Daniel 2: The Succession of
Major Powers
Setting
the Stage
Daniel
chapter 2 marks the beginning of our understanding of apocalyptic prophecy in
Daniel and Revelation. It gives us the
framework on which all other prophecies of those two books hang.
Let’s
look at the situation that Daniel faced leading up to the prophecy.
Daniel
2:1-28
|
1
|
And
in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed
dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
|
ובשׁנת שׁתים
למלכות נבכדנצר חלם נבכדנצר חלמות ותתפעם רוחו ושׁנתו נהיתה עליו
|
|
2
|
Then
the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the
sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came
and stood before the king.
|
ויאמר המלך
לקרא לחרטמים ולאשׁפים ולמכשׁפים ולכשׂדים להגיד למלך חלמתיו ויבאו ויעמדו לפני
המלך
|
|
3
|
And
the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled
to know the dream.
|
ויאמר להם
המלך חלום חלמתי ותפעם רוחי לדעת את־החלום
|
|
4
|
Then
spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants
the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
|
וידברו
הכשׂדים למלך ארמית מלכא לעלמין חיי אמר חלמא לעבדיך ופשׁרא נחוא
|
|
5
|
The
king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye
will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye
shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
|
ענה מלכא ואמר
לכשׂדיא מלתא מני אזדא הן לא תהודעונני חלמא ופשׁרה הדמין תתעבדון ובתיכון נולי
יתשׂמון
|
|
6
|
But
if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me
gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the
interpretation thereof.
|
והן חלמא
ופשׁרה תהחון מתנן ונבזבה ויקר שׂגיא תקבלון מן־קדמי להן חלמא ופשׁרה החוני
|
|
7
|
They
answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we
will shew the interpretation of it.
|
ענו תנינות
ואמרין מלכא חלמא יאמר לעבדוהי ופשׁרה נהחוה
|
|
8
|
The
king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time,
because ye see the thing is gone from me.
|
ענה מלכא ואמר
מן־יציב ידע אנה די עדנא אנתון זבנין כל־קבל די חזיתון די אזדא מני מלתא
|
|
9
|
But
if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you:
for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the
time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can
shew me the interpretation thereof.
|
די הן־חלמא לא
תהודענני חדה־היא דתכון ומלה כדבה ושׁחיתה הזמנתון למאמר קדמי עד די עדנא ישׁתנא
להן חלמא אמרו לי ואנדע די פשׁרה תהחונני
|
|
10
|
The
Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the
earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor
ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
|
ענו כשׂדיא
קדם־מלכא ואמרין לא־איתי אנשׁ על־יבשׁתא די מלת מלכא יוכל להחויה כל־קבל די
כל־מלך רב ושׁליט מלה כדנה לא שׁאל לכל־חרטם ואשׁף וכשׂדי
|
|
11
|
And
it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can
shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
|
ומלתא די־מלכה
שׁאל יקירה ואחרן לא איתי די יחונה קדם מלכא להן אלהין די מדרהון עם־בשׂרא לא
איתוהי
|
|
12
|
For
this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all
the wise men of Babylon.
|
כל־קבל דנה
מלכא בנס וקצף שׂגיא ואמר להובדה לכל חכימי בבל
|
|
13
|
And
the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought
Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
|
ודתא נפקת
וחכימיא מתקטלין ובעו דניאל וחברוהי להתקטלה
|
|
14
|
Then
Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's
guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
|
באדין דניאל
התיב עטא וטעם לאריוך רב־טבחיא די מלכא די נפק לקטלה לחכימי בבל
|
|
15
|
He
answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty
from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
|
ענה ואמר
לאריוך שׁליטא די־מלכא על־מה דתא מהחצפה מן־קדם מלכא אדין מלתא הודע אריוך
לדניאל
|
|
16
|
Then
Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that
he would shew the king the interpretation.
|
ודניאל על
ובעה מן־מלכא די זמן ינתן־לה ופשׁרא להחויה למלכא
|
|
17
|
Then
Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions:
|
אדין דניאל
לביתה אזל ולחנניה מישׁאל ועזריה חברוהי מלתא הודע
|
|
18
|
That
they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that
Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of
Babylon.
