It grew great: this is the same verb as at the beginning of the previous verse, but there is no qualifying adverb here. The idea is that it grew so powerful that it was able to attack even to the host of heaven. For the translator the identification of the host of heaven presents serious problems. The answer to this question will determine the rendering of the rest of this verse. Many versions equate it with the stars that are mentioned immediately following. The host of the stars are introduced by a simple coordinating conjunction and therefore seem to be in apposition with the host of heaven. This will yield a translation like that of Good News Translation, “… the army of heaven, the stars themselves.” On the other hand New American Bible translates in such a way as to indicate two separate and distinct groups: “Its power extended to the host of heaven, so that it cast down to earth some of the host and some of the stars”; it then indicates in a footnote that the host of heaven “ordinarily meaning the stars, here refers to the people of God; cf 12,3.” The same kind of solution is adopted by Bible en français courant. Whichever solution is chosen, the translator must not say more than is necessary in the rendering given, and an explanatory note can give more ample information.

Cast down: see verse 7 above.

Trampled: other possible translations of this verb are “walked on” (New Century Version), or “stamped on” (Revised English Bible), or “crushed under foot.”

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .