The first beast was like a lionThis phrase introduces the first of four beasts in Daniel's vision, symbolizing kingdoms or empires. The lion, known for its strength and majesty, is often associated with royalty and power. In the context of Daniel's vision, the lion likely represents the Babylonian Empire, known for its dominance and grandeur. The lion is a fitting symbol for Babylon, as it was a powerful and influential empire during Daniel's time.
and it had the wings of an eagle
The wings of an eagle suggest swiftness and the ability to conquer quickly. Eagles are known for their speed and keen vision, symbolizing the rapid expansion and far-reaching influence of the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar. The combination of a lion and eagle emphasizes the formidable nature of this kingdom.
I watched until its wings were torn off
The removal of the wings indicates a loss of power and mobility. Historically, this can be seen as a reference to the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar, as described inDaniel 4, where his pride led to his downfall and temporary insanity. The tearing off of the wings signifies a divine intervention that limits the empire's reach and influence.
and it was lifted up from the ground
This phrase suggests a restoration or elevation from a fallen state. After Nebuchadnezzar's period of madness, he was restored to his throne, acknowledging the sovereignty of God. This lifting up symbolizes a return to power, but with a new understanding of divine authority.
and made to stand on two feet like a man
Standing on two feet like a man implies a transformation from a beastly nature to a more human-like state. This can be seen as a metaphor for Nebuchadnezzar's change in character after his humbling experience. It reflects a shift from arrogance to humility, recognizing the supremacy of God.
and given the mind of a man
Receiving the mind of a man indicates a change in understanding and perspective. In Nebuchadnezzar's case, it represents his acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and his subsequent rationality and wisdom. This transformation highlights the theme of divine sovereignty and the humbling of human pride, a recurring theme in the Book of Daniel.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
DanielThe prophet who receives the vision. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, known for his faithfulness to God amidst exile in Babylon.
2.
The First BeastDescribed as a lion with eagle's wings, symbolizing a powerful kingdom. Traditionally interpreted as representing the Babylonian Empire.
3.
Wings Torn OffThis action signifies a loss of power or swiftness, possibly indicating a humbling or transformation of the kingdom.
4.
Stood on Two Feet Like a ManThis transformation suggests a change in nature or status, possibly indicating a shift from beastly power to human-like reasoning or governance.
5.
Heart of a Man GivenSymbolizes a change in character or leadership style, possibly reflecting a more humane or rational approach.
Teaching Points
Symbolism of Power and PrideThe lion and eagle are symbols of strength and swiftness. Reflect on how pride and power can lead to downfall, as seen in the tearing off of the wings.
Transformation and HumilityThe beast's transformation to stand like a man and receive a human heart can symbolize the importance of humility and the potential for change in leadership and character.
God's Sovereignty Over NationsThe vision underscores God's control over the rise and fall of empires, reminding believers of His ultimate authority over world events.
Personal Reflection on ChangeConsider how God might be calling you to undergo a transformation in your own life, moving from pride to humility, or from worldly power to spiritual strength.
Hope in Divine InterventionThe change in the beast's nature offers hope that God can intervene in seemingly unchangeable situations, bringing about transformation and renewal.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Daniel 7:4?
2.How does Daniel 7:4's imagery of the lion relate to Babylon's power?
3.What does the transformation in Daniel 7:4 symbolize about God's sovereignty over nations?
4.How can Daniel 7:4 inspire Christians to trust in God's ultimate plan?
5.Connect Daniel 7:4 with other biblical prophecies about kingdoms and their downfall.
6.How should Daniel 7:4 influence our understanding of current world events?
7.What does the lion with eagle's wings symbolize in Daniel 7:4?
8.How does Daniel 7:4 relate to historical empires?
9.Why is the transformation of the beast significant in Daniel 7:4?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Daniel 7?
11.What are the four beasts in Daniel 7?
12.In Daniel 7:2–7, each beast represents a different kingdom—how can we verify these symbolic empires through reliable archaeological or historical records?
13.Why does the Book of Revelation use imagery and symbols that closely resemble earlier apocalyptic writings rather than unique divine revelation?
14.What riddles are found in the Bible?What Does Daniel 7:4 Mean
The first beast was like a lion• Daniel later hears, “These great beasts … are four kings” (Daniel 7:17), so we begin by looking for a real kingdom marked by lion-like strength.
• Scripture repeatedly pictures Babylon and its ruler Nebuchadnezzar as a lion: “A lion has gone up from his thicket” (Jeremiah 4:7), “Like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan” (Jeremiah 49:19), “Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away … the first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 50:17).
• The lion’s regal bearing fits the head of gold inDaniel 2:37-38—another image God used for Babylon’s unrivaled glory.
