Daniel 8:20
New International Version
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

New Living Translation
The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.

English Standard Version
As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.

Berean Standard Bible
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

King James Bible
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

New King James Version
The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia.

New American Standard Bible
The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

NASB 1995
“The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

NASB 1977
“The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

Legacy Standard Bible
The ram which you saw with the two horns is the kings of Media and Persia.

Amplified Bible
The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

Christian Standard Bible
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

American Standard Version
The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

Contemporary English Version
The two horns of the ram are the kings of Media and Persia,

English Revised Version
The ram which thou sawest that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia.

Good News Translation
"The ram you saw that had two horns represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia.

International Standard Version
The ram that you saw with a pair of horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

Majority Standard Bible
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.

NET Bible
The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia.

New Heart English Bible
The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

Webster's Bible Translation
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

World English Bible
The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The ram that you have seen possessing two horns, [are] the kings of Media and Persia.

Young's Literal Translation
The ram that thou hast seen possessing two horns, are the kings of Media and Persia.

Smith's Literal Translation
The ram which thou sawest possessing horns, the kings of Media and Persia.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The ram, which thou sawest with horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The ram, which you saw to have horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians.

New American Bible
“The two-horned ram you saw represents the kings of the Medes and Persians.

New Revised Standard Version
As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The ram which you saw with two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Darius the Mede The ram that you saw that has horns, those are the Kings of Media and Persia
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The ram which thou sawest having the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The ram which thou sawest that had the horns is the king of the Medes and Persians.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gabriel Interprets Daniel's Vision
19and said, “Behold, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath, because it concerns the appointed time of the end. 20The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.…

Cross References
Daniel 2:37-39
You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory. / Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. / But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.

Daniel 7:5
Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’

Daniel 11:2-4
Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. / Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. / But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.

Revelation 13:1-2
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. / The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Revelation 17:12-14
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast. / These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. / They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Jeremiah 51:11
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple.

Isaiah 13:17-18
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold. / Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.

Isaiah 21:2
A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

Isaiah 45:1-2
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: / “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.

Jeremiah 50:9
For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.

Jeremiah 50:41-42
Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth. / They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon.

Ezekiel 38:5
Persia, Cush, and Put will accompany them, all with shields and helmets,

Zechariah 6:6
The one with the black horses is going toward the land of the north, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

2 Chronicles 36:20-23
Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. / So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah. / In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: ...

Ezra 1:1-4
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: / “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. / Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. ...


Treasury of Scripture

The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

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.

Daniel 11:1,2
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him…

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Horns Kings Media Persia Possessing Ram Represents Sawest Sheep Two-Horned
Daniel 8
1. Daniel's vision of the ram and he goat.
13. The two thousand three hundred days of the suspension of the daily sacrifice.
15. Gabriel comforts Daniel, and interprets the vision.














The two-horned ram
This phrase introduces the symbolic imagery used in Daniel's vision. In ancient Near Eastern culture, rams were often associated with power and leadership. The two horns signify dual authority or power, which is later clarified as Media and Persia. The ram, as a symbol, is consistent with the biblical use of animals to represent kingdoms or empires, as seen in other prophetic books like Ezekiel and Revelation. The ram's horns, in particular, denote strength and the ability to conquer, which aligns with the historical expansion of the Medo-Persian Empire.

that you saw
This phrase emphasizes the personal nature of Daniel's vision. It is a direct revelation given to Daniel, highlighting the prophetic nature of the book. The phrase underscores the importance of divine revelation in understanding historical and future events. Daniel's role as a prophet is to receive and interpret these visions, which are not just for his time but for future generations as well.

represents
The use of the word "represents" indicates that the vision is symbolic. In biblical prophecy, symbols are often used to convey deeper spiritual truths or future events. This word assures the reader that the vision is not to be taken literally but understood as a representation of real-world entities or events. It invites the reader to seek the spiritual and historical significance behind the imagery.

the kings of Media and Persia
This phrase identifies the historical entities symbolized by the two-horned ram. Media and Persia were two distinct kingdoms that united to form a powerful empire under the leadership of Cyrus the Great. Historically, this empire was known for its vast expansion and influence, which is consistent with the imagery of a powerful ram. The mention of "kings" in the plural form acknowledges the dual leadership and the cooperation between the Medes and the Persians. This historical context is crucial for understanding the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, as the Medo-Persian Empire played a significant role in the history of Israel and the broader ancient Near East. Theologically, this phrase also serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over the rise and fall of empires, as He orchestrates history according to His divine plan.

(20-22) See Notes on Daniel 8:3-8.

Verse 20. - The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. All the versions - the Septuagint, Theodotion, the Peshitta, and the Vulgate - have read, not מַלְכֵי, as we find in the Massoretic text, but מֶלֶד The ancient construct case in Hebrew was formed by adding י to the root. Possibly this may be a survival of that usage. In this case the change is due to scribal blunder. When we turn to Jeremiah 25:25 and Jeremiah 51:11, 58, we have the same phrases used as here: this is probably the origin of the blunder. For any one to ground an argument, as does Professor Bevan, on this, and maintain that it proves the writer to have held that there were two separate empires - one of Media, and the other of Persia - is absurd. When the true reading is adopted, this passage proves the very reverse of that for which Professor Bevan contends. The reasoning of Kliefoth, that the distinction between plural and singular points to the fact that, while several kings reigned ever the Persian Empire, only one ruled over the Greek, is very ingenious, but, unfortunately, it has no foundation in fact. "King," it may be observed, stands for dynasty, only that in the crisis of history, when the two powers encountered, each was ruled and represented by one king - Persia by Darius Codomannus, and Greece by Alexander.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The two-horned
הַקְּרָנָ֑יִם (haq·qə·rā·nā·yim)
Article | Noun - fd
Strong's 7161: A horn, a flask, cornet, an elephant's tooth, a corner, a peak, a ray, power

ram
הָאַ֥יִל (hā·’a·yil)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 352: Strength, strong, a chief, a ram, a pilaster, an oak, strong tree

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you saw
רָאִ֖יתָ (rā·’î·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

represents the kings
מַלְכֵ֖י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Media
מָדַ֥י (mā·ḏay)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4074: Media -- a son of Japheth, also his descendants and their land

and Persia.
וּפָרָֽס׃ (ū·p̄ā·rās)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6539: Persia -- a country in west Asia which conquered Babylon


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OT Prophets: Daniel 8:20 The ram which you saw that had (Dan. Da Dn)
Daniel 8:19
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