The Book of Daniel: Chapter 2
Chapter 2:1-2
{1} And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams,
wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. {2} Then the king
commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the
Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
"In the second year of the
reign of Nebuchadnezzar". This refers to the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s
sole reign. Nebuchadnezzar probably ruled part of his earlier reign conjointly with his
father Nabopolassar. If they reigned together for two years, then this would be the second
year of Nebuchadnezzar’s sole reign. This would be four years after the siege of
Jerusalem. This would make this passage follow chronologically the latter part of chapter
one where the four Hebrew children have fulfilled their training period of three years.
"Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams". The fact that the word dream is plural, could
refer to the different parts of the vision or a popular expression of that day where one
would say I had strange dreams last night, but actually he might have had only one. The
dream that Nebuchadnezzar had disturbed him so that he was troubled in spirit and was
unable to sleep. The king called those in his kingdom who should be able to interpret the
dream. The time lapse between the kings awakening and calling for the interpreters is not
specified, but it appears to be short.
Chapter 2:3-11
{3} And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to
know the dream. {4} Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for
ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. {5} The king
answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known
unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your
houses shall be made a dunghill. {6} But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation
thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore show me the
dream, and the interpretation thereof. {7} They answered again and said, Let the king tell
his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it. {8} The king answered
and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is
gone from me. {9} But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree
for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be
changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the
interpretation thereof. {10} The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is
not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter: therefore there is no king,
lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. {11}
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it
before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
The wise men ask for the dream,
that they might interpret it. They spoke in Syriack. It should be noted that the book is
written in the Chaldean beginning with this verse and continuing through chapter seven.
"O king, live for ever:". This was the customary greeting or salutation to the
king. "The king answered... the thing is gone from me". There is a question
concerning the meaning of the phrase "the thing is gone from me". Does this mean
that Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten the dream, or does it mean that his command for the
interpretation had been given? I prefer the first interpretation for the following reason.
First this is the interpretation that comes to ones mind when he first reads it: therefore
it is the most obvious. Also, grammatically this interpretation can be shown to be as
acceptable as the latter. There is no indication that the king had made a decree prior to
this, and so the "thing" would most naturally refer to that under discussion,
"the dream". In verse five the king makes known the fact that he not only wants
the wise men to give him the interpretation but the dream as well. Some have said that the
king remembered the dream, but was only testing his wise men. They suggest that the wise
men would have made up an interpretation if he had told them the dream. However if you
compare Daniel 4:5-7 you will notice that the king revealed a dream to the wise men, but
they could not interpret it, nor did they try to give an interpretation to fool the king
and cover up. "Ye shall be cut into pieces, and your houses shall be made a
dunghill". This severe judgment for their inability to tell the king the dream and
interpret it, indicates the earnest desire of the king for an interpretation. These
punishments were in vogue among the ancient orientals. In verse six the king offers
rewards for the interpretation. The wise men again ask the king concerning the dream, but
the king replies that they are only trying to stall for time. They want the king to try to
remember the dream. This would take time and possibly the king would forget about the
matter "till the time be changed". The king’s decree becomes firm. They
must give him the dream and the interpretation or else the king will know that they
"have prepared lying and corrupt words". "Except the gods whose dwelling is
not with flesh". The wise men state that only the gods that do not dwell in man could
do such a rare thing.
Chapter 2:12-16
{12} For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the
wise men of Babylon. {13} And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and
they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. {14} Then Daniel answered with counsel and
wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise
men of Babylon: {15} He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree
so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. {16} Then Daniel went
in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king
the interpretation.
The king became "angry and
very furious". He was worked up to an emotional frenzy that seemed to make him like a
raging beast. He commanded that all of the wise men should be put to death. "They
sought Daniel and his fellows". This indicates that the four Hebrew children were
classified with the wise men. This does not however mean that they had participated in
pagan ritual or magical practices. It only shows that the king included them with the wise
men and probably because of their worship of Jehovah. It was also probably true that the
slayings were not begun, but that they were gathering them together for a public mass
murdering. "The wise men of Babylon". This indicates that the decree did not
include all of the kingdom of Babylon but rather those who resided in the city of Babylon.
"Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel," It is clear that Daniel and his
friends had not heard of the kings dream or the wise men’s inability to interpret the
dream. This must have happened in a very short time as indicated from the fact that
:Daniel and his friends had not yet heard; Daniel asks the question "Why is the kings
decree so hasty" and the wise men had not all been gathered together yet even though
the kings decree for their execution was urgent. "That he would give him time"
Daniel went in and requested of the king that they might have more time. It is not stated
that Daniel saw the king. The language could mean that he entered an outer court of the
King’s palace and requested that the king’s permission be sought by some of the
king’s servants. The fact that Arioch brought Daniel in before the king later and
introduces him to the king as one he has found would indicate that Daniel did not see the
king at this time. This also does not state whether the king granted Daniel’s request
for additional time.
