- In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel — whose name was called Belteshazzar — and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long; and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.
- And in the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river which is Hiddekel, then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore, I was left alone and saw this great vision. And there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the voice of his words. And when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
- And behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto you and stand upright, for unto you am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come for your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what shall befall your people in the latter days, for yet the vision is for many days.
- And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground and I became dumb. And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? For as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.
- Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not. Peace be unto you; be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me. Then said he, Do you know why I come unto you? And now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia, and when I am gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece shall come. But I will show you that which is noted in the scripture of truth, and there is none that holds with me in these things but Michael, your prince. Also I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
- And now I will show you the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than they all; and by his strength through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. And a mighty king shall stand up that shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides those.
- And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes — and he shall be strong above him and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. And in the end of years, they shall join themselves together, for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the power of the arm, neither shall he stand, nor his arm, but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begot her, and he that strengthened her in these times. But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail, and shall also carry captives into Egypt — their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold. And he shall continue more years than the king of the north. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
- But his sons shall be stirred up and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through. Then shall he return and be stirred up, even to his fortress. And the king of the south shall be moved with anger, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north; and he shall set forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand. And when he has taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down many ten thousands, but he shall not be strengthened by it; for the king of the north shall return and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
- And in those times, there shall many stand up against the king of the south; also the robbers of your people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision, but they shall fall. So the king of the north shall come and cast up a mount, and take the most fortified cities. And the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. But he that comes against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him, and he shall stand in the glorious land which by his hand shall be consumed. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him. Thus shall he do, and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her; but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.
- After this shall he turn his face unto the isles and shall take many, but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach, he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land, but he shall stumble, and fall, and not be found. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom, but within few days he shall be destroyed — neither in anger nor in battle.
- And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom, but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflowed from before him and shall be broken — yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him, he shall work deceitfully, for he shall come up and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province, and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers: he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches; yea, and he shall devise plans against the strongholds, even for a time.
- And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his food shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow, and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper, for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into his land with great riches, and his heart shall be against the holy covenant, and he shall do exploits and return to his own land.
- At the time appointed, he shall return and come toward the south, but it shall not be as the former or as the latter, for the ships of Kittim shall come against him. Therefore, he shall be grieved and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant. So shall he do: he shall even return and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries, but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many, yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days.
- Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help, but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end, because it is yet for a time appointed.
- And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god, for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces, and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strongholds with a strange god whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory. And he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
- And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him, and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall enter into the countries and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land and many countries shall be overthrown, but these shall escape out of his hand — even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries and the land of Egypt shall not escape, but he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
- But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; therefore, he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
- And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
- Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, there stood other two — the one on this side of the bank of the river and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen — who was upon the waters of the river — How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto Heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
- And I heard, but I understood not. Then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred ninety days. Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred thirty-five days. But go your way until the end be, for you shall rest, and stand in your lot at the end of the days.
Chapter 10