Daniel 2:11-21

11 What you're asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it - and they don't hang around with people like us."

12 That set the king off. He lost his temper and ordered the whole company of Babylonian wise men killed.

13 When the death warrant was issued, Daniel and his companions were included. They also were marked for execution.

14 When Arioch, chief of the royal guards, was making arrangements for the execution, Daniel wisely took him aside

15 and quietly asked what was going on: "Why this all of a sudden?"

16 Daniel went to the king and asked for a little time so that he could interpret the dream.

17 Daniel then went home and told his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what was going on.

18 He asked them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy in solving this mystery so that the four of them wouldn't be killed along with the whole company of Babylonian wise men.

19 That night the answer to the mystery was given to Daniel in a vision. Daniel blessed the God of heaven,

20 saying, "Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all:

21 He changes the seasons and guides history, He raises up kings and also brings them down, he provides both intelligence and discernment,

Daniel 2:11-21 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.