DAN 2:40 Interlinear View

2:40 OSHB variant note: רביעיה: (x-qere) ’רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔ה’: lemma_7244 n_1.1 morph_AAofsa id_27Zax רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔ה

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–49: Daniel explained the king’s dream

These Notes interpret Daniel 2:1–49 as a complete narrative unit. However, in some languages it may be helpful to divide this chapter into more than one section and to give each section a separate heading. For example:

The BSB has four sections.
1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream (2:1–13)
2. The Dream Revealed to Daniel (2:14–23)
3. Daniel Interprets the Dream (2:24–45)
4. Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel (2:46–49)
The GNT has three sections:

(a) Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:1–13)

(b) God shows Daniel what the dream means (2:14–23)

This section tells how Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream. He asked his advisers to tell him what he had dreamed and its meaning. They were unable to do so, and the king threatened them with death. But God revealed the meaning of the dream to Daniel. Daniel then told the king what he had dreamed and what it meant. The king honored Daniel and Daniel’s God.

The climax of this narrative occurs in 2:47. There the king declared that the God whom Daniel worshiped was the greatest of all gods.

Special Translation Problems:

1. Lists: The author of the book of Daniel liked to use lists (2:2, 10). However, the author did not intend for these lists to be complete or exact. The lists usually provide examples of the types of people or things that belong in a certain group or category. The Notes will suggest options on how to translate these lists.

2. Synonyms: The text often uses different terms for similar ideas. For example, there are several verbs that mean “to reveal” or “to make known.” There are three different Aramaic verbs in 2:40 that mean “crush, break to pieces.” In some languages it may be difficult or confusing to use several different words for similar ideas. The Notes will suggest how you might translate these similar words and terms.

3. Poetry: You will need to think carefully about how you will translate the poetic section in this chapter (2:20–23). Authors of Hebrew poetry usually wrote using matching pairs of lines. The relationship between these parallel lines differs. Sometimes the second line repeats the information in the first line using different words. Sometimes the second line contrasts with the first line. Hebrew poetry also has word plays, figurative speech, and alliteration. It may not always be easy to translate these literary features into your language. The Notes will suggest ways of translating the different features of Hebrew poetry. For more information about how to translate Hebrew poetry, see the Bible Translation Handbook of the Psalms. The poetry in 2:20–23 is a song of praise or thanksgiving. If your language has a special poetic form that fits this song, you can use it here.

4. Ambiguity: In the section where Daniel interpreted the last part of the king’s dream, there are a number of ambiguous references. For example, in 2:44a Daniel referred to “those kings” without identifying who those kings were. In 2:44b Daniel spoke of “all these kingdoms.” The ambiguity may be deliberate, since the dream itself is a mystery. It will be important not to over-interpret these passages by assuming a particular historical context. The Notes will suggest several options for how to translate these verses.

5. Repetition: Daniel interpreted the meaning of the first three kingdoms in a very brief way. He used many more words to describe the fourth kingdom (2:36–45). In this section he also repeated much of what was described before. In this way, Daniel emphasized the fourth kingdom as the most important. Some of the repetition in this section emphasizes specific ideas. Sometimes the repetition has another function. You will need to evaluate if this kind of repetition is natural in your language. If not, you will need to find another way to emphasize these ideas.

Paragraph 2:39–2:43

In this paragraph, Daniel explained that the other parts of the statue represented three kingdoms that would have power after Nebuchadnezzar. Scholars disagree as to which historical kingdoms these are. These different views should not influence the way you translate. Scholars also differ in the way they interpret the fact that the metals progressively decline in value. It is best to translate this section as literally as possible.

2:40a

Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron;

And then a fourth kingdom will come into being/power. It will be strong like iron,
Next there will be a fourth kingdom. Iron is strong, and this kingdom will be strong,

Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron: Traditionally interpreters have identified this fourth kingdom with the Roman Empire. However, other interpreters dispute this, and you should not make it explicit. Ways to translate this include:

Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. (NET)

Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. (NLT)

The next kingdom to come to power will be as strong as iron.

