The striking word choice "many" isn't hedging; it deliberately highlights that while a vast multitude will rise, it specifically sets up a contrast between those who will awaken to life and those who will awaken to shame, emphasizing that not everyone shares the same ultimate destiny. This verse powerfully declares that the final resurrection isn't a monolithic event but a stark, individual judgment between two irreversible outcomes.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Daniel is describing a future time of immense tribulation and deliverance. Following the account of wicked individuals arising and facing judgment, this verse expands on the ultimate fate of those who have died, revealing a resurrection where some awaken to eternal life and others to eternal shame. This vision directly follows the promise of deliverance for those whose names are written in God's book, offering a stark contrast between eternal destinies.
The text speaks of 'sleepers' in the 'dust of the earth' who will 'awake.' What does this imagery tell us about death and what comes next?
The prophet Daniel uses powerful imagery to describe the ultimate fate of humanity. Death is presented as a 'sleep' – a state of rest, but not an end.
From Dust to Life
The awakening is not uniform. Daniel reveals a stark division in the outcome. What are these two vastly different destinations?
This verse presents one of the clearest Old Testament pictures of judgment and eternal consequences. The awakening leads to one of two absolutely final destinations:
Life or Contempt
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Understand the original words
aphar · Hebrew Noun
A common biblical metaphor for death, emphasizing the physical decay of the body and its return to the ground, awaiting future resurrection.
chayim 'olam · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The ultimate gift of God characterized by unending communion with Him, victory over death, and the restoration of humanity to its intended purpose.
cherpah · Hebrew Noun
A state of divine rejection and exposure, signifying the consequence of turning away from God and His truth, resulting in deep humiliation.
dera'on · Hebrew Noun
Deep-seated, perpetual aversion or abhorrence; in a theological context, it is the eternal state of those who reject God’s grace.
maskilim · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Those who possess spiritual insight and discernment from God, enabling them to live in accordance with His will and understand His revealed truth.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
The state of moral integrity, justice, and being in right standing with God, often evidenced by leading others to align their lives with His commandments.
The concept of resurrection, including the fate of both the righteous and the wicked, was a profound comfort and call to faithfulness for Jews enduring extreme persecution, offering a glimpse of ultimate justice beyond earthly suffering.
c. 167 BC
Antiochus IV Epiphanes Persecution
The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes launched a brutal campaign to suppress Jewish religion and culture, desecrating the Jerusalem Temple and persecuting those who refused to assimilate.
c. 167-160 BC
Maccabean Revolt
A Jewish rebellion led by the Maccabees erupted against Seleucid rule, fighting for religious freedom and the restoration of their traditions.
c. 164 BC
Temple Rededication
The Maccabees, after recapturing the Temple, cleansed and rededicated it, an event still celebrated today as Hanukkah.
c. 160-150 BC
Consolidation of Maccabean Rule
The Maccabees established a period of relative autonomy and governance, continuing their struggle for full independence.
Unknown— this verse
Daniel's Vision of Resurrection
This vision of resurrection, with individuals awakening to either eternal life or everlasting shame, is understood by many scholars as a direct response to the intense suffering and martyrdom experienced during the Maccabean persecution.
c. 4 BC - c. AD 30/33
Life and Ministry of Jesus
Jesus' teachings, including His references to resurrection (e.g., John 5:28-29), connect with and expand upon the Old Testament understanding of future judgment and reward.
c. AD 40-60
Apostle Paul's Ministry
Paul further develops and articulates the doctrine of resurrection, particularly in his letters, building upon the foundations laid in the Old Testament.
Jesus directly echoes Daniel's vision of the resurrection, speaking of those who will come out to a resurrection of life and those who will come out to a resurrection of judgment.
Acts 24:15Paul explicitly states that the Jews' hope rests on the resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous, a concept clearly laid out in Daniel's prophecy.
1 Corinthians 15:23This passage describes the resurrection order, distinguishing between Christ's resurrection, then those who belong to him, and finally the end, which aligns with Daniel's vision of different outcomes from the grave.
Matthew 25:46Jesus contrasts eternal life with eternal punishment, mirroring Daniel's vivid distinction between those who awaken to everlasting life and those to shame and everlasting contempt.
Isaiah 26:19This earlier prophecy speaks of the dead living again and the earth bringing forth its dead, offering a foundational vision that Daniel builds upon with specific outcomes for those resurrected.
ellicottDaniel 12:2: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
(2) Many . . . that sleep in the dust.— Literally, Many sleepers in the land of dust. The word “sleep” is applied to death ( Jeremiah 51:39 ; comp. 1Thessalonians 4:14 ); while “dust” is used for the grave ( Psalm 22:29 ). Some difficulty is presented by the use of the word “many” where “all” would have been expected. Theodoret explains it from R…
clarkeDaniel 12:2: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth - This prophecy has been referred to the future restoration of the Jews. It will be also true of the state of mankind at the general judgment.
The striking word choice "many" isn't hedging; it deliberately highlights that while a vast multitude will rise, it specifically sets up a contrast between those who will awaken to life and those who will awaken to shame, emphasizing that not everyone shares the same ultimate destiny. This verse powerfully declares that the final resurrection isn't a monolithic event but a stark, individual judgment between two irreversible outcomes.
The prophet Daniel is describing a future time of immense tribulation and deliverance. Following the account of wicked individuals arising and facing judgment, this verse expands on the ultimate fate of those who have died, revealing a resurrection where some awaken to eternal life and others to eternal shame. This vision directly follows the promise of deliverance for those whose names are written in God's book, offering a stark contrast between eternal destinies.
The prophet Daniel is describing a future time of immense tribulation and deliverance. Following the account of wicked individuals arising and facing judgment, this verse expands on the ultimate fate of those who have died, revealing a resurrection where some awaken to eternal life and others to eternal shame. This vision directly follows the promise of deliverance for those whose names are written in God's book, offering a stark contrast between eternal destinies.
"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to rig…" — The striking word choice "many" isn't hedging; it deliberately highlights that while a vast multitude will rise, it specifically sets up a contrast between those who will awaken to life and those who…
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Last reviewed October 2026
