Daniel 8:21 kjv
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
Daniel 8:21 nkjv
And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.
Daniel 8:21 niv
The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.
Daniel 8:21 esv
And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.
Daniel 8:21 nlt
The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire.
Daniel 8 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dan. 7:6 | "...another like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; and the beast had four heads; and dominion was given to it." | Fourth kingdom in Daniel's vision |
| Dan. 8:5 | "And as I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and did not touch the ground." | Introduction of the goat |
| Dan. 8:8 | "Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in its place four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven." | The horn breaks, four horns replace it |
| Dan. 11:3 | "Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will." | Description of a king's rise |
| Rev. 13:1 | "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were names of blasphemy." | Symbolic beast in Revelation |
| 1 Tim. 6:14 | "...that you keep this commandment without fault, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing," | Holding to God’s commands |
| Matt. 24:15 | "Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him who reads understand." | Reference to Daniel's prophecies |
| John 5:39 | "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." | Scriptures testifying to Christ |
| Acts 2:17 | "‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..." | Fulfillment of prophecy |
| 2 Tim. 3:16 | "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," | Divine inspiration of Scripture |
| Heb. 1:1-2 | "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by a Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;" | God speaking through prophets |
| Jer. 50:17 | "Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away; first the king of Assyria devoured him, and last this one, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, gnawed his bones." | Kings devouring Israel |
| Ezek. 21:25-27 | "Now to you, O profane wicked one, Israel's king, whose day has come, whose time of the final punishment has arrived! Thus says the Lord GOD: Remove the turban, and take off the crown; ... Exalt the low, and bring down the high. Overthrow, overthrow, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes to whom it is lawfully due, And I will give it to Him." | Judgment on earthly rulers |
| Luke 1:37 | "For with God nothing will be impossible.”" | Divine power over events |
| Rom. 8:28 | "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." | God's sovereign purpose |
| Ps. 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." | Guidance from God's word |
| Isa. 46:10 | "...Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done..." | God's foreknowledge |
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" | Christ as fulfillment |
| Acts 17:26 | "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling," | God's determination of times |
| Rev. 17:12 | "And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but they will receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast." | Future kings aligned with a beast |
Daniel 8 verses
Daniel 8 21 Meaning
The verse identifies the first male king of Greece as the notable goat. This goat represents a specific historical figure who rose to power and exerted significant influence. The significant horn signifies this ruler himself, who gained prominence and authority.
Daniel 8 21 Context
This verse is part of Daniel's vision in chapter 8, which deals with the rise and fall of various world powers symbolized by animals. The vision is given to Daniel in the third year of King Belshazzar of Babylon. The immediate context is the interpretation of the ram and goat imagery. The ram with two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia, while the goat with a conspicuous horn represents the king of Greece. This prophecy provides a significant glimpse into the succession of empires and the geopolitical landscape following the Medo-Persian empire.
Daniel 8 21 Word Analysis
the first: (Hebrew: רִאשׁוֹן - ri’shon) signifies primacy, either in time or in importance.
king: (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ - melekh) refers to a sovereign ruler.
of Greece: (Hebrew: יָוָן - Yavan) identifies the specific kingdom or empire.
was: (Hebrew: הָיָה - hayah) indicates a state of being or occurrence.
a: (Hebrew: אַיִל - ’ayil) refers to a ram, but here in the context of the vision, it's a translation referring to the goat from verse 5. It denotes a leader or king.
great: (Hebrew: גָּדֹל - gadol) emphasizes magnitude, power, or prominence.
horn: (Hebrew: קֶרֶן - qeren) is a symbol of power, strength, and royalty.
the male goat: (Hebrew: שָׂעִיר הַמִּצַּר - sa‘ir hamimtsar) This phrase refers to the powerful entity introduced earlier in the chapter. The specific Greek terms for goat (tragos) in the Septuagint translations confirm its identity. The ram symbolizes the Medo-Persian empire, and the he-goat symbolizes Greece.
and the notable horn that was between its eyes: This phrase is crucial. The "notable horn" is directly identified as the "first king." This signifies the individual founder or primary leader of the Greek empire. The location "between its eyes" suggests intelligence, focus, or perhaps a prominent position.
Daniel 8 21 Bonus Section
The imagery of a powerful animal with prominent horns is common in ancient Near Eastern art and symbolism, often representing kingship and power. The identification of Greece by the term "Javan" is consistent with its use in other Hebrew texts. The division of Alexander's empire is a well-documented historical event, with the Diadochi wars leading to the formation of the Hellenistic kingdoms. This specific prophecy’s alignment with historical outcomes has been a cornerstone for those who view the Book of Daniel as having predictive qualities.
Daniel 8 21 Commentary
Daniel 8:21 clearly identifies the "great horn" of the male goat as the first king of Greece. This prophetic declaration points to Alexander the Great, whose swift and extensive conquests dramatically reshaped the ancient world. His empire, though short-lived, effectively succeeded the Medo-Persian dominance as foretold in the vision. The phrase "between its eyes" emphasizes his significant and visible leadership. The subsequent breaking of this horn and the rise of four others in its place (verse 22) directly correlate with the division of Alexander's empire among his four generals after his death, further substantiating this interpretation. This prophecy serves as a powerful testament to the accurate foreknowledge of God concerning future empires and leaders.