Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 7:3

And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

3. came up from the sea ] Cf. Rev 13:1; 2Es 11:1 ; 2Es 13:3 (R.V.).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And four great beasts came up from the sea – Not at once, but in succession. See the following verses. Their particular form is described in the subsequent verses. The design of mentioning them here, as coming up from, the sea, seems to have been to show that this succession of kingdoms sprang from the agitations and commotions among the nations represented by the heaving ocean. It is not uncommon for the prophets to make use of animals to represent or symbolize kingdoms and nations – usually by some animal which was in a manner peculiar to the land that was symbolized, or which abounded there. Thus in Isa 27:1, leviathan, or the dragon, or crocodile, is used to represent Babylon. See the note at that passage. In Eze 29:3-5, the dragon or the crocodile of the Nile is put for Pharaoh; in Eze 32:2, Pharaoh is compared to a young lion, and to a whale in the seas. In Psa 74:13-14, the kingdom of Egypt is compared to the dragon and the leviathan.

So on ancient coins, animals are often used as emblems of kingdoms, as it may be added, the lion and the unicorn represent Great Britain now, and the eagle the United States. It is well remarked by Lengerke (in loc.), that when the prophets design to represent kingdoms that are made up of other kingdoms, or that are combined by being brought by conquest under the power of others, they do this, not by any single animal as actually found in nature, but by monsters – fabulous beings that are compounded of others, in which the peculiar qualities of different animals are brought together – as in the case of the lion with eagles wings. Thus in Rev 13:1, the Romish power is represented by a beast coming out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, Compare it. Ezra (Apocry.) 11:1, where an eagle is represented as coming from the sea with twelve feathered wings and three heads. As an illustration of the attempts made in the apocryphal writings to imitate the prophets, the whole of chapter 11 and chapter 12 of the second book of Ezra may be referred to.

Diverse one from another – Though they all came up from the same abyss, yet they differed from each other – denoting, doubtless, that though the successive kingdoms referred to would all rise out of the nations represented by the agitated sea, yet that in important respects they would differ from each other.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 3. Four great beasts came up from the sea] The term sea, in Hebrew yam, from hamah, to be tumultuous, agitated, c., seems to be used here to point out the then known terraqueous globe, because of its generally agitated state and the four winds striving, point out those predatory wars that prevailed almost universally among men, from the days of Nimrod, the founder of the Assyrian or Babylonish monarchy, down to that time, and in the end gave birth to the four great monarchies which are the subject of this vision.

Diverse one from another.] The people were different; the laws and customs different; and the administration of each differently executed.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

That is, four great monarchies,

great in comparison of particular kingdoms that were little to them; beasts for their idolatry, and tyrannical oppressions and depredations.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

3. beastsnot livinganimals, as the cherubic four in Re4:7 (for the original is a different word from “beasts,”and ought to be there translated, living animals). Thecherubic living animals represent redeemed man, combining in himselfthe highest forms of animal life. But the “beasts” hererepresent the world powers, in their beast-like, grovellingcharacter. It is on the fundamental harmony between nature andspirit, between the three kingdoms of nature, history, andrevelation, that Scripture symbolism rests. The selection of symbolsis not arbitrary, but based on the essence of things.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And four great beasts came up from the sea,…. Which are afterwards interpreted of four kings or kingdoms, Da 7:17, which rose up in the world, not at once, but successively, and out of the sea or world, through the commotions and agitations of it; and these are the four monarchies, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman; compared to “beasts”, because of the rapine and violence, cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, by which they were obtained, set up, supported, and maintained; and to “great ones”, being not like single separate kingdoms, as the kingdom of Israel, and the like, but consisting of many kingdoms and nations, and so like beasts of an enormous size:

diverse one from another; in their situation, language, manner, strength, and power; hence expressed by divers sorts of beasts, as the lion, bear, leopard, c. as in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by different metals, gold, silver, brass, and iron.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

After Daniel had beheld these great commotions which were shaking the earth in different parts, another vision was offered to him. What has already been said concerning the troubled sea and the conflict of the winds, is extended to the four monarchies, concerning which we shall now treat. A certain preparation is intended when God offers to the eyes of his Prophet a turbulent sea produced by the conflict of the winds. Just as if he should say — after these troubles others shall spring up; thus men will wait for peace and tranquillity in vain, for they must suffer under fresh agitation’s. Now, the kind of trouble is expressed, by the words, four beasts proceed out of the sea. Hence that concussion, those storms, and that confused disturbance of the whole world through one kingdom succeeding to another. It can scarcely happen that any kingdom can perish without involving others in its ruin. A single edifice can scarcely fall without the crash being heard far and wide, and the earth seeming to gape at its overthrow. Then, what must happen when the most powerful monarchies so suddenly perish? Hence in this verse Daniel shows how the world is like a troubled sea, since violent changes among its empires were then at hand. The comparison of empires to beasts is easily explained. We know how God’s glory and power are resplendent in all kingdoms, if they are rightly conducted after the law of equity. But since we often see the truth of what was said to Alexander, — The greatest kingdoms are the greatest robberies, and very few absorb the whole power in a great empire, and exercise a cruel and excessive tyranny. Here the Prophet compares empires to great and savage beasts, of which he will afterwards treat. Now we understand the meaning of the words: and we may learn this lesson from what usually happens in the empires of the world; in themselves, as I have said, they are most beautiful reflections of the divine wisdom, virtue, and justice, although those who obtain supreme sway very rarely acknowledge themselves divinely created for the discharge of their office. As, therefore, kings are mostly tyrants, full of cruelty and barbarity, and forgetful of humanity, the Prophet marks this vice as springing from themselves and not from the sacred ordinance of God. Let us proceed, —

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(3) Four great beasts.The monstrous forms of the beasts are implied, rather than the hugeness of their size. Other instances of beasts being taken as emblems of kingdoms may be found in Isa. 27:1; Eze. 29:3; Eze. 32:2. It must be observed that the beasts do not rise up simultaneously, but in succession to each other. In this way, and in the difference of their character, they form a parallel to the subject-matter of the vision recorded in Daniel 2.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Dan 7:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Ver. 3. And four great beasts. ] Regnorum feritas bestiarum nomine demonstratur, saith Jerome. The fierceness of the four kingdoms is set forth by the name of beasts. Bellum a belluis. Monarchies are mostly gotten, kept, and governed with violence and tyranny. Psa 76:4 Son 4:8 Regna mundana parantur et retinentur bellis. Commune vitium monarchiis et tyrannis.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)