Daniel 2:45

And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Daniel addresses King Nebuchadnezzar immediately after recounting the statue dream. He delivers the interpretation during the royal audience where the king demanded both the dream's content and its meaning.

The words — קֳבֵ֣ל (ko.Vel) translates to "because," and אִתְגְּזֶ֨רֶת ('it.ge.Ze.ret) means "it was cut out." These terms establish the dream's divine cause and the stone's non-human origin.

The thread — The stone imagery aligns with Isaiah 28:16, which describes a tested cornerstone laid by God. The motif of God revealing future events through dreams parallels Genesis 41:28 and Genesis 41:32.

Why it lands — The text states that the dream and its interpretation are true and trustworthy. It requires the reader to acknowledge that human kingdoms will be shattered by a divine kingdom that stands forever.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כָּל־ko/l-as/ toקֳבֵ֣לko.Velbecause דִּֽי־di-that חֲזַ֡יְתָcha.Zay.tayou saw דִּ֣יdithat מִטּוּרָא֩mi./tu.Ra/'from/ <the>/ mountain אִתְגְּזֶ֨רֶת'it.ge.Ze.retit was cut out אֶ֜בֶן'E.vena stone דִּי־di-which לָ֣אla'not בִידַ֗יִןvi./Da.yin[was] by/ hands וְ֠הַדֶּקֶתVe./ha.de.ketand/ it shattered פַּרְזְלָ֨אpar.ze.La/'iron/ the נְחָשָׁ֤אne.cha.Sha/'bronze/ the חַסְפָּא֙chas.Pa/'clay/ the כַּסְפָּ֣אkas.Pa/'silver/ the וְדַהֲבָ֔אve./da.ha.Va/'and/ gold/ the אֱלָ֥הּ'e.LahGod רַב֙ravgreat הוֹדַ֣עho.Da'he has made known לְמַלְכָּ֔אle./mal.Ka/'to/ king/ the מָ֛הmahwhat דִּ֥יdithat לֶהֱוֵ֖אle.he.Ve'it will be אַחֲרֵ֣י'a.cha.Reiafter דְנָ֑הde.Nahthis וְיַצִּ֥יבve./ya.Tzivand/ [is] certain חֶלְמָ֖אchel.Ma/'dream/ the וּמְהֵימַ֥ןu./me.hei.Manand/ [is] trustworthy פִּשְׁרֵֽהּ׃ פpish.Re/hinterpretation/ its

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 28:16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
Genesis 41:32 Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.
Genesis 41:28 It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
2 Samuel 7:22 How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.
Psalms 48:1 A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
Jeremiah 32:18 You show loving devotion to thousands but lay the iniquity of the fathers into the laps of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of Hosts,
Malachi 1:11 For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.
1 Chronicles 16:25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
Nehemiah 4:14 After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”