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ParallelVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Dan Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12
Dan 2 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47 V49
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) “What you were looking at, your majesty, was an incredible, huge statue. It was heavy and shone brightly as it stood there in front of you—a terrifying sight.
OET-LV You[fn][fn] Oh/the_king seeing you_were and_lo an_image one great the_image this was_great and_its_of_splendour was_extraordinary was_standing (to)_before_you and_its_of_appearance was_terrible.
2:31 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.
2:31 OSHB note: We have abandoned or added a ketib/qere relative to BHS. In doing this we agree with L against BHS.
UHB אַ֣נְתְּה מַלְכָּ֗א חָזֵ֤ה הֲוַ֨יְתָ֙ וַאֲל֨וּ צְלֵ֥ם חַד֙ שַׂגִּ֔יא צַלְמָ֨א דִּכֵּ֥ן רַ֛ב וְזִיוֵ֥הּ יַתִּ֖יר קָאֵ֣ם לְקָבְלָ֑ךְ וְרֵוֵ֖הּ דְּחִֽיל׃ ‡
(ʼantəh malkāʼ ḩāzēh hₐvaytā vaʼₐlū ʦəlēm ḩad saggiyʼ ʦalmāʼ dikkēn raⱱ vəzīvēh yattir qāʼēm ləqāⱱəlāk vərēvēh dəḩil.)
Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXX No BrLXX DAN book available
BrTr No BrTr DAN book available
ULT You, O King, were looking and behold, a great statue. This statue, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you. Its appearance was terrifying.
UST O King, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and terrifying statue of a man. It was shining very brightly, and it was frightening and awesome.
BSB As you, O king, were watching, a great statue[fn] appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form [was] awesome.
2:31 Or image; here and through the rest of Daniel 2
MSB (Same as BSB above including footnotes)
OEB No OEB DAN book available
WEBBE “You, O king, saw, and behold,[fn] a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.
2:31 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)
NET “You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm.
LSV You, O king, were looking, and behold, a certain great image. This image [is] mighty, and its brightness excellent; it is standing before you, and its appearance [is] terrible.
FBV Your Majesty, as you looked, there before you stood a great statue. The statue standing in front of you was huge, and blazingly bright. It looked terrifying!
T4T O King, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and terrifying statue of a man. It was shining very brightly, and it was frightening and awesome.
LEB “You, O king, were looking and, look, there was one great statue. This statue was huge and its brilliance extraordinary, standing there before you, and its appearance was frightening.[fn]
2:31 Or “dreadful”
BBE You, O King, were looking, and a great image was there. This image, which was very great, and whose glory was very bright, was placed before you: its form sent fear into the heart.
Moff You looked, O king, and there stood a mighty image! This image, huge and gleaming, stood before you, terrible to behold.
JPS Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was surpassing, stood before thee; and the appearance thereof was terrible.
ASV Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible.
DRA Thou, O king, sawest, and behold there was as it were a great statue: this statue, which was great and high, tall of stature, stood before thee, and the look thereof was terrible.
YLT 'Thou, O king, wast looking, and lo, a certain great image. This image [is] mighty, and its brightness excellent; it is standing over-against thee, and its appearance [is] terrible.
Drby Thou, O king, sawest, and behold, a great image. This image was mighty and its brightness excellent; it stood before thee, and its appearance was terrible.
RV Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible.
(Thou, Oh king, sawest/saw, and behold a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee/you; and the aspect thereof was terrible. )
SLT Thou, O king, wert seeing, and behold, one great image. This image vast, and its brightness excellent; it stood before thee, and its aspect terrible.
Wbstr Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and its form was terrible.
KJB-1769 ¶ Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.[fn]
(¶ Thou, Oh king, sawest/saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee/you; and the form thereof was terrible. )
2.31 sawest: Chaldee, wast seeing
KJB-1611 ¶ [fn]Thou, O King, sawest, and behold a great image: this great image whose brightnesse was excelleut, stood before thee, and the forme thereof was terrible.
(¶ Thou, Oh King, sawest/saw, and behold a great image: this great image whose brightness was excelleut, stood before thee/you, and the form thereof was terrible.)
2:31 Cald. wass seeing.
Bshps Thou king sawest, and beholde, there was a great image: this great image whose brightnesse was excellent, stoode before thee, and the fourme therof was terrible.
