I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Daniel doesn't just miss the meaning of the angelic message; he admits he can't even grasp how it connects to what came before. His honest confession, "I heard, but I did not understand," reveals a prophet wrestling with divine revelation, showing that even the most chosen messengers need clarity from God.
I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this passage, Daniel has just heard a mysterious answer about a "time, times, and half a time," but he doesn't grasp its meaning or what it signifies for the future. He’s grappling with a vision involving "wonderful things" and the culmination of God’s plan, leaving him anxious to understand the ultimate outcome of these events. Therefore, Daniel directly asks the angelic messenger for clarification on when and how these future prophecies will finally conclude.
Have you ever heard something important, but the meaning just flew right over your head? Daniel the prophet experienced this exact frustration.
Daniel has just received a prophecy about a specific period of time: 'a time, and times, and half a time.' Yet, despite hearing the words, he admits, 'I did not understand.'
This isn't a sign of Daniel's lack of intelligence. The heavenly messenger's words were intentionally obscure, pointing to future events and divine timing that transcended ordinary human comprehension. It highlights that true spiritual understanding often requires more than just passively hearing words; it demands divine revelation and interpretation.
Even the greatest prophets, chosen to deliver God's message, wrestle with the full depth of what they're communicating. Their honesty about their lack of understanding is a powerful reminder that we don't need to pretend we have all the answers.
What drives Daniel's desperate plea? It's not just curiosity, but a profound need to know the ultimate outcome of God's unfolding plan.
After admitting his confusion, Daniel doesn't just give up. He immediately asks, 'O my lord, what shall be the end of these things?' His question goes beyond understanding the specific time prophecy. He’s asking about the final resolution, the ultimate meaning and conclusion of the events being described.
This shows a deep yearning to see God's purposes fulfilled and justice established. Daniel is concerned with the culmination of all the 'wonderful things' and tribulations mentioned. His question reflects an intense desire to know when God’s ultimate kingdom will arrive and suffering will cease.
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It’s a powerful glimpse into the heart of prophecy: not just about predicting the future, but about revealing God's sovereign plan and the hope of its final, triumphant completion.
Understand the original words
satam / chatham · Hebrew Verb
To be closed off or hidden away, indicating that the prophetic revelation is reserved for a specific time ordained by God and is not meant to be fully grasped until that moment arrives.
Daniel's confusion here highlights a common experience: even when we receive divine revelation or insight, its full meaning and timing can remain a mystery, prompting us to seek deeper understanding from the Lord.
c. 167 BC
Antiochus IV Epiphanes Seizes Jerusalem
The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a key figure in the persecution described in Daniel, brutally suppressed Jewish religious practice and desecrated the Jerusalem Temple.
c. 164 BC
Temple Rededication
The Maccabean Revolt succeeded in rededicating the Jerusalem Temple, an event of great significance and hope for the Jewish people.
c. 1st Century BC
Book of Daniel Composed
The Book of Daniel, containing prophetic visions and apocalyptic literature, was likely compiled during the turbulent Maccabean period, drawing on earlier traditions.
c. 539 BC
Babylonian Exile Ends
The Persian conquest of Babylon allowed many Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem, marking a significant shift in their history and religious outlook.
c. 1st Century AD— this verse
Daniel's Visions Interpreted
In the 1st century AD, the Book of Daniel was widely studied, and its prophecies, particularly concerning 'a time, times, and half a time,' were a subject of intense debate and interpretation among Jewish groups.
This passage directly connects to Daniel's prophecies, highlighting how even the prophets themselves earnestly sought to understand the visions they received, just as Daniel here struggles with comprehension.
John 12:16Jesus' disciples didn't grasp the meaning of His actions until after His resurrection, mirroring Daniel's experience of hearing divine words but not understanding their ultimate significance.
Romans 11:33This verse expresses profound awe at God's unfathomable wisdom and judgment, similar to Daniel's position when faced with divine mysteries that surpass human understanding.
Habakkuk 2:2-3Habakkuk also received a vision and was instructed to write it down, with the Lord promising to clarify its meaning in time, echoing Daniel's plea for understanding about the future outcome.
ellicottDaniel 12:8: "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
(8) I understood not.— He did not understand the answer given in Daniel 12:7 . The question did not seem to have had any reply. It had been asked how long the end should continue, and the answer had been only the obscure words, “time, times, and an half.” What shall be the end?—Daniel refers to the “wonderful things” mentioned in Daniel 12:6, and using a different word for “end,” ask…
jfbDaniel 12:8: "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
- understood not—Daniel "understood" the main features of the vision as to Antiochus (Da 10:1, 14), but not as to the times. 1Pe 1:10-12 refers mainly to Daniel: for it is he who foretells "the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow"; it is he who prophesies "not unto himself, but unto us"; it is he who "searched what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in hi…
Daniel doesn't just miss the meaning of the angelic message; he admits he can't even grasp how it connects to what came before. His honest confession, "I heard, but I did not understand," reveals a prophet wrestling with divine revelation, showing that even the most chosen messengers need clarity from God.
In this passage, Daniel has just heard a mysterious answer about a "time, times, and half a time," but he doesn't grasp its meaning or what it signifies for the future. He’s grappling with a vision involving "wonderful things" and the culmination of God’s plan, leaving him anxious to understand the ultimate outcome of these events. Therefore, Daniel directly asks the angelic messenger for clarification on when and how these future prophecies will finally conclude.
In this passage, Daniel has just heard a mysterious answer about a "time, times, and half a time," but he doesn't grasp its meaning or what it signifies for the future. He’s grappling with a vision involving "wonderful things" and the culmination of God’s plan, leaving him anxious to understand the ultimate outcome of these events. Therefore, Daniel directly asks the angelic messenger for clarification on when and how these future prophecies will finally conclude.
"I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end." — Daniel doesn't just miss the meaning of the angelic message; he admits he can't even grasp how it connects to what came before. His honest confession, "I heard, but I did not understand," reveals a p…
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Last reviewed October 2026