Daniel 2:31-38

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Daniel 2:31-45

Daniel here gives full satisfaction to Nebuchadnezzar concerning his dream and the interpretation of it. That great prince had been kind to this poor prophet in his maintenance and education; he had been brought up at the king's cost, preferred at court, and the land of his captivity had hereby been made much easier to him than to others of his brethren. And now the king is abundantly repaid for all the expense he had been at upon him; and for receiving this prophet, though not in the name of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:31

Thou, O king, sawest ,.... Or, "wast seeing" F26 הזה הוית "videns fuisti", Montanus, Michaelis; "videns eras", Vatablus. ; not with the eyes of his body, but in his fancy and imagination; as he was dreaming, he thought he saw such an appearance, so it seemed to him, as follows: and behold a great image ; or, "one great image" F1 צלם חד שגיא "imago una grandis", Pagninus, Montanus; "imago una magna", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; "simulachrum unum magnum",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:32

This image's head was of fine gold ,.... The prophet begins with the superior part of this image, and descends to the lower, because of the order and condition of the monarchies it represents: this signifies the Babylonian monarchy, as afterwards explained; called the "head", being the first and chief of the monarchies; and compared to "fine gold", because of the glory, excellency, and duration of it: his breast and his arms of silver ; its two arms, including its hands and its breast,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:33

His legs of iron ,.... A coarser metal than the former, but very strong; and designs the strong and potent monarchy of the Romans, the last of the four monarchies, governed chiefly by two consuls: and was divided, in the times of Theodosius, into the eastern and western empire, which may be signified by the two legs: his feet part of iron and part of clay F2 מנהון די פרזל ומנהון די חסף "ex illis quidam ex ferro, et excillis quidam ex luto", Gejerus. ; or some "of them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:34

Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands ,.... Or, "wast seeing" F5 חזה הוית "videns eras", Montanus, Michaelis. ; the king continued looking upon the image that stood before him, as he thought, as long as he could see it, till he saw a "stone": an emblem of the Messiah, as it often is in Scripture, Genesis 49:24 , because of his strength, firmness, and duration; and so it is interpreted here by many Jewish writers, ancient and modern, as well as by Christians; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:35

Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together ,.... The feet, the basis of the image, being broken, the whole body of it fell, and with its own weight was broken to pieces; an emblem this of the utter dissolution of all the monarchies and kingdoms of the earth, signified by these several metals: and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors ; which is exceeding small and light: and the wind carried them away, that no place was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:36

This is the dream ,.... Which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed, but had forgot, and was now punctually and exactly made known to him; for the truth of which he is appealed unto; for, no doubt, by this account, the whole of his dream, and every circumstance of it, were brought to his mind: and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king ; for though both the dream, and the interpretation of it, were only revealed to Daniel; yet he joins his companions with him, partly because they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:37

Thou, O king, art a king of kings ,.... Having many kings subject and tributary to him, or would have; as the kings of Judah, Ammon, Moab, and others, and who were even his captives and prisoners; see Jeremiah 52:32 . Jarchi and Saadiah join this with the next clause, "the God of heaven", and interpret it of him thus, thou, O King Nebuchadnezzar, "the King of kings, who is the God of heaven, hath given unto thee", &c.; so some in the Talmud understand it of God F11 T. Bab. Shebuot,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Daniel 2:38

And wheresoever the children of men dwell ,.... Not in every part of the habitable world, but in every part of his large dominion inhabited by men: the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heaven, hath he given into thine hand ; all parks, chases, and forests (so that none might hunt or hawk without his permission), as well as the persons and habitations of men, were at his dispose; showing the despotic power and sovereign sway he had over his subjects: and hath made thee ruler... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 2:31

A great image - Representing the four great monarchies. read more

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