Translation
THE BEAST
I saw was like a leopard,
Go to footnote numberbut his feet were like that of a bear,
Go to footnote numberwhile his mouth was like that of a lion.
Go to footnote numberTHE DRAGON gave it his power, his throne
and great authority.
Paraphrase
THE FEROCIOUS CREATURE I saw was both beautiful and dangerous,
it could kill in an instant,
there was nothing it could not devour.
THE GREAT DECEIVER gave it his power, the realm over which he ruled,
and great authority.
Footnotes
1
It should be obvious why the leopard was a picture of both beauty and danger. It is used here to show that Satan and his cohorts can present their temptations in very attractive ways, but there is great danger in following him. The two word pictures that follow highlight how dangerous getting close to them would be.
2
A “bear” was known to ancient peoples for its cunning, its power and its ferocious attacks. Therefore, in this case the feet do not refer to agency and mobility as in most cases, rather the desired mental image is that of the power of a bear’s paws. With one swipe of its powerful paw a bear can kill any man.
3
The “lion’s” mouth is bigger than that of a leopard making its capacity for killing and devouring greater.