Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 7:11
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
11. The beast representing the fourth empire is slain, and utterly destroyed, on account of the blasphemies of Antiochus Epiphanes ( Dan 7:8), the idea being that the guilt of the empire culminated in him. The writer thinks of empires only, not of individuals; and it is impossible to say what he pictured to himself as being the fate of the individuals of whom the fourth empire consisted.
I beheld, &c.] The second ‘I beheld’ is resumptive of the first, after the intervening clause introduced by because a construction of which there are many examples in Hebrew (e.g. Lev 17:5; Jdg 11:31; Zec 8:23). I beheld till, as Dan 7:9. The clause because, &c., though apparently giving the reason for ‘I beheld,’ gives in reality the reason for ‘the beast was slain,’ &c.
and his body destroyed ] The empire being represented by an animal, its ‘body’ will correspond to the fabric, or political organization, of the State. This is to be utterly brought to an end.
and he was given to be burned with fire (R.V.)] lit. to the burning of fire (cf. Isa 64:11, lit. ‘has become for the burning of fire), i.e. to complete destruction. It is hardly likely that there is any allusion here to the torments of the wicked after death, for though in parts of Enoch, written probably within 50 years of Daniel (10:13, 21:7 10, 90:24 27), mention is made of a fiery place of punishment for wicked angels and men, had that been intended here it is probable that it would have been indicated more distinctly, to say nothing of the fact that, as remarked just above, it is the fate of empires, not of individuals, that the writer has in view. Rev 19:20; Rev 20:10 are not sufficient proof that the author of Daniel had the idea here in his mind.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake – I was attracted by these words – by their arrogance, and haughtiness, and pride; and I saw that it was on account of these mainly that the solemn judgment proceeded against the beast. The attitude of the seer here is this – he heard arrogant and proud words uttered by the horn, and he waited in deep attention, and in earnest expectation, to learn what judgment would be pronounced. He had seen Dan 7:8 that horn spring up and grow to great power, and utter great things; he had then seen, immediately on this, a solemn and sublime preparation for judgment, and he now waited anxiously to learn what sentence would be pronounced. The result is stated in the subsequent part of the verse.
I beheld – I continued beholding. This would seem to imply that it was not done at once, but that some time intervened.
Even until the beast was slain – The fourth beast: what had the ten horns, and on which the little horn had sprung up. This was the result of the judgment. It is evidently implied here that the beast was slain on account of the words uttered by the horn that sprang up, or that the pride and arrogance denoted by that symbol were the cause of the fact that the beast was put to death. It is not said by whom the beast would be slain; but the fair meaning is, that the procuring cause of that death would be the Divine judgment, on account of the pride and arrogancy of the horn that sprang up in the midst of the others. If the beast represents a mighty monarchy that would exist on the earth and the little horn a new power that would spring out of that, then the fulfillment is to be found in such a fact as this – that this power, so mighty and terrible formerly, and that crushed down the nations, would, under the Divine judgment, be ultimately destroyed, on account of the nature of the authority claimed. We are to look for the accomplishment of this in some such state of things as that of a new power springing out of an existing dominion, that the existing dominion still remains, but was so much controlled by the new power, that it would be necessary to destroy the former on account of the arrogance and pride of what sprang from it. In other words, the destruction of the kingdom represented by the fourth beast would be, as a Divine judgment, on account of the arrogancy of that represented by the little horn.
And his body destroyed – That is, there would be a destruction of the kingdom here represented as much as there would be of the beast if his body was destroyed. The power of that kingdom, as such, is to come to an end.
And given to the burning flame – Consumed. This would represent, in strong terms, that the power here symbolized by the beast would be utterly destroyed. It is not, however, necessary to suppose that this is to be the mode in which it would be done, or that it would be by fire. It is to be remembered that all this is symbol, and no one part of the symbol should be taken literally more than another, nor is it congruous to suppose there would be a literal consuming fire in the case anymore than that there would be literally a beast, or ten horns, or a little horn, The fair meaning is, that there would be as real a destruction as if it were accomplished by fire; or a destruction of which fire would be the proper emblem. The allusion is here, probably, to the fact that the dead bodies of animals were often consumed by fire.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. I beheld then because of the voice (or, the beast will be destroyed because) of the great words which the horn spake – his body destroyed] When the dominion was taken from the rest of the beasts, their bodies were not destroyed, but suffered to continue still in being; but when the dominion shall be taken away from this beast, his body shall be totally destroyed; because other kingdoms succeeded to those, but no other earthly kingdom shall succeed to this. – Bishop Newton.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This cannot but be meant of the ruin and judgment of antichrist, till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame, 2Th 2:8; Rev 17:8; 19:20; 20:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Here is set forth theexecution on earth of the judgment pronounced in the unseen heavenlycourt of judicature (Dan 7:9;Dan 7:10).