|
ורחמין למבעא
מן־קדם אלה שׁמיא על־רזה דנה די לא יהבדון דניאל וחברוהי עם־שׁאר חכימי בבל
|
|
19
|
Then
was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed
the God of heaven.
|
אדין לדניאל
בחזוא די־ליליא רזה גלי אדין דניאל ברך לאלה שׁמיא
|
|
20
|
Daniel
answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom
and might are his:
|
ענה דניאל
ואמר להוא שׁמה די־אלהא מברך מן־עלמא ועד־עלמא די חכמתא וגבורתא די לה־היא
|
|
21
|
And
he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up
kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know
understanding:
|
והוא מהשׁנא
עדניא וזמניא מהעדה מלכין ומהקים מלכין יהב חכמתא לחכימין ומנדעא לידעי בינה
|
|
22
|
He
revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and
the light dwelleth with him.
|
הוא גלא
עמיקתא ומסתרתא ידע מה בחשׁוכא ונהירא עמה שׁרא
|
|
23
|
I
thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me
wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee:
for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
|
לך אלה אבהתי
מהודא ומשׁבח אנה די חכמתא וגבורתא יהבת לי וכען הודעתני די־בעינא מנך די־מלת
מלכא הודעתנא
|
|
24
|
Therefore
Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise
men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of
Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the
interpretation.
|
כל־קבל דנה
דניאל על על־אריוך די מני מלכא להובדה לחכימי בבל אזל וכן אמר־לה לחכימי בבל
אל־תהובד העלני קדם מלכא ופשׁרא למלכא אחוא
|
|
25
|
Then
Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I
have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king
the interpretation.
|
אדין אריוך
בהתבהלה הנעל לדניאל קדם מלכא וכן אמר־לה די־השׁכחת גבר מן־בני גלותא די יהוד די
פשׁרא למלכא יהודע
|
|
26
|
The
king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able
to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation
thereof?
|
ענה מלכא ואמר
לדניאל די שׁמה בלטשׁאצר האיתיך כהל להודעתני חלמא די־חזית ופשׁרה
|
|
27
|
Daniel
answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king
hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the
soothsayers, shew unto the king;
|
ענה דניאל קדם
מלכא ואמר רזה די־מלכא שׁאל לא חכימין אשׁפין חרטמין גזרין יכלין להחויה למלכא
|
|
28
|
But
there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions
of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
|
ברם איתי אלה
בשׁמיא גלא רזין והודע למלכא נבוכדנצר מה די להוא באחרית יומיא חלמך וחזוי ראשׁך
על־משׁכבך דנה הוא
|
The Vision
Daniel 2:29-36
|
29
|
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts
came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he
that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
|
אנתה מלכא
רעיונך על־משׁכבך סלקו מה די להוא אחרי דנה וגלא רזיא הודעך מה־די להוא
|
|
|
30
|
But as for me, this secret is not
revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their
sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou
mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
|
ואנה לא בחכמה
די־איתי בי מן־כל־חייא רזא דנה גלי לי להן על־דברת די פשׁרא למלכא יהודעון
ורעיוני לבבך תנדע
|
|
|
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.
|
אנתה מלכא חזה
הוית ואלו צלם חד שׂגיא צלמא דכן רב וזיוה יתיר קאם לקבלך ורוה דחיל
|
|
|
32
|
This image's head was of fine
gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
|
הוא צלמא
ראשׁה די־דהב טב חדוהי ודרעוהי די כסף מעוהי וירכתה די נחשׁ
|
|
|
33
|
His legs of iron, his feet part of
iron and part of clay.
|
שׁקוהי די
פרזל רגלוהי מנהון די פרזל ומנהון די חסף
|
|
|
34
|
Thou sawest till that a stone was
cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and brake them to pieces.
|
חזה הוית עד
די התגזרת אבן די־לא בידין ומחת לצלמא על־רגלוהי די פרזלא וחספא והדקת המון
|
|
|
35
|
Then was the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like
the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that
no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a
great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
|
באדין דקו
כחדה פרזלא חספא נחשׁא כספא ודהבא והוו כעור מן־אדרי־קיט ונשׂא המון רוחא
וכל־אתר לא־השׁתכח להון ואבנא די־מחת לצלמא הות לטור רב ומלת כל־ארעא
|
|
|
36
|
This is the dream; and we will
tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
|
דנה חלמא
ופשׁרה נאמר קדם־מלכא
|
The
Head of Gold
Daniel 2:37-38
 |
37
|
Thou,
O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
power, and strength, and glory.
