Dan 2:24-35 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 24 Destroy not the wise men - The decree was suspended till it should be seen whether Daniel could tell the dream, and give its interpretation.

Daniel 2:24-35

Verse 24

Destroy not the wise men - The decree was suspended till it should be seen whether Daniel could tell the dream, and give its interpretation. Verse 27

Cannot the wise men - Cannot your own able men, aided by your gods, tell you the secret? This question was necessary in order that the king might see the foolishness of depending on the one, or worshipping the other.

The soothsayers - One of our old words: "The tellers of truth:" but גזרין gazerin is the name of another class of those curious artists, unless we suppose it to mean the same as the Chaldeans, Dan 2:2. They are supposed to be persons who divined by numbers, amulets, etc. There are many conjectures about them, which, whatever learning they show, cast little light upon this place. Verse 28

There is a God in heaven - To distinguish him from those idols, the works of men's hands; and from the false gods in which the Chaldeans trusted.

In the latter days - A phrase which, in the prophets, generally means the times of the Messiah. God is about to show what shall take place from this time to the latest ages of the world. And the vision most certainly contains a very extensive and consecutive prophecy; which I shall treat more largely at the close of the chapter, giving in the mean time a short exposition. Verse 31

A great image - Representing the four great monarchies. Verse 32

Head was of fine gold - The Babylonish empire, the first and greatest.

Breast and his arms of silver - The Medo-Persian empire, under Cyrus, etc.

His belly and his thighs of brass - The Macedonian empire, under Alexander the Great, and his successors. Verse 33

His legs of iron - The Roman government.

His feet part of iron and part of clay - The same, mixed with the barbaric nations, and divided into ten kingdoms. See at the end of the chapter. Verse 34

A stone was cut out - The fifth monarchy; the spiritual kingdom of the Lord Jesus, which is to last for ever, and diffuse itself over the whole earth. Verse 35

The stone - became a great mountain - There is the kingdom אבן eben, of the stone, and the kingdom of the mountain. See at the end at the chapter.