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Daniel 7:4
ESV The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.
NIV The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
NASB The first was like a lion but had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and set up on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.
CSB "The first was like a lion but had eagle's wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.
NLT The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.
KJV The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

What does Daniel 7:4 mean?

In a symbolic dream (Daniel 7:1), Daniel sees a series of animal-like creatures emerging from the sea (Daniel 7:2–3). Powerful nations are often symbolized as animals, such as the bear for Russia, the eagle for the United States, or a dragon for China. The beasts seen in Daniel's vision also represent nations and the kings of those nations (Daniel 7:17).

The first animal Daniel sees is mostly like a lion, but with eagle wings. A few scholars suggest this is a reference to Egypt, but most believe it represents the nation of Babylon. Archaeologists have discovered figures of winged lions in Nineveh, Nimrod, and Persepolis; the lion with wings was a symbol of Babylon. Such figures guarded the gates of the Babylonians' royal palaces. Ezekiel uses the picture of an eagle to symbolize Babylon (Ezekiel 17:3, 12). Jeremiah depicts Babylon's conquest of Judah with images of both lions and eagles (Jeremiah 4:7, 13).

In the dream, Daniel saw the lion's wings removed. The beast was transformed into something more human. This may symbolize relatively humane advancements under Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1). In Nebuchadnezzar's dream, this nation was symbolized by the golden head of a statue (Daniel 2:32, 37–38).
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