body . . . given to . . .flame (Re 19:20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake,…. Or, “from the voice” t; from the time it was heard, the prophet continued looking to see what would be the issue of all this; especially from the time he heard the little horn speak such blasphemous things against God, and Christ, and his people, which were so intolerable, that he concluded some notice would be taken of them in a way of correction and punishment; and the rather, when he saw the Judge appear with so much majesty and grandeur, and all things prepared for a judicial process:
I beheld even till the beast was slain; the fourth beast, the Roman monarchy, to which a period will be put, and be utterly abolished in every form and shape, and with it the little horn or Papacy; when the beast on which the whore of Rome sits and rules, and by whom she is supported, will go into perdition; and she herself shall be made desolate and naked, her flesh eaten, and she burned with fire by the ten horns, or kings, that shall rise up against her, being filled with hatred to her, Re 17:3:
and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame; when Rome with all its power and wealth shall cease, and be no more, the whole body of the antichristian states shall perish; the city of Rome shall be burnt with fire; the beast and false prophet shall be taken and cast into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone, Re 18:8.
t “a voce”, Montanus, Cocceius; “ex quo coepit vox”, Vatablus, Junius Tremellius “ex quo audita fuit vox”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The construction of this verse is disputed. The second ( I was seeing) repeats the first for the purpose of carrying on the line of thought broken by the interposed sentence. ( then) is separated by the accents from the first and joined to the clause following: “then on account of the voice of the great words.” By this interposed sentence the occasion of the judgment which Daniel sees passed upon the beast is once more brought to view. , “on account of the voice of the words,” i.e., on account of the loud words, not “ from the time of the words, or from the time when the voice of the great words made itself heard” (Klief.). The following expression, ( till that), does not by any means require the temporal conception . To specify the terminus a quo of the vision was as little necessary here as in the , Dan 7:9. The temporal conception of alters not only the parallelism of the passage Dan 7:9 and Dan 7:11, but also the course of thought in the representation, according to which Daniel remains overwhelmed during the vision till all the separate parts of it have passed before his view, i.e., till he has seen the close of the judgment. The first part of this scene consists of the constituting of the judgment (Dan 7:9, Dan 7:10), the second of the death and extinction of the horn speaking great things (Dan 7:11), with which is connected (Dan 7:12) the mention of the destruction of the dominion of the other beasts. If one considers that the words “ I beheld till that” correspond with the like expression in Dan 7:9, he will not seek, with Kran., in the a reference to a lasting process of judicial execution ending with destruction. The thought is simply this: Daniel remained contemplating the vision till the beast was slain, etc. ( the beast) is, by virtue of the explanatory sentence interposed in the first hemistich, the horn speaking great things. The ungodly power of the fourth beast reaches its climax in the blaspheming horn; in this horn, therefore, the beast is slain and destroyed, while its body is given to the burning. ( to the burning fire) corresponds with the Hebr. , Isa 64:10. The burning in the fire is not the mere figure of destruction, specially justified by the thunder-storm which gathered as a veil around the scene of judgment (Kran.), for there is no mention of a storm either in Dan 7:9 or anywhere else in this entire vision. The supposition that the burning is only the figure of destruction, as e.g., in Isa 9:4, is decidedly opposed by the parallel passages, Isa 66:14, which Daniel had in view, and Rev 19:20 and Rev 20:10, where this prophecy is again taken up, and the judgment is expressed by a being cast into a like of fire with everlasting torment; so that v. Lengerke is right when he remarks that this passage speaks of the fiery torments of the wicked after death, and thus that a state of retribution after death is indicated.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Since the presumptuous speaking of the little horn terrified the Prophet, he now says he was attentive in considering this portion. He next says, The beast was slain, and his body was consumed by the burning of fire. This ought clearly to be referred to the end of the Roman empire. For, from the time when foreigners obtained the mastery, the fourth beast ceased to flourish. The name was always retained, yet with great mockery of that ancient monarchy. I now omit all mention of Caligula, Nero, Domitian, and similar monsters. But when Spaniards and Africans acquired the absolute sway, can we call Rome any longer the mistress of the world? Surely this would be foolish indeed! To this very day the Germans also say they possess the Roman empire; but while the title of empire has passed to the Germans, clearly enough Rome is at this very day in slavery. For as to the Pope having erected his own throne