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Daniel 2:40

38 Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.

Finally, 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.

41 And just as you saw that the feet and toes were made partly of fired clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it—just as you saw the iron mixed with clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.

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This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Finally, 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.
KJV
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.
WEB
The 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.
ASV
And 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.
DARBY
And 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.
BLB
And there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because that iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and it will crush.
ÅB
og deretter et fjerde rike, som skal være sterkt som jernet; ettersom jernet knuser og sønderslår alt, skal det som det sønderknusende jern sønderslå og sønderknuse alle hine riker.
OTB
Til slutt vil det være et fjerde rike, sterkt som jern—for jern bryter og knuser alt—og som jern knuser alle ting, så vil det knuse og bryte alle de andre.
B1930
og derefter et fjerde rike, som skal være sterkt som jernet; eftersom jernet knuser og sønderslår alt, skal det som det sønderknusende jern sønderslå og sønderknuse alle hine riker.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Daniel 7:7

    After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.

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  • Daniel 7:19–26

    Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.

    Read in context

  • Daniel 11:36–45

    Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.

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  • Daniel 8:24

    His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people.

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  • Jeremiah 15:12

    Can anyone smash iron— iron from the north—or bronze?

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  • Daniel 9:26

    Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.

    Read in context

  • Amos 1:3

    This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron.

    Read in context

  • John 11:48

    If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

    Read in context