New American Standard Bible 1995

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Daniel

8

:

20

"The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"The ram a ram Noun H352 הָאַ֥יִל ha·'a·yil
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁר־ a·sher-
you saw to see Verb H7200 רָאִ֖יתָ ra·'i·ta
with the two horns a horn Noun H7161 הַקְּרָנָ֑יִם hak·ke·ra·na·yim;
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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represents the kings king Noun H4428 מַלְכֵ֖י mal·chei
of Media a son of Japheth, also his desc. and their land Noun H4074 מָדַ֥י ma·dai
Analysis:
Read more about: Media
and Persia. a country in W. Asia which conquered Bab. Noun H6539 וּפָרָֽס׃ u·fa·ras.
Analysis:
Read more about: Persia

Locations

Media

MEDIAme'-di-a (madhay; Achaem. Persian Mada; Media): Lay to the West and Southwest of the Caspian, and extended thence to the Zagrus Mountains on the West On the North in later times it was bounded by the rivers Araxes and Cyrus, which separated it from Armenia. Its eastern boundaries were formed by Hyrcania and the Great Salt Desert (now called the Kavir),... View Details

Persia

PERSIApur'-sha, (parats; Persia; in Assyrian Parsu, Parsua; in Achemenian Persian Parsa, modern Fars): In the Bible (2 Chronicles 36:20, 22, 23 Ezra 1:1, 8 Esther 1:3, 14, 18; Esther 10:2 Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 38:5 Daniel 8:20; Daniel 10:1; Daniel 11:2) this name denotes properly the modern province of Fars, not the whole Persian empire. The latter was by i... View Details

Parallel Verses

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Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
King James Bible "The The ram which you saw with the thou sawest having two horns represents are the kings of Media and Persia.
Hebrew Greek English "The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.