Daniel 2:28

But, though human skill is unable to satisfy the king, there is a God in heaven, the revealer of secrets, who has in reality by means of this dream disclosed to him the future. Cf. Genesis 41:28.

and maketh known and he hath made known.

in the latter days lit. in the end(closing-part[210]) of the days. An expression which occurs fourteen times in the O.T., and which always denotes the closing periodof the future so far as it falls within the range of view of the writer using it. The sense expressed by it is thus relative, not absolute, varying with the context. In Genesis 49:1 (spoken from Jacob's standpoint) it is used of the period of Israel's occupation of Canaan; in Numbers 24:14 of the period of Israel's future conquest of Moab and Edom (see Daniel 2:17); in Deuteronomy 31:29; Deuteronomy 4:30, of the periods, respectively, of Israel's future apostasy and return to God; in Ezekiel 38:16 (cf. Daniel 2:8 with yearsfor days) of the imagined period of Gog's attack upon restored Israel; in Daniel 10:14 of the age of Antiochus Epiphanes. Elsewhere it is used of the ideal, or Messianic age, conceived as following at the close of the existing order of things: Hosea 3:5; Isaiah 2:2 (Micah 4:1); Jeremiah 48:47; Jeremiah 49:39; comp. Jeremiah 23:20 (Jeremiah 30:24) [211]. Here, as the sequel shews, it is similarly the period of the establishment of the Divine Kingdom which is principally denoted by it (v. 34, 35, 4 4, 45); but the closing years of the fourth kingd om (v. 40-43) ma y also well be included in it.

[210] For the sense of אחרית see Job 8:7; Job 42:12 (where it denotes clearly the latter partof a man's life).

[211] Cf. in the N.T. Acts 2:17 (for the -afterward" of Joel 2:28), Hebrews 1:2 2 Timothy 3:1, 2 Peter 3:3.

visions of thy head Daniel 4:5; Daniel 4:10; Daniel 4:13; Daniel 7:1; Daniel 7:15.