Daniel 7:17

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, etc.] Or kingdoms, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Saadiah; so the fourth beast is called the fourth kingdom, (<270723>Daniel 7:23) or a succession of kings in four kingdoms or monarchies, comparable to beasts for their strength, cruelty, and tyranny: these are the words of him that stood by, of one of the angels Daniel applied to, to know the meaning of his dream; and might be better rendered, “as to thesef291 great beasts, which are four”; for their quality beasts, for their quantity great, and for number four. The meaning is, four kings shall arise out of the earth; or kingdoms; which…”

“kings--that is, kingdoms. Compare Dan 7:23, "fourth kingdom"; Dan 2:38; Dan 8:20-22. Each of the four kings represents a dynasty. Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander, Antiochus, and Antichrist, though individually referred to, are representatives of characteristic tendencies.”

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings - Four kings or four dynasties. There is no reason for supposing that they refer to individual kings, but the obvious meaning is, that they refer to four dominions or empires that would succeed one another on the earth. So the whole representation leads us to suppose, and so the passage has been always interpreted. The Latin Vulgate renders it regna; the Septuagint βασιλεῖαι basileiai; Luther, Reiche; Lengerke, Konigreiche. This interpretation is confirmed, also, by Daniel 7:23, where it is expressly said that “the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth.” See also Daniel 7:24. Which shall arise out of the earth - In Daniel 7:2…”

“7:17 beasts represent . . . kingdoms: God gave Daniel a vision of the course of history, a feat no human could accomplish. These kingdoms from the earth (cp. 7:2) are not heavenly kingdoms but human kingdoms of this world.”

“great: Dan 7:3, Dan 7:4, Dan 2:37-40, Dan 8:19-22 out: Dan 7:3; Psa 17:14; Joh 18:36; Rev 13:1, Rev 13:11 Daniel 7:18”