(Thou/You king sawest/saw, and behold, there was a great image: this great image whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee/you, and the form thereof was terrible.)
Gnva O King, thou sawest, and beholde, there was a great image: this great image whose glory was so excellent, stood before thee, and the forme thereof was terrible.
(Oh King, thou/you sawest/saw, and behold, there was a great image: this great image whose glory was so excellent, stood before thee/you, and the form thereof was terrible. )
Cvdl Thou kynge sawest, and beholde: there stode before the a greate ymage, whose fygure was maruelous greate, and his vysage grymme.
(Thou/You king sawest/saw, and behold: there stood before the a great image, whose figure was marvellous great, and his vysage grymme.)
Wycl Thou, kyng, siyest, and lo! as o greet ymage; thilke ymage was greet, and hiy in stature, and stood bifore thee, and the loking therof was ferdful.
(Thou, king, siyest, and lo! as o great image; that image was great, and high in stature, and stood before thee/you, and the looking thereof was to_be_feared.)
Luth Du, König, sahst, und siehe, ein sehr groß und hoch Bild stund vor dir, das war schrecklich anzusehen.
(Du, king, sawst, and see/look, a very large and high image/picture stood before/in_front_of you/to_you(sg), the what/which terrible to_view.)
ClVg Tu, rex, videbas, et ecce quasi statua una grandis: statua illa magna, et statura sublimis stabat contra te, et intuitus ejus erat terribilis.
(You(sg), king, seebas, and behold as_if statua together great/large: statua that big, and statura sublime/unparalleled was_standing on_the_contrary you(sg), and glance his was terrible. )
2:1-49 God gave a dream that encompassed the flow of world history over the centuries, and Daniel interpreted the enigmatic imagery of this revelation. This dream and its interpretation reflect a key theme of the book—the assured final establishment of the Kingdom of God as the ultimate goal of history (2:44-45; 7:9-14, 26-27). This chapter also demonstrates the inability of paganism to discern the activity and plans of Israel’s God.
Four World Empires
Two panoramic visions in Daniel present God’s sovereignty over history. Nebuchadnezzar had the first vision (ch 2), and Daniel had another like it (ch 7). In each of these visions, four of the kingdoms of the world are presented.
There have always been questions about the identities of the four empires, but historically there has also been considerable consensus. Hippolytus (AD 170–236), one of the early church fathers, identified the four kingdoms as Babylonia, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The church father and historian Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 260–340) initially identified the first kingdom as Assyria (which once also controlled Babylon), but he later agreed with Hippolytus, as did most of the church fathers. Later, Jerome and Augustine accepted this same understanding, and conservative interpreters largely still agree.
In antiquity and in our era, some interpreters have argued that Greece is the fourth empire, treating Media and Persia as separate kingdoms. This interpretation is due in part to denying the possibility of prediction, assuming the book was written before the Roman Empire had arisen. But Media and Persia are usually regarded as one empire, and the Median kingdom had been mostly assimilated by the Persians by the time Cyrus II conquered Babylon in 539 BC.
Rome is then seen as the fourth kingdom, but the bestial, demonic, and inhumane characteristics of the vision extend beyond the historical Rome. The visions also represent a panorama of the whole world and its governments; all will be destroyed and replaced by the Kingdom of God, the “rock . . . cut from a mountain” (2:34). The metals of the statue become progressively less valuable in chapter 2, while the animal imagery of chapter 7 becomes more menacingly fierce, violent, and inhumane. These features represent a deterioration of human civilization across the centuries, even as the Kingdom of God grows in power and stature (2:35).
Passages for Further Study
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.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream (2:1–13)
The Dream Revealed to Daniel (2:14–23)
Daniel Interprets the Dream (2:24–45)
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)
(c) Daniel tells the king the dream and explains it (2:24–49)
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.
Daniel told the king what he had seen in his dream.
As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared.
¶ “Your Majesty, you(sing) saw standing in front of you a large/great statue.
¶ “As you were dreaming, suddenly you(sing) saw a giant statue.
