Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Daniel 8:3

וָאֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ וָאֶרְאֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אַ֣יִל אֶחָ֗ד עֹמֵ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֻבָ֖ל וְל֣וֹ קְרָנָ֑יִם וְהַקְּרָנַ֣יִם גְּבֹה֗וֹת וְהָאַחַת֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה מִן־הַשֵּׁנִ֔ית וְהַ֨גְּבֹהָ֔ה עֹלָ֖ה בָּאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃

And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the stream a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

Rashi on Daniel

and it had horns symbolizing the kingdom of Persia and Media.
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Rashi on Daniel

and one was higher than the other symbolizing the kingdom of Persia, which was greater than the kingdom of Media, for the kingdom of Media existed for only one year, as it says (9:1): “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus of the seed of Media,” and we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 28): “We do not find any year ascribed to Media in the Holy Writ but this one only.”
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Rashi on Daniel

and the higher one sprouted last This symbolizes that the kingdom of Media will precede the kingdom of Persia.
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