Daniel 2:40

40 The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron. Iron can break anything into pieces, pulverize it and crush it. So just as iron can crush anything, this kingdom will break the other kingdoms into pieces and crush them.

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 so that wherever people, wild animals or birds in the air live, he has handed them over to you and enabled you to rule them all -you are the head of gold.

39 But after you another kingdom will rise, inferior to you; then a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole world.

40 The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron. Iron can break anything into pieces, pulverize it and crush it. So just as iron can crush anything, this kingdom will break the other kingdoms into pieces and crush them.

41 Finally, you saw the feet and toes made partly of pottery clay and partly of iron; this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the firmness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with clay from the ground.

42 Just as the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.