|
אנתה מלכא מלך
מלכיא די אלה שׁמיא מלכותא חסנא ותקפא ויקרא יהב־לך
|
|
38
|
And
wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls
of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over
them all. Thou art this head of gold.
|
ובכל־די דארין
בני־אנשׁא חיות ברא ועוף־שׁמיא יהב בידך והשׁלטך בכלהון אנתה הוא ראשׁה די דהבא
|
The
prophet Jeremiah described Babylon as a golden cup.
Jeremiah
51:7
|
Babylon
hath been a golden cup in [Yehovah]'s hand,
that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine;
therefore the nations are mad.
|
כוס־זהב
בבל ביד־יהוה משׁכרת כל־הארץ מיינה שׁתו גוים על־כן יתהללו גוים
|
The
Greek historian Herodotus testified to the golden splendor of Babylon.
Herodotus
1: 183
There is moreover in the
temple at Babylon another cell below, wherein is a great image of Zeus sitting,
made of gold, and by it is placed a large table of gold, and his footstool and
seat are of gold also; and, as the Chaldeans reported, the weight of the gold
of which these things are made is eight hundred talents. Outside this cell is
an altar of gold; and there is also another altar of great size, where
full-grown animals are sacrificed, whereas on the golden altar it is not lawful
to sacrifice any but young sucklings only: and also on the larger altar the
Chaldeans offer one thousand talents of frankincense every year at the time
when they celebrate the feast in honour of this god. There was moreover in
these precincts still remaining at the time of Cyrus, statue twelve cubits
high, of gold and solid. This I did not myself see, but that which is related
by the Chaldeans I relate. Against this statue Dareios the son of Hystaspes
formed a design, but he did not venture to take it: it was taken however by Xerxes
the son of Dareios, who also killed the priest when he forbade him to meddle
with the statue. This temple, then, is thus adorned with magnificence, and
there are also many private votive-offerings.
The
Assyrian Empire dominated the Near East for three centuries. Then, in a space of three years, it was
destroyed by the Babylonians. The
remnants of the Assyrian forces took refuge in Harran. The Babylonians captured it in 610 B.C.E. The
Babylonian king, Nabopolassar, wrote an epitaph for the Assyrian Empire, “I
slaughtered the land of Subarum (Assyria), I turned the hostile land into heaps
and ruins. The Assyrian, who since
distant days had ruled over all the peoples, and with his heavy yoke had brought
injury to the people of the Land, his feet from Akkad I turned back, his yoke I
threw off”. The Egyptians tried to
reinstate their Assyrian allies to power the following year, 609 B.C., but
failed. They only managed to gain
control of some of the former Assyrian territory and failed to save their
Assyrian allies. [3]
Since
the vision is concerned primarily when one power is replace with another (not
necessarily the beginning and end point of each kingdom, which can overlap), we
can mark the beginning of Babylonian dominance in 609 B.C.
On October 12, 539 B.C.E.the Persian king, Cyrus, conquered
Babylon. [4]
The
Chest and Arms of Silver
Daniel 2:39
|
|
39
|
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over
all the earth.
|
ובתרך תקום
מלכו אחרי ארעא מנך ומלכו תליתיא אחרי די נחשׁא די תשׁלט בכל־ארעא
|
The Greek historian Herodotus recorded that the Persians used
silver as the standard for the tribute paid by the satraps to the Persian Empire.
Herodotus 3:89-95
89. Having so done in Persia, he established twenty
provinces, which the Persians themselves call satrapies; and having established
the provinces and set over them rulers, he appointed tribute to come to him
from them according to races, joining also to the chief races those who dwelt
on their borders, or passing beyond the immediate neighbours and assigning to
various races those which lay more distant. He divided the provinces and the
yearly payment of tribute as follows: and those of them who brought in silver
were commanded to pay by the standard of the Babylonian talent, but those who
brought in gold by the Euboïc talent; now the Babylonian talent is equal to
eight-and-seventy Euboïc pounds. For in the reign of Cyrus, and again of
Cambyses, nothing was fixed about tribute, but they used to bring gifts: and on
account of this appointing of tribute and other things like this, the Persians
say that Dareios was a shopkeeper, Cambyses a master, and Cyrus a father; the
one because he dealt with all his affairs like a shopkeeper, the second because
he was harsh and had little regard for any one, and the other because he was
gentle and contrived for them all things good.
