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Daniel 2:33

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Daniel 2:33 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.
Daniel 2:33 — American Standard Version

Context — Daniel 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
30But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that thou mayest know the thoughts of thy heart.
31Thou, 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.
32As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,
33its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.
34Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces.
35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“His legs of iron, etc.] A coarser metal than the former, but very strong; and designs the strong and potent monarchy of the Romans, the last of the four monarchies, governed chiefly by two consuls: and was divided, in the times of Theodosius, into the eastern and western empire, which may be signified by the two legs: his feet part of iron and part of clayf98; or some “of them of iron, and some of them of clay” that is, the ten toes of the feet, which represent the ten kingdoms the western empire was divided into, some of which were potent, others weak; for this cannot be understood of the same feet and toes being a mixture, composed partly of one, and partly of the other; since iron and…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“As the two arms of silver denote the kings of the Medes and Persians [JOSEPHUS]; and the two thighs of brass the SeleucidÃ&brvbr of Syria and LagidÃ&brvbr of Egypt, the two leading sections into which GrÃ&brvbrco-Macedonia parted, so the two legs of iron signify the two Roman consuls [NEWTON]. The clay, in Dan 2:41, "potter's clay," Dan 2:43, "miry clay," means "earthenware," hard but brittle (compare Psa 2:9; Rev 2:27, where the same image is used of the same event); the feet are stable while bearing only direct pressure, but easily "broken" to pieces by a blow (Dan 2:34), the iron intermixed not retarding, but hastening, such a result.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“His legs of iron - The portion of the lower limbs from the knees to the ankles. This is undoubtedly the usual meaning of the English word “legs,” and it as clearly appears to be the sense of the original word here. Iron was regarded as inferior to either of the other metals specified, and yet was well adapted to denote a kingdom of a particular kind - less noble in some respects, and yet hardy, powerful, and adapted to tread down the world by conquest. On the application of this, see the notes at Daniel 2:40. His feet part of iron and part of clay - As to his feet; or in respect to his feet, they were partly of iron and partly of clay - a mixture denoting great strength, united with what is…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Dan 2:40-43, Dan 7:7, Dan 7:8, Dan 7:19-26 Daniel 2:34”
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