Interpretation of the Four Creatures in Daniel 7
Daniel 7:3 describes a vision of "Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another" [1]. This vision, along with its interpretation, forms a significant part of Daniel's prophecies, detailing the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms [7, 9].
The broader context of Daniel 7 presents a series of visions experienced by the prophet Daniel, returning to a period preceding events recorded in earlier chapters [9]. The chapter begins with Daniel's dream and vision of these four beasts, followed by a divine judgment upon them, particularly the last one, and the establishment of an "universal monarchy" for the Son of Man [7]. Daniel, deeply affected by the vision, requests and receives an interpretation [7].
The term "beasts" (Hebrew: ḥayyāh) in Daniel 7:3 refers to wild animals, distinct from the "living creatures" (Greek: zōon) found in Revelation 4:7, which are described as cherubic figures [6, 3]. While the cherubic living creatures in Revelation represent redeemed humanity, the "beasts" in Daniel symbolize world powers characterized by their "beast-like, grovelling character" [6]. The Easton's Bible Dictionary defines "beast" in a general sense as a brute creature, often in contrast to humans or creeping things [5]. The vision's symbolism rests on a fundamental harmony between nature, history, and revelation [6].
The interpretation of the vision is explicitly provided in Daniel 7:17: "These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth" [2]. This is further clarified in Daniel 7:23, stating, "The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth" [4]. Commentators agree that these beasts represent kingdoms or successions of kings within four monarchies, likened to beasts due to their strength, cruelty, and tyrannical nature [10]. These are understood as human kingdoms of this world, not heavenly ones [12].
The first beast is described as a lion, the second like a bear, and the third like a leopard [11]. The fourth beast, however, is not identified with a specific animal but is described as "diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces" [4, 11]. This fourth beast receives particular emphasis in the prophecy [11].
The interpretation of these four kingdoms has been a subject of extensive commentary. John Gill notes that the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, along with Jewish commentators like Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Saadiah, interpret "kings" in Daniel 7:17 as "kingdoms" [10]. The Tyndale House commentary also states that the beasts represent kingdoms [8, 12].
The specific identification of these kingdoms varies among traditions, but there is a general consensus on their nature as successive world empires. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary suggests that Daniel, living under the first kingdom, did not need to describe it, and the second and third are more fully detailed elsewhere in the book [11]. The primary focus of the prophecy, they argue, is on the fourth kingdom, which fully manifests a "God-opposing nature" [11]. This fourth beast is often identified with the Roman Empire in many interpretations [11]. The prophet's visions, such as these, are understood as God revealing the course of history, a feat beyond human capability [12].
Sources
- Daniel “Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another. -- Daniel 7:3”
- Daniel “These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth. -- Daniel 7:17”
- Revelation “The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. -- Revelation 4:7”
- Daniel “Thus he said, The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. -- Daniel 7:23”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Beast — This word is used of flocks or herds of grazing animals (Ex. 22:5; Num. 20:4, 8, 11; Ps. 78:48); of beasts of burden (Gen. 45:17); of eatable beasts (Prov. 9:2); and of swift beasts or dromedaries (Isa. 60:6). In the New Testament it is used of a domestic animal as property (Rev. 18:13); as used for food (1 Cor. 15:39), for service (Luke 10:34; Acts 23:24), and for sacrifice (Acts 7:42). When used in contradistinction to man (Ps. 36:6), it denotes a brute creature generally, and when in contradistinction to creeping things (Lev. 11:2-7; 27:26), a four-footed ”
- Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 7:3: beasts--not living animals, as the cherubic four in Rev 4:7 (for the original is a different word from "beasts," and ought to be there translated, living animals). The cherubic living animals represent redeemed man, combining in himself the highest forms of animal life. But the "beasts" here represent the world powers, in their beast-like, grovelling character. It is on the fundamental harmony between nature and spirit, between the three kingdoms of nature, history, and revelation, that Scripture symbolism rests. The selection of symbols is not arbitrar”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 7 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 7 This chapter contains Daniel's vision of the four beasts, The time, place, manner, writing, and declaration of the vision, Dan 7:1, the rise of the beasts, and the description of them, Dan 7:2, the judgment of God upon them, especially the last, and the delivery of universal monarchy to his Son, Dan 7:9, the interpretation of the vision at the request of Daniel, being greatly affected with it, Dan 7:15, a particular inquiry of his about the fourth beast, concerning which a full account is given, Dan 7:19, all which caused in him ”
- Daniel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Daniel 7:3: 7:3-7 The kingdoms of the world are represented as four huge beasts (7:17; cp. Rev 13:1-2).”
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 7 (introduction): The prophet having, in the preceding chapters of this book, related some remarkable events concerning himself and his brethren in the captivity, and given proof of his being enabled, by Divine assistance, to interpret the dreams of others, enters now into a detail of his own visions, returning to a period prior to the transactions recorded in the last chapter. The first in order of the prophet's visions is that of the four beasts, which arose out of a very tempestuous ocean, Dan 7:1-9; and of one like the Son of man who annihilated the dominion of the fo”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 7:17: These great beasts, which are four, are four kings,.... Or kingdoms, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Saadiah; so the fourth beast is called the fourth kingdom, Dan 7:23 or a succession of kings in four kingdoms or monarchies, comparable to beasts for their strength, cruelty, and tyranny: these are the words of him that stood by, of one of the angels Daniel applied to, to know the meaning of his dream; and might be better rendered, "as to these (c) great beasts, which are four"; for their quality beasts, for their qu”
- Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 7:7: As Daniel lived under the kingdom of the first beast, and therefore needed not to describe it, and as the second and third are described fully in the second part of the book, the chief emphasis falls on the fourth. Also prophecy most dwells on the end, which is the consummation of the preceding series of events. It is in the fourth that the world power manifests fully its God-opposing nature. Whereas the three former kingdoms were designated respectively, as a lion, bear, and leopard, no particular beast is specified as the image of the fourth; for Rome”
- Daniel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Daniel 7:17: 7:17 beasts represent . . . kingdoms: God gave Daniel a vision of the course of history, a feat no human could accomplish. These kingdoms from the earth (cp. 7:2) are not heavenly kingdoms but human kingdoms of this world.”