DAN 2:43 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so various peoples will make alliances with each other, but they won’t stick together just as iron doesn’t integrate with clay.

2:43 OSHB variant note: די: (x-qere) ’וְ/דִ֣י’: lemma_c/1768 morph_AC/C id_27tkv וְ/דִ֣י

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 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

UST The mixture of iron and clay in the statue shows also that the rulers of those kingdoms that separate from each other will try to form alliances with each other as a result of members of the royal families of these kingdoms marrying each other. But that will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not stick together.

BSB As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples[fn] will mix with one another but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay.

OEB No OEB DAN book available

WEBBE Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

LSV Because you have seen iron mixed with miry clay, they are mixing themselves with the seed of men: and they are not adhering with one another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

FBV In the same way that you saw the iron mixed with ordinary clay, so the people will mix but they will not stick together just as iron and clay do not mix.

T4T The mixture of iron and clay in the statue shows also that the rulers of those kingdoms that separate from each other will try to form alliances with each other as a result of members of the royal families of those kingdoms marrying each other. But that will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not stick together.

LEB And in that you saw the iron was mixed with wet clay, so _⌊they will mix in marriage_⌋[fn] and they will not cling _⌊to one another_⌋,[fn] just as iron does not mix with clay.

2:43 Literally “mixing they will in the seed of man”

2:43 Literally “this one with that one”

BBE And as you saw the iron mixed with earth, they will give their daughters to one another as wives: but they will not be united one with another, even as iron is not mixed with earth.

Moff You saw the iron mixed with muddy clay? That means they shall intermarry in that kingdom, but they shall not hold together, any more than iron blends with clay;

JPS And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.

ASV And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.

DRA And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.

YLT Because thou hast seen iron mixed with miry clay, they are mixing themselves with the seed of men: and they are not adhering one with another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Drby And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.

RV And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.
(And whereas thou/you sawest/saw the iron mixed with miry/boggy clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave_or_cling one to another, even as iron doth/does not mingle with clay. )

SLT That thou sawest the iron mingled with the earthen-ware, mingling for themselves with the seed of men: and not cleaving to them this with this, so as iron not mingling with burnt clay.

Wbstr And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

KJB-1769 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.[fn]
(And whereas thou/you sawest/saw iron mixed with miry/boggy clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave_or_cling one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. )

2.43 one…: Chaldee, this with this

KJB-1611 [fn]And whereas thou sawest yron mixt with myrie clay, they shall mingle themselues with the seede of men: but they shall not cleaue one to an other, euen as yron is not mixed with clay.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

2:43 Cald. this with this.

Bshps And wheras thou sawest iron mixt with clay and earth, they shall mingle themselues with the seede of men, and yet not ioyne one with another, as iron will not be mixt with clay.
(And whereas thou/you sawest/saw iron mixed with clay and earth, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, and yet not join one with another, as iron will not be mixed with clay.)

Gnva And where as thou sawest yron mixt with clay and earth, they shall mingle themselues with the seede of men: but they shall not ioyne one with another, as yron can not bee mixed with clay.
(And where as thou/you sawest/saw iron mixed with clay and earth, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not join one with another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay. )

Cvdl And where as thou sawest yron myxte with claye: they shall myngle them selues wt ye sede off symple people, & yet not contynue one with another, like as yron wil not be souldered with a potsherde.
(And where as thou/you sawest/saw iron myxte with clay: they shall mingle themselves with ye/you_all seed off simple people, and yet not continue one with another, like as iron will not be souldered with a potsherd.)

Wycl Forsothe that thou siest irun meynd with a tiel stoon of clei, sotheli tho schulen be meynd togidere with mannus seed; but tho schulen not cleue to hem silf, as irun mai not be meddlid with tyel stoon.
(For_certain/Truly that thou/you seest/see iron meynd with a tile stone of clay, truly those should be meynd together with man’s seed; but those should not cleave_or_cling to himself, as iron may not be meddled with tyel stone.)

Luth Und daß du gesehen hast Eisen mit Ton vermenget, werden sie sich wohl nach Menschengeblüt untereinander mengen, aber sie werden doch nicht aneinander halten, gleichwie sich Eisen mit Ton nicht mengen läßt.
(And that you(sg) seen have iron with Ton vermenget, become they/she/them itself/yourself/themselves probably/well after peoplegeblüt each_other mengen, but they/she/them become though/but not to_each_other hold/keep, same_as itself/yourself/themselves iron with Ton not mengen lets.)

