Daniel 7 5

Daniel 7:5 kjv

And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Daniel 7:5 nkjv

"And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'

Daniel 7:5 niv

"And there before me was a second beast, 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. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!'

Daniel 7:5 esv

And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, 'Arise, devour much flesh.'

Daniel 7:5 nlt

Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, "Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!"

Daniel 7 verses

Daniel 7 5 meaning

Daniel 7:5 describes the second beast in Daniel's prophetic vision, characterized as being "like a bear." This beast is shown "raised up on one side," with "three ribs in its mouth between its teeth," and an instruction to "Arise, devour much flesh." It represents a second great world empire that would succeed the first (Babylon), marked by distinct features of ferocity, imbalance, and aggressive conquest. The vision foretells its nature and actions as part of God's overarching plan for human history, specifically in the Near East.

Daniel 7 5 Context

Daniel chapter 7 recounts a vision Daniel received in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon (approximately 553/550 BC), which chronologically predates chapters 5 and 6. This vision, parallel to Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel chapter 2, depicts the succession of four world empires from Daniel's time until the establishment of God's eternal kingdom. While Daniel 2 used inorganic materials (gold, silver, bronze, iron), Daniel 7 employs monstrous beasts from the sea, emphasizing their fierce, predatory nature and their threat to God's people. The "sea" often symbolizes the turbulent nations of the world, and these beasts represent pagan empires. Verse 5 introduces the second of these empires, immediately following the Babylonian Empire.

Daniel 7 5 Word analysis

• And suddenly (וַאֲרוּ - wa'ărû): This Aramaic particle emphasizes a swift, surprising appearance, indicating the abrupt transition between world powers in the divine plan.
• another (אׇחֳרִי - 'ochori): Simply denotes distinctness from the first beast, signifying a different kingdom that succeeds the previous one.
• beast (חֵיוָה - cheyva): General term for a living creature, here specifically a wild animal, denoting ferocity and predatory nature common in prophetic symbolism for empires.
• a second (תִּנְיָנָה - tinyanah): Explicitly numbers it as the next in the sequence of world powers, establishing a chronological succession.
• like a bear (לְדֹב - ledov): The Hebrew word dov for "bear" here is used in Aramaic context. Bears symbolize brutal strength, territoriality, and destructive power, often depicted as clumsy yet terrifyingly effective in their violence.
• And it was raised up (וּבַצַּד אֶחָד הֳקִמַת - uvatsad echad hohkimat): The Aramaic verb hohkimat (from קוּם - qum, "to rise/stand") is in the causative form, suggesting it was caused to rise or established. "On one side" (tsad echad) implies an imbalance or a dominant part, frequently interpreted as the Persian element dominating the Median, or a directional rise to power.
• on one side (בַּצַּד אֶחָד - vatzad echad): Suggests imbalance, one side being more prominent or powerful than the other. This directly points to the Medo-Persian Empire, where Persia eventually eclipsed Media, though the initial alliance formed the foundation.
• and three ribs (וּתְלָת עִלְעִין - utlath il'in): The Aramaic il'in refers to ribs or sides. These are distinct objects in its mouth. The number 'three' is significant, often interpreted as three major conquests or categories of conquest by the empire, or simply symbolic of aggressive, acquisitive gluttony.
• in its mouth (בְּפֻמַּהּ - b'pumah): Literally "in its mouth," emphasizing its grasp and intention to consume or control these conquests.
• between its teeth (בֵּין שִׁנַּהּ - beyn shinnaha): Reinforces the imagery of the beast having just devoured or being about to devour these ribs, highlighting its brutal, crushing power and rapacious nature.
• And they said thus to it (וְכֵן אָמְרִין לַהּ - veken am'rin lah): The verb amrin (they said) is an impersonal passive, indicating a divine decree or a general understanding from a higher authority.
• ‘Arise, devour much flesh’ (קוּמִי אֲכֻלִי בְּשַׂר שַׂגִּיא - kumi akuli besar saggiy): An imperative command, implying a divinely ordained mission for conquest. "Devour much flesh" highlights its expansive and destructive conquests, satisfying its ravenous nature.

Daniel 7 5 Bonus section

The choice of animals in Daniel's vision—a lion, bear, leopard, and a terrifying unnamed beast—is significant. These creatures move progressively from majestic (lion) to powerful but less noble (bear), to swift (leopard), and finally to purely monstrous (fourth beast), suggesting a degeneration of human rule, escalating in ferocity and deviation from natural order. The bear, as the second beast, thus stands as a crucial transition, representing a significant shift in imperial characteristics following the "golden" Babylonian period. This particular vision provides a divine commentary on human history, portraying earthly kingdoms through symbols that strip away their perceived glory, revealing their underlying predatory nature in contrast to God's righteous and eternal kingdom. This also serves as a subtle polemic against the hubris of human empires, reminding their citizens that true power does not lie in their hands, but with the divine sovereign who reveals and interprets these visions.

Daniel 7 5 Commentary

Daniel 7:5 provides a striking prophetic portrait of the Medo-Persian Empire, understood as the second kingdom in Daniel's vision and paralleling the silver chest and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan 2:32, 39). The "bear" aptly symbolizes this empire's character: known for its immense, brute strength, slower movement than the preceding "lion with eagle's wings" (Babylon), and yet incredibly ferocious and destructive when aroused. The empire's power was substantial, extending across a vast territory, yet it lacked the sophisticated agility often attributed to its predecessors or successors.

The detail that the bear was "raised up on one side" points to the political reality of the Medo-Persian union, where Persia eventually gained supremacy over Media, forming an unbalanced but mighty dual monarchy. This distinction is crucial, as the empire's power was not uniformly distributed but arose with one component (Persia) dominating the other, particularly under leaders like Cyrus the Great.

The "three ribs in its mouth between its teeth" are most commonly interpreted as significant conquests or regions that contributed to the empire's might. While specific interpretations vary—Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt being prominent candidates due to their strategic importance and wealth—the core meaning is that the empire was rapacious, conquering fiercely to build its power and wealth. The ribs represent its acquisitions, held securely and ruthlessly consumed, signifying its brutal, exploitative approach to governance over vanquished nations. The command to "Arise, devour much flesh" confirms this character, showing a divinely permitted (though not approved) period of aggressive expansion and dominance. This imagery reinforces that the empire’s actions, despite their human motivation, served a role in God's broader sovereign plan, bringing judgment upon existing powers and setting the stage for future events, eventually leading to the coming of His eternal kingdom. It teaches us that even the most formidable human empires are tools or subjects within God's ultimate historical narrative.