Daniel 7: The Beast Like A Bear
Part 3: Daniel Chapter 7 Analysis, the Second Beast
About This Research
This research will be the basis for a new book: The Signs of Daniel
Subscribe as I unpack the research here on Substack, now renamed as SignsInHeaven.com.
Introduction
48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:48, ESV
Daniel’s supernatural gifts impressed multiple kings and he was made chief prefect.
What is a chief prefect?
A governor or leader of the empire's scholarly, religious, and administrative advisors including all the astronomers and astrologers of Babylon. This included the Chaldeans and those who tracked and cataloged the stars. Daniel, through the Chaldeans, would have been familiar with the MUL.APIN Astronomy Book, the oldest astronomy clay tablets dated to c1000 BC.
(source: One of the two clay tablets on which the text is written; CC BY-SA 4.0, British Museum, Wikipedia)1
Description:
Clay tablet with two columns of inscription. Astronomical treatise, tablet 1 of the series Mul-Apin ("the plough star") which includes a list of the three divisions of the heavens, the dates (in the ideal 360-day year) of the rising of principal stars and of those which rise and set together, and the constellations in the path of the moon; nearly complete. BM 86378 [British Museum].2
This and other resources will be leveraged to provide an ancient context to Daniel’s vision of beasts, which in turn will be unpacked and applied to the Signs In Heaven prophetic interpretation. I hope this will help readers and researchers “turn on a light bulb” to end-times prophecy, to help you build up your faith in the Holy Scriptures and the Revelation of Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega, God of Heaven and Earth.
For new and old readers, please review the previous parts:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3: Note there is a lot to unpack here with the 2nd Beast. There is the bear itself but then it is raised up and it has three ribs? This may take more than one article.
Let’s get started…
The research in this series seeks to investigate the Beasts in Daniel’s visions. In the Book of Daniel, Chapters 7 and 8, there are six beasts. This article will focus on Chapter 7 and the second beast.
What is the second beast like?
Is there a corresponding sign in Heaven?
What celestial events occurred?
Hypothesis: The second beast can be correlated with the Big Dipper.
“Like A Bear” Interpretations
Daniel 7:5 begins with,
And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear.
In Daniel’s vision, this beast is separate and different from the first beast, the lion with eagles’ wings. This second beast is like a bear.
First let’s briefly summarize commentaries, and what they say about this bear. Traditional interpretations have associated the bear with the Media-Persian Empire (4th to 6th century BC). The bear has also been associated with modern-day Russia. Both theories interpret the vision using different prophetic horizons. The BC horizon dates the prophecy to the empire that conquers the Babylonian empire which is Media-Persia, thus taking a historical view. The AD horizon dates the prophecy to modern day events, leading some to the current wars such as Russia and Ukraine, which takes a futurist view. Both horizons seem to fit the image and interpretation of the bear, however, let us continue to dig further.
Daniel’s description gives us more clues:
It was raised up on one side.
It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ (Daniel 7:5, ESV)
Prophecy scholars debate the meaning of the bear with “three ribs” in its mouth. I came across many variations in the theory, but most focused on Media, Media-Persia, or Russia as the kingdoms that conquered three other kings or kingdoms, symbolized by the three ribs.
“Raised up on one side” was linked to the size of Media being larger than Persia at its height in power. Persia eventually emerged as the dominant power following the fall of the Median Empire. Today, the region includes modern-day Iran, also in the headlines.
Are there more interpretations to the bear than Earth bound historicist or futurist views?
Is there a correlation between the bear and a constellation or sign?
The Book of Job: Mother Bear and Cub
To understand Daniel’s vision of the bear, let’s see if there is Biblical evidence and understanding of a bear constellation. A bear is referred to in the oldest book of the Bible, Job. Let’s take a look at two primary passages.
Arcturus or Bear, depending upon the translation, is mentioned in Job 9:7-9 and Job 38:31-33 (Hebrew Bible / Old Testament). Both passages pair the Bear with other constellations as part of God’s challenge to Job about controlling the Heavens. Here is Job 38:31-33, where God challenges Job on “who can lead forth the Mazzaroth?".
31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,
or can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?
Job 38:31–33, ESV3
Note: Below is a screenshot from Stellarium Web on July 19th, 2020. The observer is looking North into the night sky after sunset from modern-day Mosul, which is ancient Nineveh in Babylon. I’ve chosen this date and night for a reason that will be apparent as we dissect Daniel Chapter 7.
Notice on the left, the first beast, the lion, Leo, is descending below the horizon with the setting sun near the Western horizon. East, or to the right of the lion is the Great Bear, Ursa Major.
The Bear “was raised up on one side.” The Great Bear’s hind quarters are higher in the sky as it rotates down toward the horizon.
The location of the observer is from ancient Babylon, however, this was visible from all nations across the Earth as the sun makes its circuit in the firmament.
In Job 38:32, God challenges Job on whether he can lead forth the Mazzaroth or guide the Bear and its children or cubs. I believe the Bear here is Ursa Major and the children or at least one of them is the cub, Ursa Minor. The mother Bear is guiding its cub night after night as it circles the tail of the cub. And the cub follows the mother’s tail. At the tip of the cub’s tail is the star Polaris, which is where all the constellations revolve around, night after night.
