Daniel 8:14 (KJV)

What does Daniel 8:14 mean?

Daniel 8:14 says that after a period of 2,300 days, the sanctuary will be cleansed. This means there will be a set time of trouble or defilement, after which the holy place will be restored or made right again.

In this verse, an angel is speaking to Daniel in a vision, answering Daniel’s question about how long the troubling events he has seen will last. The “sanctuary” refers to a holy place, likely the temple in Jerusalem, and “cleansed” means it will be set right or purified after being defiled. The verse is part of a larger vision about future hardships for God’s people and the eventual restoration of what is holy.

The Hebrew behind Daniel 8:14

• “Days” uses two Hebrew words: עֶרֶב (ʿerev, “evening”) and בֹּקֶר (boqer, “morning”), so the phrase is literally “2,300 evenings and mornings.” This could mean 2,300 total days or 1,150 days (if each “evening and morning” is one day), and the exact meaning has been much discussed.
• “Sanctuary” is קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh), meaning a holy or set-apart place. This highlights that the focus is on the restoration of something sacred, not just any building.
• “Cleansed” is צָדַק (tsadaq), which often means “to make right” or “to justify.” Here, it suggests not just cleaning but restoring the sanctuary to its proper, honored state.

Why Daniel 8:14 matters

• Daniel 8:14 is often misunderstood as a simple count of days, but the original Hebrew points to a symbolic period tied to the sanctuary’s restoration, not just a calendar event.
• The verse connects to the larger vision in Daniel 8, where Daniel sees a time of oppression and desecration, followed by hope that what is holy will be set right again.
• The specific mention of the sanctuary and its cleansing helps readers see that God’s concern is not only with people but also with restoring what is sacred after it has been defiled.