דניאל, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״ח

The ultimate purpose of the vision of the earthly empires is the transfer of global rule into pure and eternal hands. After the reign of these worldly powers, a new kingdom will arise, drawing its authority directly from heaven to last forever. This transition of power is not a standard historical event, but rather a kingdom granted by God Himself. It functions as a fifth kingdom, serving as the final and ultimate goal of the entire vision [יוסף אבן יחיא, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that the holy ones who receive this kingdom are the Israelites. Because of their supreme spiritual standing, they will take the royal power from the fourth empire that ruled before them [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Conversely, another perspective suggests that the recipients are angels, or righteous individuals who achieved profound holiness in the upper realm and drew close to God [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Once these holy ones inherit the kingdom, they will possess it for absolute eternity. The promise of an everlasting rule is emphasized through a doubled expression of time, conveying a dual message. First, because biblical language sometimes uses words for eternity to describe a long but limited period, the repetition clarifies that this rule will be truly endless [מצודת דוד]. Second, the doubling points to two distinct historical eras: the kingdom will exist continuously until the end of this current, temporary world, and it will persist into the eternal World to Come [מלבי״ם, יוסף אבן יחיא]. This promise seals the vision with the absolute certainty that God's kingdom will never depart from the world [ביאור שטיינזלץ].