The Meaning of Daniel 7:13 Explained

Daniel 7:13

KJV: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

YLT: I was seeing in the visions of the night, and lo, with the clouds of the heavens as a son of man was one coming, and unto the Ancient of Days he hath come, and before Him they have brought him near.

Darby: I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man, and he came up even to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

ASV: I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I saw  in the night  visions,  and, behold,  [one] like the Son  of man  came  with  the clouds  of heaven,  and came  to  the Ancient  of days,  and they brought him near  before  him. 

What does Daniel 7:13 Mean?

Study Notes

and they
This scene is identical with that of Revelation 5:6-10 . There the ascription of praise of the "kings and priests" (cf. Daniel 7:18 ; Daniel 7:18 ref. a) ends with the words, "and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 6. opens the "vexing" of Psalms 2:5 introductory to setting the king on Zion; Psalms 2:6 ; Revelation 20:4 . The vision Daniel 7:9-14 reverses the order of events as they will be fulfilled. Daniel 7:13 describes the scene in heaven (cf) Revelation 5:6-10 which, in fulfilment, precedes the events which Daniel sees in vision in Daniel 7:9-12 . The historic order will be:
(1) The investiture of the Son of Man with the kingdom Daniel 7:13 ; Daniel 7:14 ; Revelation 5:6-10
(2) the "vexing" of Psalms 2:5 , fully described in Matthew 24:21 ; Matthew 24:22 Revelation 6-18.
(3) The return of the Son of Man in glory to deliver the "smiting" blow of Daniel 2:45 ; Daniel 7:9-11 , Revelation 19:11-21 .
(4) The judgement of the nations and the setting up of the kingdom Daniel 7:10 ; Daniel 7:26 ; Daniel 7:27 ; Matthew 25:31-46 ; Revelation 20:1-6 .

Verse Meaning

Daniel again saw something happening in heaven (cf. Revelation 5:1-10). One like "a son of man" was brought before the Ancient of Days. The angelic attendants in heaven"s court probably ushered Him forward. This description glorifies the Ancient of Days, who then proceeded to give this Person authority to rule on earth (cf. Psalm 2:6; Psalm 110:1-2). The One like the son of man has similarities with human beings, as the title "son of man" implies. However, He comes with clouds of heaven, which elsewhere in Scripture describes how God has come to earth (cf. Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 19:9; Exodus 19:16; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Psalm 18:10; Isaiah 19:1; Jeremiah 4:13; Ezekiel 10:4; et al.). Thus, this One like a son of man appears to be a God-man (cf. Philippians 2:6-7). [1] The fact that this refers to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, becomes clear later in the Gospels where Jesus used the title "Son of Man" more frequently of Himself than any other (cf. Mark 8:31; John 1:51; et al.). Other passages also describe Jesus Christ as coming in the clouds in the future (cf. Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64; Mark 13:26; Acts 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 1:7).
Because Jesus commonly used the title "Son of Man" to describe Himself, this is the most frequently quoted verse from Daniel in the New Testament. It is very significant that Jesus used this title above all others when describing Himself, some31times in Matthew alone.
"Although Messiah had already been named as God"s "Son" in previous prophetic utterances (cf. [2] Psalm 2:7; Psalm 2:12; Proverbs 30:4), He is now given a name that emphasizes His true and total identification with mankind." [3]
Jesus" contemporaries used the title "Messiah" to describe a merely human leader who they believed would provide military liberation from their Roman oppressors. This limited understanding of Messiah"s role made that title undesirable from Jesus" viewpoint, so He did not normally refer to himself as the Messiah. The title "Son of Man" should have taken Jesus" hearers back to Daniel 7:13, where clearly a God-man is in view. Many of Jesus" contemporaries were willing to trust Him as their Messiah, but few were willing to acknowledge Him as the divine Son of Man (cf. Matthew 16:16; John 6:69). Jesus wanted them to believe that He was God-as well as Prayer of Manasseh -and so preferred the title "Son of Man." This title was also the one by which God normally referred to the prophet Ezekiel. But Ezekiel was obviously not the Son of Man predicted here. This title, when used of Ezekiel , stressed his humanity in contrast to more glorious beings, especially God.
"It is no exaggeration to say that no other concept in the Old Testament, not even the Servant of the Lord, has elicited a more prolific literature. Of all the figures used in the Old Testament to designate the coming deliverer; king, priest, branch, servant, seed-none is more profound than "Son of man". Here there is a vision of man as he was intended to be, perfectly embodying all his potential in obedience to his Creator." [4]
"Thus the coming Messiah would not only be the true David, but He would also be the true Son of Prayer of Manasseh , combining in His person the high calling of humanity and the position reserved alone for God." [2]