Chapter 2:17-23
{17} Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions: {18} That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven
concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon. {19} Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then
Daniel blessed the God of heaven. {20} Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of
God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: {21} And he changeth the times and
the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding: {22} He revealeth the deep and secret things:
he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. {23} I thank thee,
and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast
made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the
king's matter.
"Daniel went to his
house" Daniel and his friends must have had their own dwelling indicating at least a
measure of prosperity for these captives. "That they would desire the mercies of the
God of Heaven". Daniel realized that all help that was available would be from God.
He asks his friends to beseech God for deliverance. We have an indication of the spiritual
life of Daniel, for we see Daniel turning to God in this time of great physical danger.
"Should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon". This indicates
possibly that the king’s decree would be carried out with the other wise men. They
had admitted their inability to resurrect the dream and interpret it. We have no
indication from the context that the judgment was stayed upon all the others. The fact of
the appearance of wise men later, does not establish that these are the same men.
"Revealed unto Daniel in a night vision." The secret was revealed to Daniel.
That is the dream and the interpretation. Daniel received the answer to their request of
God in a night vision. It is not stated whether Daniel was asleep or awake. There is a
contrast here with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which he had received while asleep.
"Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven." This would have been the natural
expression of a heart filled with praise because of a miraculous deliverance. The word
"answered" is used in the sense of to speak or say. Daniel speaks of the power
and sovereignty of God and concludes with his thankfulness for God’s answer to his
prayer.
Chapter 2:24-30
{24} Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise
men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring
me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation. {25} Then Arioch
brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of
the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. {26} The
king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known
unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? {27} Daniel answered
in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the
wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; {28} But
there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head
upon thy bed, are these; {29} As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon
thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to
thee what shall come to pass. {30} But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for
any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the
interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
"Destroy not the wise
men". This is the statement of Daniel to Arioch who was charged by the king to slay
the wise men. It does not state whether any had or had not been slain. Daniel bases his
request on his statement, that he will show the king the interpretation of the dream. If
the wise men were to be slain because of their failure to interpret the dream, now the
requirement would be met and there would be no need to kill the remaining wise men.
"In haste", means with great excitement and pictures one who is shaking because
of nervous excitement. The question is asked why he was so excited. There are many
complicated suggestions given but the most obvious seems to be overlooked. Arioch was a
ruler. The wise men were in prominence and possibly included some of his friends. We
cannot deprive Arioch of any sense of sympathy for others just because he is not a child
of God. "There is a God", Daniel specifically gives the credit for the
interpretation to God and acknowledges the fact that no man could do what the king
requested. "Latter days", Daniel tells the king that God is making known to him
what shall be in the latter days. This phrase refers to future times and especially to the
times of the Messiah. "Thy dream and the visions", Daniel refers to the dream
and its parts. "What should come to pass hereafter." The indication is that
Nebuchadnezzar had been thinking on the subject of the future when he fell asleep. With
this basic attitude in him mind, God gave him the dream concerning future events. Daniel
disclaims any superior knowledge or ability in his interpreting of the dream. He states
that God gave this interpretation because he wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know it.
Chapter 2:31-36
{31} Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. {32} This image's
head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of
brass, {33} His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. {34} Thou sawest
till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were
of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. {35} Then was the iron, the clay, the brass,
the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the
summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them:
and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
{36} This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
"A great image", Daniel describes
the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. It was of a great" image. The greatness indicates
the size and material of the image. The head was of fine gold. The breast and arms were of
silver. His belly and thighs were of brass. His legs were of iron, and his feet mixed with
part iron and part clay. A stone was cut out without hands and it smote the image in the
feet and broke the feet into pieces and the rest of the image was likewise broken into a
fine dust like chaff and the wind carried it away. The stone became a great mountain that
filled the whole earth. Daniel first told the dream to the king. This was part of the
requirement by the king. After Daniel revealed what the dream was, he promises the
interpretation.
Chapter 2:37-45
{37} Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
power, and strength, and glory. {38} And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts
of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee
ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. {39} And after thee shall arise another
kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over
all the earth. {40} And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it
break in pieces and bruise. {41} And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of
potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of
the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. {42} And
as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be
partly strong, and partly broken. {43} And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay,
they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. {44} And in the days of these kings shall
the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand for ever. {45} Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the
silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass
hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
"King of kings". This phrase speaks of the
greatness of Nebuchadnezzars kingdom. It was the greatest of the kingdoms of that time.
