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

29As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of 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

• You, O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• were lookingחֲזָהchăzâ' chăzâh · to seeH2370
• and beholdאֲלוּ'ălû · beholdH431
• there was a singleחַדchad · oneH2298
• greatשַׂגִּיאώaggîy' · greatH7690
• statueצְלֵםtselem tselem · imageH6755
• which was largeרַבrab · greatH7229
• of extraordinaryיַתִּירyattîyr · preeminentH3493
• splendorזִיוzîyv · splendorH2122
• was standingקוּםqûm · to stand: establishH6966
• in frontקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · beforeH6903
• of you, and its appearanceרֵוrêv · appearanceH7299
• awesomeדְּחַלdechal · to fearH1763

Cross-references for Daniel 2:31

• Daniel 7:3And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
• Matthew 4:8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;
• Luke 4:5And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
• Isaiah 13:11Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
• Isaiah 25:3Therefore a strong people will glorify You; Cities of ruthless nations will revere You.
• Ezekiel 28:7Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you, The most ruthless of the nations. And they will draw their swords Against the beauty of your wisdom And defile your splendor.
• Habakkuk 1:7They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves.

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