Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Daniel 2:40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron. This vision sets forth the character of the Roman power, rather than its territorial extent (Tregelles).

Forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things - so, in righteous retribution, itself will at last be broken in pieces () by the kingdom of God ().

Continues after advertising

See also Daniel 2:40 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THE FOURTH KINGDOM - Represented in the image by the legs of iron, and the feet “part of iron, and part of clay,” Daniel 2:33. The first question which arises here is, what kingdom is referred to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 2 NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION _ 1. The forgotten dream (Daniel 2:1)_ 2. The prayer meeting in Babylon and the answer (Daniel 2:14) 3. Daniel before the king (Daniel 2:24)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. According to Daniel's interpretation the colossal statue is a pictorial representation of the course of history. Four empires succeed each other and are finally destro...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE FOURTH: i.e. Rome (Luke 2 and Luke 3). Observe that it does not say there were "four, and no more", as alleged; but "the fourth". An _ordinal_ number, not _cardinal._ The Chaldee is _rebi aya_. (t...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The interpretation of the dream. The four parts of the image signify four kingdoms, the first being represented by its present and greatest ruler, Nebuchadnezzar....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The fourth kingdom, the formidable crushing power of which is compared to iron. The allusion is to the Macedonian empire, founded by Alexander the Great. _subdueth_ or BEATETH DOWN: in Syr. the word...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE FOURTH KINGDOM SHALL BE STRONG AS IRON, &C.— This description agrees well with the Roman empire, and the event answered this prediction; for the Roman was vastly more strong and extensive than any...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    b. FOURTH KINGDOM TEXT: Daniel 2:40-43 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    NEBUCHANDEZZAR'S DREAM-IMAGE Nebuchadnezzar in his second year had a dream, which he required the wise men of his court to describe and interpret on pain of death. They said this was beyond their powe...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FOURTH KINGDOM] is the Greek empire, founded by the conquests of Alexander the Great....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE MEN WHO WERE LOYAL TO GOD DANIEL _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 2 V1 When Nebuchadnezzar had been king for almost two years, he had dreams. His mind was anxious and he could not sleep. Verse 1 Nebuc...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THE FOURTH. — It should be observed that the description of this kingdom is much fuller than those of the preceding empires. The same fact will be remarked in the later visions (Daniel 7:7; Daniel...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ מַלְכוּ֙ _רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔ה_† תֶּהֱוֵ֥א תַקִּיפָ֖ה כְּ פַרְזְלָ֑א

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE DREAM-IMAGE OF RUINED EMPIRES "With thee will I break in pieces rulers and captains." - Jeremiah 51:23 THE Book of Daniel is constructed with consummate skill to teach the mighty lessons which it...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD'S KINGDOM TRIUMPHANT Daniel 2:36-49 Our Lord probably refers to these five empires when He speaks of “the times of the Gentiles.” The empire of Babylon was followed by that of Medo-Persia under C...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar, troubled by dreams and unable to sleep, called together his enchanters and sorcerers to explain his dreams one of which troubled him especially. Their d...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in (u) pieces and bruise. (u) That...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The fourth kingdom, &c. Some understand this of the successors of Alexander, the kings of Syria and Egypt: others, of the Roman empire and its civil wars. (Challoner) --- The former supposition seems...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Think, Reader! what astonishment must have overwhelmed the mind of Babylon's monarch, when beholding a poor captive youth of Israel's race, not only bringing to his recollection all the circumstances...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Here the Fourth Empire is described, which agrees only with the Roman, for we know that the four successors of Alexander were at length subdued. Philip was the first king of Macedon, and Antiochus the...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    On the other hand, we see in the second chapter the mighty king of the Gentiles made the depositary of the history of the Gentiles, and of God's entire plan, as the recipient of these divine communica...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE FOURTH KINGDOM SHALL BE STRONG AS IRON,.... This is not the kingdom of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, the successors of Alexander, as some have thought; for these are designed by the thighs in th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise._ Ver. 40. _A...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron_, &c. This description agrees well with the Roman empire, and the event answered the prediction; for the Roman was vastly more strong and extensive than any...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as, or, "just as," IRON BREAKETH IN PIECES AND SUBDUETH ALL THINGS, crushing them and utterly destroying them; AND AS IRON THAT BREAKETH ALL T...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Dream Interpreted; Daniel Advanced...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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, t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE FOURTH KINGDOM is the kingdom of the Romans; and was to last not only to Christ's first coming, but under antichrist to his second coming, but still going down as to pagan worship, and at last to...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Daniel 2:40 fourth H7244 kingdom H4437 be H1934 (H8748) strong H8624 iron H6523 iron H6523 pieces H

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “And the fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things. And as iron that crushes all these, will it break in pieces and crush. And whereas you saw...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Daniel 2:29 I take the severance of the stone from the mountain to denote the coming of Christ into the world, and the collision of the stone with the image to mean the founding by the Lord of that sp...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Visions of Nebuchadnezzar and their results. The forgotten dream and the failure of the astrologers. Daniel's interpretation after prayer for wisdom. CHARACTERS: Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Sha...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Daniel 2:1. _In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar,_ after he ascended the throne, according to the Chaldaic account, which was the fourth according to the Hebrew account. Nebuchadnezzar is thought by...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands._ THE DREAM RECOVERED AND INTERPRETED The vision suggests to us many interesting things concerning the Kingdom of Christ. 1. Its superhuman o...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    DANIEL—NOTE ON DANIEL 2:1 Nebuchadnezzar expects his own interpreters to tell him the content of his dream, perhaps to prove that they are genuinely qualified to interpret it (vv. Daniel 2:1). Daniel’...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    DANIEL—NOTE ON DANIEL 2:40 The FOURTH KINGDOM (the Roman Empire) will be STRONG AS IRON, yet also unstable. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _HOMILETICS_ SECT. IX.—THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM (Chap. Daniel 2:36) In the interpretation of the king’s dream we come to the prophecies of Daniel. Some of these prophecies were communications...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION DANIEL 2:1 DANIEL FIRST BECOMES DISTINGUISHED. DANIEL 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was trou

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep was taken from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 1:3; Daniel 7:7; Daniel 11:36; Daniel 2:33; Daniel 7:19;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Fourth kingdom — This is the kingdom of the Romans, and was to last not only to Christ's first coming, but under antichrist, to his second coming. This did break in pieces all other kingdoms, being to...

Continues after advertising