Daniel 7:4
New International Version
“The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.

New Living Translation
The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

English Standard Version
The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.

Berean Standard Bible
The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.

King James Bible
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

New King James Version
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

New American Standard Bible
The first was like a lion but had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and set up on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.

NASB 1995
“The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.

NASB 1977
“The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.

Legacy Standard Bible
The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; and a heart of a man was given to it.

Amplified Bible
The first (the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar) was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind was given to it.

Christian Standard Bible
“The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The first was like a lion but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.”

American Standard Version
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man; and a man's heart was given to it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The Kingdom of the Babylonians: The first was like a lion, and had the wings of an eagle. I was seeing that its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the Earth, and it stood upon its feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to it

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The first was as a lioness, and her wings as an eagle's; I beheld until her wings were plucked, ands she was lifted off from the earth, and she stood on human feet, and a man's heart was given to her.

Contemporary English Version
The first was like a lion with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted to an upright position and made to stand on two feet, just like a human, and it was given a human mind.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The first was like a lioness, and had the wings of an eagle: I beheld till her wings were plucked off, and she was lifted up from the earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to her.

English Revised Version
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The first animal was like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human and was given a human mind.

Good News Translation
The first one looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. While I was watching, the wings were torn off. The beast was lifted up and made to stand up straight. And then a human mind was given to it.

International Standard Version
The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles' wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul was imparted to it.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon two feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

Literal Standard Version
The first [is] like a lion, and it has an eagle’s wings. I was seeing until its wings have been plucked, and it has been lifted up from the earth, and on feet as a man it has been caused to stand, and a heart of man is given to it.

Majority Standard Bible
The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.

New American Bible
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings. While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a human being, and given a human mind.

NET Bible
"The first one was like a lion with eagles' wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it.

New Revised Standard Version
The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being; and a human mind was given to it.

New Heart English Bible
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I saw until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man; and a man's mind was given to it.

Webster's Bible Translation
The first was like a lion, and had eagles' wings: I beheld till its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

World English Bible
“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.

Young's Literal Translation
The first is like a lion, and it hath an eagle's wings. I was seeing till that its wings have been plucked, and it hath been lifted up from the earth, and on feet as a man it hath been caused to stand, and a heart of man is given to it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
3Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others: 4The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man. 5Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’…

Cross References
Revelation 13:2
The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Jeremiah 4:7
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited.

Daniel 7:5
Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, 'Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!'


Treasury of Scripture

The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand on the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

like.

Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

2 Samuel 1:23
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

Isaiah 5:28,29
Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: …

the wings.

Daniel 4:31-33
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee…

Jeremiah 50:30-32
Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD…

and it.

Daniel 4:30
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

Daniel 5:18-23
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: …

Isaiah 14:13-17
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: …

and a.

Daniel 4:32,36
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will…

Job 25:6
How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Psalm 9:20
Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

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Daniel 7
1. Daniel's vision of the four beasts,
9. and of God's kingdom.
15. The interpretation thereof.














(4) The first was like a lion.--The lion and the eagle are chosen as being emblems of strength and swiftness respectively. They characterise the empire of Nebuchadnezzar, and correspond to the golden head of the Colossus (Daniel 2).

The wings . . . plucked.--The eagle, deprived of its wings, loses its power of swiftness and unrestrained motion.

From the earth.--The beast was raised from being on its four feet into the position of a man, as is indicated by the words "a man's heart." We have not sufficient historical details respecting the last years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign to enable us to point to the reference. It has been suggested by St. Jerome that the words refer to the madness of the king and to his subsequent recovery; but it must be borne in mind that it is the kingdom rather than the king of Babylon which is the subject of the vision.