90. From the Ionians and the Magnesians who dwell in Asia
and the Aiolians, Carians, Lykians, Milyans and Pamphylians (for one single sum
was appointed by him as tribute for all these) there came in four hundred
talents of silver. This was appointed by him to be the first division. From the
Mysians and Lydians and Lasonians and Cabalians and Hytennians there came in
five hundred talents: this is the second division. From the Hellespontians who
dwell on the right as one sails in and the Phrygians and the Thracians who
dwell in Asia and the Paphlagonians and Mariandynoi and Syrians the tribute was
three hundred and sixty talents: this is the third division. From the
Kilikians, besides three hundred and sixty white horses, one for every day in
the year, there came also five hundred talents of silver; of these one hundred
and forty talents were spent upon the horsemen which served as a guard to the
Kilikian land, and the remaining three hundred and sixty came in year by year
to Dareios: this is the fourth division.
91. From that division which begins with the city of
Posideion, founded by Amphilochos the son of Amphiaraos on the borders of the
Kilikians and the Syrians, and extends as far as Egypt, not including the
territory of the Arabians (for this was free from payment), the amount was
three hundred and fifty talents; and in this division are the whole of Phenicia
and Syria which is called Palestine and Cyprus: this is the fifth division.
From Egypt and the Libyans bordering upon Egypt, and from Kyrene and Barca, for
these were so ordered as to belong to the Egyptian division, there came in
seven hundred talents, without reckoning the money produced by the lake of
Moiris, that is to say from the fish; without reckoning this, I say, or the
corn which was contributed in addition by measure, there came in seven hundred
talents; for as regards the corn, they contribute by measure one hundred and
twenty thousand bushels for the use of those Persians who are established in
the "White Fortress" at Memphis, and for their foreign mercenaries:
this is the sixth division. The Sattagydai and Gandarians and Dadicans and
Aparytai, being joined together, brought in one hundred and seventy talents:
this is the seventh division. From Susa and the rest of the land of the
Kissians there came in three hundred: this is the eighth division.
92. From Babylon and from the rest of Assyria there came
in to him a thousand talents of silver and five hundred boys for eunuchs: this
is the ninth division. From Agbatana and from the rest of Media and the
Paricanians and Orthocorybantians, four hundred and fifty talents: this is the
tenth division. The Caspians and Pausicans and Pantimathoi and Dareitai,
contributing together, brought in two hundred talents: this is the eleventh
division. From the Bactrians as far as the Aigloi the tribute was three hundred
and sixty talents: this is the twelfth division.
93. From Pactyïke and the Armenians and the people
bordering upon them as far as the Euxine, four hundred talents: this is the
thirteenth division. From the Sagartians and Sarangians and Thamanaians and
Utians and Mycans and those who dwell in the islands of the Erythraian Sea,
where the king settles those who are called the "Removed," from all
these together a tribute was produced of six hundred talents: this is the
fourteenth division. The Sacans and the Caspians brought in two hundred
and fifty talents: this is the fifteenth division. The Parthians and
Chorasmians and Sogdians and Areians three hundred talents: this is the
sixteenth division.
94. The Paricanians and Ethiopians in Asia brought in
four hundred talents: this is the seventeenth division. To the Matienians and
Saspeirians and Alarodians was appointed a tribute of two hundred talents: this
is the eighteenth division. To the Moschoi and Tibarenians and Macronians and
Mossynoicoi and Mares three hundred talents were ordered: this is the
nineteenth division. Of the Indians the number is far greater than that of any
other race of men of whom we know; and they brought in a tribute larger than
all the rest, that is to say three hundred and sixty talents of gold-dust: this
is the twentieth division.
95. Now if we compare Babylonian with Euboïc talents, the
silver is found to amount to nine thousand eight hundred and eighty talents;
and if we reckon the gold at thirteen times the value of silver, weight for
weight, the gold-dust is found to amount to four thousand six hundred and
eighty Euboïc talents. These being all added together, the total which was
collected as yearly tribute for Dareios amounts to fourteen thousand five
hundred and sixty Euboïc talents: the sums which are less than these I pass
over and do not mention.
