Daniel 2:39Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Additionally, there was a third kingdom, the kingdom of bronze, which would dominate the entire earth. This represented the kingdom of Macedon.

Due to Nebuchadnezzar's belief that no powerful monarch could topple the Babylonian empire, the prophet declares that a weaker dominion, specifically the kingdom of Midian, will emerge to destroy your kingdom. Furthermore, a third kingdom will dominate all the earth; the kingdom of Cyrus, the king of Persia, will conquer the entire world.

Following your reign, a lesser kingdom will emerge, represented by silver, which denotes the realm of the Medes and Persians. This kingdom is smaller than yours yet larger than what is to follow. Next comes a third kingdom made of brass, destined to exert control over the entire earth. This points to Alexander the Great and the dominion of the Macedonians alongside his heirs. It is aptly described as copper, as it possesses a ringing clarity surpassing all other metals. The resonance of copper travels widely, symbolizing not just the splendor and might of the ruler but also the eloquence attributed to the Greek people.

Following you, a different realm will emerge, one lesser than yours—the realm of Persia. The prophet designates it as a lesser kingdom, not because it is the weakest, but because it is the second. The third realm, symbolized by copper, will dominate the entire earth. This refers to the kingdom of Macedon, led by Alexander, the son of Philip, who conquered all in the twelve years of his reign and brought the whole earth under his control.

Following the lioness, he observed a second creature resembling a bear, symbolizing the Persians, who succeeded the Babylonians in power. The phrase "three ribs in his mouth" (Dan. 7:5, 6) indicates the three nations - Persians, Medes, and Babylonians - and this is also reflected in the metallic imagery of the body, which transitions from gold to silver. The third creature is analogous to a lynx, representing the Greeks. After the Persians, it was Alexander the Great, who vanquished Darius and ascended to authority, represented by the bronze in the imagery.