Daniel 12 · Verse 7

Daniel 12:7

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel 12:7, King James Version

Daniel 12:7 in other translations

BSBAnd the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, and times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has finally been shattered, all these things will be completed.”
WEBI heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished.
ASVAnd I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
YLTAnd I hear the one clothed in linen, who is upon the waters of the flood, and he doth lift up his right hand and his left unto the heavens, and sweareth by Him who is living to the age, that, ‘After a time, times, and a half, and at the completion of the scattering of the power of the holy people, finished are all these.'
DARBYAnd I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river; and he held up his right hand and his left hand unto the heavens, and swore by him that liveth for ever that it is for a time, times, and a half; and when the scattering of the power of the holy people shall be accomplished, all these things shall be finished.
BBEThen in my hearing the man clothed in linen, who was over the river, lifting up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, took an oath by him who is living for ever that it would be a time, times, and a half; and when the power of the crusher of the holy people comes to an end, all these things will be ended.
WebsterAnd I heard the man clothed in linen, who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

What does Daniel 12:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. held up ... right ... and ... left hand--Usually the right hand was held up in affirmation as an appeal to heaven to attest the truth (De 32:40; Re 10:5, 6). Here both hands are lifted up for the fuller confirmation. time, times, and a half--(See on Da 7:25). Newton, referring this prophecy to the Eastern apostasy, Mohammedanism, remarks that the same period of three and a half years, or 1260 prophetic days, is assigned to it as the Western apostasy of the little horn (Da 7:25); and so, says Prideaux, Mohammed began to forge his imposture, retiring to his cave, A.D. 606, the very year that Phocas made the grant to the bishop of Rome, whence he assumed the title, The Universal Pastor; Antichrist thus setting both his feet on Christendom together, the one in the East, and the other in the West. Three and a half is the time of the world power, in which the earthly kingdoms rule over the heavenly [Auberlen]. "Three and a half" represents the idea of spiritual trial; (besides this certain symbolical meaning, there is doubtless an accurate chronological meaning, which is as yet to us uncertain): it is half of "seven," the complete number, so a semi-perfect state, one of probation. The holy city is trodden by the Gentiles forty-two months (Re 11:2), so the exercise of the power of the beast (Re 13:5). The two witnesses preach in sackcloth 1260 days, and remained unburied three days and a half: so the woman in the wilderness: also the same for a "time, times, and a half" (Re 11:3, 9, 11; 12:6, 14). Forty-two connects the Church with Israel, whose haltings in the wilderness were forty-two (Nu 33:1-50). The famine and drought on Israel in Elijah's days were for "three years and six months" (Lu 4:25; Jas 5:17); there same period as Antiochus' persecution: so the ministry of the Man of Sorrows, which ceased in the midst of a week (Da 9:27) [Wordsworth, Apocalypse]. scatter ... holy people--"accomplished" here answers to "the consummation" (Da 9:27), namely, the "pouring out" of the last dregs of the curse on the "desolated holy people." Israel's lowest humiliation (the utter "scattering of her power") is the precursor of her exaltation, as it leads her to seek her God and Messiah (Mt 23:39).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 Which was upon the waters - By this description, he was standing on the water. This is very similar to the description of the angel, Rev 10:5, Rev 10:6, and in the seventh verse there seems to be a reference to this prophecy "a time, times, and a half." See the note on Dan 7:25 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 12:5-13

One of the angels asking how long it should be to the end of these wonders, a solemn reply is made, that it would be for a time, times, and a half, the period mentioned Dn 7:25, and in the Revelation. It signifies 1260 prophetic days or years, beginning from the time when the power of the holy people should be scattered. The imposture of Mohammed, and the papal usurpation, began about the same time; and these were a…

