Daniel 2:45

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Daniel 2:45 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Daniel 2:45 — American Standard Version

Context — Daniel 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
45Forasmuch 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.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, etc.] (see Gill on “<270234>Daniel 2:34”) and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; of which the image was made he had seen in his dream; and which represented the several monarchies of the world in succession, and described their nature, condition, and circumstances, and the ruin of them; (See Gill on “<270235>Daniel 2:35”) the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter; after his own death, and in his own monarchy; and what will be the fate of succeeding ones; what will come to pass in each of the ages of time, and what will be done in…”
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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
“without hands--(See on Dan 2:35).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone ... - On the meaning of the language employed here, see the notes at Daniel 2:34-35. The word “forasmuch” may be taken either in connection with what precedes, or with what follows. In the former method, there should be a period at the word “gold” in this verse; and then the sense is, “In those days shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, etc., “forasmuch,” or “because” thou sawest a stone,” etc., that is, that was a certain indication of it. According to the other method, the meaning is, “Forasmuch as thou sawest the stone cut out and demolish the image, the great God has made known the certainty of it;” that is, that is a certain indication that it…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the gold - This denotes the small beginning of Christ's visible kingdom, and the different rise of Christ from all other; his conception by the Holy Ghost, without father and mother, respectively as to his two natures. This stone, falling from the mountain, brake the image in pieces; for Christ is a stone that grinds to powder those it falls on: and he is a growing stone even to a mountain, and therefore will fill the earth. Daniel 2:46”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“2:45 The Babylonians often pictured the earth as a mountain (or ziggurat); hence, the rock would cover or replace the entire earth. • The dream is true: The dream, clearly explained by divine revelation, was truth from God. • its meaning is certain: God guaranteed that what the dream communicated would certainly take place.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“thou sawest: Dan 2:24, Dan 2:35; Isa 28:16; Zac 12:3; Mat 21:24 without hands: or, which was not in hands, Dan 2:34; Luk 17:20; Co2 10:4, Co2 10:5 the great: Deu 10:17; Sa2 7:22; Ch1 16:25; Neh 4:14, Neh 9:32; Job 36:26; Psa 48:1; Psa 96:4, Psa 135:5, Psa 145:3; Jer 32:18, Jer 32:19; Mal 1:11; Rev 19:17, make known, Gen 41:28, Gen 41:32; Mat 24:35; Rev 1:19, Rev 4:1 hereafter: Chal, after this Daniel 2:46”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification