Daniel 7:23

This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The angelic interpreter addresses Daniel immediately after the vision of the Ancient of Days rendering judgment for the saints. This explanation bridges the vision of the four beasts and the forthcoming detail of the ten horns.

The words — רְבִיעָ֣יְתָ֔/א (re.vi.'A.ye.Ta/) translates as fourth, and תֶּהֱוֵ֣א (te.he.Ve') translates as it will be. These terms anchor the vision’s timeline to a specific, future geopolitical entity.

The thread — The fourth kingdom motif runs through Daniel 2:40, which describes a final empire as strong as iron. The sequence of earthly rule is also echoed in the historical framework of Luke 2:1 regarding imperial decrees.

Why it lands — The text warns that a final, unprecedented kingdom will violently dominate the earth before divine judgment intervenes. It requires the reader to recognize the temporary nature of human power and the certainty of the coming kingdom.

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

כֵּן֮kenas follows אֲמַר֒'a.Marhe said חֵֽיוְתָא֙chei.ve.Ta/'beast/ the רְבִיעָ֣יְתָ֔אre.vi.'A.ye.Ta/'<the>/ fourth מַלְכ֤וּmal.Khua kingdom רְבִיעָאָה֙re.vi.'a.ya/'fourth/ the תֶּהֱוֵ֣אte.he.Ve'it will be בְאַרְעָ֔אve./'ar.'A/'on/ earth/ the דִּ֥יdiwhich תִשְׁנֵ֖אtish.Ne'it will be different מִן־min-from כָּל־kol-all מַלְכְוָתָ֑אmal.khe.va.Ta/'kingdoms/ the וְתֵאכֻל֙ve./te.Khulso/ it may devour כָּל־kol-all אַרְעָ֔א'ar.'A/'earth/ the וּתְדוּשִׁנַּ֖הּu./te.du.shi.Na/hand/ it will tread down/ it וְתַדְּקִנַּֽהּ׃ve./tad.de.ki.Na/hand/ it will shatter/ it

King James Version

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

Cross-references

Daniel 2:40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
Daniel 7:7 After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.
Luke 2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.