41<\/strong>. The kingdom which began by being of iron, ended in being partly of iron and partly of clay, symbolizing its division, one part being stronger than the other.<\/p>\n it<\/strong> shall be<\/em> a divided kingdom<\/strong> ] alluding to the manner in which Alexander’s empire, immediately after his death (b.c. 332) was partitioned between his generals, the two who, in the end, divided it substantially between them being Seleucus and Ptolemy Lagi, who founded, respectively, dynasties which continued long in power at Antioch in Syria and in Egypt (see fuller particulars on Dan 9:5<\/span> ff). The stronger kingdom, represented by the iron, is that of the Seleucidae.<\/p>\n strength<\/em> ] an unusual word, more exactly firmness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters clay and part of iron – <\/B>Dan 2:33<\/B><\/span>. The Chaldee is, of them clay of the potter, and of them iron; that is, part was composed of one material and part of the other. The sense is, not that the feet were composed entirely of one, and the toes of the other, but that they were intermingled. There was no homogeneousness of material; nothing in one that would coalesce with the other, or that could be permanently united to it, as two metals might be fused or welded together and form one solid compound. Iron and clay cannot be welded; and the idea here clearly is, that in the empire here referred to there would be two main elements which could never be made to blend.<\/P> The kingdom shall be divided – <\/B>That is, divided as the iron and clay were in the image. It does not necessarily mean that there would be an open rupture – an actual separation into two parts; but that there would be such a diversity in the internal constitution that, while there would be the element of great power, there would be also an element of weakness; there would be something which could never be blended with the element of strength, so as to produce one harmonious and homogeneous whole.<\/P> But there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay – <\/B>The principal idea in this part of the description is, that there would be great power; that whatever elements of weakness there might be, yet the power of the empire would be apparent. No one can fail to perceive how this applies to the Roman empire; a mighty power which, through all its long history, was distinguished for the vigour with which it carried forward its plans, and pressed on to universal dominion. As to the element of weakness symbolized too by the clay, it may not be possible to determine, with absolute certainty, what is referred to. Any internal source of weakness; anything in the constitution of the state, whether originally existing and constituting heterogeneous material, or whether springing up in the empire itself, or whether arising from the intermingling of foreign elements that never amalgamated themselves with the state, any one of these suppositions would meet all that is fairly implied in this language.<\/P> From Dan 2:43<\/span>, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, it would seem, however, that the reference is to some foreign admixture – like the intermingling of nations of other languages, laws, and customs, which were never truly amalgamated with the original materials, and which constantly tended to weaken and divide the kingdom. It is to be remarked, in the exposition of the passage, that in the previous three kingdoms there was comparative homogeneousness. In the fourth kingdom, there was to be something of a peculiar character in this respect by which it should be distinguished from the others. As a matter of fact, the other three kingdoms were comparatively homogeneous in their character. The predominant feature was Oriental; and though there were different nations and people intermingled in the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, and the Macedonian kingdoms, yet there was the same general prevailing character in each; there was not such an intermingling of foreign nations as to produce disturbing elements, or to mar the symmetry and strength of the whole. It was not thus with Rome. In that empire there was the intermingling of all nations and tongues, and though the essential element of the empire remained always – the Roman – yet there was an intermingling of other influences under the same general government, which could be appropriately compared with clay united with iron, and which ultimately contributed to its fall (see the notes at Dan 2:43<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n The kingdom shall be divided; <\/B>partly strong and partly weak. The Roman kingdom was divided, partly, because tyranny followed aristocracy, and the government made up of both; partly, in their civil wars, when two competitors strove each for dominion, the common people against the senate, Sylla against Marius, Caesar against Pompey; also, partly, when conquered provinces and kingdoms cast off the Roman yoke, and set up kings of their own, and so the empire was divided into ten kingdoms or toes. The vision attributes two legs to the image, and to the fourth monarchy, because the Romans had sometimes duumvirs, two consuls, two emperors, one in the east, the other in the west. <\/P> <\/p>\n 41-43. feet . . . toes . . . part .. . clay . . . iron<\/B>explained presently, “the kingdomshall be partly strong, partly broken” (rather, “brittle,”as earthenware); and Da 2:43<\/span>,”they shall mingle . . . with the seed of men,” that is,there will be power (in its