Daniel 2:44
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. | In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. | And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedDaniel is explaining King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great image made of gold, silver, brass, iron and clay. This verse explains the stone that struck the image and grew into a mountain that filled the whole earth. God himself will set up a kingdom that breaks all those kingdoms and lasts forever. Daniel 2:31Daniel 2:32Daniel 2:33Daniel 2:34Daniel 2:35Daniel 2:44Daniel 2:45
SpeakingDaniel, a captive from Judah also named Belteshazzar, speaks after God revealed the dream to him in a night vision. Daniel 2:19Daniel 2:25Daniel 2:26Daniel overview
ToKing Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who demanded that his dream be told and explained. Daniel 2:1Daniel 2:26Daniel 2:37
Also involvedThe kingdoms shown by the image, starting with Nebuchadnezzar's own kingdom as the head of gold and the kingdoms that follow it. Daniel 2:38Daniel 2:39Daniel 2:40Daniel 2:44
In the days of the kings shown by the image, God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or left to another people. It will break in pieces and consume all those kingdoms and stand forever. The stone was cut out 'without hands,' showing that this kingdom is God's work. Daniel 2:34Daniel 2:44Daniel 2:45
Before the king in Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar had ordered all the wise men of Babylon killed. Daniel 2:12Daniel 2:24Daniel 2:25Daniel overview
The eventsThe dream came in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. Daniel says it shows what 'shall be in the latter days' and 'what shall come to pass hereafter.' Daniel 2:1Daniel 2:28Daniel 2:29Daniel 2:45
WrittenTraditional: written by Daniel in the 500s BC. Scholarly: many critical scholars date the book's final form to about 167-164 BC, while others keep the 500s BC date. Daniel overview
HereThe verse shows that God, who 'removeth kings, and setteth up kings,' rules over even the greatest king. The kingdoms of the image will end, but the kingdom God sets up will not. Daniel 2:21Daniel 2:37Daniel 2:44Daniel overview
In the whole of ScriptureThis is a main theme of Daniel: God's kingdom outlasts every earthly empire. A later royal decree in Daniel 6:26 says God's kingdom 'shall not be destroyed,' and Psalm 145:13 calls it 'an everlasting kingdom.' Luke 1:33 says of Jesus, 'of his kingdom there shall be no end.' Daniel overviewDaniel 6:26Psalms 145:13Luke 1:32Luke 1:33
For readersFor God's people living under foreign rulers, this promise meant that no empire has the last word. Revelation 11:15 looks ahead to the day when 'the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.' Daniel overviewRevelation 11:15
Christians read this differently
The passage names only the head of gold as Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, and no cited Scripture says exactly when God sets up his kingdom. Some hold that it was set up when Christ was raised and given all power, and that it grows like the stone becoming a mountain. Others hold that it will be set up when Christ returns and the kingdoms of this world become his. Daniel 2:35Daniel 2:38Daniel 2:44Matthew 28:18Ephesians 1:20Revelation 11:15
- set upקוּם
In this form the word means to set up, establish, or appoint. God himself establishes this kingdom, just as he 'setteth up kings' in Daniel 2:21. Strong's H6966IDaniel 2:21Daniel 2:44
- kingdomמַלְכוּ
The word can mean royalty, kingly authority, a kingdom, a realm, or a reign. It points to God's rule as well as a realm. Strong's H4437
- destroyedחֲבַל
The word means to hurt or destroy, here in the form 'be destroyed.' Daniel 6:26 says the same of God's kingdom: it 'shall not be destroyed.' Strong's H2255Daniel 6:26
- consumeסוּף
In this form the word means to put an end to. God's kingdom does not only outlast the other kingdoms; it brings them to an end. Strong's H5487Daniel 2:44Daniel 2:35
- for everעָלַם
The word means perpetuity, for ever. This matches Luke 1:33, 'of his kingdom there shall be no end.' Strong's H5957Luke 1:33
Takeaway
The great empires shown in the dream will all be broken. The kingdom God sets up will never be destroyed or passed to others, and it will stand forever. Daniel 2:44Daniel 2:45Psalms 145:13Luke 1:33
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
The world around the text
About 605-536 BC. King of Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). Where Daniel lived and served for about seventy years. The capital of the Babylonian empire, on the Euphrates south of modern Baghdad, in the land the Bible calls Shinar and Chaldea.
