Daniel 8:12

 Daniel 8:12

And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

a. NASB 1995: And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.  [New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.]

b. NKJV: Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.  [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified Bible: And the host [the chosen people] was given [to the wicked horn] together with the continual burnt offering because of the transgression [of God’s people—their abounding irreverence, ungodliness, and lack of piety]. And righteousness and truth were cast down to the ground, and it [the wicked horn] accomplished this [by divine permission] and prospered.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: A set time will be allotted for the discontinuation of the daily offering because of sin. It will throw truth to the ground, and it will achieve and prosper [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

e. ESV: And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, 

a. [And a] host [him] [Strong: 6635 צָבָא tsâbâʼ, tsaw-baw'; or (feminine) צְבָאָה tsᵉbâʼâh; from H6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):—appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).]

b. [was] given [Strong: 5414 נָתַן nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.]

c. against [Strong: 5921 עַל ʻal, al; properly, the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications:—above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.]

d. [the] daily [sacrifice] [Strong: 8548 תָּמִיד tâmîyd, taw-meed'; from an unused root meaning to stretch; properly, continuance (as indefinite extension); but used only (attributively as adjective) constant (or adverbially, constantly); elliptically the regular (daily) sacrifice:—alway(-s), continual (employment, -ly), daily, (n-)ever(-more), perpetual.]

e. [by reason of] transgression [Strong: 6588 פֶּשַׁע peshaʻ, peh'-shah; from H6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):—rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.]

2. “...and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.”

a. [and it cast down [Strong: 7993 שָׁלַךְ shâlak, shaw-lak; a primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively):—adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off, out), hurl, pluck, throw.]

b. [the] truth [Strong: 571 אֶמֶת ʼemeth, eh'-meth; contracted from H539; stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness:—assured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.]

c. [to the] ground [Strong: 776 אֶרֶץ ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × nations, way, + wilderness, world.]

d. [and it] practised [Strong: 6213 עָשָׂה ʻâsâh, aw-saw'; a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application:—accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, × certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, feast, (fight-) ing man, finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, hinder, hold (a feast), × indeed, be industrious, journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, × sacrifice, serve, set, shew, × sin, spend, × surely, take, × thoroughly, trim, × very, vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

e. [and] prospered [Strong: 6743 צָלַח tsâlach, tsaw-lakh'; or צָלֵחַ tsâlêach; a primitive root; to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):—break out, come (mightily), go over, be good, be meet, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send) prosper(-ity, -ous, -ously).]

1). Paul Yonggi Cho, The Book of Daniel, p.108: This prophecy of the little horn was already fulfilled historically, but at the same time it stands for the antichrist which is yet to come.After the world was divided by the four generals of Alexander the great, two of the four resulting kingdoms eventually emerged as major forces. Syria, taken by Selencius, and Egypt, taken by Prolemy. These two kingdoms were constantly engaged in hostile actions.. Israel was sandwiched geographically between the two kingdoms. When Egypt came up to fight Syria, Israel was trampled underfoot. When Syria went down to fight Egypt, Israel was also stamped down. Thus the sufferings of israel were beyond description. Under these circumstances according to Daniel, a little horn came up out of one of the horns. The description that follows in Daniel’s account fits perfectly a king of Syria named Antiochus Epiphanes, who was eighth in the Seleucus dynasty (175-164 B.C).  Antiochus rose to prominence among the four horns. He defeated Egypt, and on his way home, he subdued Jerusalem. After jerusalem surrendered, he st himself up against God and cruelly trampled Israel underfoot. The “host” in Daniel’s vision refers to the Jews whom this conqueror cast down in defeat. Antiochus murdered several of the political and religious leaders of Israel…Morever, he set himself up to be as great as the Prince of the host--that is God. He forbade the daily sacrifice in the temple. He desecrated the sanctuary with an altar offered to the Greek deity he worshipped. One it he sacrificed swine’s blood, an abomination to the Jews. No worse sacrifice could be imagined. Yet he went further. He abolished the Mosaic Law, which was held to most sacred by the Jews. He forbade circumcision and imposed a pagan life style upon them. Anyone who refused to obey Antiochus or rebelled against him were subject to death. These events parallel what will come in the last days: the rise of the antichrist in the tribulation and his conquest and cruel treatment of Israel. The tragedy that already happened once in the history of Israel will be repeated in the future by the antichrist. In that day, the antichrist will break down the altar in the sanctuary, setting up in its place his own idol. He will force the Jews to worship the idol and will take away the daily sacrifice which is offered morning and evening.

2). Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression,.... Which some interpret of a garrison of soldiers placed by Antiochus, through his sin and wickedness, to hinder the oblation of the daily sacrifice, as Grotius: others, of a host of apostates among the Jews, who advised Antiochus against the daily sacrifice, and to kill swine, and offer them on the altar, as Jacchiades; or rather it may be rendered, "and the host was given over", or "delivered", i.e. to the enemy, "because of the transgression against the daily sacrifice" (e); that is, because of the transgression of the priests or the people, in neglecting the daily sacrifice, the host or people of the Jews were delivered up into the hands of Antiochus; or they were delivered up, together with the daily sacrifice, for their sins (f). The word is by Jarchi and Ben Melech interpreted a set time, a fixed time which shall have an end; and Calvin inclines to this sense, that though the daily sacrifice would be taken away, because of the transgression of the people, yet it was only for a certain time, and would be restored again when that time was up; and so is spoken for the comfort of the Lord's people: and it cast down the truth to the ground: that is, the little horn Antiochus, or his host and army; he did all that in him lay to extirpate and abolish true religion and godliness; he cut in pieces the copies of the book of the law, and burnt them, called the law of truth in Malachi 2:6, as Jacchiades observes, and put to death the professors of the truth; and showed all the contempt of true doctrine and worship he was capable of; see the Apocrypha: "57 And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death. 58 Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities. 59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God. 60 At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.'' (1 Maccabees 1) and it practised, and prospered; he did what he pleased, and he succeeded in his attempts for a while, there being none to oppose him.