Daniel 2:1-2

The King's Forgotten Dream

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar ¹had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his ²sleep left him.

2 Then the king gave orders to call in the ³magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

Daniel 2:1-2 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

• 1. Genesis 40:5-8; Genesis 41:1, 8; Job 33:15-17; Daniel 2:3; Daniel 4:5
• 2. Esther 6:1; Daniel 6:18
• 3. Genesis 41:8; Exodus 7:11; Isaiah 47:12, 13; Daniel 1:20; Daniel 2:10, 27; Daniel 4:6; Daniel 5:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "dreamed dreams"
• [b]. Lit "was gone upon him"
• [c]. Lit "said to call"
• [d]. Or "soothsayer priests"
• [e]. Or "master astrologers," and so throughout the ch