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The Prophets · Old Testament

Daniel 12

Daniel 12: Michael stands up, the dead awake, and the book is sealed

General context

The speaker continues: at that time Michael, the great prince who stands for Daniel's people, will stand up; there will be a time of trouble such as never was, and everyone found written in the book will be delivered. Many who sleep in the dust will awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. The wise will shine like the firmament and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars. Daniel is told to shut up the words and seal the book to the time of the end, when many will run to and fro and knowledge will increase. Daniel then sees two others standing on either bank of the river, and one asks the man clothed in linen upon the waters how long to the end of these wonders. The man raises both hands to heaven and swears by him who lives for ever that it will be for a time, times and an half, and that when the power of the holy people has been scattered all will be finished. Daniel hears but does not understand and asks what the end of these things will be. He is told to go his way, for the words are closed and sealed; many will be purified and tried, the wicked will do wickedly and not understand, but the wise will understand. From the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up of the abomination that makes desolate there will be a thousand two hundred and ninety days, and blessed is the one who waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Daniel is told to go his way until the end, for he will rest and stand in his lot at the end of the days.

Cited passages: Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:2, Daniel 12:3, Daniel 12:4, Daniel 12:5, Daniel 12:6, Daniel 12:7, Daniel 12:8, Daniel 12:9, Daniel 12:10, Daniel 12:11, Daniel 12:12, Daniel 12:13

Daniel 12 (KJV)

1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

5Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

6And 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?

7And 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.

8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

13But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The chapter continues the speech begun in chapter 10 without a new date; at that time refers back to the end of chapter 11. Michael, named in chapter 10 as one of the chief princes and Daniel's prince, is here the great prince who stands for the children of thy people. The book in which names are written is not described. The awakening of many from the dust is stated in a single verse, with two destinies, and the text says many, not all. Two further figures appear on the river banks, unnamed, and a man clothed in linen, as in chapter 10, is now upon the waters. The durations given are a time, times and an half, echoing chapter 7, and two counts of days, 1,290 and 1,335, whose relation to each other and to the 2,300 of chapter 8 is not explained. Daniel says outright that he does not understand, and is told twice to go his way. The final verse promises that he will rest and stand in his lot, without saying more. The book of Daniel ends here with no narrative of his death.

Cited passages: Daniel 12:1, Daniel 12:2, Daniel 12:6, Daniel 12:7, Daniel 12:11, Daniel 12:12, Daniel 12:8, Daniel 12:13, Daniel 10:5, Daniel 10:13, Daniel 7:25, Daniel 8:14

Literary context

The chapter answers the question how long twice, once by an oath with both hands raised and once by counted days, and both times the answer is followed by an instruction to seal or to go. Daniel, who interpreted for kings, now stands as the one who hears and does not understand, and the book's own words are shut against him. The contrast of wise and wicked runs through the chapter: the wise shine, the wise understand, the wicked do wickedly and do not. Sleeping in the dust and awaking, shame and everlasting life, purified and made white against wicked, are paired opposites. The river scene, with two figures on the banks and one on the water, recalls the two saints who spoke over the sanctuary in chapter 8. The command to seal the book is the reverse of chapter 5, where a writing no one could read was read aloud. The last word to Daniel is personal, rest and stand in thy lot, so the book that opened with a child carried to Babylon closes with the same man, after the reigns of several kings, sent on his way.

Cited passages: Daniel 12:7, Daniel 12:4, Daniel 12:9, Daniel 12:3, Daniel 12:10, Daniel 12:2, Daniel 12:5, Daniel 12:13, Daniel 5:8, Daniel 8:13, Daniel 1:4, Daniel 10:1

Key moments

  1. Michael stands up (Daniel 12:1). The great prince stands for Daniel's people in an unequalled time of trouble.
  2. Sleepers in the dust awake (Daniel 12:2). Many awake, some to everlasting life and some to contempt.
  3. Seal the book (Daniel 12:4). Daniel is told to shut up the words until the time of the end.
  4. How long to the end (Daniel 12:6). One on the bank asks the man in linen how long the wonders will last.
  5. An oath with both hands (Daniel 12:7). The man in linen swears it will be a time, times and an half.
  6. I understood not (Daniel 12:8). Daniel admits he does not understand and asks about the end.
  7. Rest and stand in thy lot (Daniel 12:13). Daniel is sent on his way with a promise for the end of the days.

For reflection

Daniel is told the words are sealed and to go his way without understanding the end. What is it like to be told to rest with a question still open?

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