In Daniel 2:43, Daniel explains that the toes of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of were partly iron and partly clay, meaning that the people of that kingdom would be divided and would not remain united. I have always though that this referred to the political strife between the Romans and the Jews. However, I recently heard the view that this scripture is referring to intermarriage. Which is correct? -- Rachel Bloom (Atlanta)
Commentators offer different suggestions, but the dominant view is that the mixture of iron and clay refers to the mixture of Romans (iron = strength) and foreigners, or subject peoples (clay = weakness) in the Empire. Ultimately, iron and clay will not stay together; this indicates internal weakness within the Empire. Defending the borders was always a vital need for the Romans--especially the eastern border. The armies were constantly needed to secure the provinces. This may well have involved intermarriage. It is not likely strife between Romans and Jews is in view.
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