We are now at the point in my study, where Daniel spends some time describing the dream, which Nebuchadnezzar saw but had forgotten. Nevertheless, it troubled the king so much that he was unable to sleep (cp. Daniel 2:1). Daniel began by telling Nebuchadnezzar that he was steadily gazing or intently observing an image (H6755) in his dream, and the figure was exceedingly large. So, perhaps the image wasn’t clear at first, but its huge form drew the king’s attention, until its shape and details became clearer. It was a single image, having a regal countenance that was preeminent in its nature. That is to say, it inspired awe in Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, and not only awe, but the form (H7299) was terrible (H1763).
In other words, what Nebuchadnezzar dreamed was fearful or dreadful to look upon. The Aramaic word (H1763; dechal) is found only in Daniel. It is used six times and always connected with fear or dread.[1] So, in his dream Nebuchadnezzar had his attention fixed upon an image (H6755) of regal countenance that inspired awe, and its form (H7299) put fear into the king’s heart.
The image (H6755) was singular in nature. That is, although it had its parts described later, vis-à-vis its head (Daniel 2:32) its feet (Daniel 2:34) and its iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold (Daniel 2:35), it was a single image, not four! Modern interpreters like to separate the image into its parts: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, but this misses the point of the dream, which has in view its influence upon Israel. Israel, remember, was now a tributary nation, and probably at war with Babylon, or very nearly so, when Nebuchadnezzar dreamed his dream.
In chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar made an image (H6755) of gold, which clearly was supposed to represent himself, thus, making the same mistake as modern interpreters. The image that Nebuchadnezzar made corresponded to what Daniel had interpreted in the king’s dream, namely that the head of the image was gold and represented the king (Daniel 2:37-38; cp. 3:1). The actual point of the dream, however, is made clearer in Daniel 3:19. There the same word (H6755) is used to describe the form (H6755) of Nebuchadnezzar’s countenance (H600). In other words, the image is what the mind sees in a figure, whether man or object. Nebuchadnezzar’s image, which he made in chapter 3, was supposed to be a physical representation of himself. The image in his dream, although composed of several parts, was one, single image, in that the parts, collectively, represented the influence the figure had over all peoples, especially God’s people, the Jews.
Finally, the form (H7299) was dreadful to look upon. This word appears only here, in Daniel 2:31, and again in Daniel 3:25. In chapter two Daniel describes the fearful or dreadful form of the image that had such influence over the world and God’s people. However, in chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar describes a fourth man in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and the form (H7299) the fourth man was like that of the Son of God. In other words, the form of the influence of the world over mankind (Daniel 2:31) would be eventually destroyed by the form of the influence of the Son of God (Daniel 2:34-35), vis-à-vis the Gospel.
Daniel went on to describe the image in more corporal terms, saying its head was made of gold, its upper torso and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze and its legs were made of iron, but its feet were a mixture of iron and clay (Daniel 32:33).
This was the image. Then, Daniel described something apart from the image. This other thing he described was a stone, which was cut out (H1505) without hands, meaning not by human power or determination. Moreover, this stone struck the image, which awed Nebuchadnezzar, due to its regal influence over mankind. The stone struck the image at its feet, which were composed of the mixture of iron and clay, and it completely broke it in pieces, destroying the whole image. Its pieces were like the chaff of the harvest threshing floors, which the wind carries away. Thus, would be the fate of the image. That is to say, the influence of the image was destroyed, not necessarily the nations, which made up that influence! Government survives, but the influence and power they have over the minds and hearts of people would be forever destroyed by this stone, which itself would grow into a great mountain, whose influence would grow and, eventually, extend throughout the earth.
This is what Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, saw in his dream, which he couldn’t recall after he awoke, but nevertheless, it troubled him to the point where he couldn’t sleep (Daniel 2:36, cp. verse-1). __________________________________________________________
[1] The occurrences of dechal (H1763) are: Daniel 2:31; 4:5; 5:19; 6:26; 7:7, 19.
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