Daniel mentions the sovereignty of God in placing Nebuchadnezzar upon his throne.
"Thou are this head of gold". It is clear what is meant by the head of gold
because God revealed to Daniel that Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom represented the head of
gold. We know that it is obvious that the king is not literally the head of gold. This
head of gold represents the king and his kingdom. We notice that the metals diminish in
value as they go down the statue to show that kingdoms and the authority of the monarch
decline and become inferior to the head of gold. Nebuchadnezzar was a ruler with nearly
absolute power. As one studies the empires that follow, we notice a definite decay in the
power of the monarch. "inferior to thee". It is suggested that the kingdoms that
follow are inferior because of lower standards of morals. However, this is a theory which
would have to be proven. If the feet represent the remnants of the Roman empire which
continues on until the Messiah comes to establish His kingdom, then this kingdom which
incorporated the early history of the Christian Church could not be proven to be lower in
morals than the Babylonian empire. Daniel does not say in what respect the second kingdom
and the subsequent ones are inferior. He only uses the comparison of silver to gold to
show that the second is inferior to the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. It might be very
possible that they were not inferior in one aspect, but in a total view of each succeeding
kingdom we see an overall inferiority in some aspects. "After thee". This
indicates that the kingdom designated by the arms and breast of silver represents the
Medo-Persian empire. This empire followed the Babylonian empire when Belshazzar was
overthrown and Darius became the ruler. The indication seems to be that these empires
follow one another. The indication of the phrase "after thee" and the fact that
the parts of the image are connected would seem to indicate a continuous succession of
kingdoms. "Which shall bear rule over all the earth". This third empire would be
the Greek empire which is designated by the belly and thighs of brass. "Strong as
iron". This would be the Roman Empire. Historians state that one thing concerning the
Roman Empire stands out and that is its strength. They lost battles but they won the wars.
It was to break the previous empires into pieces. The fifth kingdom is the
"potters" clay and part of iron. It indicates that part of the Roman empire will
continue on into this fifth empire. This kingdom is a divided kingdom. It is part of iron
and part of clay. The ten toes represent ten parts of the kingdom. Compare Daniel 7:7.
There arises a division in the kingdom of Greece which is pictured as the belly and thighs
of brass. We read of the Greek empire that it was divided after the death of Alexander.
The Roman empire was divided and the kingdom which followed it was further divided into
ten toes. "Mingle themselves with the seed of men". The word "men" is
used to denote men of an inferior class, the common herd as distinguished from the
elevated noble classes. The word as used here would denote a mingling with an inferior
race. "in the days of these kings". This refers to the time of the kings
represented by the ten toes. "A kingdom". This is a reference to the kingdom
established by God. This will be the kingdom of God which will begin with the millennial
reign of Christ and never be destroyed or overthrown. All other kingdoms will be
overthrown by a greater, but the kingdom of God will continue forever. Stone was cut out
of the mountain without hands". This refers to Christ who is called the stone
throughout Scripture. Matthew 21:42, Luke 20:18. The stone became a great kingdom and
filled the whole earth signifying a world kingdom of Christ.
Chapter 2:46-49
{46} Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded
that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. {47} The king answered unto
Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings,
and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. {48} Then the king
made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. {49}
Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the
affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
"Worshipped Daniel". King Nebuchadnezzar who
was steeped in idolatry, somehow was unable to understand, or unwilling to recognize
Jehovah. He was willing to praise and even worship Daniel because of what Jehovah had
done. This would seem to indicate that the king was impressed but not converted to
Jehovah. The king commanded that an "oblation and sweet odours" be brought to
Daniel. The word oblation does not need to mean a bloody sacrifice. It can refer to a
gift. In that day, incense was used in worship. Whether Daniel received or rejected this
act of worship is not stated in the context. However, verse forty-seven seems to indicate
that there might have been some statement by Daniel, for the king gave glory unto Daniel's
God. "Ruler... chief'. The king rewarded Daniel by making him a ruler and chief over
all the wise men of Babylon. This would seem to indicate that if the destruction of the
wise men had begun, then it was stayed upon Daniel's request and interpretation of the
dream. "Daniel requested ... sat". Daniel did not forget his three friends who
had prayed with him. He requested a position of leadership for them. The fact that Daniel
sat in the gate indicates that he was to occupy a place with the chief rulers and
dignitaries of the land. |
