Why is the fourth kingdom compared to iron?
Rashi: The Shokayim were fourth from the head, chest and stomach, and they were of iron.
Malbim: (a) Iron is strong. It grates and peels everything. What it does not crush, it flattens or peels it, for crafts. (b) Iron flattens and totally breaks. So [Romi] will totally break some nations, and some they will grate and weaken them; they will remain in their kingship, subservient [to Romi].
What is the fourth kingdom?
Ibn Ezra citing Rav Sadya Gaon: It is Aram. Tehevei Takifah is Malchus Yishmael. It is longer and wider 1 than all the kingdoms mentioned. Why is it compared to Cheres (the feet were iron and Cheres)? It is no less than the others mentioned! This is the order in which one arranges his Kelim ? gold, silver, copper, iron, Cheres 2 .
Ibn Ezra (39): Iron and Cheres refer to the same kingdom. It has toes of iron and Cheres, for part of the kingdom will be strong, and the Cheres is broken (42)! How could Yishmael join with Aram? Yishmael did not rule over Aram, and their creeds are different! Why did Daniel not mention Yishmael 3 , or the fifth kingdom? Rather, Alexandrus was Melech Aram; he killed Daryavesh the Parsi. Aram and Yavan are the same kingdom. They are Kitim. Yishmael is the fourth kingdom. Paras totally destroyed Bavel, and Yavan totally destroyed Paras. Yishmael did not totally destroy Aram ? to this day, in some places Aram overpowers Yishmael. Therefore, it says that part is strong, and part is broken. Yishmael spread over the world ? all of Paras and Madai , Sheva, Sava, Egypt, Afriki 4 , many from India, and most of Kush adopted their creed.
Malbim: It is Malchus Romi. Here it does not say Achari, for it did not arise suddenly. Initially it ruled together with Yavan. Each was a great kingdom. Therefore they are depicted as the thighs and shins ? both are parts of the leg.
Granted, longer could mean that it will last longer. How is it wider? The third kingdom will fill the entire land! (PF)
Ibn Ezra: This is wrong. Daniel said that the second kingship will be lower than yours, just like silver is below gold. (If so, Cheres is the lowest!)
According to Ibn Ezra, why did Daniel not mention Romi? He considers Yishmael and Romi to be one. He said so in Bereishis 10:4, and wrote 'so I said in Sefer Daniel', but it is not in our texts of his Perush here. (PF)
Afriki does not include all of what we call Africa, for Ibn Ezra mentions also Egypt and Kush (Ethyopia). (PF)
What do we learn from "Mehadek v'Chashel Kola"?
Rashi: It flattens and grates all kinds of metals, i.e. a sledgehammer. Chashel is like Chashlei Dudei (he flattens copper and makes pots) and Be'ei Chashilta (crushed testicles).
What is the meaning of "Tadik v'Sero'a"?
Rashi: It will be minced and crushed. Malbim ? this hints that [Romi] will totally break some nations, and weaken others (refer to 2:40:1:2). This is like it says below (7:7), it ate, minced, and trampled the remains with its legs.
