Daniel 12:4 (ASV)

Passage

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Nearby Context

Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:3 And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Daniel 12:5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side.

Daniel 12:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "thou", "daniel", "shut", "words", "seal", "book", "even", and "time". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "thou" and "daniel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "And they that are wise shall shine..." into verse 5's "Then I Daniel looked and behold there...", so "thou" and "daniel" belong inside that flow. In Daniel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "thou" and "daniel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.