Read the full comment on Daniel 12:5-13 →

Daniel 12:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֶשְׁמַ֞עva.'esh.Ma'and I heardH8085
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאִ֣ישׁ\׀ha.'Ishthe manH376
לְב֣וּשׁle.Vush<the> clothed ofH3847
הַבַּדִּ֗יםha.ba.Dim<the> linen<s>H906
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhoH834
מִמַּעַל֮mi.ma.'Al[was] from aboveH4605
לְמֵימֵ֣יle.mei.Mei<to> [the] water ofH4325
הַיְאֹר֒hay.'Orthe RiverH2975
וַיָּ֨רֶםvai.Ya.remand he raisedH7311
יְמִינ֤וֹye.mi.Noright [hand] hisH3225
וּשְׂמֹאלוֹ֙u.se.mo.Loand left [hand] hisH8040
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimthe heavensH8064
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖עvai.yi.sha.Va'and he sworeH7650
בְּחֵ֣יbe.Cheiby [the] living one ofH2416
הָעוֹלָ֑םha.'o.Lam<the> perpetuityH5769
כִּי֩kithatH3588
לְמוֹעֵ֨דle.mo.'Edto a timeH4150
מֽוֹעֲדִ֜יםmo.'a.DimtimesH4150
וָחֵ֗צִיva.Che.tziand a halfH2677
וּכְכַלּ֛וֹתu.khe.kha.Lotand just as finishH3615
נַפֵּ֥ץna.Petzto smashH5310
יַד\־yad-[the] hand ofH3027
עַם\־'am-[the] people ofH5971
קֹ֖דֶשׁKo.deshholinessH6944
תִּכְלֶ֥ינָהtikh.Lei.nahthey will be finishedH3615
כָל\־khol-allH3605
אֵֽלֶּה\׃'E.lehthese [things]H428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 12:7

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • Revelation 12:14

    And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

  • Daniel 8:24

    And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

  • Revelation 10:5-7

    And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

  • Revelation 13:5

    And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

  • Revelation 12:6

    And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

  • Jeremiah 4:2

    And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

  • Luke 21:24

    And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

  • Revelation 11:2-3

    But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

  • Daniel 4:34

    And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

  • Revelation 11:7-15

    And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. …

  • Deuteronomy 26:19

    And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he held.
De 32:40; Re 10:5,7
liveth.
4:34; Job 27:2; Jer 4:2
that it.
11,12; 7:25; 8:14; 11:13; Re 11:2,3,15; 12:6,14; 13:5
a time.That is, 1,260 years, to be reckoned from the time the "saints were delivered into the hand" of "the little horn."
an half. or, a part. and when.
Lu 21:14; Re 10:7; 11:7-15
the holy.
8:24; De 7:6; 26:19; Isa 62:12; 1Pe 2:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 12:6

    And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

  • Daniel 12:7

    And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

  • Daniel 12:8

    And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

Read all of Daniel 12

Daniel 12:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y oía al varón vestido de lienzos, que estaba sobre las aguas del río, el cual alzó su diestra y su siniestra al cielo, y juró por el Viviente en los siglos, que será por tiempo, tiempos, y la mitad. Y cuando se acabare el esparcimiento del escuadrón del pueblo santo, todas estas cosas serán cumplidas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et j’entendis l’homme vêtu de lin qui était au-dessus des eaux du fleuve; et il leva sa main droite et sa main gauche vers les cieux, et jura par celui qui vit éternellement que ce serait pour un temps déterminé, et des temps déterminés, et une moitié de temps; et lorsqu’il aura achevé de briser la force du peuple saint, toutes ces choses seront achevées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich hörte den in Linnen gekleideten Mann, welcher oben über dem Wasser des Stromes war, und er erhob seine Rechte und seine Linke zum Himmel und schwur bei dem, der ewig lebt: Eine Zeit, Zeiten und eine halbe Zeit; und wenn die Zerschmetterung der Kraft des heiligen Volkes vollbracht sein wird, dann werden alle diese Dinge vollendet sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et audivi virum qui indutus erat lineis, qui stabat super aquas fluminis, cum elevasset dexteram et sinistram suam in cælum, et jurasset per viventem in æternum, quia in tempus, et tempora, et dimidium temporis. Et cum completa fuerit dispersio manus populi sancti, complebuntur universa hæc.