Chapter Book
Loading
Change Translation
Loading...
  • Recent Translations
  • All Translations

Daniel 2:2-12

Share

Settings

2 Then the king commanded that 1the magicians, 2the enchanters, the 3sorcerers, and 4the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and 5stood before the king.
3 And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and 6my spirit is troubled to know the dream."
4 Then 7the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,[a]8"O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."
5 The king answered and said to 9the Chaldeans, "The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be 10torn limb from limb, 11and your 12houses shall be laid in ruins.
6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, 13you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. 14Therefore 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 15gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm--
9 if you do not make the dream known to me, 16there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till 17the times change. 18Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation."
10 19The 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 20Chaldean.
11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except 21the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12 Because of this the king was angry and 22very furious, and 23commanded that all 24the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
Read Chapter Compare

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

Cross References 24

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

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.