ClVg Quod autem vidisti ferrum mistum testæ ex luto, commiscebuntur quidem humano semine, sed non adhærebunt sibi, sicut ferrum misceri non potest testæ.
(That however did_you_see iron mixed testæ from luto, commiscebuntur indeed human with_seed, but not/no adhærebunt to_himself, like iron to_mix not/no can testæ. )

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.

2:43a

As you saw the iron mixed with clay,

And as you saw that baked clay was mixed with the iron,
You saw the iron and the clay were mixed together,

As you saw the iron mixed with clay: This clause repeats information from 2:41–42. This information is again used to begin making a comparison with the future kingdom. Here is another way to translate this:

This mixture of iron and clay also shows that… (NLT)

clay: This is the same phrase as in 2:41a. It is probably used to emphasize the weakness of this material, especially as compared to iron. Here is another way to translate this:

the clay of the earthenware (NJB)

2:43b

so the peoples will mix with one another,

so its people will be a mixture.
which shows/means that the kingdom will be a combination/alliance of people,

so the peoples will mix with one another: This is the second part of the comparison. The Aramaic clause that the BSB translates as the peoples will mix with one another is more literally “they will be mixing with the offspring/seed of humankind.” Daniel did not specify whether the pronoun “they” referred to people, rulers, races, cultures, or exactly what. Scholars interpret this clause in two ways:

It refers to general social and political mixing/mingling. Different religious, social, or ethnic groups will try to unite. For example:
they will be a mixture (NCV) (BSB, NIV, NCV, NJPS, KJV, NASB, NET)
It refers to people who try to unite together by intermarrying. For example:
the rulers of that empire will try to unite their families by intermarriage (GNT) (NJB, GNT, REB, NLT, RSV/NRSV, ESV, GW, CEV)

Interpretation (1) is recommended. It is good however to translate in such a way that this “mixing” could include intermarriage, as in interpretation (2).Those commentators who interpret the fourth kingdom as the Greek Empire, see a reference to the marriages between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties. See Collins, pp. 170–71. These marriages are mentioned again I Daniel 11:6,17. Those who interpret the fourth kingdom as the Roman Empire, often interpret the pronoun as referring to different races of people. Collins (p. 171) cites Keil, Young.

2:43c

but will not hold together

But they will not remain/hold together
but it will eventually break up.

but will not hold together: The implied subject is indefinite, like the subject of the previous verb “will mix.” The Aramaic verb that the BSB translates as hold together means “stick together, cling.” This is a metaphor that in this context probably refers to the alliances that the various peoples of the fourth kingdom will make with one another. These alliances will not remain strong. Other ways to translate this include:

and will not remain united (NIV)

But this will not succeed (NLT)

without adhering to one another (NET)

but such alliances will not be stable (REB)

In some languages it may be natural to use a positive verb. Try to use a verb that can be used of both alliances and physical objects like statues. For example:

but it will crumble (CEV)

but: The common Aramaic connector that the BSB translates as but here introduces an action that is opposed to the action in the previous verse part. Although these people or peoples will mix, they will not keep a strong union. This is why many English versions, including the BSB, translate it as but here. Connect 2:43b to 2:43c in a way that is natural in your language.

2:43d

any more than iron mixes with clay.

just as iron cannot remain mixed with clay.
For iron cannot really combine with clay.

any more than iron mixes with clay: See the Notes on iron at 2:33a and clay at 2:33b. Iron and clay are substances that cannot be successfully united or joined together. Other ways to translate this include:

just as iron and clay do not mix (NLT)

just as iron does not unite with pottery

just as you/one cannot combine iron and clay

In some languages this verse part may appear to involve a contradiction of 2:43a. If that is a problem in your language, you may be able to use a different verb here. The point is that although you can “mix” iron and clay, you cannot join or combine them into one. They will just fall apart again. For example:

just as iron and clay don’t stick together (CEV)

any more than iron will blend with clay (NJB)

General Comment on 2:43a–d

In 2:43 two comparisons are made between the statue’s feet and the fourth empire. In 2:43a and 2:43d Daniel talked about the statue, and in 2:43b and 2:43c, he talked about the empire. In some languages it may be natural to reorder these verse parts to put the references to the statue together and the references to the empire together. For example:

^43aYou saw the iron and clay mixed together, ^43dbut iron and clay do not hold together. ^43bIn the same way the people of the fourth kingdom will be a mixture, ^43cbut they will not be united as one people. (NCV)

Another possibility is to put either the statue or the empire as the first half of both the comparisons. For example:

^43aYou saw the iron and clay mixed together. ^43bIn this way the people of the fourth kingdom will be mixed together. ^43dBut iron cannot stick to clay. ^43cAnd in this way the people will not be united.