Daniel 12:2 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Death is pictured as sleep, and a day is coming when the sleepers will wake.
The Context of Daniel 12:2
Part of the closing vision given to Daniel about the time of the end (Daniel 12:1 to 4). It follows the promise of deliverance for those written in the book, and gives the Old Testament its clearest single picture of resurrection.
What Does Daniel 12:2 Mean?
After the time of trouble in the verse before, the vision lifts the curtain on something even the patriarchs had only glimpsed. Those who 'sleep in the dust of the earth' will awake. Death is gently named as sleep, a state that does not last, and the dust is not the end of the story. The waking is real and it is for many, some rising to everlasting life and some to shame and lasting contempt. Daniel is given a plain word about what lies on the far side of the grave: an awakening that ends death's long silence forever.
Centuries later Jesus stood at a tomb and turned this hope into a person: 'I am the resurrection, and the life' (John 11:25). He spoke Daniel's very language of waking, promising an hour when 'all that are in the graves shall hear his voice' and come forth (John 5:28 to 29). And He proved it by walking out of His own tomb, the firstfruits of all who sleep. The awakening Daniel saw from far off has a face, and a voice that the dust will obey.
Daniel 12:2 in the Original Language
yashen (יָשֵׁן), 'sleep' -- to sleep, here a tender name for death as rest before waking.
How to Apply Daniel 12:2 Today
For anyone who has stood at a graveside, this verse is a lamp in the dark. Death is named as sleep, which means it has a morning, and Jesus has already walked through it ahead of us. To belong to Him is to know that the dust does not get the last word, and that the voice which raised Him will one day call our own names.
Frequently Asked Questions About Daniel 12:2
What does Daniel 12:2 mean?
Death is pictured as sleep, and a day is coming when the sleepers will wake.
What is the context of Daniel 12:2?
Part of the closing vision given to Daniel about the time of the end (Daniel 12:1 to 4). It follows the promise of deliverance for those written in the book, and gives the Old Testament its clearest single picture of resurrection.
How can I apply Daniel 12:2 today?
For anyone who has stood at a graveside, this verse is a lamp in the dark. Death is named as sleep, which means it has a morning, and Jesus has already walked through it ahead of us. To belong to Him is to know that the dust does not get the last word, and that the voice which raised Him will one day call our own names.