deteriorated form, iron<\/I>) mixed upwith that which is wholly of man, and therefore brittle; power in thehands of the people having no internal stability, though something isleft of the strength of the iron [TREGELLES].NEWTON, who understandsthe Roman empire to be parted into the ten kingdoms already (whereasTREGELLES makes themfuture<\/I>), explains the “clay” mixture as the blendingof barbarous nations with Rome by intermarriages and alliances, inwhich there was no stable amalgamation, though the ten kingdomsretained much of Rome’s strength. The “mingling with the seed ofmen” (Da 2:44<\/span>) seems torefer to Ge 6:2<\/span>, where themarriages of the seed of godly Seth with the daughters of ungodlyCain are described in similar words. The reference, therefore, seemsto be to the blending of the Christianized Roman empire with thepagan nations, a deterioration being the result. Efforts have beenoften made to reunite the parts into one great empire, as byCharlemagne and Napoleon, but in vain. Christ alone shall effectthat.<\/P><\/p>\n And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron<\/strong>,…. That is, some of the toes of the feet were of iron, and others of them of clay: these toes, which are ten, as the toes of men are, design the ten kings or kingdoms, into which the western Roman empire was divided, by the coming in of the Goths, and Hunns, and Vandals, into it; and are the same with the ten horns of the beast, and the ten kings which gave their kingdoms to it, Re 13:1<\/span>,<\/p>\n [See comments on Re 17:12]<\/span>,<\/p>\n [See comments on Re 17:13]<\/span>,<\/p>\n [See comments on Re 17:17]<\/span>,<\/p>\n [See comments on Da 7:24]<\/span>, some of which were strong like iron, and continued long; others were like clay, and of a less duration:<\/p>\n the kingdom shall be divided<\/strong>; which some understand of the division of it into the eastern and western empires; but rather it means the division of the latter into the ten kingdoms, set up in it by the barbarous nations. Abarbinel and Jacchiades interpret it of the Roman empire being divided into Mahometans and Christians, very wrongly:<\/p>\n but there shall be in it of the strength the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay<\/strong>; notwithstanding this irruption and inundation of the northern nations into the empire; yet still retained, something of the strength and power of the old Romans, which were mingled among those barbarous nations, comparable to miry clay.<\/p>\n (41) Shall be divided.<\/strong>The meaning seems to be, notwithstanding that there will be inward divisions in this last empire, as is signified by the divisions, first into two legs, then into two feet, and lastly into ten toes, yet the outward character of it will be the strength of iron.<\/p>\n 41<\/strong>. <\/strong> Internal divisions and consequent weakness grew more and more pronounced during every generation which followed the breaking up of Alexander’s empire. Perhaps the iron may symbolize the Seleucidae and the clay the Ptolemies.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Dan 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.<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Ver. 41. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, &c.] These “feet and toes” are the Roman empire, yet continuing, but weaker than it was before, while it consisted of “legs of iron,” being now but of “feet and toes.” And this empire is divided as the feet and toes are. One part is the kingdom of the Pope in the West (he whom we call the emperor hath now little or nothing to do with the empire, which was of Rome); the other part is the Turk in the East, before whom three of the horns of the empire are rooted out. See Dan 7:8<\/span> .<\/p>\n And whereas, &c. The fifth power is now to be described (the “feet and toes”). It came into possession of Jerusalem in A.D. 636 (Rome having held the city for 666 years: namely, from the battle of Actium 31 B.C. – A.D. 636). Its character as described in Dan 2:41 is exact; and, as represented by the “feet”, Jerusalem has indeed been “trodden down” (Luk 21:24) as was never done by any of the other four powers. <\/p>\n strength = hardness. <\/p>\n miry = muddy. Chaldee. tin. Same as Hebrew. tit. Occurances in 2Sa 22:43. Job 41:30 (Hebrew, verse 22). Psa 18:42 (Hebrew, verse 43); Dan 40:2 (Hebrew, verse 3); Dan 69:14 (Hebrew, verse 15). Isa 41:25; Isa 57:20. Jer 38:6. Mic 7:10. Nah 3:14. Zec 9:3; Zec 10:5. Not the same as that rendered “broken” (= brittle), Dan 2:42, as stated by some commentators. <\/p>\n Dan 2:41-43<\/p>\n Dan 2:41 And whereasH1768 thou sawestH2370 the feetH7271 and toes,H677 partH4481 ofH1768 potters’<\/p>\n H6353 clay,H2635 and partH4481 of iron,H6523 the kingdomH4437 shall beH1934 divided;H6386 but there shall beH1934 in it ofH4481 the strengthH5326 ofH1768 the iron,H6523 forasmuch asH3606 H6903 H1768 thou sawestH2370 the ironH6523 mixedH6151 with miryH2917 clay.H2635 <\/p>\n Dan 2:42 And as the toesH677 of the feetH7271 were partH4481 of iron,H6523 and partH4481 of clay,H2635 so the kingdomH4437 shall beH1934 partlyH4481 H7118 strong,H8624 and partlyH4481 broken.H8406 <\/p>\n Dan 2:43 And whereasH1768 thou sawestH2370 ironH6523 mixedH6151 with miryH2917 clay,H2635 they shallH1934 mingle themselvesH6151 with the seedH2234 of men:H606 but they shallH1934 notH3809 cleaveH1693 oneH1836 toH5974 another,H1836 even asH1888 H1768 ironH6523 is notH3809 mixedH6151 withH5974 clay.H2635 <\/p>\n Dan 2:41-43<\/p>\n 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. 