As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared: This verse part is more literally “You, O king, were seeing and behold a great image.” This verse part gives a summary of what the king first saw in his dream. The details follow. Other ways to translate this summary description include:
O king, you saw in your dream a large statue standing before you
As you watched, there appeared to your majesty a great image (REB)
In your vision, you saw (NLT)
O king: Daniel addressed the king in a respectful and formal way. See also the note on 2:29a.
a great statue appeared: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as appeared often introduces a dream (Daniel 4:7; 7:2). It introduces something that is unexpected or surprising. Another way to translate this is:
and behold, a great image (RSV)
You may have a different way of translating this idea in your language.Some English versions have “behold” (KJV, RSV). The NRSV has “lo!” Some versions translate “in front of you” (NLT, NIV) or “standing before you” (GNT, similarly the CEV). Some versions do not translate this word (GW, REB). For example:
suddenly you saw a great statue
you saw a great statue, right there in front of you
great: This adjective refers to the statue’s size. It was big and tall, much taller than a man. See the General Comment on 2:31.
The following are some different ways that English versions translate this word:
large (NIV)
huge (NLT)
giant (GNT)
statue: The word that the BSB translates as statue here refers to a model or image of a man, greater than life size. Here is another way to translate this:
image (RSV)
It is probably best not to translate it using a word whose primary meaning is “idol.” There is no mention of people worshiping this statue.
A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.
It was a huge statue, glittering and awesome to look at.
It was enormous, bright and awe-inspiring.
A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome: Daniel continued to describe the statue that the king had seen in his dream. While several English versions translate 2:31 as a single sentence, most versions begin a new clause or sentence here, as the BSB does. In some languages it may be natural to do that as well. For example:
This statue was enormous, dazzling bright, and awesome in appearance.
This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was terrifying. (ESV)
Huge and dazzling, it stood before you, awesome to behold. (REB)
great: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates great indicates that the statue was big and tall. It has the same basic meaning as the word that is translated as “great” in 2:31.Some translations only translate these two synonyms with one word. See the GW, GNT, CEV, NCV. Theodotian omits the first word. The Old Greek puts both words in the second sentence; “very great statue.” See Collins, p. 151. Here is another way to translate this:
huge (NRSV)
dazzling: The Aramaic phrase that the BSB translates as dazzling is literally “its splendor was extraordinary.” This indicates that the statue was very bright and shiny. English versions have different ways to translate this phrase:
shining brightly (NLT, CEV )
This statue was very bright (GW)
bright and shining (GNT)
statue: See the Notes at 2:31, where the same word occurs. In some languages it may be important to mention that the statue looked like the figure of a person. For example:
a huge and powerful statue of a man (NLT)
stood: In some languages, only people can stand. You should use a word that is natural in your language to describe the statue. In some cases it may not be necessary to describe the position of the statue, since statues are usually in an upright, vertical position. For example:
you saw a huge…statue in front of you. (NCV)
before you: This expression indicates that the statue was in front of the king. It was right in the direction that he was looking. Another way to translate this is:
in front of you (NCV, NLT)
its form was awesome: The Aramaic text says literally “its appearance was terrible/terrifying.” This indicates that the statue caused fear in those who saw it. It was probably the immense size of the statue and its amazing brightness that caused fear. There are different ways to translate this feeling, for which the BSB uses the term awesome. For example:
terrifying (GNT)
terrible to see (NJB)
In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a separate clause or sentence. For example:
and its appearance was frightening (NRSV)
It was a frightening sight. (NLT)
In the Aramaic text, the information that the statue was standing before the king is found near the end of the verse. This is followed by several English versions, including the BSB. For example:
31aYou were looking, O king, and there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; 31bit was standing before you and its appearance was frightening. (NRSV)
31aYour Majesty, you had a vision. You saw a large statue. This statue was very bright. 31bIt stood in front of you, and it looked terrifying. (GW)
31aO king, in your dream you saw a huge, shiny, 31band frightening statue in front of you. (NCV)
Some other English versions have reordered the information in a way that is natural in English. Some examples of translations that reorder the text include:
31aYour Majesty looked, 31band there before you stood 31aa large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, 31bawesome in appearance. (NIV)
31Your Majesty, in your vision you saw 31bin front of you 31aa huge and powerful statue of a man, shining brilliantly, 31bfrightening and awesome. (NLT)
31Your Majesty, what you saw 31bstanding in front of you 31awas a huge 31band terrifying 31astatue, shining brightly. (CEV)
Follow the order that is most natural in your language.
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