13. In a private dream, what vision does Daniel have concerning four beasts and the rulership of the Kingdom?

¹³ Visions of the beasts (7:1–8:27). We return to “the first year of Belshazzar,” whose reign evidently began in 553 B.C.E. Daniel receives a private dream, which he records in Aramaic.g He sees four huge and fearsome beasts appear each in its turn. The fourth is unusually strong, and a small horn comes up among its other horns “speaking grandiose things.” (7:8) The Ancient of Days appears and takes his seat. “A thousand thousands” minister to him. “Someone like a son of man” comes before him and is “given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” (7:10, 13, 14) Daniel then receives the interpretation of the vision of the four beasts. They represent four kings, or kingdoms. From among ten horns on the fourth beast, a small horn arises. It becomes mighty and makes war on the holy ones. However, the heavenly Court steps in to give “the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens . . . to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One.”​—7:27.

(2) There follow Daniel’s private visions, the first being that of the four beasts, representing “four kings.” These are like a lion, a bear, a leopard with four heads, and a beast that has big teeth of iron, ten horns, and later a small horn. (7:1-8, 17-28)