Daniel 2:40

40 And the fourth realm shall be as iron; as iron maketh less, and maketh tame all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these realms. (And the fourth kingdom shall be like iron; and like iron shattereth, or breaketh in pieces, and maketh everything tame, or subdueth all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these kingdoms.)

Daniel 2:40 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 2:40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron
This is not the kingdom of the Lagidae and Seleucidae, the successors of Alexander, as some have thought; for these are designed by the thighs in the third kingdom; and, besides, the kingdom of Christ was to arise in the time of this fourth kingdom, which it did not in that; nor the kingdom of Gog, or the empire of the Turks, as Saadiah, Aben Ezra, and Jarchi; but the Roman empire, which is compared to iron for its strength, firmness, and duration in itself; and for its power over other nations; and also for its cruelty to the Jews above all others, in utterly destroying their city, temple, and nation: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things;
so this kingdom has subdued and conquered all others; not the Jews only, but the Persians, Egyptians, Syrians, Africans, French, Germans, yea, all the world: and as iron that breaketh,
or "even as iron breaketh all these", shall it break in pieces, and bruise;
all nations and kingdoms; hence Rome has been called the mistress of the world, and its empire in Scripture is called the whole world, ( Luke 2:1 ) ( Revelation 17:18 ) .

Daniel 2:40 In-Context

38 and he gave in(to) thine hand all things in which the sons of men, and the beasts of the field, and the birds of the air dwell, and ordained all things under thy lordship; therefore thou art the golden head.

39 And another realm less than thou shall rise after thee; and the third realm, another of brass, that shall have the empire of all earth. (And after thee, another kingdom less than thou, shall rise up; and then the third kingdom, one of bronze, that shall have rule over all the earth.)

40 And the fourth realm shall be as iron; as iron maketh less, and maketh tame all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these realms. (And the fourth kingdom shall be like iron; and like iron shattereth, or breaketh in pieces, and maketh everything tame, or subdueth all things, so it shall make less, and shall all-break all these kingdoms.)

41 Forsooth that thou sawest a part of the feet, and fingers, (or toes,) of earth, [or clay,] of a potter, and a part of iron, the realm shall be parted (And that thou sawest that a part of the feet, and the toes, was made of the clay of a potter, and a part was made of iron, the kingdom shall be divided); which nevertheless shall rise (up out) of the planting of (the) iron, by that that thou sawest iron mingled with a tilestone of clay,

42 and the toes of the feet, in part of iron, and in part of earth, in part the realm shall be firm, and in part broken. (and like the toes of the feet, were in part made of iron, and in part made of clay, so the kingdom in part shall be firm, or shall be strong, and in part it shall be broken, or shall be weak.)