Verse 4. - The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wing. thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. The LXX. and Theodotion render "lioness," but otherwise agree with the Massoretic text. The Peshitta does not differ from the received text. The word אריה is epicene. It is, however, to be noted that in later Aramaic the terminal letter was א, not ה. The word gappeen, "wings," is worthy of note; in this form it appears in the Peshitta, i.e. in Eastern Aramaic; genappeen is the Targumie form. No modern commentator has doubted, with, I think, the single exception of Dr. Bonnar ('Great Interregnum'), that the first beast here is the Babylonian Empire (Hitzig, Zockler, Kliefoth, etc.). Nebuchadnezzar is compared (Jeremiah 49:19) to a lion and to an eagle (Jeremiah 4:7; also Ezekiel 17:3), and suitable to this are the winged human-headed figures found in the ruins of Nineveh and Babylon. If we assume that the empire of Babylon is represented by this first beast, then we have to note, in the first place, the avoidance of any reference to numbers. It may be objected that the "eagle's wings," גַפִּין (gappeen), are in the dual. Yet the number two is not mentioned. That the word was in the dual in the pre-Massoretic text does not appear from the versions, so the correctness of the dual pointing may be doubted. Unity was the mark of the Babylonian Empire in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, and unity still remains its numerical sign. As swiftness and aggressiveness are symbolized by wings, especially "eagle's wings," when we read, "I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked," we learn that before the fall of Babylon a period set in, during which Babylonia ceased to be the aggressive conquering power it had been. A man's heart was given to it. J.D. Michaelis thinks the reference here is to the fact that when they first broke from their original seats, the Chaldeans were barbarians, but they became civilized in Babylonia. We know more now of the early history of Babylon and of the Chaldeans, and know that at one time the latter were divided into many cantons, each under its separate king, and that on and after the conquest of Babylon by Merodach-Baladan, they became more able to act in concert. The circumstances connected with the accession of Nabopolassar are wrapped in mystery. However, it is clear this cannot be the reference here. The giving of the man's heart is brought into close relationship with the plucking of the wings. This fact also decides us against the view so generally maintained, that there is here a reference to the madness of Nebuchadnezzar. In his case the heart of a beast was given to a man; in the case before us the heart of a man is given to a beast. To us the contrast seems more obvious than the resemblance. Much superior is Calvin's interpretation. Speaking of the phrases, "set upon his feet," and "the heart of a man was given to him," Calvin says, "By these modes of speech one understands that the Assyrians and Chaldeans were reduced in rank - that now they were not like lions, but like men" (comp. 2 Samuel 17:10, "Whose heart is as the heart of a lion"). This is the view of Behrmann. There is no reference, then, to any supposed humanizing influences which manifested themselves in Babylonian methods of government after Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his reason. From being an empire that spread its wings over the earth, it became limited very much to Babylonia, if not at times to little more than the territory surrounding the city of Babylon. We find that Nabunahid felt himself ready to be overwhelmed by the encroaching Manda. He manifests nothing of lion-like courage or eagle-like swiftness of assault. This was the state of things when Daniel had this vision. Nabunahid was in Tema, while his son did his best to defend the frontier against the threatening encroachments of Cyrus. Hitzig and Havernick maintain that the attitude suggested by the phrase, "set upon its feet," is what, in heraldic language, is called "rampant;" it is possible, but it rather militates against the natural meaning of the words. Before leaving this, it must be noted that, as in the vision Nebuchadnezzar had of the statue, the symbol of the Babylonian Empire is the noblest metal - the head of gold. Here the noblest animal is the symbol of Babylon - "the lion." The same reason may be assigned here for this, as in the passage in the second chapter for that - that the Babylonian Empire had more in it of the symbol of Divine government. No monarch was more like a god to his subjects; his power was unchecked, unlimited, uncontrolled.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The first [beast]
קַדְמָיְתָ֣א (qaḏ·mā·yə·ṯā)
Adjective - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 6933: Former, first

was like a lion,
כְאַרְיֵ֔ה (ḵə·’ar·yêh)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 744: A lion

and it had
לַ֑הּ (lah)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

[the] wings
וְגַפִּ֥ין (wə·ḡap·pîn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural
Strong's 1611: Wing (of a bird)

of an eagle.
נְשַׁ֖ר (nə·šar)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5403: An eagle

I
הֲוֵ֡ית (hă·wêṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1934: To become, come to pass, be

watched
חָזֵ֣ה (ḥā·zêh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2370: To gaze upon, mentally to dream, be usual

until
עַד֩ (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5705: Even to, until

its wings
גַפַּ֜יהּ (ḡap·payh)
Noun - common plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1611: Wing (of a bird)

were torn off
מְּרִ֨יטוּ (mə·rî·ṭū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4804: To pull off

and it was lifted up
וּנְטִ֣ילַת (ū·nə·ṭî·laṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5191: To raise

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4481: From, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than

the ground
אַרְעָ֗א (’ar·‘ā)
Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 772: The earth, low

and made to stand
הֳקִימַ֔ת (ho·qî·maṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6966: To arise, stand

on
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5922: Above, over, upon, against

two feet
רַגְלַ֙יִן֙ (raḡ·la·yin)
Noun - fd
Strong's 7271: A foot, a step, the pudenda

like a man,
כֶּאֱנָ֣שׁ (ke·’ĕ·nāš)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 606: Man, mankind

and given
יְהִ֥יב (yə·hîḇ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3052: To give, to put, imperatively, come

the mind
וּלְבַ֥ב (ū·lə·ḇaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3825: The heart

of a man.
אֱנָ֖שׁ (’ĕ·nāš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 606: Man, mankind


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OT Prophets: Daniel 7:4 The first was like a lion (Dan. Da Dn)
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