(see image of Polaris in the tail of Ursa Minor). Imagine this being the top of the celestial dome, the firmament. The constellations rotate in a counterclockwise circular motion around the polestar, Polaris. This is a fixed point and only moves slightly through precession. It moves so slowly that we will not see it with the human eye. Thus, for our lifetime, Polaris is the polestar. Prior to Noah’s Flood, the star Thuban was the polestar in the tail of Draco the dragon. It is estimated that the polestar shifts ~1 degree every ~72 years. Thus, it will take ~25,920 years for the north star to completely make its way around from Polaris to Thuban and back to Polaris again.
Back to the the Great Bear: In context to Job 38, verses 31 to 33, the signs in Heaven include Pleiades in Taurus, and Orion - all are Signs in Heaven.
(see screenshot of dawn). In the screenshot showing the sunrise, Ursa Major, the Great Bear is now upright and rising with the sun. The mother bear has traveled below the horizon and climbs back up as it guides its cub. Thus, the Great Bear is raised up on one side, the front.
Notice the cub, Ursa Minor, is still in the center of the celestial grid, its tail anchored to the polestar, Polaris. The little bear has traveled just over 90 degrees, attempting to follow its mother below the horizon, but it never does and just spins around the polestar with its tail pinned to the storyboard.
Orion is rising in the East and Venus is the bright and morning star in Taurus the bull. Pleiades is a very small cluster of 7 stars in Taurus. All are rotating around Polaris in a counterclockwise circular motion.
In future articles the rest of the Heavens will be revealed and analyzed on July 19th, 2020.
Verse 33 then closes the series of Signs with a challenge to Job on whether he knows the ordinances of the Heavens, denoting laws, measures, and set times of the Heavens.4 Only God can set these Signs in Heaven into motion, which establish their rule on Earth. All are rotating around Polaris. All together they help us measure minutes, hours, days, months, seasons, and years.
In Job 9:7–9,
7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
8 who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
9 who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
Job 9:7–9, ESV5
It becomes clear that God is speaking about the constellations in the Heavens, which He created. However, did Daniel have this understanding as a teenager before he was brought to Babylon? There is no way to know for sure, however we know that he was selected because he was well educated in the areas of science.
3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
Daniel 1:3–4, ESV6
“and cunning in knowledge, and understanding kscience”.
Daniel 1:4, KJV7
Thus we can assume Daniel understood the constellation of the Great Bear in the Heavens as it was mentioned in the Book of Job, the oldest book of the Bible. He was also taught the knowledge of the Chaldeans, who tracked the stars in the Heavens. The Chaldeans would have understood the MUL.APIN Astronomy Book, the oldest astronomy clay tablets dated to c1000 BC.
However, why did the Book of Job ESV use Bear, and KJV use Arcturus?
Bear or Arcturus Interpretations
In different translations such as the King James Version (KJV), Arcturus is listed.
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?
Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
Job 38:32, KJV
9 Which maketh jArcturus, Orion,
And Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Job 9:9, KJV8
Arcturus is a star in Bootes and the Bear is Ursa Major the constellation. The Book of Job was originally written in ancient Hebrew with some Aramaic. The word for Bear or Arcturus is defined in Strong’s Concordance 5906
5906. עַיִשׁ ʿAyish, ah´-yish; or עָשׁ ʿÂsh, awsh; from 5789; the constellation of the Great Bear (perhaps from its migration through the heavens):—Arcturus.9
Thus, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible gives a direct correlation to Ursa Major, the Great Bear, and then adds Arcturus, the star. The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia provides more insight and adds to the confusion in the definition of Arcturus by adding another star.
ARCTURUS. A large bright star or constellation referred to in Job 9:9; 38:32, KJV. RSV translates the Heb. word as the “Bear.” The precise modern equivalent is not known, although either the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, or of Aldebaran is a possible reference.10 (emphasis added)
The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia says it is either a bright star or a constellation, then adds in Aldebaran, a star. However, Aldebaran is in Taurus. Earlier we saw in the dawn screenshot that Taurus is relatively far away from the Great Bear. This part of the Wycliffe definition does not make sense from a Mazzaroth perspective as it is in a different part of the sky.
What about from a language perspective?
Bear in Greek is árktos (Revelation 13:2 describes the Beast of the Sea) denoting a bear “obstructing in ferocity”11. This may be where Arcturus worked its way into the KJV translation. English Standard Version (ESV) translators interpret it as Bear for Ursa Major, versus Arcturus the star. However, is their ancient mythology or tradition that links Arcturus to Ursa Major? Yes there is.
Arcturus the Bear Watcher, Wagon, or Farmer and Plow
D. Johnson posts “Meet Arcturus: Guardian of the Bear” on Sky and Telescope. Arcturus has a Greek origin and there are some translations which define it as:
“guardian of the bear,” “bear follower,” “keeper of the bear,” and others. All of these imply the same basic fact: Arcturus “chases” Ursa Major around the sky.12
When looking at the star Arcturus in Bootes and the constellation Ursa Major, one can now see the full storyboard. Bootes is following Ursa Major as it guides Ursa Minor night after night around the polestar.
