Daniel Chapter 12
Annotated Commentary with Links
| 1“At that time will Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. | |
| 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | This verse seems to reference a resurrection of the dead and a final judgment. |
| 3Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse; and those who turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. | |
| 4But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increase.” | |
| 5Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side. | |
| 6One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?” | The man in linen is the figure who appeared to Daniel at the beginning of chapter 10. This is the figure who fought with the Prince of Persia. |
| 7I hear dot 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 a time, times, and a half; and who they have finished breaking in pieces to power of the holy people, all these things will be finished. | A time is accepted to be a year, and times is two years, so the total time described is 3 1/2 years (1+2+1/2). The holy people are the nation of Israel, so these verses describe the oppression, or “breaking in pieces the power” of Israel for 3 1/2 years. |
| 8I heard, but I didn’t understand: then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” | |
| 9He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. | This verse may imply that the full meaning of the prophecies in Daniel will not be fully understood until the end times. |
| 10Many will purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked will do wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand; but those who are wise will understand. | |
| 11“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken way, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. | Using a calendar of 30 days in a month, 1,290 days is 47 months, or 3 1/2 years plus an additional 30-day month. Why the additional month is added to the 3 1/2 years referenced earlier is unclear. |
| 12Blessed is he who waits, and come to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. | This verse adds an additional 45 days to the previous total. The significance of these additional 45 days is also unclear. |
| 13“But go you your way until the end; for you will rest, and will stand in your lot, at the end of days.” | This verse may be another reference to the resurrection of the dead that will occur at the end of days, or in the end times. |
| World English Bible |
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