Daniel 2:43 kjv
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
Daniel 2:43 nkjv
As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
Daniel 2:43 niv
And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
Daniel 2:43 esv
As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
Daniel 2:43 nlt
This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.
Daniel 2 43 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dan 2:41-42 | "And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom... | Immediate context of the iron and clay feet. |
| Dan 2:33-35 | "His legs of iron, his feet partly of iron and partly of clay... stone struck the image on its feet of iron and clay." | Initial description of the composite kingdom. |
| Dan 2:44-45 | "In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed..." | Contrast: God's eternal kingdom replaces fragmented human rule. |
| Dan 7:23-24 | "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth... Ten horns are ten kings." | Foreshadowing a final divided Gentile empire. |
| Rev 13:1-2 | "And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea... with ten horns..." | Similar symbolism of a composite, powerful, yet fragmented end-time Gentile power. |
| Rev 17:12-14 | "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings... these will make war with the Lamb." | Ten rulers allied against Christ at the end of age. |
| Gen 11:6-9 | "The LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them..." | Human attempts at self-centered unity leading to divine dispersion. |
| Isa 45:9 | "Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it..." | God's sovereignty over humanity, represented by potter and clay. |
| Jer 18:6 | "‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you..." | God's absolute authority and power over nations. |
| Ps 2:9 | "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel." | Messiah's powerful rule and judgment over resistant nations. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end... will establish it with judgment and justice Forever." | The unshakeable, eternal kingdom of the Messiah. |
| Zech 14:9 | "And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—‘The LORD is one,’ And His name one." | The ultimate establishment of God's global sovereignty. |
| Rev 11:15 | "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ..." | Final declaration of Christ's triumph over earthly kingdoms. |
| Luke 21:24 | "Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." | The ongoing era of Gentile dominance until Christ's return. |
| Heb 12:28 | "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace..." | Emphasizes the unshakeable nature of God's kingdom. |
| Col 1:16-17 | "For by Him all things were created... all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." | Divine coherence vs. human disintegration; ultimate unity found in Christ alone. |
| Job 10:9 | "Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay; And You will bring me to dust again?" | The frailty and mortality of human beings (clay). |
| Ps 46:6 | "The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted." | God's power to dismantle earthly kingdoms with ease. |
| Mt 12:25 | "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." | Jesus' principle on internal division leading to downfall. |
| Dan 11:6 | "they shall not retain the power of the kingdom, nor shall he stand... because there shall be a rising up against the one who helped him." | Example of a failed political alliance through marriage. |
| Jas 1:17 | "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." | Contrasts God's unwavering nature with the unstable and fluctuating nature of human mixtures. |
Daniel 2 verses
Daniel 2 43 Meaning
Daniel 2:43 describes the nature of the final, earthly kingdom symbolized by the feet and toes of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. It states that despite attempts to integrate and intermingle elements of strength (iron) with fragility (clay), these components will not permanently fuse or hold together. This signifies a fundamental internal weakness, division, and instability within this end-time empire, leading to its eventual fragmentation rather than sustained unity.
Daniel 2 43 Context
Daniel chapter 2 presents Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream of a large image representing successive world empires: a head of gold (Babylon), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persia), belly and thighs of bronze (Greece), and legs of iron (Rome). Daniel 2:41-43 specifically interpret the feet and toes, which are a mixture of iron and clay. This represents a final, distinct phase of the empire symbolized by iron, characterized by a paradoxical combination of strength and extreme fragility. The historical context reflects a world ruled by powerful human empires that, despite their might, were ultimately temporary and destined to fall, contrasting sharply with God's eternal, unshakeable kingdom which would eventually displace them all.
Daniel 2 43 Word analysis
- As you saw iron mixed with molded clay:
- iron (Aramaic:
parzela): Symbolizes strength, inflexibility, crushing power. In the context of the statue, it represents the Roman Empire known for its military might and widespread conquests. - mixed (Aramaic: `
arobh): Implies mingling, blending, but not true integration or fusion. - molded clay (Aramaic:
chasaph diy tela): Potter's clay, symbolizing weakness, fragility, and a common or inferior element. It suggests the human element in its vulnerable state, perhaps referring to the common populace or diverse national groups lacking cohesion.
- iron (Aramaic:
- so they will mix themselves with the seed of men;
- mix themselves (Aramaic:
hith'ar'baw): This reflexive form indicates a self-willed or reciprocal action. The mixture is deliberately undertaken by the entities themselves, not an external imposition. It signifies internal efforts at combination. - seed of men (Aramaic:
zera' 'enasha): A crucial phrase. "Seed" (zera') commonly refers to offspring, progeny, or descendants. "Men" ('enasha') refers to human beings. Interpretations often include:- Intermarriage/Dynastic alliances: As common ways for ancient kingdoms to solidify power, often through royal families. History shows such alliances could be very unstable.
- Intermingling of diverse populations/cultures: The assimilation of different ethnic, national, or social groups within a vast empire, potentially leading to internal strife.
- Social and political blending: The mixing of governmental authority (iron) with the will of the common people (clay), perhaps indicating a form of democratic or popular influence that paradoxically introduces instability due to internal conflict.
- mix themselves (Aramaic:
- but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
- will not hold together (Aramaic:
la' yidbaqūn): A strong negation.dabaqmeans to cleave, cling, stick, or be joined. This emphasizes an inherent, incurable inability for the combined elements to cohere or achieve true unity. Their attempt at unity is fundamentally flawed. - iron does not mix with clay: Reiteration of the impossibility of true amalgamation. Chemically, these substances are incompatible; they do not form a homogeneous compound. This highlights the inherent, structural disunity of the final kingdom.
- will not hold together (Aramaic:
Daniel 2 43 Bonus section
The identity of the ten toes/kings and the timing of this final empire remain subjects of various theological interpretation. Some view it as the divided Roman Empire after its fall (East and West, or subsequent European nations), while others understand it as a future global confederation or revival of the Roman Empire in some form, directly preceding the return of Christ. The concept of "seed of men" has occasionally been explored in fringe theories linking it to the Genesis 6 account of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men," suggesting a preternatural element or demonic influence within the end-time population. However, mainstream interpretations generally favor a sociopolitical or geopolitical reading, emphasizing the human element and inherent divisions rather than supernatural miscegenation for this specific context. This verse underscores the divine foresight that highlights the impermanence of all human dominion compared to the enduring reign of God.
Daniel 2 43 Commentary
Daniel 2:43 paints a picture of inherent instability within the final global power structure. The union of strength and fragility, attempted by the very elements involved through their "mixing with the seed of men," is doomed to fail because their natures are incompatible. This points to a diverse, disunified, and ultimately self-defeating empire, unlike the previous unified kingdoms. This verse signifies that no matter the political maneuvers, social integration attempts, or dynastic arrangements, human efforts to create a lasting and cohesive global dominion will ultimately be futile and lead to internal fractures. The lack of cohesion paves the way for the divine kingdom to supersede all human endeavors. This illustrates that human systems built on their own strength and attempting forced unity are fundamentally flawed and temporary, standing in stark contrast to God's eternal and truly unified kingdom that cannot be broken.