there, this empire is unworthy of the name of monarchy; but whatever be our view of this point, for about 1500 years the Romans have been in bondage as slaves to foreign princes. For, after the death of Nero:, Trajan was his successor, and from that time scarcely a single Roman obtained the empire; and God branded it with the, most disgraceful marks of ignominy, when a swine-herd was created emperor, and that too by the lust of the soldiery! The senate retained its name till then; But. if it pleased the soldiers to create any one a Caesar, the senate was immediately compelled to submit to their dictation. Thus, the Prophet with great propriety says, The beast was slain shortly after the promulgation of the gospel. Then the presumptuous speaking of the little horn was at an end, and the fourth beast was extinct about the same time. For then no Roman became an Emperor who claimed for himself any share of power; but Rome itself fell into disgraceful slavery, and not only foreigners reigned there most shamefully, but even barbarians, swine-herds, and cow-herds! All this occurred in fulfillment of what God had shown to his Prophet, namely, after the coming of Christ and the opening of the books, that is — after the knowledge which shone upon the world through the preaching of the gospel — the destruction of that fourth beast and of the Roman empire was close at hand.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
APPENDIX
IN relation to the prediction in Dan. 7:11, regarding the destruction by fire of the body of the Beast or fourth universal empire, that immediately preceding the kingdom of the Son of Man, and of the saintshis body being given to the burning flamescience has recently indicated another way in which this judgment might be inflicted on apostate Christendom and the Antichristian kingdoms. The following extract from the Spectator, in relation to a recent conclusion of astronomy, only met the writers eye while the preceding work was in the press:We sometimes doubt whether the worlds belief in science is quite as genuine as it seems. Here is Mr. Proctor, whose astronomical authority and ability nobody doubts, has told the world for some time back, we believe, that there is really a very considerable chance of a catastrophe only fifteen years hence, which may put an end to us and our earthly hopes and fears altogether; and, so far as we can see, the world has blandly treated Mr. Proctors warning as it would have treated an interesting speculation on the future of electricitythat is, has regarded it with a certain mild, literary satisfaction, but has not made any change in its arrangements in consequence. Yet, supposing Mr. Proctors facts to be correctly statedon which we should like to have the judgment of other astronomersthere does seem a remarkably good chance that in 1897 the sun will suddenly break out into the same kind of intensity of heat and light which caused the conflagration in the star of the Northern Crown in 1866, when for a day or two the heat and light emitted by it became suddenly many hundreds of times greater than they were before, after which the star relapsed into its former relative insignificance. Those few days of violence, however, must have been enough to destroy completely all vegetable and animal life in the planets circulating round that sun, if such planets were in existence; and Mr. Proctor shows no little reason to believe that the same catastrophe may very probably happen to us, doubtless from a precisely similar cause, if the astronomers who believe that the comet of 1880 was identical with the comet of 1843 and the comet of 1668 should be right,which would imply that the same comet, with a rapidly diminishing period, is likely to return and fall into the sun, with all its meteoric appendages, in or about the year 1897. Mr. Proctor tells us that Professor Winnecke believes that the identity of the comets of 1843 and 1880 hardly admits of a doubt; while Mr. Marth thinks that both may be identical with the comet of 1668, its velocity having been reduced by its passing through the corona of the sun; so that on its next return, in a considerably reduced time, it may be altogether unable to pass out of the sphere of the suns influence, and may precipitate itself, with all its meteoric train, into the mass of the sun. If this event occursas at some return or other Mr. Proctor believes to be nearly certain(the next but one, we suppose, if not the next), there will certainly be an abrupt arrest of an enormous momentum as the long train of meteors enters the sun, which arrest would show itself in the shape of enormously increased heat,the probable result whereof would be the burning up of all vegetable and animal life existing on the planets of the solar system. It is true that Mr. Proctor is not quite sure how the absorption of this comet and its train into the sun would really affect us. He is by no means certain that our sun would burst into flame, as the star in the Northern Crown did in 1866, but he evidently thinks it much more likely than not. And he does not seriously doubt that in the behaviour of the star in the Northern Crown, which so suddenly broke into flame in 1866, we have the example of a real sidereal catastrophe which from time to time either actually destroys, or would destroy, if they existed, such worlds as ours, if they happen to be the planets of a sun thus suddenly fed with a great accession of cosmic heat.
