Daniel 2:40

40 Then will come a fourth kingdom, mighty like iron. Just as iron shatters and crushes everything; so like an iron that smashes, it will shatter and crush all these others.

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 God has delivered into your care human beings, wild creatures, and birds in the sky—wherever they live—and has made you ruler of all of them. You are the gold head.

39 But in your place, another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours, and then a third, bronze kingdom will rule over all the earth.

40 Then will come a fourth kingdom, mighty like iron. Just as iron shatters and crushes everything; so like an iron that smashes, it will shatter and crush all these others.

41 As for the feet and toes that you saw, which were a mixture of potter's clay and iron, that signifies a divided kingdom; but it will possess some of the unyielding strength of iron. Even so, you saw the iron mixed with earthy clay

42 so that the toes were made from a mixture of iron and clay. Part of the kingdom will be mighty, but part of it will be fragile.