• The vision therefore begins with Babylon: powerful, majestic, feared.
and it had the wings of an eagle• Wings add the idea of swift reach and heightened dominion.Habakkuk 1:8 describes the Babylonian cavalry: “Their horses are swifter than leopards … they fly like an eagle swooping to devour.”
•Jeremiah 49:22 says, “Look! One will soar like an eagle and spread his wings against Bozrah,” a snapshot of Babylon’s lightning-fast advances.
• Eagle’s wings also hint at loftiness; Nebuchadnezzar boasted, “Is this not Babylon the Great … by my mighty power?” (Daniel 4:30).
• Together, lion strength + eagle wings paint Babylon at the zenith of power—ferocious, mobile, seemingly untouchable.
I watched until its wings were torn off• The scene now shifts from conquest to judgment. InDaniel 4:31-33 the heavenly decree strips Nebuchadnezzar of glory and sanity: “Your royal authority has been removed from you.”
•Jeremiah 50:29 foretold Babylon’s downfall: “Repay her according to her deeds … for she has been arrogant against the LORD.”
• Torn wings show God clipping the empire’s pride; no enemy could do it until God decreed it.
• Lesson threaded through Scripture: “He reduces rulers to nothing” (Isaiah 40:23).
and it was lifted up from the ground• After seven “times,” Nebuchadnezzar testifies, “I raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored” (Daniel 4:34). God Himself lifts the humbled king.
•Daniel 5:21, recounting the episode, notes that the king lived with the beasts “until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign.”
• Being lifted pictures restoration—God’s grace follows His discipline.
and made to stand on two feet like a man• Standing upright contrasts the earlier beast-posture. Nebuchadnezzar’s experience moved him from brutish pride to a posture of accountable humanity.
•Daniel 4:36 records, “At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me.”
• The shift from four-legged beast to two-legged man underlines God’s desire to transform rulers who acknowledge Him, turning tyranny into responsible stewardship.
and given the mind of a man•Daniel 4:37 closes the king’s testimony: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven.” A renewed mind replaces the animal instinct.
•Ezekiel 36:26 echoes the theme: God can give “a new heart and a new spirit.”
• Historically, Babylon continued after Nebuchadnezzar, but it never regained his blazing brilliance—just as a lion without wings is still a lion yet markedly tamer.
• Spiritually, the verse reminds every reader that true wisdom begins when God grants a humble, regenerate mind.
summaryDaniel 7:4 introduces Babylon as the first of four world empires. The lion with eagle’s wings pictures the empire’s unparalleled strength and speed; the tearing off of the wings portrays God’s decisive judgment; the beast’s elevation to upright posture and a human mind reflects Nebuchadnezzar’s personal humbling and restoration, and more broadly God’s sovereign power to raise up, abase, and transform rulers. The verse reassures believers that no empire, however fearsome, operates outside God’s control, and it invites all who wield influence—great or small—to walk humbly before the King of heaven who gives both power and the mind to use it rightly.
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The first was like a lion.--The lion and the eagle are chosen as being emblems of strength and swiftness respectively. They characterise the empire of Nebuchadnezzar, and correspond to the golden head of the Colossus (Daniel 2).
The wings . . . plucked.--The eagle, deprived of its wings, loses its power of swiftness and unrestrained motion.
From the earth.--The beast was raised from being on its four feet into the position of a man, as is indicated by the words "a man's heart." We have not sufficient historical details respecting the last years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign to enable us to point to the reference. It has been suggested by St. Jerome that the words refer to the madness of the king and to his subsequent recovery; but it must be borne in mind that it is the kingdom rather than the king of Babylon which is the subject of the vision.
Verse 4. -
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wing. thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. The LXX. and Theodotion render "lioness," but otherwise agree with the Massoretic text. The Peshitta does not differ from the received text. The word
אריה is epicene. It is, however, to be noted that in later Aramaic the terminal letter was
א, not
ה. The word
gappeen, "wings," is worthy of note; in this form it appears in the Peshitta,
i.e. in Eastern Aramaic;
genappeen is the Targumie form. No modern commentator has doubted, with, I think, the single exception of Dr. Bonnar ('Great Interregnum'), that the first beast here is the Babylonian Empire (Hitzig, Zockler, Kliefoth, etc.). Nebuchadnezzar is compared (
Jeremiah 49:19) to a lion and to an eagle (
Jeremiah 4:7; also
Ezekiel 17:3), and suitable to this are the winged human-headed figures found in the ruins of Nineveh and Babylon. If we assume that the empire of Babylon is represented by this first beast, then we have to note, in the first place, the avoidance of any reference to numbers. It may be objected that the "eagle's wings,"
גַפִּין (
gappeen), are in the dual. Yet the number two is not mentioned. That the word was in the dual in the pre-Massoretic text does not appear from the versions, so the correctness of the dual pointing may be doubted. Unity was the mark of the Babylonian Empire in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, and unity still remains its numerical sign. As swiftness and aggressiveness are symbolized by wings, especially "eagle's wings," when we read, "I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked," we learn that before the fall of Babylon a period set in, during which Babylonia ceased to be the aggressive conquering power it had been.
