Daniel 2:45

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Forasmuch as {H3606}{H6903} thou sawest {H2370} that the stone {H69} was cut out {H1505} of the mountain {H2906} without {H3809} hands {H3028}, and that it brake in pieces {H1855} the iron {H6523}, the brass {H5174}, the clay {H2635}, the silver {H3702}, and the gold {H1722}; the great {H7229} God {H426} hath made known {H3046} to the king {H4430} what {H4101} shall come to pass {H1934} hereafter {H311}{H1836}: and the dream {H2493} is certain {H3330}, and the interpretation {H6591} thereof sure {H540}.

like the stone you saw, which, without human hands, separated itself from the mountain and broke to pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold. The great God has revealed to the king what will come about in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is reliable."

And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Commentary

Commentary on Daniel 2:45

Daniel 2:45 concludes Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream, delivering the powerful climax and assurance of God's sovereign plan for history. This verse specifically focuses on the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over all earthly powers.

Context

This verse is the culmination of Daniel's explanation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which began in Daniel 2:1. The dream featured a magnificent statue composed of different metals—gold, silver, bronze, iron, and iron mixed with clay—each representing a successive world empire. The head of gold symbolized Babylon, followed by Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, with the feet of iron and clay representing a fragmented final kingdom. The dream's dramatic conclusion, detailed here, involves a "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" that strikes the statue's feet, shattering it completely.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Sovereignty and Revelation: The repeated phrase "the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter" underscores that this prophecy is not human speculation but a direct revelation from God. It highlights His absolute control over history and the rise and fall of nations.
  • The Invincible Kingdom of God: The "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" is the central symbol. It signifies a kingdom established by divine power, not by human effort or political maneuvering. This kingdom is destined to utterly destroy all earthly empires, signifying its spiritual and eternal nature. This theme is echoed in Daniel 7:14, where the Son of Man is given an everlasting dominion.
  • Certainty of Prophecy: The declaration "the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure" provides undeniable assurance. It tells Nebuchadnezzar, and by extension, all future readers, that God's word is reliable and His future plans will undoubtedly come to pass.
  • Successive World Empires: The verse explicitly mentions the destruction of "the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold," confirming that the stone's kingdom will supersede and dismantle all previous worldly powers, culminating in the establishment of a new, eternal dominion.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "without hands" (Aramaic: la' bidyin) is crucial. In biblical contexts, actions done "without hands" often denote a supernatural or divine origin, emphasizing that the kingdom represented by the stone is not born of human effort, wisdom, or power, but solely by God's intervention. This contrasts sharply with the humanly-built empires represented by the statue.

Practical Application

Daniel 2:45 offers profound comfort and challenge for believers today. It reminds us that while earthly powers rise and fall, often with great turmoil, God's ultimate plan is unfolding precisely as He purposed. We are called to place our hope not in fleeting human governments or systems, but in the eternal and unshakable kingdom of God. This verse encourages patient endurance, knowing that God is sovereign over all history, and His kingdom will ultimately prevail, bringing justice and righteousness. It is a powerful affirmation that God's word is trustworthy, and His promises, including the establishment of His perfect reign, are absolutely certain.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, 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.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.
Daniel: A Man of Uncompromising Integrity Daniel in the Court of Nebuchadnezzar An Introduction to Daniel: God's Sovereignty Over History Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Great Statue Lessons in Integrity from the Life of Daniel

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 28:16

    Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

  • Genesis 41:32

    And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; [it is] because the thing [is] established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

  • Genesis 41:28

    This [is] the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God [is] about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

  • Deuteronomy 10:17

    For the LORD your God [is] God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

  • Malachi 1:11

    For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • 2 Samuel 7:22

    Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for [there is] none like thee, neither [is there any] God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

  • Jeremiah 32:18

    Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, [is] his name,
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