Daniels syn om vædderen og gedebukken
1I kong Belshazzars tredje regeringsår8,1 Ca. 551 f.Kr. fik jeg, Daniel, en ny drøm med endnu et syn. 2I drømmesynet fandt jeg mig selv stående ved Ulaj-kanalen i den befæstede by Susa i provinsen Elam. 3Da jeg så mig omkring, opdagede jeg ved bredden af kanalen en vædder med to lange horn. Det ene horn voksede og blev større end det andet. 4Vædderen stangede mod vest, mod nord og mod syd, og ingen kunne holde stand imod den eller redde dens ofre. Den gjorde, som det passede den, og fik stor magt.
5Så kom der pludselig en gedebuk med et mægtigt horn i panden farende fra vest med en sådan fart, at dens klove ikke rørte jorden. 6Med rasende fart styrede den lige imod den tohornede vædder, som stod ved bredden af kanalen, 7og jeg så, hvordan den rasende buk stødte frontalt ind i vædderen med en sådan kraft, at vædderens to horn brækkede af. Vædderen kunne ikke klare sig imod gedebukken, men blev kastet om på jorden og trampet ned, uden at nogen kunne redde den.
8Derefter voksede gedebukken og blev endnu stærkere. Men da den var allerstærkest, brækkede dens store horn af, og i stedet voksede fire mindre horn frem, der pegede mod hver sit verdenshjørne. 9Fra det ene af hornene voksede et andet horn frem. Det blev meget stærkt og udbredte sin magt mod syd og mod øst og mod Israels land. 10Det voksede helt op til stjernehimlen og slyngede nogle af himlens hære8,10 Med „himlens hære” hentydes måske til stjernerne, men nok snarere til Guds engle og dermed også til Guds folk, som englene beskytter. til jorden og trampede på dem. 11-12Det satte sig op imod anføreren for himlens hære og standsede de daglige ofringer til Guds ære. Det vanhelligede templet med urene ofre og bekæmpede Guds folk.8,11-12 Teksten er uklar. Sandheden blev undertrykt, og ondskaben havde fremgang.
13Da hørte jeg to af de hellige engle tale sammen. Den ene spurgte: „Hvor længe vil de daglige offerhandlinger være ophævet og erstattet af afskyeligheder? Hvor længe vil templet være vanhelliget og Guds folk undertrykt?” 14Hertil svarede den anden engel: „Efter 2300 dage skal templet igen komme til sin ret.”
Betydningen af drømmesynet
15Mens jeg prøvede at forstå, hvad synet betød, kom en, der lignede et menneske, hen imod mig, 16og jeg hørte en menneskestemme råbe fra den anden side af kanalen: „Gabriel, forklar den mand, hvad synet betyder!”
17Da Gabriel kom hen til mig, blev jeg så overvældet af rædsel, at jeg faldt om med ansigtet mod jorden. Så sagde han til mig: „Du må forstå, unge mand, at det, du her har set, vil ske i de sidste tider.” 18Mens han talte til mig, lå jeg som bedøvet med ansigtet mod jorden. Men han rørte ved mig og hjalp mig på benene. 19Derpå sagde han: „Jeg er kommet for at fortælle dig, hvad der skal ske i de sidste tider, når Gud udfører sin straf. Det vil alt sammen ske en gang i fremtiden, på den tid Gud har fastsat.”
20„Vædderens to horn, som du så, er kongerne af Medien og Persien. 21Gedebukken er det græske storrige, og det lange horn i dens pande symboliserer storrigets første konge. 22At hornet blev brækket af og erstattet med fire mindre horn, betyder, at storriget vil blive delt op i fire mindre riger med hver sin konge.
23Mod slutningen af disse fire rigers tid, når deres ondskab er på sit højeste, vil en brutal og bedragerisk konge komme til magten. 24Han vil få stor magt, men ikke ved egen kraft. Han har heldet med sig og skaber store ødelæggelser. Han vil overvinde mægtige fjender og undertrykke Guds folk. 25Hans ondskabsfulde planer vil lykkes, og det vil gøre ham stolt. Uden varsel vil han styrte mange i ulykke, og han vil ikke vige tilbage for at gå imod Fyrsten over alle fyrster! Men så vil han blive styrtet i ulykke, dog ikke af noget menneske.8,25 Blev opfyldt af Antiochus IV, som døde i 164 f.Kr. enten ved sygdom eller en ulykke.
26Som du allerede hørte i synet vil der gå 2300 dage,8,26 Eller: „tidsperioder”. før ofringerne i templet genindføres. Skriv synet ned og luk skriftrullen med segl, for det varer længe, før det vil ske.”
27Efter dette syn var jeg helt slået ud og lå syg i lang tid. Til sidst stod jeg op og genoptog mit arbejde i kongens tjeneste, men jeg var stadig rædselsslagen over synet og forstod ikke betydningen af det.
1In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. 2And 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. 3Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.8.3 the other: Heb. the second 4I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. 5And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.8.5 touched…: or, none touched him in the earth8.5 a notable…: Heb. a horn of sight 6And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 8Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.8.10 to the host: or, against the host 11Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.8.11 to: or, against8.11 by him: or, from him 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.8.12 an host…: or, the host was given over for the transgression against the daily sacrifice
13¶ Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?8.13 that…: or, the numberer of secrets, or, the wonderful numberer: Heb. Palmoni8.13 of…: or, making desolate 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.8.14 days: Heb. evening morning8.14 cleansed: Heb. justified
15¶ And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. 16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.8.18 set…: Heb. made me stand upon my standing 19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. 20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. 23And 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.8.23 are…: Heb. are accomplished 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.8.24 holy…: Heb. people of the holy ones 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.8.25 peace: or, prosperity 26And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