A man's heart was given to it. J.D. Michaelis thinks the reference here is to the fact that when they first broke from their original seats, the Chaldeans were barbarians, but they became civilized in Babylonia. We know more now of the early history of Babylon and of the Chaldeans, and know that at one time the latter were divided into many cantons, each under its separate king, and that on and after the conquest of Babylon by Merodach-Baladan, they became more able to act in concert. The circumstances connected with the accession of Nabopolassar are wrapped in mystery. However, it is clear this cannot be the reference here. The giving of the man's heart is brought into close relationship with the plucking of the wings. This fact also decides us against the view so generally maintained, that there is here a reference to the madness of Nebuchadnezzar. In his case the heart of a beast was given to a man; in the case before us the heart of a man is given to a beast. To us the contrast seems more obvious than the resemblance. Much superior is Calvin's interpretation. Speaking of the phrases, "set upon his feet," and "the heart of a man was given to him," Calvin says, "By these modes of speech one understands that the Assyrians and Chaldeans were reduced in rank - that now they were not like lions, but like men" (comp.
2 Samuel 17:10, "Whose heart is as the heart of a lion"). This is the view of Behrmann. There is no reference, then, to any supposed humanizing influences which manifested themselves in Babylonian methods of government after Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his reason. From being an empire that spread its wings over the earth, it became limited very much to Babylonia, if not at times to little more than the territory surrounding the city of Babylon. We find that Nabunahid felt himself ready to be overwhelmed by the encroaching Manda. He manifests nothing of lion-like courage or eagle-like swiftness of assault. This was the state of things when Daniel had this vision. Nabunahid was in Tema, while his son did his best to defend the frontier against the threatening encroachments of Cyrus. Hitzig and Havernick maintain that the attitude suggested by the phrase, "set upon its feet," is what, in heraldic language, is called "rampant;" it is possible, but it rather militates against the natural meaning of the words. Before leaving this, it must be noted that, as in the vision Nebuchadnezzar had of the statue, the symbol of the Babylonian Empire is the noblest metal - the head of gold. Here the noblest animal is the symbol of Babylon - "the lion." The same reason may be assigned here for this, as in the passage in the second chapter for that - that the Babylonian Empire had more in it of the symbol of Divine government. No monarch was more like a god to his subjects; his power was unchecked, unlimited, uncontrolled.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
The first [beast]קַדְמָיְתָ֣א(qaḏ·mā·yə·ṯā)Adjective - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 6933:Former, firstwas like a lion,כְאַרְיֵ֔ה(ḵə·’ar·yêh)Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 744:A lionand it hadלַ֑הּ(lah)Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew[the] wingsוְגַפִּ֥ין(wə·ḡap·pîn)Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural
Strong's 1611:Wing (of a bird)of an eagle.נְשַׁ֖ר(nə·šar)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5403:An eagleIהֲוֵ֡ית(hă·wêṯ)Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1934:To become, come to pass, bewatchedחָזֵ֣ה(ḥā·zêh)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2370:To gaze upon, mentally to dream, be usualuntilעַד֩(‘aḏ)Preposition
Strong's 5705:Even to, untilits wingsגַפַּ֜יהּ(ḡap·payh)Noun - common plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1611:Wing (of a bird)were torn offמְּרִ֨יטוּ(mə·rî·ṭū)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4804:To pull offand it was lifted upוּנְטִ֣ילַת(ū·nə·ṭî·laṯ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5191:To raisefromמִן־(min-)Preposition
Strong's 4481:From, out of, by, by reason of, at, more thanthe groundאַרְעָ֗א(’ar·‘ā)Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 772:The earth, lowand made to standהֳקִימַ֔ת(ho·qî·maṯ)Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6966:To arise, standonוְעַל־(wə·‘al-)Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5922:Above, over, upon, againsttwo feetרַגְלַ֙יִן֙(raḡ·la·yin)Noun - fd
Strong's 7271:A foot, a step, the pudendalike a man,כֶּאֱנָ֣שׁ(ke·’ĕ·nāš)Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 606:Man, mankindand givenיְהִ֥יב(yə·hîḇ)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3052:To give, to put, imperatively, comethe mindוּלְבַ֥ב(ū·lə·ḇaḇ)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3825:The heartof a man.אֱנָ֖שׁ(’ĕ·nāš)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 606:Man, mankind
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OT Prophets: Daniel 7:4 The first was like a lion (Dan. Da Dn) 
