The Meaning of Daniel 8:25 Explained

Daniel 8:25

KJV: And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

YLT: And by his understanding he hath also caused deceit to prosper in his hand, and in his heart he exerteth himself, and by ease he destroyeth many; and against the prince of princes he standeth -- and without hand he is broken.

Darby: And through his cunning shall he cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he will magnify himself in his heart, and by prosperity will corrupt many; and he will stand up against the Prince of princes: but he shall be broken without hand.

ASV: And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their'security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And through his policy  also he shall cause craft  to prosper  in his hand;  and he shall magnify  [himself] in his heart,  and by peace  shall destroy  many:  he shall also stand up  against the Prince  of princes;  but he shall be broken  without  hand. 

What does Daniel 8:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 8:15-27 - God's Deliverance Is Sure
It does not fall within our province to go into the various fulfillments which have been assigned to the predictions of this chapter-one to the time of the Maccabees, one to our own days, and one to that malign Satanic power which stands up perpetually against the Prince of princes. Let us dwell, rather, on the assertion that whatever sets itself against the kingship of Jesus Christ shall inevitably be broken. The Church of God is menaced today, as never before, by a vast multiplication of malign influences; but the Master's promise holds good that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against her. They shall be broken without hand. This is our strong confidence with respect to all our foes, and therefore we may possess our souls in patience. It is interesting that Daniel continued to do the king's business, notwithstanding the abundance of the revelations given unto him. However much we may be caught up into the heaven of religious meditation and ecstasy, we must never forget or neglect the interests which are committed to our hands, whether of the home, the business, or the state. [source]

Chapter Summary: Daniel 8

1  Daniel's vision of the ram and he goat
13  The two thousand three hundred days of the suspension of the daily sacrifice
15  Gabriel comforts Daniel, and interprets the vision

What do the individual words in Daniel 8:25 mean?

And Through his cunning and He shall cause to prosper deceit under his rule and in his heart he shall exalt [himself] and in [their] prosperity He shall destroy many and even against the Prince of princes He shall rise but without [human] means he shall be broken
וְעַל־ שִׂכְל֗וֹ וְהִצְלִ֤יחַ מִרְמָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וּבִלְבָב֣וֹ יַגְדִּ֔יל וּבְשַׁלְוָ֖ה יַשְׁחִ֣ית רַבִּ֑ים וְעַ֤ל־ שַׂר־ שָׂרִים֙ יַעֲמֹ֔ד וּבְאֶ֥פֶס יָ֖ד יִשָּׁבֵֽר

וְעַל־  And  Through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שִׂכְל֗וֹ  his  cunning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֶׂכֶל  
Sense: prudence, insight, understanding.
וְהִצְלִ֤יחַ  and  He  shall  cause  to  prosper 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.
מִרְמָה֙  deceit 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְמָה  
Sense: deceit, treachery.
בְּיָד֔וֹ  under  his  rule 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וּבִלְבָב֣וֹ  and  in  his  heart 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
יַגְדִּ֔יל  he  shall  exalt  [himself] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
וּבְשַׁלְוָ֖ה  and  in  [their]  prosperity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שַׁלְוָה  
Sense: quietness, ease, prosperity.
יַשְׁחִ֣ית  He  shall  destroy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
רַבִּ֑ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְעַ֤ל־  and  even  against 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שַׂר־  the  Prince 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
שָׂרִים֙  of  princes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
יַעֲמֹ֔ד  He  shall  rise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
וּבְאֶ֥פֶס  but  without 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶפֶס 
Sense: ceasing, end, finality.
יָ֖ד  [human]  means 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יִשָּׁבֵֽר  he  shall  be  broken 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבוּר 
Sense: to break, break in pieces.