The angel’s oath, raised with both hands, emphasizes not just when the suffering ends, but the complete shattering and scattering of the holy people’s strength as the final signal before completion. This detail highlights that God’s timing for judgment and restoration is intricately linked to the full realization of hardship for His people, not merely a passive waiting period.
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel has just received a vision of the end times, including a future resurrection and judgment. He asks a question about the duration of these events, and the angel clothed in linen, who stands above the river, raises both hands to heaven and swears by God's eternal life that the timeframe will be a specific period of persecution. This solemn oath is given in response to Daniel's inquiry about how long it will take for these ultimate events to unfold.
Imagine a scene of cosmic importance: an angelic being, described as 'clothed in linen,' makes a profound oath. What makes this declaration so significant?
The vision in Daniel 12:7 presents a dramatic moment where the angel, who has been overseeing the angelic interactions, takes an oath. The lifting of both hands towards heaven is a gesture far more solemn than a typical oath, emphasizing the absolute certainty and gravity of his words. This isn't just any promise; it's an appeal to the eternal God, 'him who lives forever,' guaranteeing the truth of the coming prophetic timeline and events.
This action underscores that the visions and prophecies Daniel has received are not mere speculation but divinely assured future realities. The oath serves to powerfully communicate the unwavering commitment of God to His plan, even amidst the most challenging trials described in the prophecy.
The prophecy speaks of a specific, yet enigmatic, duration: 'a time, times, and half a time.' What does this phrase signify for God's people?
This phrase, 'a time, times, and half a time,' is a crucial prophetic marker found elsewhere in Scripture. While its exact chronological interpretation has been debated across centuries—sometimes referring to literal years, other times to symbolic periods—its core meaning is consistent: a defined, yet limited, period of intense trial and tribulation.
In Daniel 12:7, this period is explicitly linked to the 'shattering of the power of the holy people.' It signifies a time when God's people will face severe persecution and apparent defeat. However, the angel's oath assures that this suffering is not endless. It has a divinely appointed end, after which 'all these things shall be finished.' This provides hope and perspective, reminding believers that even the darkest periods of trial are temporary and part of a larger, unfolding divine purpose.
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The prophecy culminates with the 'shattering of the power of the holy people.' What does this final act signify, and why is it the cue for everything to finish?
The phrase 'scattering the power of the holy people' speaks to the ultimate suffering and apparent destruction that God's faithful will endure. It implies a time when their strength is broken, their influence is dispersed, and their very existence seems threatened.
However, the angel's oath declares that the completion of this scattering—the moment when this period of intense suffering is fulfilled—marks the end of the prophesied trials. It is not about the ongoing state of suffering, but the point at which God's sovereign purpose within that suffering is fully accomplished. Once this scattering reaches its divinely ordained limit, the troubles cease, and the long-awaited divine plan is brought to completion. This highlights that even in their deepest low points, God's people are moving towards a divinely secured victory and restoration.
Understand the original words
iddan, moed · Aramaic/Hebrew Noun Phrase
Referring to the period of one year, two years, and half a year (3.5 years). Symbolically, it often represents a period of intense trial, testing, or tribulation for God's people before the final deliverance.
am qodesh · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A descriptive title for the people of God, chosen by Him to be set apart for His purposes and holiness. This relationship involves both a covenantal privilege and a call to consecrated living.
The prophecy in Daniel 12:7 refers to a period of intense persecution and scattering of the holy people, with the 'time, times, and half a time' symbolizing a specific duration of this suffering. While the immediate historical context points to the Maccabean period and Antiochus IV Epiphanes' oppression, the language of 'scattering' and the profound 'finishing' of these events resonates with later Jewish experiences, including the destruction of the Second Temple and the ongoing diaspora, suggesting a prophecy with layers of fulfillment.
c. 167 BC— this verse
Antiochus IV Epiphanes' Persecution
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, ruler of the Seleucid Empire, initiated a brutal campaign to Hellenize the Jewish people, leading to widespread persecution and the desecration of the Jerusalem Temple.
c. 165 BC - 164 BC
Maccabean Revolt Begins
The Maccabean Revolt, led by Judas Maccabeus, began as a resistance against Antiochus IV's decrees and the desecration of the Temple, marked by guerrilla warfare and significant battles.
c. 164 BC
Temple Rededication
Judas Maccabeus and his followers recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the Second Temple, an event still celebrated today as Hanukkah.
c. 63 BC
Roman Conquest of Judea
The Roman Republic conquered Judea, bringing it under Roman rule and significantly altering the political landscape for the Jewish people.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
Following the First Jewish-Roman War, Roman forces destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a catastrophic event for the Jewish people and their religious life.
This passage describes a mighty angel, also clothed in linen, lifting his hand to heaven and swearing by the eternal God, mirroring the solemnity and oath of Daniel 12:7.
Daniel 7:25This earlier vision in Daniel also speaks of a period of 'a time, times, and half a time' during which the saints will be persecuted, directly paralleling the duration mentioned in Daniel 12:7.
Luke 21:24Jesus speaks of Jerusalem being trampled by the Gentiles until the 'times of the Gentiles' are fulfilled, a concept that resonates with the end of the holy people's suffering and the finishing of events prophesied in Daniel 12:7.
Psalm 2:9The idea of 'shattering' or breaking in pieces, mentioned in relation to the holy people in Daniel 12:7, finds a parallel in Psalm 2:9, where God speaks of shattering rebellious nations with an iron rod.
Romans 11:15-25This passage discusses the future restoration and grafting in of Israel, which can be seen as the ultimate fulfillment of the 'end' of scattering and the completion of God's plan for His people, as alluded to in Daniel 12:7.
ellicottDaniel 12:7: "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished."
(7) Held up his right hand . . .—In general, a person when swearing lifted up the right hand only (see Genesis 14:22 ; Deuteronomy 32:40 ). Both…
clarkeDaniel 12:7: "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished."
Which was upon the waters - By this description, he was standing on the water. This is very similar to the description of the angel, Revelation…
The angel’s oath, raised with both hands, emphasizes not just when the suffering ends, but the complete shattering and scattering of the holy people’s strength as the final signal before completion. This detail highlights that God’s timing for judgment and restoration is intricately linked to the full realization of hardship for His people, not merely a passive waiting period.
Daniel has just received a vision of the end times, including a future resurrection and judgment. He asks a question about the duration of these events, and the angel clothed in linen, who stands above the river, raises both hands to heaven and swears by God's eternal life that the timeframe will be a specific period of persecution. This solemn oath is given in response to Daniel's inquiry about how long it will take for these ultimate events to unfold.
Daniel has just received a vision of the end times, including a future resurrection and judgment. He asks a question about the duration of these events, and the angel clothed in linen, who stands above the river, raises both hands to heaven and swears by God's eternal life that the timeframe will be a specific period of persecution. This solemn oath is given in response to Daniel's inquiry about how long it will take for these ultimate events to unfold.
"And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when th…" — The angel’s oath, raised with both hands, emphasizes not just when the suffering ends, but the complete shattering and scattering of the holy people’s strength as the final signal before completion…
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Last reviewed October 2026
