Daniel 12:4 (WEB)

Passage

But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.”

Nearby Context

Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.”

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

Daniel 12:6 One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?”

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Those who are wise will shine as..." into verse 5's "Then I Daniel looked and behold two...", so "daniel" and "shut" 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 "daniel" and "shut" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.