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. 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.<\/p>\n The Roman Empire, even though she ruled and dominated much of the the known world during the Roman Iron Age, had divisions within herself. The Roman Empire conquered nations to add to the empire and taxed them. As long as these nations paid their taxes, they were allowed to retain their cultures to a degree. This was unlike the Greek Empire which diligently sought to assimilate their vassal nations to their culture, which was labeled as Hellenism. Later on the imperial cults set up idols and temples and imposed emperor worship on the populace throughout the empire. These smaller nations within the Roman Empire never completely united under the Roman banner. As a result they were always a divided kingdom. The ten toes represented the smaller kingdoms or nations within the empire. <\/p>\n Another great adversary of the Empire within was the Christians. They were a people who refused to join with the Empire in her dealings. They refused to serve in the Roman Army because the troops were required to worship the emperor. They refused to partake in worship of any kind with the pagan people of Rome. While law abiding where possible, in areas where the will of God conflicted with Roman law, they stubbornly and steadfastly opposed them and refused to have any dealings with them. The Christians however were not represented by the clay in the figure. In the vision, the clay along with the rest of the materials making up the statue in the dream “became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away” (Dan 2:35). The Christians were not carried away, they grew to be the mountain the covered the entire earth. Yet, it is significant to note that the Roman Empire was indeed a divided kingdom on many different levels. Truly the Roman Empire was a divided realm and in the end when she was overthrown the provinces under her authority turned on her and helped to bring her down from within. <\/p>\n but there shall be <\/p>\n From the “head of gold” (Dan 2:38) to the “iron” of the “fourth kingdom” (Rome) there is deterioration in fineness, but increase of strength (Dan 2:40). Then comes the deterioration of the “fourth kingdom” in that very quality, strength. <\/p>\n (1) Deterioration by division: The kingdom is divided into two, the legs (Eastern and Western empires), and these are again divided into kingdoms, the number of which when the Stone smites the image will be ten toes, Dan 2:42; cf. Dan 7:23; Dan 7:24. <\/p>\n (2) Deterioration by admixture; the iron of the Roman imperium mixed with the clay of the popular will, fickle and easily moulded. This is precisely what has come to pass in the constitutional monarchies which, the Republic of France and the despotism of Turkey, cover the sphere of ancient Roman rule. <\/p>\n the feet: Dan 2:33-35, Dan 7:7, Dan 7:24, Rev 12:3, Rev 13:1, Rev 17:12 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Zec 6:3 – grisled Rev 17:18 – the woman<\/p>\n Dan 2:41. The Lord selected the form of a giant man for the imagery of this prediction in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar because it would serve certain features Of the subject better. In proceeding along that line we observe a being with ten toes which represents something that was a part of the Roman Empire. It refers to ten of the prominent governmental units that were incorporated within the Empire and that formed a great part of its strength. I shall reserve the more detailed comments on these ten governments until we reach the 7th ehap (er of this book. Shall be divided does not mean organic or bodily division, but was to be composed of two elements.<\/p>\n 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be {x} divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.<\/p>\n (x) They will have civil wars, and continual discords among themselves.<\/p>\n In contrast to the preceding empire descriptions, which were quite brief, Daniel gave an extended explanation of the fourth one. The chief feature of the feet is that there were two materials that composed them, and these two materials do not adhere well to one another. Whereas Daniel used metals to describe the kingdoms previously, now he referred to clay, perhaps kiln-fired clay, mixed with iron. The final form of the fourth kingdom-Daniel did not identify it as a fifth kingdom-would not have the cohesiveness that the earlier kingdoms possessed.<\/p>\n What elements are in view in the figures of iron and clay? Obviously one substance is very strong and the other is quite weak. The other metals apparently represent forms of government that were more desirable or less desirable from Nebuchadnezzar’s viewpoint, and stronger or weaker in controlling populations in terms of their sovereigns’ personal authority. That is probably what is in view here too. The iron is quite clearly the well-organized imperial rule that allowed Rome to dominate her world. The clay may refer to some form of government that gives more rule to the people, perhaps democracy and or socialism. Perhaps the clay represents the democratic Roman Republic and the iron the imperial Roman Empire. While democratic government has many obvious advantages over other forms of government, particularly the freedoms that its citizens enjoy, it is essentially weak. Its rulers must operate under many checks and balances imposed by the people whom they serve.