The Persians conquered the city of Babylon on
October 12, 539 B.C.[5]
The prophet Isaiah described the conquest this
way.
Isaiah 45:1-7
|
1
|
Thus saith [Yehovah] to his
anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before
him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two
leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
|
כה־אמר יהוה
למשׁיחו לכורשׁ אשׁר־החזקתי בימינו לרד־לפניו גוים ומתני מלכים אפתח לפתח לפניו
דלתים ושׁערים לא יסגרו
|
|
2
|
I will go before thee, and make
the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and
cut in sunder the bars of iron:
|
אני לפניך אלך
והדורים אושׁר דלתות נחושׁה אשׁבר ובריחי ברזל אגדע
|
|
3
|
And I will give thee the treasures
of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that
I, [Yehovah], which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
|
ונתתי לך
אוצרות חשׁך ומטמני מסתרים למען תדע כי־אני יהוה הקורא בשׁמך אלהי ישׂראל
|
|
4
|
For Jacob my servant's sake, and
Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee,
though thou hast not known me.
|
למען עבדי
יעקב וישׂראל בחירי ואקרא לך בשׁמך אכנך ולא ידעתני
|
|
5
|
I am
[Yehovah], and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though
thou hast not known me:
|
אני יהוה ואין
עוד זולתי אין אלהים אאזרך ולא ידעתני
|
|
6
|
That they may know from the rising
of the sun, and from the west, that there is
none beside me. I am [Yehovah], and there is none else.
|
למען ידעו
ממזרח־שׁמשׁ וממערבה כי־אפס בלעדי אני יהוה ואין עוד
|
|
7
|
I form the light, and create
darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I [Yehovah] do all these things.
|
יוצר אור
ובורא חשׁך עשׂה שׁלום ובורא רע אני יהוה עשׂה כל־אלה
|
The Greek historian Herodotus described the
conquest of Babylon in a way that strongly echoes Isaiah’s prophecy.
Herodutus 1.191-192
191. Therefore, whether it
was some other man who suggested it to him when he was in a strait what to do,
or whether he of himself perceived what he ought to do, he did as follows:—The
main body of his army he posted at the place where the river runs into the
city, and then again behind the city he set others, where the river issues
forth from the city; and he proclaimed to his army that so soon as they should
see that the stream had become passable, they should enter by this way into the
city. Having thus set them in their places and in this manner exhorted them he
marched away himself with that part of his army which was not fit for fighting:
and when he came to the lake, Cyrus also did the same things which the queen of
the Babylonians had done as regards the river and the lake; that is to say, he
conducted the river by a channel into the lake, which was at that time a swamp,
and so made the former course of the river passable by the sinking of the
stream. When this had been done in such a manner, the Persians who had been
posted for this very purpose entered by the bed of the river Euphrates into
Babylon, the stream having sunk so far that it reached about to the middle of a
man's thigh. Now if the Babylonians had had knowledge of it beforehand or had
perceived that which was being done by Cyrus, they
would have allowed the Persians to enter the city and then destroyed them
miserably; for if they had closed all the gates that led to the river and
mounted themselves upon the ramparts which were carried along the banks of the
stream, they would have caught them as it were in a fish-wheal: but as it was,
the Persians came upon them unexpectedly; and owing to the size of the city
(so it is said by those who dwell there) after those about the extremities of
the city had suffered capture, those Babylonians who dwelt in the middle did
not know that they had been captured; but as they chanced to be holding a
festival, they went on dancing and rejoicing during this time until they learnt
the truth only too well.
192. Babylon then had thus
been taken for the first time….
Two centuries later, the Greeks, under the
leadership of Alexander the Great, conquered the Persian Empire and became the
dominant power in the Near East and Mediterranean. The final battle was fought at Gaugamela on
October 1, 331 B.C.[6]
The Belly and Thighs of Brass
Daniel 2:39
|
|
39
|
And after thee shall arise another
kingdom inferior to thee, and
another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
|
ובתרך תקום
מלכו אחרי ארעא מנך ומלכו תליתיא אחרי די נחשׁא די תשׁלט בכל־ארעא
|
The Greeks, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, conquered the Persian Empire
and became the dominant power in the Near East and Mediterranean. The final battle was fought at Gaugamela on
October 1, 331 B.C.[7]
The Greek Historian, Herodotus, tells an
interesting story which illustrates why bronze is an appropriate metal for the
Greeks.