Who ruled
- King of BabylonNebuchadnezzar605-562 BC
The king who besieged Jerusalem, carried Daniel and the temple vessels to Babylon, and later destroyed the city and temple. His own building inscriptions boast of the Babylon he built. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 24:12 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 25:1Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- Last king of Babylon, and his son who ruled in his placeNabonidus and Belshazzar556-539 BC
Nabonidus spent about ten years at the oasis of Tema in Arabia and left his son Belshazzar to rule in Babylon. That is why Belshazzar could only offer Daniel the place of "third ruler in the kingdom": he was himself second. Daniel 5:1Daniel 5:7Daniel 5:29Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Verse Account of Nabonidus
- Received the kingdom after Babylon fellDarius the MedianFrom 539 BC
Daniel says he "took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old" and set 120 princes over it. Records outside the Bible do not name him; he has been identified with Gubaru, the governor Cyrus set over Babylon, or with Cyrus himself. Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 9:1Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)
- King of PersiaCyrus559-530 BC
He united the Medes and Persians, took Babylon in 539 BC, and let the exiles go home to rebuild the temple, as Isaiah had named him beforehand. Daniel 1:21Daniel 6:28Daniel 10:1Ezra 1:1-4Isaiah 44:28-45:1Cyrus Cylinder
- King of JudahJehoiakim609-598 BC
Judah's king when Daniel was taken. Jeremiah warned him and his people that the land would serve Babylon seventy years. Daniel 1:1-22 Kings 23:36-24:6Jeremiah 25:1-11
What was happening, 612 BC to 167 BC
- 612 BCWarNineveh falls
Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as Nahum and Zephaniah had foretold. Babylon became the great power of the region. Nahum 3:7Zephaniah 2:13Fall of Nineveh Chronicle (ABC 3)
- 605 BCWarBattle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Pharaoh Necho of Egypt at Carchemish on the Euphrates, in Jehoiakim's fourth year. The same year he came against Jerusalem and took the first captives, Daniel among them. Jeremiah 46:2Daniel 1:1-4Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 597 BCWarJerusalem surrenders
Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his nobles and craftsmen to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel went into exile with them. 2 Kings 24:10-17Ezekiel 1:2Babylonian Chronicles (ABC 5)
- 586 BCWarJerusalem and the temple destroyed
Babylon's army burned the temple and the city and broke down its walls. Daniel later prays over "the desolations of Jerusalem" and asks God to shine on his "sanctuary that is desolate." 2 Kings 25:8-10Jeremiah 52:12-14Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:17
- c. 575 BCBuildingBabylon rebuilt in splendor
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon with great walls, palaces and the blue-glazed Ishtar Gate, and his inscriptions praise his own work. Compare his boast: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?" Daniel 4:30Nebuchadnezzar's East India House InscriptionHerodotus, Histories 1.178-183
- 562 BCRulersNebuchadnezzar dies
His son Evil-merodach became king and released Jehoiachin of Judah from prison. 2 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 52:31-34
- c. 553-543 BCRulersNabonidus leaves Babylon to Belshazzar
King Nabonidus stayed at Tema in Arabia for about ten years, and the yearly New Year festival in Babylon was not held. Belshazzar governed in Babylon. Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Daniel 5:1Daniel 7:1
- 550 BCWarCyrus unites the Medes and Persians
Cyrus of Persia defeated Astyages king of the Medes, joining the two peoples in one kingdom. Daniel's vision names the ram's two horns as "the kings of Media and Persia," the higher coming up last. Daniel 8:3Daniel 8:20Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.127-130
- October 539 BCWarBabylon falls to Cyrus
Cyrus's army entered Babylon without a long siege. Herodotus says the people were feasting when the city was taken. Daniel records that "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain." Daniel 5:30-31Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7)Herodotus, Histories 1.191Cyrus Cylinder
- 538 BCGod's peopleCyrus lets the exiles return
In his first year over Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed that the Jews could go back and build the LORD's house in Jerusalem. Daniel "continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus." Ezra 1:1-42 Chronicles 36:22-23Daniel 1:21Cyrus Cylinder
- c. 536 BCGod's peopleThe temple's foundation is laid
The returned exiles rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple. In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel was still in the east, mourning and praying. Ezra 3:1-11Daniel 10:1-3
- 334-331 BCWarAlexander the Great conquers Persia
Alexander of Macedon crossed into Asia and overthrew the Persian empire within four years. Daniel 8:21 names the rough goat as "the king of Grecia" and its great horn as "the first king." Daniel 8:5-8Daniel 8:21Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 1-3
- 323-301 BCWarAlexander's empire is divided
Alexander died young, and after twenty years of war his generals divided his empire, chiefly into four kingdoms. Daniel 8:22 says "four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Daniel 8:8Daniel 8:22Daniel 11:4Diodorus Siculus, Library 18-20Plutarch, Demetrius 28-30
- 167 BCWarAntiochus IV defiles the temple
The Greek king Antiochus IV banned Jewish worship and set up a pagan altar on the altar of burnt offering. 1 Maccabees calls it "the abomination of desolation." Two centuries later Jesus spoke of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" as still to come. 1 Maccabees 1:54-59Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4Matthew 24:15
The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient records of these years (the Babylonian Chronicles, the Cyrus Cylinder, Nebuchadnezzar's inscriptions) and ancient writers (Herodotus, Arrian, Diodorus, Josephus). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.
