Daniel 2 35

Daniel 2:35 kjv

Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:35 nkjv

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:35 niv

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:35 esv

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:35 nlt

The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

Daniel 2 verses

Daniel 2 35 Meaning

Daniel 2:35 describes the climactic end of all human earthly kingdoms, symbolized by the various metals of Nebuchadnezzar's dream statue, when they are simultaneously and utterly destroyed. This destruction is effected by a stone, supernaturally cut without human hands, which then grows to become a great mountain filling the entire earth. This signifies the triumphant, all-encompassing, and eternal establishment of God's kingdom, displacing all temporal human dominion.

Daniel 2 35 Context

Daniel chapter 2 narrates King Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream and Daniel's divinely inspired interpretation. The dream reveals a great statue composed of different materials: a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay. Each material represents a successive world empire that would dominate from Babylon's time until the end of human rule. The dream culminates in a stone, not cut by human hands, striking the feet of the statue, shattering all its parts simultaneously into dust, which is then carried away by the wind. Following this destruction, the stone itself grows into a vast mountain that fills the entire earth.

The historical context is the Babylonian Empire, a time of absolute monarchy and claims of divine right to rule by human kings. The dream, given by God to a pagan king and interpreted by His prophet Daniel, served as a profound revelation: divine sovereignty ultimately overrides human ambition and temporary power. It was a clear polemic against the pagan belief in the eternal endurance of human empires and their divinized rulers, demonstrating that only the God of Israel has the power to establish a truly everlasting kingdom.

Daniel 2 35 Word analysis

• Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together,
  • iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold: These refer to the successive human empires prophesied in the preceding verses. Gold (Babylon), Silver (Medo-Persia), Bronze (Greece), Iron (Rome), and Iron mixed with Clay (the final, fragmented stage of world government). The listing of them here indicates their collective and complete subjugation and demise. Their strength and glory, though diminishing in human estimation, are all subject to the same divine power.
  • broken to pieces together: The Aramaic term is חֲדָהּ (chadah), meaning "at the same time" or "unitedly." This is crucial. It signifies that the final destruction of the anti-God human systems will be a single, simultaneous event, not a gradual crumbling. All successive empires are linked to the feet, and all fall together. This emphasizes the comprehensive and decisive nature of God's final judgment on all worldly opposition.
• and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors;
  • chaff: Aramaic תִּבְנָא (tibna), referring to the light, worthless husks separated from grain during threshing. This imagery is commonly used in scripture to depict the utterly ephemeral, insubstantial, and worthless nature of the wicked or anything opposed to God (Ps 1:4, Isa 17:13). Its lightness ensures it is easily scattered and removed.
  • summer threshingfloors: Refers to the context of harvesting where the process of winnowing occurs in the dry season. The "chaff" implies complete lack of substance or value once the true harvest (God's kingdom) arrives.
• and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them:
  • wind carried them away: The "wind" (ruach in Hebrew, or generally "spirit/breath") often represents divine power or judgment. Here, it denotes the thoroughness and divine orchestration of the removal of all remnants of human kingdoms. The ease with which the "chaff" is carried away underscores the lack of power and substance in these kingdoms against God's decree.
  • no place was found for them: Emphasizes the utter eradication. Not a trace remains. There is no partial victory or lingering influence of the old order; it is completely obliterated. This illustrates God's sovereignty over history and destiny.
• and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
  • stone: Aramaic אֶבֶן ('eben). This stone is central to the interpretation (Dan 2:45, "cut out of the mountain without hands"). It unequivocally represents the divinely established kingdom of God, separate from all human efforts, and, by New Testament revelation, Christ Himself and His spiritual kingdom. Its nature (stone vs. metals) shows an entirely different, transcendent origin.
  • smote the image: Direct, forceful, and destructive action against all opposing human systems.
  • became a great mountain: A "mountain" in biblical prophecy often symbolizes a kingdom or government (Isa 2:2, Ps 30:7). Its "greatness" denotes immense power, stability, and enduring supremacy. Unlike temporary human empires, God's kingdom is fixed and everlasting.
  • filled the whole earth: Signifies the universal scope, comprehensive dominion, and infinite expansion of God's kingdom. It is not limited to a geographical area or specific people but encompasses the entire globe, spiritually and ultimately physically, when Christ's reign is fully realized.

Daniel 2 35 Bonus section

The destruction being "together" (simultaneously) emphasizes that while these empires historically succeed each other, the ultimate downfall of their system, often tied to the feet (the final human kingdoms), will be a singular event where all the accumulated anti-God power and structure of human government comes to an end. This contrasts with a piecemeal fall of individual kingdoms over millennia and points to a grand, cataclysmic eschatological judgment. The stone, understood as the Kingdom of God embodied in Jesus Christ, represents both His spiritual reign (inaugurated at His first coming) and His future visible, literal reign over the earth (at His second coming). The Kingdom "filling the whole earth" implies a universal and unchallenged dominion that surpasses all previous, geographically limited empires. This provides an interpretative boundary: God's kingdom does not evolve out of human kingdoms but decisively replaces them by divine intervention.

Daniel 2 35 Commentary

Daniel 2:35 provides a stark and powerful visual prophecy of God's absolute sovereignty over human history and kingdoms. It unveils the ultimate futility of all human attempts at building enduring empires and the certainty of their total obliteration before the eternal, divine reign. The transition from precious metals to the mixed feet demonstrates a trajectory of diminishing glory and increasing internal fragmentation for human rule. The stone's strike, rather than gradual erosion, signifies a sudden, divinely orchestrated intervention that shatters all worldly systems simultaneously. This speaks to a conclusive end-time event, not merely a historical succession of kingdoms. The image of "chaff" emphasizes the worthlessness and fragility of human power when weighed against God's might; all human boasts and achievements amount to nothing but dust swept away by divine wind. Conversely, the stone growing into a "great mountain that filled the whole earth" encapsulates the boundless, universal, and everlasting nature of God's kingdom, established by Christ, transcending all earthly dominion. This kingdom is inaugurated by Christ's first coming, but its global manifestation and comprehensive dominion are fulfilled in His second coming when all opposing rule is utterly dismantled and replaced by His righteous reign. This offers immense hope and security to believers, knowing that their true allegiance lies with an eternal King and an unshakeable kingdom, while all temporary worldly powers are destined to vanish without a trace.