Daniel 2:19-29

19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven
20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”
25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”
26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,
28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:
29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.

Daniel 2:19-29 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. ver 28
  • 2. S Job 33:15; S Daniel 1:17
  • 3. S Joshua 22:33
  • 4. S Psalms 113:2; Psalms 145:1-2
  • 5. S Job 9:4; S Jeremiah 32:19
  • 6. Daniel 7:25
  • 7. Daniel 4:17
  • 8. S Job 12:19; Psalms 75:6-7; Romans 13:1
  • 9. S Psalms 119:34; James 1:5
  • 10. S 2 Samuel 14:17
  • 11. S Genesis 40:8; S Job 12:22; Psalms 25:14; Daniel 5:11; 1 Corinthians 2:10
  • 12. Job 12:22; Psalms 139:11-12; Jeremiah 23:24; S Hebrews 4:13
  • 13. Isaiah 45:7; James 1:17
  • 14. S Genesis 31:5; S Exodus 3:15
  • 15. S Daniel 1:17
  • 16. S Ezekiel 28:3
  • 17. ver 14
  • 18. S Deuteronomy 21:10
  • 19. S Daniel 1:6; Daniel 5:13; Daniel 6:13
  • 20. S Daniel 1:7
  • 21. S ver 10; S Genesis 41:8
  • 22. S Genesis 40:8; Jeremiah 10:7; Amos 4:13
  • 23. S Genesis 49:1; Daniel 10:14; Matthew 24:6; Revelation 1:1; Revelation 22:6
  • 24. Daniel 4:5
  • 25. S Psalms 4:4
  • 26. S Ezekiel 28:3; S Daniel 1:20
  • 27. S Genesis 41:25
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