Original Aramaic words
This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.
| English | Aramaic | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and in days their | וּֽבְיוֹמֵיה֞וֹן | u-ve-yo-mei-HON | H3118 | dayיוֹם (yom) 1) day 2) day always refers to a twenty-four hour period when the word is modified by a definite or cardinal number |
| of | דִּ֧י | di | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| kings the | מַלְכַיָּ֣א | mal-khai-YA' | H4430 | kingמֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king |
| those | אִנּ֗וּן | 'i-NUN | H0581A | theyאִנּוּן (in.nun) these, those, they Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992) |
| he will set up | יְקִים֩ | ye-KIM | H6966I | to stand: riseקוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to arise, stand 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to arise from 1a2) to come on the scene (fig) 1a3) to arise (out of inaction) 1a4) to stand 1a5) to endure 1b) (Pael) to set up, establish 1c) (Aphel) 1c1) to set up 1c2) to lift up 1c3) to establish 1c4) to appoint 1d) (Hophal) to be made to stand |
| [the] God of | אֱלָ֨הּ | 'e-LAH | H0426 | godאֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel) |
| heavens the | שְׁמַיָּ֤א | she-mai-YA' | H8065 | heavenשָׁמַ֫יִן (sha.ma.yin) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible sky 1b) Heaven (as abode of God) |
| a kingdom | מַלְכוּ֙ | mal-KHU | H4437 | kingdomמַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time) |
| which | דִּ֤י | di | H1768 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| for ever | לְעָלְמִין֙ | le-'al-MIN | H5957 | perpetuityעָלַם (a.lam) perpetuity, antiquity, for ever Aramaic of o.lam (עוֹלָם ": old" H5769J) |
| not | לָ֣א | la' | H3809 | notלָא (la) no, not, nothing Aramaic of lo (לֹא "not" H3808) |
| it will be destroyed | תִתְחַבַּ֔ל | tit-cha-BAL | H2255 | to destroyחֲבַל (cha.val) 1) to hurt, destroy 1a) (Pael) to hurt, destroy 1b) (Ithpael) to be destroyed |
| and kingdom the | וּמַ֨לְכוּתָ֔ה | u-MAL-khu-TAH' | H4437 | kingdomמַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time) |
| to a people | לְעַ֥ם | le-'AM | H5972 | peopleעַם (am) people Aramaic of am (עַם ": people" H5971A) |
| another | אָחֳרָ֖ן | 'o-cho-RAN | H0321 | anotherאׇחֳרָן (o.cho.ran) other, another Aramaic of a.cher (אַחֵר "another" H0312) |
| not | לָ֣א | la' | H3809 | notלָא (la) no, not, nothing Aramaic of lo (לֹא "not" H3808) |
| it will be left | תִשְׁתְּבִ֑ק | tish-te-VIK | H7662 | to be leftשְׁבַק (she.vaq) 1) to leave, let alone 1a) (P'al) to leave, let alone 1b) (Ithpael) to be left |
| it will shatter | תַּדִּ֤ק | ta-DIK | H1855 | to break upדְּקַק (de.qaq) 1) to break into pieces, fall into pieces, be shattered 1a) (P'al) to be shattered 1b) (Aphel) to break into pieces |
| so it may put an end to | וְתָסֵיף֙ | ve-ta-SEIF | H5487 | be fulfilledסוּף (suph) 1) to be fulfilled, be completed, come to an end 1a) (P'al) to be fulfilled, be completed 1b) (Aphel) to put an end to |
| all | כָּל־ | kol- | H3606 | allכֹּל (kol) 1) all, whole, the whole 1a) the whole of, all 1b) every, any, none |
| these | אִלֵּ֣ין | 'i-LEIN | H0459 | theseאִלֵּין (il.len) these, those Aramaic of el (אֵל "these" H0411) |
| kingdoms the | מַלְכְוָתָ֔א | mal-khe-va-TA' | H4437 | kingdomמַלְכוּ (mal.khu) 1) royalty, reign, kingdom 1a) royalty, kingship, kingly authority 1b) kingdom 1c) realm (of territory) 1d) reign (of time) |
| and it | וְהִ֖יא | ve-HI' | H1932 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) 1) he, she, it 1a) (emphasising and resuming subject) 1b)(anticipating subj) 1c) as demons pron 1d) (relative) 1e) (affirming existence) |
| it will endure | תְּק֥וּם | te-KUM | H6966I | to stand: riseקוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to arise, stand 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to arise from 1a2) to come on the scene (fig) 1a3) to arise (out of inaction) 1a4) to stand 1a5) to endure 1b) (Pael) to set up, establish 1c) (Aphel) 1c1) to set up 1c2) to lift up 1c3) to establish 1c4) to appoint 1d) (Hophal) to be made to stand |
| for the ever | לְעָלְמַיָּֽא׃ | le-'al-mai-YA' | H5957 | perpetuityעָלַם (a.lam) perpetuity, antiquity, for ever Aramaic of o.lam (עוֹלָם ": old" H5769J) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.