Daniel 2:23

23 I praise you and honor you, God of my ancestors. You have given me wisdom and strength; you have answered my prayer and shown us what to tell the king."

Daniel 2:23 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 2:23

I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God my fathers
His remote ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and more near progenitors, to whom God had made promises, and revealed his secrets in time past, and still continued his favours to Daniel; for which he was abundantly thankful, and owned and confessed the goodness of God to him, and praised him on account of it: who hast given me wisdom and might;
or "strength" F19; courage and fortitude of mind, to go in to the king when in his fury, to promise to show his dream, and the interpretation of it; and strength of faith in prayer to God to obtain it, and who gave him wisdom to know it: Jacchiades interprets this might of power to save his own life, and the life of others: and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee;
for though it was only made known to Daniel, yet it was in consequence of the united prayers of him and his companions, to which he ascribes it; which shows his great modesty and humility, not to attribute it to his own prayer, and the interest he had in God, as a God hearing prayer: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter;
or "word" F20; which he required of the wise men, namely, his dream, and the interpretation of it; this being made known to Daniel, he communicated it to his friends.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 (atrwbg) "fortitudinem", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "robur", Piscator.
F20 (tlm) "verbum", Junius & Tremellius, Broughtonus, Michaelis; "sermonen", Pagninus, Montanus; "quod dicit rex", Cocceius.

Daniel 2:23 In-Context

21 He controls the times and the seasons; he makes and unmakes kings; it is he who gives wisdom and understanding.
22 He reveals things that are deep and secret; he knows what is hidden in darkness, and he himself is surrounded by light.
23 I praise you and honor you, God of my ancestors. You have given me wisdom and strength; you have answered my prayer and shown us what to tell the king."
24 So Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to execute the royal advisers. He said to him, "Don't put them to death. Take me to the king, and I will tell him what his dream means."
25 At once Arioch took Daniel into King Nebuchadnezzar's presence and told the king, "I have found one of the Jewish exiles who can tell Your Majesty the meaning of your dream."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.