, 30). His visions contained information about various kingdoms leading up to a dreadful, strong kingdom in the end times. The images also pictured God, "the Ancient of Days," who judges the final Gentile kingdom. An angel's explanation of the dream and visions follows in the next passage.

Daniel experiences a troubling vision in the form of a dream. He sees animal-like beasts representing successive kingdoms. The last of these is uniquely powerful and led by a mysterious figure. This person, depicted as a "little horn," will be known for usurping power, blasphemy against God, and intense persecution of the saints. Yet his time will be short and it will end in God's successful judgment.

This chapter is the intersection of two different divisions in the book of Daniel. This is the last passage written in Aramaic, the common language of the world at that time. It is also the first segment focusing on prophecy, shifting from a record of events in the past to show a glimpse of the future. This passage connects to other descriptions of the end times, such as those found in Revelation chapters 13, 19, and 20.

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.