Hi Sophiee, The number 10 is used quite a bit in Daniel, but none of them appear connected. Start with chapter 1 and you'll see that the number 10 is used.

Isn't there more to it than just the number of 10?

There are 4 different metals, representing 4 successive kingdoms, in Nebuchadnezzar's statue.

Repeated in Daniel 7, but the 4 successive kingdoms represented by 4 beasts. The ten kings being of the fourth kingdom. The ten toes in Nebuchadnezzar's statue dream are also of the fourth kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar's statue dream concludes with the kingdom of God being set up here on earth in the days of the the final kings of the clay and iron mixture. While, likewise, repeated in Daniel 7, the kingdom of God is given to the saints in the days of the ten kings.

I wonder why Rashi didn't make that connect? It seems pretty obvious to me.

It could be that Rashi did, but couldn't write about it because in his day from what I read the regional bishop was conducting atrocities upon the Jewish population where Rashi lived. Understandably, Rashi was very distraught and infuriated and rumored to have prayed for some sort of curse upon the bishop's forces, from what I have read.

Anyway, IMHO, given the timeframe of Rashi's life, he may have recognized that the fourth empire was the Roman empire, with the clay and iron being the Holy Roman Empire, an alliance of religion and politics, underpinned with marriages amongst the royalty of Europe - which he was feeling the brunt of it. So for survival's sake, maybe Rashi couldn't be too vocal against the religious/political powers stemming from the Holy Roman Empire at the time, who were probably looking for the slightest reason to put him to death. I don't know.


Sincerely,

Doug L.