Herodotus 2: 152
152. This Psammetichos had formerly been a
fugitive from the Ethiopian Sabacos who had killed his father Necos, from him,
I say, he had then been a fugitive in Syria; and when the Ethiopian had
departed in consequence of the vision of the dream, the Egyptians who were of
the district of Saïs brought him back to his own country. Then afterwards, when
he was king, it was his fate to be a fugitive a second time on account of the
helmet, being driven by the eleven kings into the fen-country. So then holding
that he had been grievously wronged by them, he thought how he might take
vengeance on those who had driven him out: and when he had sent to the Oracle
of Leto in the city of Buto, where the Egyptians have their most truthful
Oracle, there was given to him the reply that vengeance would come when men of
bronze appeared from the sea. And he was strongly disposed not to believe that
bronze men would come to help him; but after no long time had passed, certain
Ionians and Carians who had sailed forth for plunder were compelled to come to
shore in Egypt, and they having landed and being clad in bronze armour, one of
the Egyptians, not having before seen men clad in bronze armour, came to the
fen-land and brought a report to Psammetichos that bronze men had come from the
sea and were plundering the plain. So he, perceiving that the saying of the
Oracle was coming to pass, dealt in a friendly manner with the Ionians and
Carians, and with large promises he persuaded them to take his part. Then when
he had persuaded them, with the help of those Egyptians who favoured his cause
and of these foreign mercenaries he overthrew the kings.
Alexander the Great’s empire was divided after
his death and was conquered by Rome in a series of wars. This time period is known as the Hellenistic
Age. It is generally regarded as running
from the death of Alexander in 323 B.C.E.to the Roman conquest of the last
Hellenistic kingdom in 31 B.C.E.[8]
The
Legs of Iron
Daniel 2:40
|
|
40
|
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.
|
ומלכו רביעיה
תהוא תקיפה כפרזלא כל־קבל די פרזלא מהדק וחשׁל כלא וכפרזלא די־מרעע כל־אלין תדק
ותרע
|
The Macedonian king, Alexander the Great, led the Greeks to conquer
the known world and issued in a period of Greek dominance known as the
Hellenistic Age. The Hellenistic Age
came to an end with the Roman conquest of the last Hellenistic kingdom in 31 B.C.E.[9] The
Roman conquest of the Hellenistic (Greek) world took place over several
centuries through a number of wars. This
was simply the last one. The prophecy
seems to mark the change of metals with the transition of power from one world
power to another. One good transition
point would be the Battle of Pydna on June 22, 168 B.C.E. In this battle, Roman
forces broke the Macedonians and ended the rule of the Antigonid kings, which
traced their power back to Alexander the Great.[10]
The appropriateness of the iron metal can be seen in the heavy use
of iron in their weapons and armor. More
importantly, the vision emphasizes the strength and power of this kingdom and
its ability to crush all other kingdoms.
This is epitomized in the famous words of Julius Caesar, “I came, I saw,
I conquered”.[11] Much or Roman culture was built on showing
its strength. This can be seen in its
conquests, its brutal suppression of rebellion and even its favorite
entertainments, which included pitting gladiator against gladiator, gladiator
against animal and chariot races which often included the death of
competitors.
The
Feet of Iron and Clay
Daniel 2:41-43
|
|
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.
|
ודי־חזיתה
רגליא ואצבעתא מנהון חסף די־פחר ומנהון פרזל מלכו פליגה תהוה ומן־נצבתא די פרזלא
להוא־בה כל־קבל די חזיתה פרזלא מערב בחסף טינא
|
|
42
|
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.
|
ואצבעת רגליא
מנהון פרזל ומנהון חסף מן־קצת מלכותא תהוה תקיפה ומנה תהוה תבירה
|
|
|
43
|
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.
|
די חזית פרזלא
מערב בחסף טינא מתערבין להון בזרע אנשׁא ולא־להון דבקין דנה עם־דנה הא־כדי פרזלא
לא מתערב עם־חספא
|
You
will notice that the interpretation spends a disproportionately large amount of
time and detail on this phase. This is
important because many of the other prophecies in Daniel and Revelation spend a
great deal of time on this time period.