(see inverse view of Ursa Major/Minor, Bootes, and Virgo). In the diagram one can see the familiar Big Dipper constellation in Ursa Major.
Note the Big Dipper only makes up 25% or less of the Great Bear.
Shown is the straight dashed line: follow these two pointer stars along the side of the cup of the dipper that leads one to Polaris. The polestar in Ursa Minor’s tail is part of the handle of the Little Dipper that pours water into the Big Dipper.
Back to the Big Dipper, it’s handle arcs to Bootes and Arcturus who follow the Great Bear. The curved dotted line can be used to connect the handle of the Big Dipper to Arcturus and further to Spica in Virgo, the Seed of the Woman.
In Gavin White’s 2007 book, Babylonian Star-lore, An Illustrated Guide to the Star-lore and Constellations of Ancient Babylonia, there is no bear or cub, however, note a ‘Wagon” and smaller “Wagon of Heaven” in the center cross hairs of the planisphere. This is the northern polestar. The Wagons in Babylonian star-lore were analogous to the Big and Little Dippers. Notice also the “plough” in the drawing.
(Source: Gavin White)13
Furthermore, Sky and Telescope elaborates,
…an alternate set of views depicts the Big Dipper section of Ursa Major as a plow — a common concept in the UK, for example. Mythology has a nice connection between Arcturus for that view as well. The star’s constellation, Boötes is the Herdsman — a farmer, in other words. In this case, Boötes the Herdsman becomes the man driving the plow. Presumably, oxen pull the plow but alas, we’re left to imagine that ourselves.
The concept of Arcturus “following” or “tending” the Big Dipper is widespread throughout the mythology of multiple cultures because Arcturus is close to the Big Dipper.14
So we have a plow, a wagon, and a bear as a mashup in Heaven. Astroshop.eu has a good summary that further dates the bear to Homer.
Historically, however, the Big Dipper actually came into existence before Ursa Major. The Sumerian word MAR.GID.DA (meaning “pull the chariot”) can be found in the astronomical compendium MUL.APIN, which dates back to the Middle Babylonian period and was compiled around the year 1000 BC.
In Homer's epic the Odyssey, which appeared around 700 BC, the bear finally appears in the western night sky. On his ten-year journey, Odysseus used the stars to navigate, always keeping "the bear whom others call the wagon" to his left.15 (emphasis added)
Homer (c700 BC) pre-dates Daniel (c605 BC) by approximately 100 years. Daniel becomes the bridge between the ancient Hebrew understanding of the Bear from the Book of Job (c2200 and 1700 B.C., around the same era as Abraham and Isaac)16, and the Wagon in Babylonian star-lore (c1000 BC).
Let’s review:
Hypothesis: The second beast can be correlated with the Big Dipper.
The hypothesis that Daniel’s vision includes the Big Dipper “holds water”.
Daniel’s vision doesn’t stop there. There is more to interpret - what is in its mouth?
In Closing
What is the second beast like?
A Great Bear
Is there a corresponding sign in Heaven?
Ursa Major is probably the most recognized constellation in human history as the Big Dipper.
Ursa Major and Minor represent the Great Mother Bear and its cub who move in a circular motion around the polestar, Polaris, night after night.
Arcturus the the star in Bootes the Bear Watcher follows the Great Bear, night after night.
The Bear is mentioned twice in the Book of Job.
The Bear is mentioned by Homer, who also notes that some call it the wagon.
What celestial events occurred?
The Bear is not on the ecliptic, so no sun, moon, or planets traverse the bear to form what is traditionally categorized as a sign such as the Revelation 12 Sign. Therefore there is no alignment, conjunction, or eclipse.
However, there is another sign that travels through the mouth of the bear - stay tuned for the "Great Comet of 2020."
I cannot wait to share with all of you the next article, it is no less than mind blowing.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUL.APIN#/media/File:MulApin-BritishMuseum.jpg
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1899-0610-108
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Job 38:31–33). (2025). Crossway Bibles.
Strong, J. (2009). In A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 42). Logos Bible Software.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Job 9:7–9). (2025). Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Da 1:3–4). (2025). Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Da 1:4). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Job 9:9). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Strong, J. (2009). In A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 88). Logos Bible Software.
Pfeiffer, C. F., Vos, H. F., & Rea, J. (1975). In The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia. Moody Press.
https://biblehub.com/greek/715.htm
Johnson, D. (2026). Meet Arcturus: Guardian of the Bear. Sky and Telescope. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/meet-arcturus-guardian/
White, G. (2007). Babylonian Star-lore, An Illustrated Guide to the Star-lore and Constellations of Ancient Babylonia. https://solariapublications.com/2011/10/25/map-2-full-reconstruction-of-the-babylonian-star-map/
Johnson, D. (2026). Meet Arcturus: Guardian of the Bear. Sky and Telescope. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/meet-arcturus-guardian/
https://www.astroshop.eu/magazine/practical-tips/observation/a-tour-of-the-constellations/ursa-major/i,1309
https://www.gotquestions.org/when-did-Job-live.html