en_tn_condensed/dan/07/17.md

These large animals, four in number,

"These four large animals"

are four kings

"represent four kings"

four kings that will arise from the earth

Here "from the earth" means they are real people. Alternate translation: "four kings who will come to power on the earth" or "four men who will rise up from among the people of the earth and become kings" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)