Let’s look at what it says here.
In
verse 41 we notice a marked difference in this portion of the statue. When transitioning between sections, the
interpretation always mentions another kingdom arising. However, here we find something
different. In verse 41 it says that the
kingdom shall be divided. The divisions
would contain both the strength of iron and the weakness of potters’ clay. When we look at the history of the Roman
Empire we see that it was not simply conquered by a new rising superpower like
the previous empires. Instead, the
empire was divided in two after the death of Theodosius I. The Western Roman Empire, centered in Italy,
was torn apart by the various barbarian tribes that invaded it. Interestingly, some of the tribes initially
entered Roman territory through agreements.
These agreements often military service rendered by the barbarians to
Rome. Rome became heavily dependent on
its mercenary forces. In fact, the last
emperor was deposed by a barbarian, Odoacer, leading a Roman army. Odoacer’s reign was approved by the Roman
Senate.[12]
The
prophecy describes the divisions as mingling with the seeds of men, but not
cleaving together. Throughout the
history of Western Europe, the royal families have practiced intermarriage with
the hopes of securing peace. However, no
one has been able to unite Europe again for very long. It has remained divided.
The
Stone
Daniel 2:44-45
|
44
|
And
in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which
shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people,
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall
stand for ever.
|
וביומיהון די
מלכיא אנון יקים אלה שׁמיא מלכו די לעלמין לא תתחבל ומלכותה לעם אחרן לא תשׁתבק
תדק ותסיף כל־אלין מלכותא והיא תקום לעלמיא
|
|
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.
|
כל־קבל
די־חזית די מטורא אתגזרת אבן די־לא בידין והדקת פרזלא נחשׁא חספא כספא ודהבא אלה
רב הודע למלכא מה די להוא אחרי דנה ויציב חלמא ומהימן פשׁרה
|
Now
we come to the part that describes our future.
God will destroy all the earthly kingdoms. He will set up His own eternal kingdom, which
will last forever.
Daniel 2:46-49
|
46
|
Then
the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and
commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
|
באדין מלכא
נבוכדנצר נפל על־אנפוהי ולדניאל סגד ומנחה וניחחין אמר לנסכה לה
|
|
47
|
The
king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God
of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest
reveal this secret.
|
ענה מלכא
לדניאל ואמר מן־קשׁט די אלהכון הוא אלה אלהין ומרא מלכין וגלה רזין די יכלת
למגלא רזה דנה
|
|
48
|
Then
the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him
ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all
the wise men of Babylon.
|
אדין מלכא
לדניאל רבי ומתנן רברבן שׂגיאן יהב־לה והשׁלטה על כל־מדינת בבל ורב־סגנין על
כל־חכימי בבל
|
|
49
|
Then
Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate
|
ודניאל בעא
מן־מלכא ומני על עבידתא די מדינת בבל לשׁדרך מישׁך ועבד נגו ודניאל בתרע מלכא
|
[1] Distant Shores
Media/Sweet Publishing [CC BY-SA 3.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
[2] William
Miller [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
[3] Roux, Georges.
Ancient Iraq. 3rd Ed., New ed. London: Penguin, 1992. 376-377. Print.
[4] Roux, Georges.
Ancient Iraq. 3rd Ed., New ed. London: Penguin, 1992. 387. Print.
[5] Roux, Georges.
Ancient Iraq. 3rd Ed., New ed. London: Penguin, 1992. 387. Print.
[6] Waters, Matt (2013-12-31). Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the
Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE (Kindle Location 3594). Cambridge University
Press. Kindle Edition.
[7] Waters, Matt (2013-12-31). Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the
Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE (Kindle Location 3594). Cambridge University
Press. Kindle Edition.
[8] Antoine,
“Hellenistic Period,” Ancient History Encyclopedia, last modified April
28, 2011, http://www.ancient.eu /Hellenistic_Period/.
[9] Antoine, “Hellenistic
Period,” Ancient History Encyclopedia, last modified April 28, 2011,
http://www.ancient.eu /Hellenistic_Period/.
[10] Green,
Peter. Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age.
Berkeley: U of California, 1990. 275. Print.
[11] The Lives
of the Caesars. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. 16. Print.
