Daniel 2:31 As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.

◄ Daniel 2:31 ►

New International Version
“Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.

New Living Translation
“In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight.

English Standard Version
“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.

Berean Standard Bible
As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.

New American Standard Bible
“You, O king, were watching and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary radiance, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

NASB 1995
“You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

NASB 1977
“You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

Legacy Standard Bible
“You, O king, were looking, and behold, there was a single great image; that image, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was rising up in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

Amplified Bible
“You, O king, were looking, and behold, [there was] a single great statue; this image, which was large and of unsurpassed splendor, stood before you, and its appearance was awesome and terrifying.

Christian Standard Bible
“Your Majesty, as you were watching, suddenly a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My king, as you were watching, a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Your Majesty, what you saw standing in front of you was a huge and terrifying statue, shining brightly.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Your Majesty, you had a vision. You saw a large statue. This statue was very bright. It stood in front of you, and it looked terrifying.

Good News Translation
"Your Majesty, in your vision you saw standing before you a giant statue, bright and shining, and terrifying to look at.

International Standard Version
"Your majesty, while you were watching, you observed an enormous statue. This magnificent statue stood before you with extraordinary brilliance. Its appearance was terrifying.

Majority Standard Bible
As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.

NET Bible
"You, O king, were watching as a great statue--one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness--was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm.

New Heart English Bible
You, O king, saw, and look, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was extraordinary, stood before you; and its appearance was awesome.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and its form was terrible.

World English Bible
“You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
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.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
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.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You, O king, saw, and behold, something like a great statue. This statue, which was great and high, stood exalted above you, and you considered how terrible it was.

New American Bible
“In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.

New Revised Standard Version
“You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
You, O king, were looking, and behold, a great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrible.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You, oh King, you were seeing, and behold, one image that was very great, its brightness was extreme and it stood before you. Its appearance was awesome!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold an image: that image was great, and the appearance of it excellent, standing before thy face; and the form of it was terrible.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Daniel Interprets the Dream
…30And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. 31As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome. 32The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Revelation 13:1-2
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. / The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Revelation 17:12-14
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast. / These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. / They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Revelation 19:11-16
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. / He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. / He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. ...

Revelation 12:3
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

Revelation 17:3
And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

Revelation 17:9-10
This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. / There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. But when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

Revelation 17:18
And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Revelation 18:2-3
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. / All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”

Revelation 19:19-21
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army. / But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. / And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Revelation 20:10
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Isaiah 2:2-4
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. / Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.

Isaiah 11:4
but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.

Isaiah 13:1-22
This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received: / Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. / I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph. ...

Isaiah 14:4-23
you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! / The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. / It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution. ...

Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

Treasury of Scripture

You, O king, saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the form thereof was terrible.

sawest.

Daniel 7:3-17
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another…

Matthew 4:8
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Luke 4:5
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

terrible.

Isaiah 13:11
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Isaiah 25:3-5
Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee…

Ezekiel 28:7
Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

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Daniel 2

1. Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream,
5. requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats.
10. They acknowledging their inability are judged to die.
14. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream.
19. He blesses God.
24. He staying the decree is brought to the king.
31. The dream.
36. The interpretation.
46. Daniel's advancement.

Berean Study Bible

As you, O king, were watching
This phrase sets the scene for a divine revelation given to King Nebuchadnezzar. The Hebrew word for "watching" (חָזָה, chazah) implies not just seeing but perceiving with understanding. In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture, dreams were often considered messages from the divine. The king's attentive observation signifies the importance of the vision and his role as a recipient of divine communication. This moment underscores the sovereignty of God in revealing His plans to earthly rulers, a theme prevalent throughout the Book of Daniel.

a great statue appeared
The "great statue" (צֶלֶם, tselem) is central to the vision and symbolizes the succession of world empires. The use of "great" (רַב, rab) emphasizes its significance and the magnitude of what it represents. Statues in ancient times were often associated with power and authority, and this particular statue serves as a metaphor for the temporal nature of human kingdoms in contrast to God's eternal kingdom. The appearance of the statue marks the beginning of a prophetic revelation that will unfold throughout the chapter.

A great and dazzling statue
The repetition of "great" and the addition of "dazzling" (זִיו, ziv) highlight the statue's impressive and awe-inspiring nature. The word "dazzling" suggests brilliance and splendor, capturing the attention and evoking a sense of wonder. This description reflects the glory and might of earthly kingdoms, which, while impressive, are ultimately transient. The imagery serves to remind the reader of the allure of worldly power and the need to focus on the eternal kingdom of God.

stood before you
The statue "stood" (קָם, qam) before the king, indicating its imposing presence and the immediacy of the vision. In the ancient world, standing was often a posture of readiness and authority. The statue's position before the king signifies the direct challenge and relevance of the vision to Nebuchadnezzar's reign. It serves as a divine confrontation, calling the king to recognize the limitations of his power and the sovereignty of God over all nations.

