Daniel 2:42 kjv
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Daniel 2:42 nkjv
And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
Daniel 2:42 niv
As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
Daniel 2:42 esv
And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.
Daniel 2:42 nlt
But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay.
Daniel 2 42 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 2:34 | "While you were looking, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces." | Prophetic image of destruction |
| Daniel 2:43 | "As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay." | Explanation of the mixture |
| Psalm 1:1-6 | "Happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked..." | Contrast of stability and ruin |
| Isaiah 8:14 | "And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel..." | Christ as a disruptive stone |
| Jeremiah 17:5 | "Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from the LORD." | Curse on reliance on earthly power |
| Jeremiah 51:20 | "You are my hammer and weapon for war. With you I will shatter nations; with you I will destroy kingdoms;" | God's use of instruments for judgment |
| Matthew 21:42 | "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." | Jesus as the rejected cornerstone |
| Matthew 24:7 | "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..." | Signs of the end times |
| Luke 21:9 | "And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be put in alarm. For this must first take place, but the end will not be at once." | Wars and conflicts precede the end |
| Acts 2:29-30 | "...David… foretold the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption." | David's prophecy echoing the theme |
| Romans 9:20-21 | "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" | God's sovereignty over nations |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." | Lessons from past history |
| Revelation 17:12 | "And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast." | Future division of power |
| Revelation 18:7 | "To the same degree that she glorified herself and played the harlot, to the same degree give her torment and mourning, for she says in her heart, ‘I sit on a throne as a queen; I am no widow, and I shall never see mourning.’" | Babylon's pride and downfall |
| Revelation 20:10 | "Then the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." | Final destruction of opposition |
Daniel 2 verses
Daniel 2 42 Meaning
This verse describes the future disintegration of the kingdoms symbolized by the toes of the statue. It specifically refers to a future time when the earthly kingdoms, represented by iron mixed with clay, will break apart, indicating their instability and eventual ruin.
Daniel 2 42 Context
Daniel 2 narrates Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great statue representing successive world empires, culminating in God's eternal kingdom. The statue's feet, composed of iron mixed with clay, represent the final phase of earthly empires, characterized by a divided yet ostensibly powerful form. Verse 42 explains the inherent weakness within this final configuration, foretelling its eventual fragmentation and destruction. This is part of a larger prophetic sequence depicting the rise and fall of world powers until the establishment of God's immutable kingdom, often interpreted as the coming of the Messiah and His church.
Daniel 2 42 Word Analysis
- וַאֲנַ֫י (wə-’anāy): "and as for them." This conjunctive particle introduces the specific prophetic declaration about the toes of the image.
- כָּֽהֲוִין (kā-hă-win): "they are." This verb, from the root הוה (hū), signifies existence or being. It points to the current state or nature of these final kingdoms.
- מַדְבְּבִין (mad-bə-win): "parted" or "scattered." This Aramaic verb implies division, separation, and breakage. It directly addresses the characteristic disunity of the final empire.
- בֵּֽין (bên): "between" or "among." This preposition denotes the division that occurs within the toes.
- שַׂלְגָא (śal-gā): "iron." Though translated as iron in most contexts, the word salga itself refers to this metal, symbolizing strength and durability.
- חַסְפָּא (ḥas-pā): "clay." This Aramaic word refers to earthenware or clay, representing weakness and brittleness, contrasting sharply with iron.
- שַׂלְגָא (śal-gā): "iron." Reinforces the component of the feet, highlighting the residual strength within the divided entity.
- חַסְפָּא (ḥas-pā): "clay." Repeated to emphasize the problematic mixture that prevents cohesion and strength.
Words-group analysis
- "they shall be parted, and they shall be as iron mixed with clay": This phrase encapsulates the core concept of the verse – the inherent flaw and fragmentation of the final world power. The mixing signifies a superficial unity or attempt at cohesion that is fundamentally unstable, prone to breakage and division due to the incompatible nature of iron and clay. This reflects a political reality of divided sovereignty and internal discord.
Daniel 2 42 Bonus Section
The imagery of iron mixed with clay strongly suggests a future kingdom or kingdoms characterized by both brute force and underlying fragility, perhaps a confederation of nations with conflicting interests and internal strife. This echoes the historical understanding that no earthly kingdom, however seemingly powerful, can achieve lasting unity or stability without divine order. The ultimate interpretation often points towards the future period leading up to Christ's second coming, marked by global division and instability. The incompatibility of iron and clay serves as a potent metaphor for societies or empires built on foundations that are inherently divisive and incapable of enduring strength.
Daniel 2 42 Commentary
Daniel 2:42 prophesies the fragmentation of the final geopolitical entity, symbolized by the ten toes of the statue. This division is not merely political but also stems from an intrinsic incompatibility, like iron and clay. It highlights that despite a semblance of power (iron), these kingdoms will be weak internally and unable to cohere due to their divided nature. This verse foreshadows periods of both fragmented rule and attempts at reunification that ultimately fail, setting the stage for divine intervention. The weakness lies in the mixture itself, where strength and fragility coexist without true amalgamation.