In connection with the same subject the writer has recently met with the following passage in Mr. Garrats Midnight Cry, written about twenty years ago:The fiery flood. So it is described in Peters second epistle. The destruction of the ungodly will be by fire; and out of that fire will issue the new heavens and the new earth. The question is often asked, whether that event will happen at the commencement or the close of the millennium. Perhaps, in different degrees, at both. Isaiah says, speaking of a period prior to the thousand years, By fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. And he seems also to place the creation of new heavens and a new earth at the same period; while it is after the millennium, John says in Revelation, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. This and many other apparent difficulties of the same nature are easily explained. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The whole millennium is, in Gods eye, but a daythe great day of the Lord God Almighty. It is the regeneration,the period of earths new birth; and the events at its commencement and its close are sometimes looked upon as one. God will destroy His enemies with fire at the beginning of these thousand years. The conflagration at their close will be still more terrible. Both are looked upon as one event. And it is to both, regarded as one, that the words of Peter apply: The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. It will come as a thief in the night on the world. They will be alone, because the Church will have been translated. With what bitter remorse will men look on the fiery deluge as it comes sweeping along! They might have escaped, and they would not; and now escape is impossible.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(11) Because of . . .The blasphemy uttered by the little horn was the cause of the judgment, and being such, it attracted Daniels attention. We might have expected that the crowning scene of this vision would have been the uprooting of the little horn and the complete destruction of it, but it appears that the blaspheming spirit with which it was inspired issued from the fourth monster, which was slain and burned.
Burning flame.Such is the doctrine of final retribution, as revealed to Daniel. (Comp. Isa. 66:24; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:10.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. The crimes of the beast (the Syrian empire, Dan 7:7) having been revealed from the open book, the divine judgment of death by fire is pronounced. The burning of the beast is because of the blasphemies of the little horn. “The punishment among the Babylonians was burning.” Thomson. This symbolism is elaborated by a later and greater apocalyptist (Rev 19:20).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘I was beholding then (what would result) from the voice of the great words which the horn spoke, I beheld even until the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed, and he was given to be burned with fire. And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. Yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.’
These two verses warn us against assuming that in the vision one thing just follows after another. It is a summary of what happens, and what has happened previously, without regard for chronology. It starts at the end and backtracks. It is a dream. Firstly he declares what will be the effect of God’s activity through the court because of the great words spoken by the horn (the small one), what will result from his words. Its result will be that the beast on which it grew will be slain. Its body will be destroyed, it will be handed over to the fire, just as had happened to God’s people in chapter 3. God’s people had been accused of blasphemy and handed over to the fire. So will it be done to the great and terrible beast because of the blasphemy of the little horn. The fires of God (Dan 7:10) will destroy it.
But then Dan 7:12 deals with previous judgments of the court, God’s activity on the other three beasts as He observed them through the centuries. One by one their dominion had been taken away from them by sentence of the court, but they had been allowed to go on as parts of other empires until the final end of the fourth beast. Their lives had been preserved ‘for a season and a time’, that is, for God’s determined period.
To be consistent with chapter 2, where all are destroyed together, this must refer back to the times when each one was replaced, but was allowed to continue, although without having the dominion, until the destruction of the fourth beast, when they too will be destroyed. But there will be no amelioration or delay in respect of the fourth beast. Its destruction will be total and complete, and at that time all empire will be destroyed. So the scene in heaven above refers to a continual judgment scene which monitors activities on earth and deals with them as they arise.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 7:11. I beheld then because of the voice, &c. The beast will be destroyed, because of the great words which the horn spake. The destruction of the beast will be the destruction of the horn also; and consequently the horn is a part of the fourth beast, or of the Roman empire. Bishop Newton.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Dan 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Ver. 11. I beheld even till the beast was slain. ] Till the whole body of the monster, and with it the Papal kingdom, came to ruin. This Bellarmine confesseth, and lamenteth that ever since we began to call the Pope Antichrist, the Church of Rome hath suffered loss. Cotton, the Jesuit, confesseth that the authority of the Pope is incomparably less than it was, and that now the Christian Church is but a diminutive.
