Daniel Chapter 2
1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamt dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.
2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be called to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
3 The king said to them, "I have dreamt a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in the Syrian language, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
5 The king answered the Chaldeans, "The thing has gone from me. If you don't make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be cut in pieces, and your houses will be made a dunghill.
6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you will receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation."
7 They answered the second time and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
8 The king answered, "I know of a certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see the thing has gone from me.
9 But if you don't make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation."
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, "There is not a man on the earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.
11 It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12 Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were to be slain. They sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
15 He answered Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree so urgent from the king?" Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.
21 He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals the deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
23 I thank you, and praise you, you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king's matter."
24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: "Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation."
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: "I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation."
26 The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded can't be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers;
28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:
29 "As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 "You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying.
32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.
34 You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 "This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.
37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.
38 Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
39 "After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
40 The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won't cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.
44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odours to him.
47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, "Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealler of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret."
48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the king's gate.
Footnotes
- Verse 31 (Behold)
- "Behold" means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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Daniel Chapter 2 Guide
In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar, troubled by dreams and unable to sleep, called together his enchanters and sorcerers to explain his dreams one of which troubled him especially. Their difficulty was that the king could not recall the dream. It had left an impression on his mind, but none of the details remained in his memory. Of course, his demand was the unreasonable one of a despot, and yet the claims these men made, if true, ought to have enabled them to discover the dream as well as to interpret it. Such was the king's opinion, and he made it a test case, declaring that if they were unable to do what he asked, he would know that they were lying and corrupt. They failed, Nebuchadnezzar was furious, and commanded the destruction of them all. In this decree the Hebrew youths were involved.
Daniel, through the king's captain, sought and obtained an interview with the king, asking for time, and promising to interpret the dream. The request being granted, he at once gathered his friends together, and they betook themselves to prayer. In answer the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and in his gratitude he praised the name of Jehovah in what was practically a psalm full of beauty. He then charged the king's captain, Arioch, not to destroy the wise men, as he was able to interpret the king's dream.
Daniel was immediately brought into the king's presence, and first, in language full of confidence and dignity, ascribed to God the glory of the interpretation he was about to give. He exonerated the wise men from any blame for their inability to interpret the dream, and declared the truth concerning the God of heaven, who was able to reveal secrets, and who by this dream intended to make known to the king the course of events in the history of his people. He then vividly described the image of the king's dream, and proceeded to interpret its meaning, Tracing the progress of events through the successive kingdoms of Babylon, Media, and Persia, Greece, Rome, the ten kingdoms, and the final setting up of the Kingdom of Heaven, he showed how there would be a process of deterioration, which would merge into the establishment of the new order. This interpretation convinced Nebuchadnezzar, who at once recognized the supremacy of God, and rewarded Daniel by setting him over the province and the wise men.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Daniel Chapter 2 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Nebuchadnezzar's dream. -- (1-13)
- It is revealed to Daniel. -- (14-23)
- He obtains admission to the king. -- (24-30)
- The dream and the interpretation. -- (31-45)
- Honours to Daniel and his friends. -- (46-49)
Verses 1-13
The greatest men are most open to cares and troubles of mind, which disturb their repose in the night, while the sleep of the labouring man is sweet and sound. We know not the uneasiness of many who live in great pomp, and, as others vainly think, in pleasure also. The king said that his learned men must tell him the dream itself, or they should all be put to death as deceivers. Men are more eager to ask as to future events, than to learn the way of salvation or the path of duty; yet foreknowledge of future events increases anxiety and trouble. Those who deceived, by pretending to do what they could not do, were sentenced to death, for not being able to do what they did not pretend to.
Verses 14-23
Daniel humbly prayed that God would discover to him the king's dream, and the meaning of it. Praying friends are valuable friends; and it well becomes the greatest and best men to desire the prayers of others. Let us show that we value our friends, and their prayers. They were particular in prayer. And whatever we pray for, we can expect nothing but as the gift of God's mercies. God gives us leave in prayer to tell our wants and burdens. Their plea with God was, the peril they were in. The mercy Daniel and his fellows prayed for, was bestowed. The fervent prayers of righteous men avail much. Daniel was thankful to God for making known that to him, which saved the lives of himself and his fellows. How much more should we be thankful to God, for making known the great salvation of the soul to those who are not among the worldly wise and prudent!
Verses 24-30
Daniel takes away the king's opinion of his magicians and soothsayers. The insufficiency of creatures should drive us to the all-sufficiency of the Creator. There is One who can do that for us, and make known that to us, which none on earth can, particularly the work of redemption, and the secret designs of God's love to us therein. Daniel confirmed the king in his opinion, that the dream was of great consequence, relating to the affairs and changes of this lower world. Let those whom God has highly favoured and honoured, lay aside all opinion of their own wisdom and worthiness, that the Lord alone may be praised for the good they have and do.
Verses 31-45
This image represented the kingdoms of the earth, that should successively rule the nations, and influence the affairs of the Jewish church.
- The head of gold signified the Chaldean empire, then in being.
- The breast and arms of silver signified the empire of the Medes and Persians.
- The belly and thighs of brass signified the Grecian empire, founded by Alexander.
- The legs and feet of iron signified the Roman empire. The Roman empire branched into ten kingdoms, as the toes of these feet. Some were weak as clay, others strong as iron. Endeavours have often been used to unite them, for strengthening the empire, but in vain. The stone cut out without hands, represented the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, which should be set up in the kingdoms of the world, upon the ruins of Satan's kingdom in them. This was the Stone which the builders refused, because it was not cut out by their hands, but it is become the head stone of the corner. Of the increase of Christ's government and peace there shall be no end. The Lord shall reign, not only to the end of time, but when time and days shall be no more. As far as events have gone, the fulfilling this prophetic vision has been most exact and undeniable; future ages shall witness this Stone destroying the image, and filling the whole earth.
Verses 46-49
It is our business to direct attention to the Lord, as the Author and Giver of every good gift. Many have thoughts of the Divine power and majesty, who do not think of serving God themselves. But all should strive, that God may be glorified, and the best interests of mankind furthered.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.