Context Summary

Daniel 7:1-14 - God's Everlasting Dominion
This chapter enumerates the succession of world-empires and rulers which bridge the gulf of centuries from the Captivity to the Second Advent. The lion represents Babylon, whose cruel and mighty kingdom was animated by marvelous intelligence; the bear, Persia; the leopard, Greece under Alexander the Great; and the fourth beast, with great iron teeth, Rome. The ten horns are ten kings, and these probably represent great European kingdoms which have succeeded, or may yet succeed, to the heritage of the Roman empire. The Ancient of Days is sitting today upon His throne, His snow-white raiment betokening His purity, the fire of His throne bespeaking His antagonism to all things that offend and work iniquity. The government of the world is on shoulders which are well able to carry it, and He will cause all things to work out His purpose, which is to promote and assure the glory of Christ. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 7

1  Daniel's vision of the four beasts,
9  and of God's kingdom
15  The interpretation thereof

What do the individual words in Daniel 7:13 mean?

Was watching I in visions night the and behold with clouds of heaven the [One] like a Son of Man came Coming and to Ancient of Days the He came and before Him they brought Him near
חָזֵ֤ה הֲוֵית֙ בְּחֶזְוֵ֣י לֵֽילְיָ֔א וַאֲרוּ֙ עִם־ עֲנָנֵ֣י שְׁמַיָּ֔א כְּבַ֥ר אֱנָ֖שׁ אָתֵ֣ה הֲוָ֑ה וְעַד־ עַתִּ֤יק יֽוֹמַיָּא֙ מְטָ֔ה וּקְדָמ֖וֹהִי הַקְרְבֽוּהִי

חָזֵ֤ה  Was  watching 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חֲזָה  
Sense: to see, behold.
בְּחֶזְוֵ֣י  in  visions 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חֱזוּ  
Sense: vision, appearance.
לֵֽילְיָ֔א  night  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: לֵילֵי  
Sense: night.
וַאֲרוּ֙  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: אֲרוּ  
Sense: behold, lo.
עֲנָנֵ֣י  clouds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֲנָן  
Sense: cloud.
שְׁמַיָּ֔א  of  heaven  the 
Parse: Noun, mdd
Root: שְׁמַיִן  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
כְּבַ֥ר  [One]  like  a  Son 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּר  
Sense: son.
אֱנָ֖שׁ  of  Man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנָשׁ  
Sense: man, human being.
אָתֵ֣ה  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֲתָה  
Sense: to come, arrive.
הֲוָ֑ה  Coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הֲוָה  
Sense: to come to pass, become, be.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: even to, until, up to, during conj.
עַתִּ֤יק  Ancient 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: עַתִּיק  
Sense: ancient, advanced, aged, old, taken away.
יֽוֹמַיָּא֙  of  Days  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: יׄום  
Sense: day.
מְטָ֔ה  He  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מְטָא  
Sense: to reach, come upon, attain.
וּקְדָמ֖וֹהִי  and  before  Him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: קֳדָם  
Sense: before, in front of.
הַקְרְבֽוּהִי  they  brought  Him  near 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: קְרֵב  
Sense: to approach, come near.