Charles Ellicott Commentary Daniel 12:2

"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." — Daniel 12:2 (ASV)

Many ... that sleep in the dust.— Literally, Many sleepers in the land of dust. The word “sleep” is applied to death (Jeremiah 51:39; compare to 1 Thessalonians 4:14); while “dust” is used for the grave (Psalms 22:29).

Some difficulty is presented by the use of the word “many” where “all” would have been expected. Theodoret explains it from Romans 5:15, where he observes “many” stands for “all.” It is, however, more in accordance with the language to suppose that the word “many” implies a contrast, apparently between the many who sleep in the dust and the comparatively small number of those who are alive and remain. (See John 5:28 and following). It should be noted that this passage not only teaches the doctrine of a general resurrection, which had already been incidentally revealed by Daniel’s contemporary, Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1–4), but also the facts of eternal life, and a resurrection of the unjust as well as of the just.

Shame and everlasting contempt.— The latter word occurs only in this passage and Isaiah 66:24, where see the Note. For the use of the word “shame,” .