<\/p>\n The political weakness of democracy is becoming increasingly obvious in America, which has led the world in exemplifying and promoting this form of government. Self-interest gets in the way of political efficiency. People can block political action with demonstrations and lawsuits. In one sense, this is good because it checks the government’s powers. However, in another sense, it makes the job of political leaders much more difficult than if they could simply do what they want. Imperial power caters to the leaders, whereas democracy caters to those led. It is impossible to have both at the same time. Therefore, this may be what is in view with the unmixable iron and clay combination-not that America is in view in this prophecy.<\/p>\n Another indication that democracy, or socialism, may be what is in view in the clay figure, is that people are essentially clay physically (Gen 2:7). Rule by the people (i.e., democracy) is rule by clay. Thus it should be no surprise that many students of this passage have seen some combination of imperial rule and democracy in the final stage of the fourth (Roman) empire.<\/p>\n "The rulers of the succeeding empires had their powers more and more circumscribed; until in the last state of the Roman empire we find iron mixed with miry clay, or brittle pottery-speaking of an attempted union between imperialism and democracy." [Note: Ironside, pp. 36-37. Cf. A. C. Gaebelein, The Prophet Daniel, p. 31.] <\/span><\/p>\n The reference to the seed of men (Dan 2:43) seems to stress the amalgamation of people where everyone is equal, at least in theory.<\/p>\n "The figure of mixing by seed is derived from the sowing of the field with mingled seed, and denotes all the means employed by the rulers to combine the different nationalities, among which the connubium<\/span> [intermarriage] is only spoken of as the most important and successful means." [Note: Keil, p. 109.] <\/span><\/p>\n "The final form of the kingdom will include diverse elements whether this refers to race, political idealism, or sectional interests; and this will prevent the final form of the kingdom from having a real unity." [Note: Walvoord, p. 71.] <\/span><\/p>\n If this interpretation is correct, we have another problem. The Roman Empire never consisted of a combination of imperial rule and democracy at the same time, even though the people had an increasing voice in government as time went by. It remained imperialistic to its very end. The way that many scholars have dealt with this problem is to view the last stage of the Roman Empire in this vision (Dan 2:41-43) as still future.<\/p>\n Amillennialists such as Young believe there will be no future revival of the Roman Empire. [Note: Young, p. 75.] <\/span> They believe Christ defeated the Roman Empire by His death and resurrection at His first advent.<\/p>\n "This vs. [Dan 2:42] merely indicates how thoroughly composite is the nature of the kingdom, a diversity extending even to its toes." [Note: Ibid., p. 77.] <\/span><\/p>\n "Probably the best solution to the problem [of identifying the feet and toes] is the familiar teaching that Daniel’s prophecy actually passes over the present age, the period between the first and second coming of Christ or, more specifically, the period between Pentecost and the rapture of the church. There is nothing unusual about such a solution as Old Testament prophecies often lump together predictions concerning the first and second coming of Christ without regard for the millennia that lay between (Luk 4:17-19; cf. Isa 61:1-2).<\/p>\n "This interpretation depends first of all upon the evidence leading to the conclusion that the ten-toe stage of the image has not been fulfilled in history and is still prophetic. The familiar attempts in many commentaries to find a ten-toe stage of the image in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. do not correspond to the actual facts of history and do not fulfill the ten-toe stage. According to Daniel’s prophecy, the ten-toe stage is simultaneous, that is, the kingdoms existed side by side and were destroyed by one sudden catastrophic blow. Nothing like this has yet occurred in history." [Note: Walvoord, pp. 72-73.] <\/span><\/p>\n "Verse 41 deals with a later phase or outgrowth of this fourth empire, symbolized by the feet and 10 toes-made up of iron and earthenware, a fragile base for the huge monument. The text clearly implies that this final phase will be marked by some sort of federation rather than by a powerful single realm. The iron may possibly represent the influence of the old Roman culture and tradition, and the pottery may represent the inherent weakness in a socialist society based on relativism in morality and philosophy. Out of this mixture of iron and clay come weakness and confusion, pointing to the approaching day of doom. Within the scope of Dan 2:43 are disunity, class struggle, and even civil war, resulting from the failure of a hopelessly divided society to achieve an integrated world-order. The iron and pottery may coexist, but they cannot combine into a strong and durable world-order." [Note: Archer, "Daniel," pp. 47-48.] <\/span><\/p>\n Daniel 2 emphasizes Rome in its past two stages (legs), but chapter 7 reveals more about Rome in its future tenfold form (toes).<\/p>\n 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. 41. The kingdom which began by being of iron, ended in being … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:41”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21810\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"