Meaning, commentary and cross references
Daniel 12:2
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
NIV · New International Version
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
WEB · World English Bible
Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
What does Daniel 12:2 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,.... Which is not to be understood in a figurative and metaphorical, sense, as by R. Jeshuah the Jew, Porphyry the Heathen, and by some Christian writers; neither of the deliverance of the Jews from the troubles of Antiochus, or their present captivity; nor of the spiritual resurrection of them, or others, from their state of infidelity to a profession of the Gospel, which in some is real, in others only hypocritical; but, in a literal sense, of the resurrection of the dead at the last day, which, with respect to the righteous, will take place upon the personal appearance of Christ at first, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, for, as death…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Daniel 12:1–4
There shall be a distinguishing resurrection of those that sleep in the dust, Dan 12:2. 1. When God works deliverance for his people from persecution it is a kind of resurrection; so the Jews' release out of Babylon was represented in vision (Eze. 37) and so the deliverance of the Jews from Antiochus, and other restorations of the church to outward prosperity; they were as life from the dead. Many of those who had long slept in the dust of obscurity and calamity shall then awake, some to that life, and honour, and comfort which will be lasting, everlasting; but to others, who, when they return to their prosperity, will return to their iniquity, it will be a resurrection to shame and…
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Daniel 12:2
2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 2. Et multi ex dormientibus in terra pulvere, evigilabunt hi in vitam seculi, hoc est, perpetuo, hi vero in opprobium et in abominationem perpetuam. As to the translation of the first words, it is literally, many who sleep in the earth of dust, or who are in earth and dust; for the genitive is used as an epithet, though it may be read as if in opposition with the former word sleep, meaning those who are reduced to earth and dust.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Daniel 12:1–5 (WEB)
1“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever. 4But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.” 5Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side.
Cross references
- John 5:28–29
Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
- Isaiah 26:19
Your dead shall live. Their dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.
- Matthew 25:46
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Ezekiel 37:12
Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
- Revelation 20:12
I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
- 1 Corinthians 15:51–54
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
- Acts 24:15
having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
Key words
In the Baptist Catechism
- Q44. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgement?
At the day of judgement, the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever.