John Calvin Commentary Daniel 7:6

"After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon its back four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it." — Daniel 7:6 (ASV)

Daniel has already spoken of two empires, namely, the Chaldean and Persian. Interpreters agree on the necessity of referring this vision to the Macedonian Empire. He compares this kingdom to a leopard, or, as some translate, a panther, because Alexander obtained his great power through swiftness alone. Although it is not by any means a striking animal, it nevertheless managed by its remarkable speed to subdue the whole East. Others bring forward many points of likeness, in which the Grecian character is in accordance with the nature of the leopard.

But I fear these minutiae have little weight. It is sufficient for me that the Spirit here treats of the Third Empire. It was not of any importance at first, and could neither terrify distant regions nor acquire subjects by its own worthiness. It then became like some swift animal, if I may say so, as the swiftness of Alexander is notorious. However, he did not excel in either prudence, gravity, judgment, or in any other virtues. Mere rashness seized him, and even if he had never tasted wine, his ambition would have intoxicated him.

Hence, Alexander’s whole life was as if drunk; there was neither moderation nor composure in him. We see, then, how suitably this corresponds to the character of Alexander, although this also extends to his successors, all of whom largely partook of the nature of their prince. Daniel says, therefore, A beast appeared to him like a leopard.

He also says, It had four wings on its back, and four heads. Some people, as I think perversely, distinguish between the wings and the heads. They suppose the kingdom is depicted as winged because Alexander seized upon many kingdoms in a short period. But the simpler sense is that this beast had four wings and four heads because Alexander had scarcely completed his victories when he died, contrary to all expectation; and after his death, everyone seized a portion of the prey for himself.

This, however, is certain: after the chief generals of his army had contended for many years, all histories agree that the supreme power centered on four. Seleucus obtained Asia Major; Antigonus, Asia Minor; Cassander was king of Macedon and was succeeded by Antipater; while Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, became the ruler of Egypt. They had indeed made other arrangements among themselves, for Alexander had a son by Roxana, the first daughter of Darius. He also had a brother, Aridaeus, who grew to manhood but was epileptic and of weak intellect.

Then, as Alexander’s generals were cunning, they acted on the pretext that all should swear allegiance first to their young ward, and then to Aridaeus, in case their ward should die before he came of age. Lysimachus was then set over the treasury, another commanded the forces, and others obtained various provinces.

Fifteen or twenty leaders divided among themselves both offices and power, while no one dared to assume the name of king. For Alexander’s son was the lawful king, and his successor was that Aridaeus whom I have mentioned. But they soon afterwards united, and that was an admirable example of God’s Providence, which alone is sufficient to prove that passage of Scripture: He who sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed (Genesis 9:6).

For none of Alexander’s generals ultimately escaped unharmed except for those four whom we have mentioned. His mother, at the age of eighty, suffered a violent death; his wife, Roxana, was strangled; his son perished miserably. Aridaeus, his brother, a man of no intellect and almost on a level with brute beasts, was slain with the rest—indeed, the whole family of Alexander suffered violent deaths.

Regarding the generals, they perished in battles, some being betrayed by their soldiers and others falling victim to their own negligence. And yet, although they expected a bloody end, they did not escape it.

Only four survived, and so the whole empire of Alexander was divided into four parts. Seleucus, whose successor was Antiochus, obtained Upper Asia (that is, the eastern empire); Antigonus obtained Asia Minor, with part of Cilicia, Phrygia, and other neighboring regions; Ptolemy seized Egypt and part of Africa; and Cassander, followed by Antipater, ruled as king of Macedon.

By four wings and four heads, Daniel means the partition that was made immediately after Alexander’s death. Now, therefore, we understand what God showed His prophet in this vision, by setting before him the image of a leopard with four wings and heads.

He says, Power was given to the beast, because the success of Alexander the Great was incredible. For who would have thought, when he was crossing the sea, that he would conquer all Asia and the East? He led 50,000 men with him and did not undertake the war solely on his own responsibility, but by various means, he procured the nomination to the leadership of Greece from the Free States.

Alexander was therefore a kind of mercenary of the Greeks and was unable to lead with him more than 30,000 men, as we have said. He engaged in battle with 150,000, then with 400,000, and then with almost a myriad. For Darius in his last battle had collected over 800,000 men besides camp-followers, so that there were almost a million with him.

Alexander had already drawn to himself some auxiliaries from the foreign nations he had conquered, but he could not trust them. Hence, his whole strength lay in these 30,000. On the day he conquered Darius, he was so overcome by sleep that he could scarcely be aroused.

The historians who extol his prudence excuse this by recording his sleeplessness during the preceding night. Moreover, all agree that he appeared to be dead; when all his generals approached, they could scarcely wake him, and then they purposely raised a shout around his tent, though no one dared to enter.

Alexander had scarcely wiped his eyes when Darius fled. Hence the Prophet’s statement is true—power was given to this beast—as this happened beyond all natural expectation and human opinion. Indeed, by his very presence, he could frighten all Greece and lay prostrate such a large army.

He states this of the Third Empire. I will not repeat here all that can be said and gathered from history, for many things must be postponed until the eleventh chapter. I will therefore briefly condense whatever points seem necessary for interpreting the passage.