Daniel 7:4

The first] beast is either the Babylonian empire, or more probably Nebuchadnezzar himself (see on Daniel 2:38), the changing of the beast from the brute to the human condition referring possibly to Nebuchadnezzar's improvement under God's discipline (Daniel 4). The feet] RV 'two feet.'

5. The second beast may be either the alleged Median empire of Darius (the three ribs in its mouth being perhaps three nations conquered by it before the taking of Babylon), or Belshazzar (the picture of the bear describing his sluggish and sensual nature): see on Daniel 2:39,

6. The third beast is either the Persian empire founded by Cyrus, as distinguished from the Median rule attributed in this book to Darius, or the Medo-Persian empire regarded as one. The four heads are perhaps the four Persian kings who are mentioned in OT.—Cyrus, Darius (Hystaspes), Xerxes (Ahasuerus), and Artaxerxes,