and its form was awesome
The "form" (דִּי, di) of the statue is described as "awesome" (דְּחִיל, dechil), a term that conveys fear, reverence, and awe. This description captures the overwhelming nature of the vision and the profound impact it had on the king. The use of "awesome" reflects the biblical theme of the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). It serves as a reminder that while human empires may inspire awe, true reverence belongs to God alone, whose kingdom is everlasting.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) A great image.--Properly, one great image. This is one important feature in the vision. The image, though representing many things, was itself only "one." (See Note on Daniel 2:1.) That the image was of human form is evident from the further descriptions of the various parts of the body given in Daniel 2:32-33; Daniel 2:42. The "greatness" of the image implies the magnificence and size of it. As will be shortly seen, throughout the various parts it represented the many complex phases of the one history of the world.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 31. - 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. The Greek versions do not require notice, as they do not imply any difference in reading from the Massoretic text. The Peshitta is shorter, "Thou, O king, wert seeing, and, lo! a great image of beauty exceeding excellent, and it stood before thee." The opening clause of the next verse may be regarded as taking up the last clause of the verse before us. As to the Aramaic of the passage, it is to be observed that the s, me long form of the second person is used in ver. 29. The numeral חַד (had) is used in this verse very much in the sense of the English indefinite article which is used to translate it in the English versions. It is represented in the Greek Version by μία. The particle אְלַוּ ('ulu)," behold," does not occur in the Targums; a cognate form occurs in Samaritan, hala. In Talmudic it occurs in a form like the Samaritan. This word occurs in ch. 7, varied by אֲרוּ ('aru), which is regarded as a phonetic variation. It may, however, be due to defective penmanship, having the top of the ל too faintly written. Its etymology is doubtful. No Assyrian root has been found from which it may be derived. The word for "image," צֶלֶם (tzelem), occurs in the Palmyrene inscriptions, as the regular term for a memorial statue. Hence, unless reason can be shown to the contrary, we could assume, even though there had been no more, that the figure was like a statue of a man. The word for this, דִכֵּן (diccen), occurs only in Daniel; the corresponding word in Ezra is דֵך (dec). The n sound is one that so readily slips away, that its presence as a final letter is a sign that the form of a word possessing it is in an older stage than that without it; hence we would argue that as דֵך (dec) is older than דָא (da) of the Targums, so דִכֵּן (diccen) of Daniel is older than דֵך (dec). The word that is most interesting is זִיוֵהּ (ziveh); it is rendered "brightness" in our version. It is recognized by Professor Bevan, on the authority of Delitzsch, as an Assyrio-Babylonian word, therefore affording an additional evidence of the Eastern origin of Daniel. Noldeke would derive it from the Persian zeb (quoted by Behrmann, but there is some mistake in his reference). This tendency to derive everything from the Persian is to be suspected. The long political connection between Babylon and the Aryan nations north and east of it might easily introduce words of such an origin into the writings of a Babylonian diplomat. Another derivation is from זָחָה (zahah), but seems doubtful, as, although in Hebrew, there is no trace of such a verb in Aramaic. The only other word that merits note is רֵוֵה (reve), "appearance." Professor Bevan says it is the only appearance in Aramaic of a corresponding root to the Hebrew רָאָה (ra'ah), "to see." Daniel, it will be seen, lays stress on the emotions which each feature excited, in order to recall, not only the dream, but something of the feelings with which Nebuchadnezzar had beheld it. With this dream of Nebuchadnezzar we might compare the dream of the seer of Asshurbanipal, given by Lenormant ('La Divination,' p. 137), "The seer (voyant) narrated to Asshurbanipal how the goddess Istar had stood before him seated in her chariot, surrounded by flame, with a bow in her hand" (see also Smith's 'Assurbanipal,' pp. 123. 124). It is unlikely that the colossal image was identified by Nebuchadnezzar with any one of the Babylonian gods; perhaps this was one of the elements of the terror excited by the vision, that he could not identify him. If he did make any identification, Daniel does not do anything to justify him in any such identification.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

As you,
תתן־ (’ant)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 607: You

O king,
מַלְכָּ֗א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

were watching,
חָזֵ֤ה (ḥā·zêh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2370: To gaze upon, mentally to dream, be usual

a
חַד֙ (ḥaḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 2298: As card, one, single, first, at once

great
שַׂגִּ֔יא (śag·gî)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7690: Great, much

statue
צְלֵ֥ם (ṣə·lêm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6755: An idolatrous figure

appeared.
וַאֲל֨וּ (wa·’ă·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 431: Lo!

A great
רַ֛ב (raḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7229: Abundant

and dazzling
וְזִיוֵ֥הּ (wə·zî·wêh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2122: Brightness, splendor

statue
צַלְמָ֨א (ṣal·mā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 6755: An idolatrous figure

stood
קָאֵ֣ם (qā·’êm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6966: To arise, stand

before you,
לְקָבְלָ֑ךְ (lə·qā·ḇə·lāḵ)
Preposition-l | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6903: In front of, before, because of, because that

and its form
וְרֵוֵ֖הּ (wə·rê·wêh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7299: Appearance

[was] awesome.
דְּחִֽיל׃ (də·ḥîl)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 1763: To slink, to fear, be formidable

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OT Prophets: Daniel 2:31 You O king saw and behold (Dan. Da Dn)