And his body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the horn spake = the horn kept speaking.
the beast. At length we learn who “the (little) horn” is See note on Dan 7:8 and Rev 19:20.
the burning flame. Compare 2Th 1:7-10; 2Th 2:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 7:11
Dan 7:11 I beheldH1934 H2370 thenH116 because ofH4481 the voiceH7032 of the greatH7260 wordsH4406 whichH1768 the hornH7162 spake:H4449 I beheldH1934 H2370 even tillH5705 H1768 the beastH2423 was slain,H6992 and his bodyH1655 destroyed,H7 and givenH3052 to the burningH3346 flame.H785
Dan 7:11
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
At that time, because of the great words coming from the little horn, the eleventh horn, Daniel focused his attention on it. And he watched until the beast on which the horn set was destroyed and burned. This is the judgment and death of Imperial Rome as a world power. The fulfillment of this prophecy is found in yet another prophetic statement in Rev 19:20-21.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the voice: Dan 7:8, Dan 7:25, 2Pe 2:18, Jud 1:16, Rev 13:5, Rev 13:6, Rev 20:4, Rev 20:12
even: Dan 7:26, Dan 8:25, Dan 11:45, 2Th 2:8, Rev 18:8, Rev 19:20, Rev 20:10
Reciprocal: Psa 94:4 – boast Dan 7:20 – the ten horns Dan 8:23 – a king Mat 24:29 – Immediately Rev 17:8 – go
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 7:11. Two creatures or institutions are referred to in this verse, and they seem to be in collusion for the one purpose of depriving men of their personal liberty of thought and action. Those two creatures are the horn and beast, The first is the papacy and the second is the world empire ot Rome. We do not usually think of these as being in the same class, for one is political and the other is religious; yet they both were opposed to the personal liberty mentioned a few lines above. It is true that the papacy was formed many years after the kingdom was started that the God of heaven was to set up. And it is true also that the beast (Rome) continued many years after it was Btarted, But it received the “death stroke when that heavenly kingdom was set up and some time was required for it to succumb to the stroke. But knowing that it would do so, God directed a vision that is to be dated according to the time of the “stroke,” some more particulars of the same which will be seen in the following verses. Beast was slain is the event resulting from the “death stroke stated above, and the turning flame is the fiery stream, of verse 10,
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 7:11-12. I beheld then Chaldee, , I was attentive, spectabam attentus, I beheld attentively, as Grotius renders it; because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake See on Dan 7:25. I was desirous of knowing, and looked carefully to see what would be the end of this matter, more particularly on account of the arrogant and boasting words which the horn spake. I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed This signified, that no other earthly kingdom should succeed to this, but that when an entire end should be put to it, and the ten kingdoms included in it, then the kingdom of Christ should succeed, as is more fully set forth toward the end of this chapter. We may observe, that it is not only said of this fourth beast, that he was slain, but that his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame; that is, made entirely extinct, as every thing is that is burned in the fire; whereas it is said, concerning the rest of the beasts, that though they had their dominion taken away, their lives were prolonged for a season and time. Their bodies were not destroyed, as that of the fourth beast, but they were suffered to continue still in being; that is, other kingdoms of the same nature, though different in some particulars, succeeded to them. The destruction of the beast, it must be observed, will be the destruction of the horn also, and consequently the horn is a part of the fourth beast, or of the Roman empire.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:11 I beheld then {y} because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
(y) Meaning that he was astonished when he saw these emperors in such dignity and pride, so suddenly destroyed at the coming of Christ, when this fourth monarchy was subject to men of other nations.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The return to prose language signals the shift in Daniel’s observation from heaven to earth, and the content of the revelation confirms this change. The boastful words of "the horn" (Dan 7:8) kept attracting Daniel’s attention. God passed judgment on the fourth beast and destroyed it along with all its horns (cf. Luk 21:24-27; Rev 19:20). Similarly, the stone cut out without hands crushed the toes of the image in chapter 2-suddenly and violently.