Daniel 8 17

Daniel 8:17 kjv

So 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.

Daniel 8:17 nkjv

So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."

Daniel 8:17 niv

As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. "Son of man," he said to me, "understand that the vision concerns the time of the end."

Daniel 8:17 esv

So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, "Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end."

Daniel 8:17 nlt

As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. "Son of man," he said, "you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end."

Daniel 8 verses

Daniel 8 17 meaning

Daniel 8:17 conveys the initial overwhelming encounter between the prophet Daniel and the angel Gabriel, who has been sent to explain the vision of the ram and the goat. Gabriel addresses Daniel, acknowledging his human frailty in the presence of the divine, and unequivocally states that the entire vision concerns a specific future period referred to as "the time of the end," thus setting the eschatological scope of the prophecy.

Daniel 8 17 Context

Daniel 8:17 follows Daniel's vision of the ram and the goat, which depicts the overthrow of the Medo-Persian Empire by Greece (represented by a male goat with a prominent horn), and the subsequent rise of a "little horn" out of one of the four successor kingdoms of the Greek empire. This "little horn" would grow in power, desecrate the temple, and persecute God's people. Overwhelmed and perplexed by these profound and disturbing images, Daniel is seeking understanding (v. 15). Immediately before verse 17, Daniel heard a voice command Gabriel to explain the vision (v. 16), signaling the divine urgency for clarity. Thus, Gabriel's approach in verse 17 initiates this explanation, first by acknowledging Daniel's human reaction to the sacred and then by establishing the ultimate timeframe for the vision's complete fulfillment.

Daniel 8 17 Word analysis

• So he came near where I stood: "He" refers to the angel Gabriel (explicitly named in v. 16). Gabriel's approach signifies the initiation of direct, personal divine revelation and instruction, establishing proximity for clarity.
• when he came, I was afraid and fell on my face:
  • afraid (Heb. bahal, בָּהַל): Denotes being terrified, dismayed, or confounded. It reflects an immediate, instinctive human reaction of overwhelming terror and awe in the face of a divine messenger or presence. This response is common throughout scripture, indicating humanity's unworthiness and frailty before God's majesty.
  • fell on my face (Heb. wā'eppōl 'al-pānāy, וָאֶפֹּל עַל-פָּנָי): A posture of extreme humility, submission, and worship. It signifies deep reverence, terror, and a sense of absolute lowliness before the divine.
• But he said to me, "Understand, son of man":
  • But he said to me: Indicates a shift from Daniel's human reaction to Gabriel's divine instruction, moving the narrative forward from awe to understanding.
  • Understand (Heb. bîn, בִּין): An imperative command to discern, comprehend, or grasp the meaning fully. It highlights the critical importance of interpreting the prophetic message, emphasizing that this is not merely an image but a message to be processed intellectually and spiritually.
  • son of man (Heb. ben-'ādām, בֶּן-אָדָם): A recurring address, particularly in Ezekiel and other parts of Daniel (7:13 is a messianic usage), to emphasize the prophet's human, mortal nature in contrast to the divine source of the revelation. It grounds the transcendent vision in human experience, highlighting the vast gap between the heavenly messenger and the earthly recipient while also affirming God's direct communication with humanity.
• "that the vision is for the time of the end.":
  • the vision (Heb. chazon, חָזוֹן): Refers to the entire prophetic sequence Daniel just witnessed, including the ram, goat, and particularly the "little horn" and its actions.
  • for the time of the end (Heb. le'ēt qēṣ, לְעֵת קֵץ): This is the crucial interpretive key. Qēṣ means "end," "final limit." The phrase signifies a divinely appointed, specific eschatological period, not merely the conclusion of a particular historical phase (like the end of the Persian empire). It points to the ultimate culmination of history and God's plan before the final establishment of His kingdom. It sets the scope of the vision beyond immediate historical events to a prophetic future encompassing broader, decisive events leading to the consummation of ages.

Daniel 8 17 Bonus section

• The le'ēt qēṣ ("time of the end") in Daniel does not exclusively refer to a single, monolithic moment but rather a complex, divinely appointed period of final events that lead to God's ultimate intervention.
• The overwhelming physical reaction of Daniel (and others like him in scripture) to divine encounters underscores the biblical teaching on human creatureliness and God's absolute sovereignty and transcendence.
• The angel's instruction to "understand" implies that God's prophecies are given not just to confound but to be diligently studied and comprehended, albeit with divine aid.

Daniel 8 17 Commentary

Daniel 8:17 serves as the interpretive key for the preceding vision of the ram and goat. Gabriel's words reveal that the vision's ultimate and primary focus extends beyond the immediate historical events to a far-off eschatological "time of the end." This specific phrase signifies not merely the conclusion of one historical empire but the final period preceding God's ultimate and eternal kingdom. Daniel's overwhelming fear and prostration reflect the universal human response to encountering the holy, emphasizing his humility and dependence on divine illumination. Gabriel's command to "understand" places the onus on Daniel—and by extension, the reader—to carefully discern God's message for this ultimate future. By calling Daniel "son of man," the angel highlights both the prophet's mortality, affirming the depth of God's condescension in revealing such weighty truths to a mere human, and his representation of humanity's reception of divine truth. This verse establishes that the unfolding events described in the vision find their complete and definitive meaning in God's ultimate timeline.