Daniel 2:1-13

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; 1his spirit was troubled, and 2his sleep left him.
2 Then the king commanded that 3the magicians, 4the enchanters, the 5sorcerers, and 6the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and 7stood before the king.
3 And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and 8my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
4 Then 9the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,[a]10"O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
5 The king answered and said to 11the Chaldeans, "The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be 12torn limb from limb, 13and your 14houses shall be laid in ruins.
6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, 15you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. 16Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation."
7 They answered a second time and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation."
8 The king answered and said, "I know with certainty that you are trying to 17gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm--
9 if you do not make the dream known to me, 18there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till 19the times change. 20Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation."
10 21The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or 22Chaldean.
11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except 23the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12 Because of this the king was angry and 24very furious, and 25commanded that all 26the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought 27Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

Daniel 2:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIAL 2

The subject of this chapter is a dream which Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed, but had forgot; upon which he calls his magicians and astrologers together, to tell him it, and the interpretation of it; threatening them with death if they did not, and promising them great rewards and honour if they did, Da 2:1-6, they urge the unreasonableness of the demand, and the impossibility of the thing; which so highly incensed the king, that he ordered their immediate destruction, Da 2:7-13, Daniel and his companions being in danger, he goes in to the king, and desires time, and he would show him what he had dreamed; which being granted, he spent it in prayer to God, Da 2:14-18, and the thing being revealed to him, he gave thanks to God, Da 2:19-23, and being introduced to the king, he both told him his dream, and the interpretation of it; which concerned the four monarchies of the world, and the everlasting kingdom of the Messiah, Da 2:24-45, upon which he was highly honoured, and greatly promoted by the king, Da 2:46-49.

Cross References 27

  • 1. [Daniel 4:5; Daniel 5:9; Genesis 41:8]
  • 2. [Daniel 6:18; Esther 6:1]
  • 3. [See Daniel 1:20 above]
  • 4. [See Daniel 1:20 above]
  • 5. Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 47:9, 12
  • 6. See Daniel 1:4
  • 7. See Daniel 1:5
  • 8. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 9. [See ver. 2 above]
  • 10. Daniel 3:9; Daniel 5:10; Daniel 6:6, 21; See 1 Kings 1:31
  • 11. [See ver. 2 above]
  • 12. Daniel 3:29
  • 13. Daniel 3:29
  • 14. Ezra 6:11; [2 Kings 10:27]
  • 15. [Daniel 5:7, 16]
  • 16. [ver. 7, 9]
  • 17. Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5
  • 18. Esther 4:11
  • 19. [ver. 21; Daniel 7:25]
  • 20. ver. 6; [ver. 7]
  • 21. See Daniel 1:4
  • 22. See Daniel 1:4
  • 23. [Daniel 5:11, 14]
  • 24. [Daniel 3:19]
  • 25. [ver. 24]
  • 26. Daniel 4:6
  • 27. See Daniel 1:4-7

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The text from this point to the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.