The Meaning of Daniel 2:32 Explained

Daniel 2:32

KJV: This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

YLT: This image! its head is of good gold, its breasts and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass;

Darby: This image's head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,

ASV: As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

This image's  head  [was] of fine  gold,  his breast  and his arms  of silver,  his belly  and his thighs  of brass, 

What does Daniel 2:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Daniel 2:14-35 - Wisdom Granted In The Hour Of Need
The action of Daniel in this supreme crisis is very instructive. He reckoned absolutely on God, and in his chivalrous endeavor to save the lives of the aged men, the heads of the college in which he had been trained. He never doubted that God would be His stay. A prayer meeting was convened to ask for the merciful interposition of the God of heaven, and at its close Daniel seems to have lain down to sleep in unwavering faith. In this act we are reminded of Jesus sleeping amid the storm. Only a heart so pure and true, so trustful and godly, could have slept within the shadow of so terrible a menace. It was in a night-vision that he beheld the majestic procession of empire, from the gold of absolute monarchy to the clay and metal of constitutional government. Note his care to give all the glory to God and to take the humble position of the mere channel through which the divine message was transmitted to the king. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Daniel 2:32 mean?

That of image head [was] of gold fine its chest and arms of silver its belly and thighs bronze
ה֣וּא צַלְמָ֗א רֵאשֵׁהּ֙ דִּֽי־ דְהַ֣ב טָ֔ב חֲד֥וֹהִי וּדְרָע֖וֹהִי דִּ֣י כְסַ֑ף מְע֥וֹהִי וְיַרְכָתֵ֖הּ נְחָֽשׁ

ה֣וּא  That 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
צַלְמָ֗א  of  image 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: צְלֵם  
Sense: image, idol.
רֵאשֵׁהּ֙  head  [was] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵאשׁ  
Sense: chief, head.
דְהַ֣ב  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּהַב  
Sense: gold.
טָ֔ב  fine 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָב  
Sense: good.
חֲד֥וֹהִי  its  chest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲדֵה  
Sense: breast, chest.
וּדְרָע֖וֹהִי  and  arms 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דְּרָע  
Sense: arm.
כְסַ֑ף  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּסַף  
Sense: silver.
מְע֥וֹהִי  its  belly 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְעֵה  
Sense: external belly, abdomen.
וְיַרְכָתֵ֖הּ  and  thighs 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יַרְכָה  
Sense: thigh, loin, flank, side, recess.
נְחָֽשׁ  bronze 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְחָשׁ  
Sense: copper, bronze.