Daniel 2:31

¶ Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible.

Thou {H607}, O king {H4430}, sawest {H1934}{H2370}, and behold {H431} a great {H2298}{H7690} image {H6755}. This {H1797} great {H7229} image {H6755}, whose brightness {H2122} was excellent {H3493}, stood {H6966} before {H6903} thee; and the form {H7299} thereof was terrible {H1763}.

"Your majesty had a vision of a statue, very large and extremely bright; it stood in front of you and its appearance was terrifying.

As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.

Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible.

Context of Daniel 2:31

Daniel 2:31 is the opening verse of the description of King Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream, which Daniel is called upon to interpret. The king had been deeply troubled by a dream he could not recall, and his wise men, unable to tell him the dream itself, faced execution (Daniel 2:5). Through divine revelation, God revealed both the dream and its interpretation to Daniel (Daniel 2:28). This verse sets the stage for one of the Bible's most significant prophecies concerning world empires, demonstrating God's sovereignty over human history from the Babylonian era to the end times.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Revelation: The dream itself is a powerful testament to God's ability to communicate His plans to humanity, even to pagan kings, and to reveal secrets to His servants like Daniel.
  • Sovereignty Over Empires: The "great image" immediately introduces the theme of successive world powers. This vision underscores that all earthly kingdoms, regardless of their might or splendor, are ultimately under the control and foresight of the Almighty.
  • Human Grandeur and Frailty: The image is described as having "brightness excellent" and a "form thereof was terrible." This duality highlights the awe-inspiring power and majesty of human empires, yet simultaneously hints at their inherent fragility and ultimate terrifying nature or eventual collapse.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV term "terrible" used to describe the image's form comes from the Aramaic word dāḥal (דָחַל). While it can mean "fearful" or "dreadful," in this context, it also conveys a sense of being awe-inspiring, imposing, or exceedingly powerful. It denotes something that commands respect and fear due to its immense presence and might. The "brightness excellent" (Aramaic: yattîr, יַתִּיר) further emphasizes the surpassing glory and splendor of this initial manifestation of earthly power.

Related Scriptures

  • For Daniel's full interpretation of this dream, revealing the successive kingdoms represented by the image's various parts, see Daniel 2:36-45.
  • Another significant prophetic vision of world empires is found in Daniel chapter 7, where kingdoms are depicted as beasts, providing a complementary perspective to the image in Daniel 2.
  • The transient nature of earthly power is a recurring theme in Scripture, echoed in passages like Psalm 103:15-16, which speaks of human life as grass that withers.

Practical Application

Daniel 2:31 serves as a powerful reminder that while human empires and leaders may appear formidable and unshakeable, their existence and rise are all part of God's overarching plan. For believers, this provides immense comfort and confidence, knowing that God is ultimately in control of history and world events, even amidst political turmoil or seemingly overwhelming powers. It calls us to place our trust not in transient human institutions, but in the eternal King of Kings, whose kingdom "shall never be destroyed" (Daniel 2:44).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Habakkuk 1:7

    They [are] terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

  • Daniel 7:3

    And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

  • Daniel 7:17

    These great beasts, which are four, [are] four kings, [which] shall arise out of the earth.

  • Ezekiel 28:7

    Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

  • Isaiah 13:11

    And I will punish the world for [their] evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

  • Luke 4:5

    And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

  • Isaiah 25:3

    Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.
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