Daniel 7:17 (KJV)

What does Daniel 7:17 mean?

Daniel 7:17 explains that the four great beasts seen in Daniel’s vision represent four kings who will rise from the earth. The verse makes it clear that these strange creatures are not literal animals, but symbolize real rulers or kingdoms that will appear in history.

In this part of the book, an angel is speaking to Daniel, helping him understand the vision he has just seen. Daniel has been troubled by the images of four powerful beasts coming out of the sea, and the angel now reveals that each beast stands for a king (or kingdom) that will emerge from the world. This sets up the rest of the chapter, where more details are given about what these kingdoms will do and what will happen to them.

The Aramaic behind Daniel 7:17

• "beasts" (חֵיוָא, ḥêvā’): This word is used for animals or creatures, but here it is clearly symbolic, pointing to powerful, sometimes frightening, rulers or empires.
• "kings" (מַלְכִּין, malkîn): The Aramaic word can mean either a single king or a kingdom, so the verse could refer to individual rulers or the empires they represent.
• "arise" (קוּם, qum): This word means to stand up or come onto the scene, emphasizing that these kings or kingdoms will appear in history, not that they already exist.
• "earth" (אַרְעָא, ar‘ā’): This word means the land or the world, highlighting that these rulers will come from among the peoples of the earth, not from heaven or some other realm.

Why Daniel 7:17 matters

• Daniel 7:17 directly tells the reader that the beasts are not literal animals, but represent human kings or kingdoms, clearing up any confusion about the vision’s meaning.
• The verse shows that the vision is about real events in history, not just a dream with no connection to the real world.
• By identifying the beasts as kings who "arise out of the earth," Daniel 7:17 sets the stage for understanding the rest of Daniel’s vision and the unfolding of world empires in the book.