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The army was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through disobedience; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.
Daniel 8:12 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
  • BSB And in the rebellion, the host and the daily sacrifice were given over to the horn, and it flung truth to the ground and prospered in whatever it did.
  • NKJV Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
  • NASB And because of an offense the army will be given to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will hurl truth to the ground and do as it pleases and be successful.
  • NLT The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Through transgression the host and the daily sacrifice are handed over, and the horn casts truth to the ground and prospers. Wickedness is permitted to flourish for a season.

Overview

The verse notes that the desecration occurs through disobedience, hinting that sin among the people contributed to the calamity, while the horn tramples truth and prospers. God's permission of this evil is real but bounded. The temporary success of the wicked is a recurring biblical test of faith, answered by the assurance that God will soon set things right.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Jer 12:1You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would reason the cause with you: why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they at ease who deal very treacherously?
  • Isa 59:14Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has fallen in the street, and uprightness can’t enter.
  • Dan 11:31–36Forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
  • 2 Th 2:10–12and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
  • Rev 13:7It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.
  • Dan 11:28Then he will return into his land with great substance; and his heart will be against the holy covenant; and he will take action, and return to his own land.
  • Rev 13:11–17I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
  • Job 12:6The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.
  • Ps 119:142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. Your law is truth.
  • Ps 119:43Don’t snatch the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in your ordinances.
  • 1 Sam 23:9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
  • Dan 8:4I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no animals could stand before him, neither was there any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Daniel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Daniel 8:12YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on DanielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Daniel sees the stone cut without hands that shatters the kingdoms, and 'one like a son of man' given everlasting dominion — titles and visions Jesus claims as his own.

How Daniel 8:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.