The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom

36 “This was the dream; and now we will tell (A)its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are the (B)king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the [a]kingdom, the (C)power, the strength, and the honor; 38 and wherever the sons of mankind live, or the (D)animals of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has handed them over to you and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold.

Medo-Persia and Greece

39 And after you another kingdom will arise inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

Rome

40 Then there will be a (E)fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 2:37 Or sovereignty

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.(A) 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings.(B) The God of heaven has given you dominion(C) and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all.(D) You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.(E) 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.(F)

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