Daniel 2:14-23

14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to ¹Arioch, the ²captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

15 He declared^[a] to Arioch, the king's captain, "Why is the decree of the king ³so urgent?" Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.

16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to ⁴Hananiah, ⁵Mishael, and ⁶Azariah, his companions,

18 ⁷and told them to seek mercy from the ⁸God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not ⁹be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in ¹⁰a vision of the night. Then Daniel ¹¹blessed the ¹²God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said: ¹³"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, ¹⁴to whom belong wisdom and might.

21 ¹⁵He changes times and seasons; ¹⁶he removes kings and sets up kings; ¹⁷he gives wisdom to the wise ¹⁸and knowledge to those who have understanding;

22 ¹⁹he reveals deep and hidden things; ²⁰he knows what is in the darkness, ²¹and the light dwells with him.

23 To you, O ²²God of my fathers, ²³I give thanks and praise, for ²⁴you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what ²⁵we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter."

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Daniel 2:14-23 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 25

1. ver. 24, 25
2. [Genesis 37:36]
3. Daniel 3:22
4. Daniel 1:6
5. Daniel 1:6
6. Daniel 1:6
7. [Matthew 18:19]
8. ver. 19, 28, 37, 44; Revelation 11:13
9. [ver. 12, 24]
10. [Numbers 12:6; Job 33:15, 16]
11. See Joshua 22:33
12. [See ver. 18 above]
13. 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalms 72:18; Psalms 113:2; Psalms 115:18; Luke 1:68
14. [Isaiah 28:29]
15. [ver. 9; Daniel 7:25]
16. [Daniel 4:17; Daniel 5:20; Job 12:18; Psalms 75:7; Romans 13:1]
17. See Daniel 1:17
18. See Daniel 1:17
19. Job 12:22; [Psalms 25:14; Psalms 139:12; Amos 4:13; Hebrews 4:13]
20. Job 12:22; [Psalms 25:14; Psalms 139:12; Amos 4:13; Hebrews 4:13]
21. 1 Timothy 6:16; James 1:17; 1 John 1:5; [John 1:4, 5]
22. Deuteronomy 26:7; 1 Chronicles 12:17; 1 Chronicles 29:18
23. [Daniel 6:10]
24. [ver. 20]; See Daniel 1:17
25. [ver. 18]

Footnotes 1

[a]. Aramaic answered and said; also verse 26

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.