DAN 2:39 Parallel Verse View

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=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

2:39 OSHB variant note: ארע/א: (x-qere) ’אֲרַע’: lemma_772 morph_ANcfsd id_27Euh אֲרַע

2:39 OSHB exegesis note: WLC has this word divided as ארעא

2:39 OSHB note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

2:39 OSHB variant note: תליתיא: (x-qere) ’תְלִיתָאָ֤ה’: lemma_8523 b morph_AAofsa id_27zkf תְלִיתָאָ֤ה

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).

ULT After you will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

UST But after your kingdom ends, there will be another great kingdom, but it will not be as great as yours. The silver parts of the statue represent that kingdom. Then there will be a third great kingdom whose king will rule over the whole earth. The bronze parts of the statue represent that kingdom.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE “After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth.

LSV And after you another kingdom arises lower than those, and another third kingdom of bronze, that rules over all the earth.

FBV But after you another kingdom will rise that is inferior to your kingdom and will replace yours. After that a third kingdom that is bronze will rise and rule over the whole world.

T4T But after your kingdom/rule ends, there will be another great kingdom, but it will not be as great as yours. The silver parts of the statue represent that kingdom. Then there will be a third great kingdom whose king will rule over the whole earth. The bronze parts of the statue represent that kingdom.

LEB And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third kingdom of bronze that will rule over the whole earth.

BBE And after you another kingdom, lower than you, will come to power; and a third kingdom, of brass, ruling over all the earth.

Moff After you another kingdom shall arise, less powerful; then a third kingdom of bronze, which shall bear sway over all the earth.

JPS And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

ASV And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

DRA And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.

YLT And after thee doth rise up another kingdom lower than those, and another third kingdom of brass, that doth rule overall the earth.

Drby And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; then another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

RV And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
(And after thee/you shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee/you; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. )

SLT And after thee shall arise another kingdom lower than thee, and another third kingdom of brass, that shall have power over all the earth.

Wbstr And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

KJB-1769 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
(And after thee/you shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee/you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. )

KJB-1611 And after thee shall arise an other kingdome inferiour to thee, and another third kingdome of brasse, which shall beare rule ouer all the earth.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps After thee shall arise another kingdome inferior to thee, & another third kingdome shalbe of brasse, whiche shall beare rule ouer all the earth.
(After thee/you shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee/you, and another third kingdom shall be of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.)

Gnva And after thee shall rise another kingdome, inferiour to thee, of siluer, and another third kingdome shalbe of brasse, which shall beare rule ouer all the earth.
(And after thee/you shall rise another kingdom, inferior to thee/you, of silver, and another third kingdom shall be of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. )

Cvdl After ye there shal aryse another kingdome, which shal be lesse then thyne. The thyrde kingdome shal be lyke copper, and haue dominacion in all lodes.
(After ye/you_all there shall arise another kingdom, which shall be less then thine/your. The third kingdom shall be like copper, and have domination in all lodes.)

Wycl And another rewme lesse than thou schal rise aftir thee; and the thridde rewme, an other of bras, that schal haue the empire of al erthe.
(And another realm less than thou/you shall rise after thee/you; and the third realm, another of brass, that shall have the empire of all earth.)

Luth Nach dir wird ein ander Königreich aufkommen, geringer denn deines. Danach das dritte Königreich, das ehern ist, welches wird über alle Lande herrschen.
(After you/to_you(sg) becomes a at_the kingdom arise/come_up, less/minor because/than your(s). Thereafter/Then the third kingdom, the bronze is, which becomes above all land reign/prevail.)

ClVg Et post te consurget regnum aliud minus te argenteum: et regnum tertium aliud æreum, quod imperabit universæ terræ.
(And after you(sg) will_rise kingdom something_else minus you(sg) silver: and kingdom third something_else to_beum, that imperabit of_the_universe of_the_earth/land. )

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

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

Dan 2:1-49; 7:1-28

SOTN 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.

2:39a

But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours.

¶ “After you, another kingdom will rise/come to power. However, it will not be as great as your kingdom.
¶ “Another kingdom will become powerful after you and your kingdom. But that kingdom will have a lower status than your kingdom.

But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours: Daniel said that the dream foretold that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would not endure forever. It would pass away, and another kingdom would take its place.

But after you: Here the pronoun you is used in a figurative way. The king represented his kingdom. After Nebuchadnezzar died, the Babylonian kingdom in fact continued to exist for another 43 years. The new kingdom did not arise immediately after his death. Another way to translate this is:

But after your kingdom comes to an end (NLT)

there will arise another kingdom: The author used the verb arise in a figurative sense. Your language may have a different verb that describes when a new kingdom begins.

another kingdom will rule (CEV)

another kingdom will come (NCV)

another kingdom will take its place

kingdom: The Aramaic word that the BSB translates as kingdom here refers to the realm over which a king or emperor rules. Other ways to say this in English are:

empire (GNT)

great kingdom (NLT)

In some languages it may be helpful to add implied information:

another kingdom, the one symbolized by silver,

This second kingdom has traditionally been identified with the empire of the Medes and the Persians (or Medo-Persian Empire). However, this is nowhere stated and many scholars disagree, so it should not be made explicit.

inferior to yours: The pronoun yours here means “your kingdom,” that is, Babylonia. The word inferior means to be less in quality or value than something else. It is best to use a general expression rather than indicating in what specific way this kingdom was inferior. For example:

not as great as yours (NJB)

2:39b

Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.

After that, a third kingdom will gain power over the whole world. The third kingdom is the bronze part of the statue.
Next a third kingdom will have authority over all the earth. That is what the bronze part of the statue represents.

Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth: The middle part of the statue was made of bronze. This bronze part represented a third kingdom. This kingdom has been traditionally identified with the Greek empire. Again, this is disputed and should not be made explicit. Other ways to translate this include:

and after that a third, an empire of bronze, which will rule the whole earth (GNT)

Then it will be followed by a kingdom of bronze that will rule the whole world. (CEV)

Next: The Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as Next here introduces the next kingdom in the temporal sequence. Other ways English versions translate this are:

Then there will be… (GW)

After that kingdom has fallen (NLT)

a third kingdom, one of bronze: Daniel identified the third kingdom with the bronze part of the statue. In some languages it may be necessary to make the comparison more clear. For example:

a third kingdom, represented by bronze (NLT)

a third kingdom, the bronze part (NCV)

the kingdom after that will be like the bronze part of the statue

bronze: See the Notes on bronze at 2:32c. Translate it here as you did there.

will rule the whole earth: The phrase rule the whole earth emphasizes the great power of the third kingdom. The leaders of the third kingdom would have power over all the known world. Other ways to translate this include:

will rise to rule the world (NLT)

whose kings will rule over all the world

its power will extend/reach over the whole world

Parallel DAN 2:39

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

Paragraph 2:39–2:43

2:39a

2:39b