“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.” Verse 34.
9. What became of the various parts of the image?
“Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Verse 35.
10. With what words did Daniel begin the interpretation of the dream?
“Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” Verses 37, 38.
Note.—The character of the Babylonian Empire is fittingly indicated by the nature of the material composing that portion of the image by which [pg 206] it was symbolized—the head of gold. It was “the golden kingdom of a golden age.” The city of Babylon, its metropolis, according to history towered to a height never equaled by any of its later rivals. “Situated in the garden of the East; laid put in a perfect square sixty miles in circumference, fifteen miles on each side, surrounded by a wall three hundred and fifty feet high and eighty-seven feet thick, with a moat, or ditch, around this, of equal cubic capacity with the wall itself; divided into six hundred and seventy-six squares, laid out in luxuriant pleasure-grounds and gardens, interspersed with magnificent dwellings,—this city, containing in itself many things which were themselves wonders of the world, was itself another and still mightier wonder.... Such was Babylon, with Nebuchadnezzar, youthful, bold, vigorous, and accomplished, seated upon its throne.”
11. What was to be the nature of the next kingdom after Babylon?
“After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” Verse 39, first part.
12. Who was the last Babylonian king?
“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” Dan. 5:30, 31. See also verses 1, 2.