Daniel 2 · Verse 40

Daniel 2:40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
Daniel 2:40, King James Version

Daniel 2:40 in other translations

BSBFinally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
WEBThe fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.
ASVAnd the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
YLTAnd the fourth kingdom is strong as iron, because that iron is breaking small, and making feeble, all things, even as iron that is breaking all these, it beateth small and breaketh.
DARBYAnd the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth everything, and as iron that breaketh all these, so shall it break in pieces and bruise.
BBEAnd the fourth kingdom will be strong as iron: because, as all things are broken and overcome by iron, so it will have the power of crushing and smashing down all the earth.
WebsterAnd the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

What does Daniel 2:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
40. iron--This vision sets forth the character of the Roman power, rather than its territorial extent [Tregelles]. breaketh in pieces--So, in righteous retribution, itself will at last be broken in pieces (Da 2:44) by the kingdom of God (Re 13:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Daniel 2:31-45

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…

Read the full comment on Daniel 2:31-45 →

Daniel 2:40 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּמַלְכוּ֙u.mal.Khuand a kingdomH4437
רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔הre.vi.'a.yahfourthH7244
תֶּהֱוֵ֥אte.he.Ve'it will beH1934
תַקִּיפָ֖הta.ki.FahstrongH8624
כְּפַרְזְלָ֑אke.far.ze.La'like <the> ironH6523
כָּל\־kol-as to
קֳבֵ֗לko.VelbecauseH6903
דִּ֤יdithatH1768
פַרְזְלָא֙far.ze.La'iron theH6523
מְהַדֵּ֤קme.ha.Dek[is] shatteringH1855
וְחָשֵׁל֙ve.cha.Sheland [is] crushingH2827
כֹּ֔לָּאKo.la'<the> everythingH3606
וּֽכְפַרְזְלָ֛אu.khe.far.ze.La'and like <the> ironH6523
דִּֽי\־di-whichH1768
מְרָעַ֥עme.ra.'A'[is] crushingH7490
כָּל\־kol-allH3606
אִלֵּ֖ין'i.LeintheseH459
תַּדִּ֥קta.Dikit will shatterH1855
וְתֵרֹֽעַ\׃ve.te.Ro.a'so it may crushH7490

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Daniel 2:40

  • Daniel 7:7

    After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

  • Daniel 7:19-26

    Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. …

  • Daniel 11:36-45

    And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. …

  • Daniel 8:24

    And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

  • Jeremiah 15:12

    Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?

  • Daniel 9:26

    And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

  • Amos 1:3

    Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:

  • John 11:48

    If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

  • Daniel 2:33

    His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the fourth.The Roman empire, which comprised nearly the whole world.
33; 7:19-26; 8:24; 9:26; 11:36-45; Joh 11:48
forasmuch.
7:7; Jer 15:12; Am 1:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Daniel 2:39

    And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

  • Daniel 2:40

    And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

  • Daniel 2:41

    And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Read all of Daniel 2

Daniel 2:40 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y el reino cuarto será fuerte como hierro; y como el hierro desmenuza y doma todas las cosas, y como el hierro que quebranta todas estas cosas, desmenuzará y quebrantará.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le quatrième royaume sera fort comme le fer. De même que le fer broie et écrase tout, et que le fer brise toutes ces choses, il broiera et brisera.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und ein viertes Königreich wird stark sein wie Eisen; ebenso wie das Eisen alles zermalmt und zerschlägt, so wird es, dem Eisen gleich, welches zertrümmert, alle diese zermalmen und zertrümmern.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et regnum quartum erit velut ferrum: quomodo ferrum comminuit, et domat omnia, sic comminuet, et conteret omnia hæc.