Daniel 2:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze,

NIV: The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

NASB: The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

CSB: The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze,

NLT: The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,

KJV: This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

NKJV: This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

The statue Nebuchadnezzar saw in his troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3, 17–19) likely had "exceeding brightness" because of its shiny metals (Daniel 2:31). Daniel describes the head, torso, midsection, legs, and feet by noting the materials from which they were made. From head to feet, the substances are listed as gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay (Daniel 2:33).

The order of these metals, and their properties, suggest a pattern and a subtle message. The materials lessen in value and beauty from top to bottom. Further, they grow in strength until the transition from iron to clay, when the statue suddenly becomes brittle. Although the parts of the image most directly represent kingdoms (Daniel 2:38–41), some commentators also see a gradual degradation of humanity. This would roughly parallel the Bible's description of mankind beginning at its best in the garden of Eden but becoming worse as sin pervades the thoughts and actions of every human being.

Daniel 2:31–45 provides both the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). The dream describes what is sometimes called "the latter days" or "the times of the Gentiles." This is part of a section of the book of Daniel recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28), the common language of Babylon at the time. The image seen in the dream includes a progression of shapes and materials, representing a sequence of kingdoms, their characteristics, and their eventual fates.

King Nebuchadnezzar tests his magicians, demanding they tell him what he has dreamed, rather than merely inventing an interpretation. When they fail, he prepares to execute the entire department of wise men. Daniel promises he can meet the king's request and is given a special vision from God. The king dreamed of a massive statue shattered into powder by a supernatural rock. Daniel accurately describes this and interprets it as a prophecy about kingdoms which would come after Babylon. The king appoints Daniel and his friends to positions of power and influence over Babylon.

Chapter 1 introduced King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel—a captive youth from Jerusalem—and three other Jewish boys. After three years of education, the four Hebrew captives outperformed all the other trainees, even surpassing the wise men in Babylon. In chapter 2, Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar's disturbing dream, though the court magicians could not. As a result, the king promotes Daniel and his three friends to high positions over the provinces of Babylon. This sets the stage for a severe test of faith in chapter 3.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.

Accessed 5/5/2024 10:59:25 PM