Daniel 2:32

This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, THIS IMAGE'S HEAD WAS OF FINE GOLD. On ancient coins states are often represented by human figures. The head and higher parts signify the earlier times; the lower, the later times. The metals become successively baser and baser, implying the growing degeneracy from worse to worse. Hesiod, 200 years before Daniel, had compared the four ages to the four metals in the same order: the idea is sanctioned here by Holy Writ. It was perhaps one of those fragments of revelation among the pagan, derived from the tradition as to the fall of man. The metals lessen in specific gravity as they go downward: silver is not so heavy as gold, brass not so heavy as silver, and iron not so heavy as brass, the weight thus being arranged in the reverse of stability (Tregelles). Nebuchadnezzar derived...

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 branched into ten kingdoms, as the toes of these feet. Some were weak as clay, others strong as iron. Endeavours have often been used to unite them, for strengthening the empire, but in vain. The stone cut out without hands, represented the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, which should be set up in the kingdoms of the world, upon the ruins of Satan's kingdom in them. This was the Stone which the builders refused, because it was not cut out b...

Verse 32. _HEAD_ WAS _OF FINE GOLD_] The _Babylonish empire_, the first and greatest. _BREAST AND HIS ARMS OF SILVER_] The _Medo-Persian empire_, under Cyrus, c. _HIS BELLY AND HIS THIGHS OF BRASS_] The _Macedonian empire_, under Alexander the Great, and his successors....

THIS IMAGE’S HEAD WAS OF FINE GOLD - Chaldee, “good gold” - טב דהב _d__e__hab_ _ṭâb_ - that is, fine, pure, unalloyed. The whole head of the figure, colossal as it was, appeared to be composed wholly of this. Had the “whole” image been made of gold, it would not have been so striking - for it was not uncommon to construct vast statues of this metal. Compare Daniel 3:1. But the remarkable peculiarity of this image was, that it was composed of different materials, some of which were seldom or never used in such a structure, and all of which had a peculiar significancy. On the significancy of this part of the figure, and the resemblance between this head of gold and Nebuchadnezzar himself, see the notes at...

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 TROUBLED, AND HIS SLEEP BRAKE FROM HIM. The versions only differ verbally from the Massoretic text as represented by the above. The Septuagint renders "And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he chanced to fall into dreams and visions, and to be troubled with his vision, and his sleep went from him." The differences here that may evidence a difference of text are slight. Theodotion and the Peshitta are very close to the Massoretic. The Vulgate renders, "In the second year of

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, to which they were joined, were of silver, a metal of less value than gold; designing the monarchy of the Medes and Persians, which are the two arms, and which centred in Cyrus, who was by his father a Persian, by his mother a Mede; and upon whom, after his uncle's death, the whole monarchy devolved: HIS BELLY AND HIS THIGHS OF BRASS; a baser metal still; this points at the Macedonian or Grecian monarchy,...

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) 4. The revelation and interpretation of the dream (Daniel 2:29) 5. The promotion of Daniel and his companions (Daniel 2:46) Daniel 2:1. The king had a dream which was occasioned by thinking concerning the future ...

DANIEL DECLARES THE DREAM TO THE KING. By the inspiration of God Daniel is enabled to describe to the king his forgotten dream. In this dream the king had seen the image of a colossal man, which was of surpassing brilliance. The head was made of gold, the upper part of the body of silver, the lower part of bronze, the legs of iron, the feet of iron mixed with clay. As the king watched, a stone cut without hands smote the image and smashed it in pieces. The stone then grew till it became a mountain and filled the whole earth. DANIEL 2:27. SOOTHSAYERS: lit. determiners of fates, _i.e._ fortunetellers. For the prevalence of magic at Babylon, Daniel 1:20 *. Daniel 2:28. in the latter days: lit. at the en

HEAD. Note the five parts: (1) the head; (2) the breast and arms; (3) the belly and the thighs; (4) the legs; (5) the feet. These five are preserved distinct throughout. Compare: Daniel 2:34, and Daniel 2:38, and Daniel 2:45. GOLD... CLAY (Daniel 2:33). Note that the most precious metal, and the highest specific gravity was at the top, decreasing with its descent: (1) gold. Dan 19:3. (2) silver. Dan 10:51. (3) brass. Daniel 8:5. (4) iron. Daniel 7:6. (5) clay....

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar his dream....