Finally: The common Aramaic conjunction that the BSB translates as Finally here introduces the next and final element in a series. Other ways to translate it include:

Next (CEV)

Then (NCV)

there will be a fourth kingdom: The fourth kingdom would begin after the third one. Make the temporal sequence clear. For example:

Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one

the kingdom after that, kingdom four,

as strong as iron: This is a comparison that helps to explain the dream. The fourth kingdom is compared to iron, and the point of similarity is strength. The context implies that the kingdom would be a strong military power. See the Notes at 2:33a, and translate iron in the same way that you did there. Translate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

as iron is strong, so this kingdom will be strong

like iron, it will have great strength

it will possess the strength of iron

2:40b

for iron shatters and crushes all things,

which breaks and shatters everything to pieces.
and like iron will break and shatter everything.

for iron shatters and crushes all things: There are two ways to understand the clause that the BSB translates as for iron shatters and crushes all things:

It is connected to the previous clause and introduces an explanation of the way in which this fourth kingdom was like iron. It introduces an explanation of the comparison. For example:
because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things (ESV)
which shatters and breaks everything (GNT) (BSB, RSV, ESV, GW, GNT, NJB, NIV, KJV)
It is connected to the following clause and forms the first half of another comparison. For example:
just as iron crushes and smashes everything, it shall crush and shatter all these (NRSV)
In the same way that iron crushes and smashes things to pieces, the fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms. (NCV) (NRSV, REB, NET, NLT, NCV, NASB, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which seems the most natural reading in the context.The choice of interpretation (2) leads to repetition with the following verse part.

iron shatters and crushes all things: The two verbs shatters and crushes are similar in meaning. Daniel used two verbs to emphasize the strength of iron. Emphasize the strength of iron and its destructive power in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

iron breaks and smashes everything (NIV)

iron totally breaks everything into pieces

shatters: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as shatters means “crushes” or “grinds something into small pieces.”

crushes: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as crushes means “smashes, shatters.” It can be used to describe the impact of a hammer on a fragile object.

all things: This is a general phrase. Since iron was the strongest metal known at that time, people used it to break anything else they wanted to break. Other ways to translate this include:

anything

everything (NIV)

2:40c

and like iron that crushes all things,

Just as iron crushes all these,
And as iron breaks all these metals to pieces,

and like iron that crushes all things: This clause repeats information from 2:40b. Scholars differ as to whether this clause was in the original text.

This clause did form part of the original Aramaic text. For example:
and like iron which crushes (RSV) (BSB, RSV, NJPS, GW, GNT, NIV, NJB)
This clause was not in the original text. Some ancient versions (translations) do not include it. For example:
^40a,b,dNext, a kingdom of iron will come to power, crushing and shattering everything. (CEV) (NRSV, CEV, NLT, NCV, REB)

Option (1) probably best represents the original text. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), translating this as the first half of a comparison, which continues in 2:40d.

and like: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates and like introduce a comparison. The author compared the fourth kingdom to iron. You should make this comparison clear. For example:

And just as (GNT)

Like iron that… (NJB)

iron that crushes all things: The BSB has supplied the object things. You may supply a general object or leave it implicit, whichever is most natural in your language. For example:

iron which crushes (RSV)

crushes: The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as crushes is a different verb from the two verbs used in 2:40b. All three verbs are close synonyms. If you do not have a different verb to translate this idea, you can use one of the verbs you used in 2:40b.

2:40d

it will shatter and crush all the others.

so the fourth kingdom will smash and crush the other kingdoms.
in the same way the fourth kingdom will destroy everything.

it will shatter and crush all the others: The two verbs shatter and crush are close synonyms. For the verb shatter see the note at 2:40b. For the verb crush, see the note at 2:40c. The use of two verbs emphasizes the idea. Translation models include:

shatters and breaks (REB)

totally smash

it: The pronoun it refers to the fourth kingdom. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

the fourth kingdom will smash and crush (GW)

all the others: The phrase all the others in this context refers to the three previous kingdoms. In some languages it may be natural to make this clear. For example:

all the other kingdoms (GW)

all the earlier empires (GNT)

General Comment on 2:40

In the Aramaic text 2:40a–d forms one sentence. The BSB has translated it as one sentence and the NIV has translated it as two sentences, 2:40a–b and c-d. In some languages it may be natural to translate it as three or more sentences. For example:

There will also be a fourth kingdom. It will be as strong as iron. (Iron smashes and shatters everything.) As iron crushes things, this fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms. (GW)

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

2:40 OSHB variant note: רביעיה: (x-qere) ’רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔ה’: lemma_7244 n_1.1 morph_AAofsa id_27Zax רְבִ֣יעָאָ֔ה

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear DAN 2:40

Hebrew word order