Daniel 2:2-12

2 So the king gave orders to summon the diviner-priests, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans^[a] to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

3 he said to them, "I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it."

4 The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic^[b] begins here): "May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."

5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, "My word is final: If you don't tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb,^[c] and your houses will be made a garbage dump.

6 But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you'll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So make the dream and its interpretation known to me."

7 They answered a second time, "May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation."

8 The king replied, "I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final.

9 If you don't tell me the dream, there is one decree for you. You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation."

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, "No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any diviner-priest, medium, or Chaldean.

11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals."

12 Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

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Daniel 2:2-12 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

Footnotes 3

[a]. In this chap Chaldeans influential Babylonian wise men
[b]. The text from here through chap 7 is written in Aramaic.
[c]. Lit be made into limbs

Daniel 2:2-12

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Daniel 2:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DANIAL 2

Footnotes 3