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Head of gold, chest of silver, bronze, iron, and clay

Here’s what it means

The parts of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue represent successive kingdoms, beginning with Babylon.

Why the Bible says it this way

In a prophecy or vision, an object or scene can stand for something else. The surrounding passage often explains the picture.

A helpful detail: Daniel gives the interpretation. Debates about later details should remain tied to the kingdoms and sequence identified in the chapter.

Where it appears