Daniel 8:3

Then 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. A RAM WHICH HAD TWO HORNS - the two ought not to be in italics, as if it were not in the original: for it is expressed by the Hebrew dual. "Horn" in the East is the symbol of power and royalty. ONE WAS HIGHER THAN THE OTHER ... THE HIGHER CAME UP LAST. Persia, which was of little note until Cyrus' time, became then ascendant over Media, the more ancient kingdom. Darius was 62 years old (Daniel 5:31) when he began to reign; during his short reign of 2 years, being a weak king (Daniel 6:7;...

He next subjoins, _And behold a ram, stood at the bank of the river, and it had horns _He now compares the empire of Persia and Media to a ram. It ought not to seem absurd that God proposed to his servant various similitude’s, because his duty was to teach a rude people in various ways; and[ we know this vision to have been presented before the Prophet, not for his private instruction only, but for the common advantage of the whole people. I do not think we need scrupulously inquire why the Persian kings are called rams. I know of no valid reason, unless perhaps to institute a comparison between them and Alexander of Macedon and his successors. If so, when God, under the image of a ram, exhibits to his Prophet the Persian Empire, he does not illustrate its nature absolutely, but only by comparison with that of Alexander. ‘We are well aware of the opposition between these two empires. The...

1-14 God gives Daniel a foresight of the destruction of other kingdoms, which in their day were as powerful as that of Babylon. Could we foresee the changes that shall be when we are gone, we should be less affected with changes in our own day. The ram with two horns was the second empire, that of Media and Persia. He saw this ram overcome by a he-goat. This was Alexander the Great. Alexander, when about thirty-three years of age, and in his full strength, died, and showed the vanity of worldly pomp and power, and that they cannot make a man happy. While men dispute, as in the case of Alexander, respecting the death of some prosperous warrior, it is plain that the great First Cause of all had no more of his plan for him to execute, and therefore cut him off. Instead of that one great horn, there came up four notable ones, Alexander's four chief captains. A little horn became a great per...

Verse Daniel 8:3. _A RAM WHICH HAD_ TWO _HORNS_] In the former vision there were _four beasts_, pointing out _four empires_; in this we have but _two_, as only _two empires_ are concerned here, viz., the _Grecian_ and the _Persian_. The Babylonish empire is not mentioned; its fate was before decided, and it was now at its close. By the _ram_, the empire of the Medes and Persians was pointed out, as explained by the angel Gabriel, Daniel 8:20; and particularly Cyrus, who was the founder of that empire. Cyrus was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia; and grandson of Astyages, king of Media, by his daughter Mandane, who had been given in marriage to Cambyses. Cyrus marrying Roxana, the daughter and only child of his uncle Cyaxares, called in Sc

THEN I LIFTED UP MINE EYES AND SAW - And saw in vision, or there seemed to be before me. THERE STOOD BEFORE THE RIVER - On the bank of the river. A RAM WHICH HAD TWO HORNS - There can be no error in explaining the design of this symbol, for in Daniel 8:20 it is expressly said that it denoted the two kings of Media and Persia. The united power of the kingdom was denoted by the ram itself; the fact that there were two powers or kingdoms combined, by the two horns of the ram. AND THE TWO HORNS WERE HIGH - Both indicating great power. BUT ONE WAS HIGHER THAN THE OTHER, AND THE HIGHER CAME UP LAST - The higher horn springing up last denotes Persia, that became the more mighty power of the two, so

EXPOSITION DANIEL 8:1 THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT This chapter marks the change from Aramaic to_ _Hebrew. The character of the chapter is like that which immediately precedes it. It consists, like it, of the account of a vision, and the interpretation of it. The subject of this vision is the overthrow of the Persian monarchy by Alexander the Great, the division of his empire, and the oppression of Israel by Epiphanes. DANIEL 8:1 IN 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. The text of the Septuagint does not differ greatly f

THEN I LIFTED UP MINE EYES,.... To see what was to be seen in this place, where he in the vision was brought; he lifted up the eyes of his understanding, being enlightened by the vision of prophecy, and the eyes of his body, to which objects of corporeal things formed in the fancy were represented: AND SAW, AND, BEHOLD; he saw something wonderful in a visionary way, and which struck his mind, and raised his attention: THERE STOOD BEFORE THE RIVER; the river Ulai, near Shushan, the palace, the seat of the kings of Persia, to the east: A RAM, WHICH HAD TWO HORNS; a symbol of the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, signified by the two horns, Daniel 8:20, an emblem of power and dominion, and sometimes used to signify kings and kingdoms; see Daniel 7:24 and t

RAM (_ See Scofield) - (Daniel 8:20). _...

CHAPTER 8 THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT _ 1. The vision (Daniel 8:1)_ 2. The interpretation of the vision (Daniel 8:15) Daniel 8:1. Beginning with this chapter to the end of the book prophecy will lead us mostly upon Jewish ground. While some of these prophecies were fulfilled in the past, most of them are related to the future when the great end fulfillment takes place before the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven to receive the kingdom. The phrases “the latter times,” “the time of the end,” “in the last end of the indignation,” appear several times in these Chapter s. These phrases describe the same period of time mentioned in the seventh chapter, “a time, times and dividing of times; “ the 1,26

DANIEL 8. THE VISION OF THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT. This chapter gives an account of another vision which came to Daniel in Shushan. Near the river Ulai a ram with two horns is seen pushing invincibly westward and northward and southward. Suddenly from the W. a he-goat appears, attacks the ram, and breaks his horns. Then, the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly. The notable horn between his eyes is broken and four other horns spring up to take its place. Out of these four horns proceeded another, a little horn, which moved towards the E. and the S. and attacked the land of Palestine, exalting itself against God, desecrating the Temple, and abolishing the sacrifices for 2300 days. The interpretation of the vision which is given by Gabriel to Daniel is exceptionally clear, and leaves no manner of doubt that it refers to the events of the Maccabean age. The ram with the two horns represents...