Daniel 2:31

Daniel 2:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
• New International Version (NIV)“Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.

Context of Daniel 2:31

29While you lay on your bed, you dreamed about future times. God explains secret things, and he has shown you what will happen in future years. 30I am not more wise than other people. But God has explained your secret dream to me, because he wants you to know what it means. He wants you to understand the thoughts in your mind.’ Daniel said, ‘In your dream, you saw in front of you a statue with a man's shape. It was very big and very bright. It frightened people very much. 32Its head was made from pure gold. The top of its body and its arms were made from silver. Its lower body was made from bronze. 33The statue's legs were made from iron. Its feet had parts made from iron and parts made from clay.

Daniel 2:31 word by word

אַ֣נְתְּ מַלְכָּ֗א חָזֵ֤ה הֲוַ֙יְתָ֙ וַאֲל֨וּ צְלֵ֥ם חַד֙ שַׂגִּ֔יא צַלְמָ֨א דִּכֵּ֥ן רַ֛ב וְזִיוֵ֥הּ יַתִּ֖יר קָאֵ֣ם לְקָבְלָ֑ךְ וְרֵוֵ֖הּ דְּחִֽיל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thouאַנְתָּה'antâh · youH607
• O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• sawestחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
• sawestהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• and beholdאֲלוּ'ălû · beholdH431
• a greatשַׂגִּיאώaggîy' · greatH7690
• a greatחַדchad · oneH2298
• imageצְלֵםtselem tselem · imageH6755
• Thisדִּכֵּןdikkên · thisH1797
• greatרַבrab · greatH7229
• whose brightnessזִיוzîyv · splendorH2122
• excellentיַתִּירyattîyr · preeminentH3493
• stoodקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
• beforeקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · beforeH6903
• thee; and the formרֵוrêv · appearanceH7299
• terribleדְּחַלdechal · to fearH1763

Cross-references for Daniel 2:31

• Daniel 7:3Then four large animals came out of the sea. They were all different from each other.
• Matthew 4:8Then the Devil led Jesus up a very high mountain. He showed Jesus all the countries in the whole world. They were very great and beautiful.
• Luke 4:5After that, the Devil led Jesus up to a high place. In one moment, he showed Jesus all the countries in the whole world.
• Isaiah 13:11I, the Lord, will punish the world, because it is evil. I will punish wicked people for their sins. I will stop proud people from boasting. If strong people are cruel to others, I will bring them down low.
• Isaiah 25:3So people of strong nations will praise you. The people of cruel nations will be afraid of you.
• Ezekiel 28:7So listen! I will bring a foreign army to attack you. They will be a very cruel enemy. They will use their swords to destroy your beautiful city. They will spoil the beautiful things that you have used your wisdom to get for yourselves.
• Habakkuk 1:7They cause people to be very afraid. They obey no laws except their own rules.

Commentaries on Daniel 2:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31A great image - Representing the four great monarchies.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Thou, O king, sawest - Margin, “wast seeing.” The margin is in accordance with the Chaldee. The language is properly what denotes a prolonged or attentive observation. He was in an attitude favorable to vision, or was looking with intensity, and there appeared before him this remarkable image. Compare Daniel 7:1-2, Daniel 7:4, Daniel 7:6. It was not a thing which appeared for a moment, and then vanished, but which remained so long that he could…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-45Verses 31-45 This image represented the kingdoms of the earth, that should successively rule the nations, and influence the affairs of the Jewish church. 1. The head of gold signified the Chaldean empire, then in being. 2. The breast and arms of silver signified the empire of the Medes and Persians. 3. The belly and thighs of brass signified the Grecian empire, founded by Alexander. 4. The legs and feet of iron signified the Roman empire. The Roman empire…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-33The progression downward shows a decrease in value: from the most valuable, gold (Daniel 2:32), to the least valuable, iron and baked clay (2:33).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. The world power in its totality appears as a colossal human form: Babylon the head of gold, Medo-Persia the breast and two arms of silver, Græco-Macedonia the belly and two thighs of brass, and Rome, with its Germano-Slavonic offshoots, the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay, the fourth still existing. Those kingdoms only are mentioned which stand in some relation to the kingdom of God; of these none is left out; the final establishment of that…Read the comment

Topics related to Daniel 2:31

• Babylon
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Babylon
• Iron
• Terrible
• Abed-Nego
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Daniel
• Daniel, Book of
• Divination

Commentaries on Daniel 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings