Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Daniel Chapter 2 mean?

The early part of this chapter transitions from Hebrew to Aramaic. The book of Daniel will remain in that language until chapter 8 (Daniel 2:4—7:28). This emphasizes that those stories are messages to and about the Gentile people.

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1–3), is disturbed by a dream. Rather than simply asking his court occultists to explain it, he devises a test. It’s possible the king inherited these magicians from his father and did not trust them. His claim is simple: if they cannot tell him what the dream was, it means their claims of spiritual insight have been lies. Anyone can invent an interpretation, but only real power can tell someone their own dream. After stalling for time, the conjurers claim the king’s request is impossible and unreasonable. So, Nebuchadnezzar orders his wise men—all of them—to be executed. Daniel (Daniel 1:17–20) hears of this and appeals to the king. Though Daniel has no such knowledge yet, he is confident the Lord will provide it (Daniel 2:1–16).

Rather than panic, Daniel appeals to his fellow Hebrew captives and asks for prayers. The men seek God, who responds by giving Daniel a vision explaining both the king’s dream and its meaning. In response, Daniel praises God’s perfect wisdom and absolute authority (Daniel 2:17–23).

When he meets with the king, Daniel begins by agreeing with the magicians: no human being could know what the king has asked. However, Daniel knows the “God in heaven who reveals mysteries.” He credits all his knowledge to the Lord and His purposes. God has chosen to reveal the meaning of the dream, through Daniel, because it predicts what will happen in what, to Daniel and the king, was the future (Daniel 2:24–30).

The king’s dream depicted a massive, terrifying statue. This figure had a head made of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a midsection of bronze, legs of iron, and feet made of mixed iron and clay. A supernatural stone strikes the statue on its fragile feet. The image collapses and disintegrates into powder, and the remains disappear. The stone, however, grows until it covers the entire world. Notably, the materials in the statue become lighter, stronger, and less valuable as they go from top to bottom. The exception is clay, which is extremely brittle and cannot be fully fused with iron (Daniel 2:31–35).

Daniel explains that these images represent the future, in the form of kingdoms yet to come. History demonstrates the accuracy of this explanation and fills in information which would not be known until later. The golden head symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon and its absolute monarchy. The silver chest and arms represents the partly independent nature of the Medo-Persian Empire. Next, the bronze midsection predicts the Greek Empire. Finally, the iron legs depict the Roman Empire, which is sharply divided and falls into division and corruption. The stone which shatters this line depicts a kingdom formed by God which will conquer the world and never be challenged (Daniel 2:36–45).

In response to this display of supernatural wisdom, Nebuchadnezzar honors Daniel. Rather than worshipping Daniel, the king seems to accept that Daniel acts as a conduit for divine power. And yet, the king refers to Daniel’s God as the greatest of many—retaining and adjusting his pagan religious views. Nebuchadnezzar appoints Daniel to a position of high leadership. On Daniel’s request, the king also installs Daniel’s three faithful Hebrew friends in prestigious roles (Daniel 2:46–49).

The three friends are most famously known by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6–7). They will be severely tested when the king commands them to worship an idol or be burned alive in a furnace (Daniel 3).

Chapter Context
Chapter 1 introduced King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel—a captive youth from Jerusalem—and three other Jewish boys. After three years of education, the four Hebrew captives outperformed all the other trainees, even surpassing the wise men in Babylon. In chapter 2, Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s disturbing dream, though the court magicians could not. As a result, the king promotes Daniel and his three friends to high positions over the provinces of Babylon. This sets the stage for a severe test of faith in chapter 3.

Verse by Verse

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

In the prior chapter, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the captive children of Jewish nobility be reeducated to serve as Babylonian advisors. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah perform extraordinarily well, while maintaining their committed faith in the God of Israel. Daniel was especially skilled in interpreting dreams and visions (Daniel 1:17). Here, his God-given ability saves the lives of countless court officials and establishes the four Hebrew men as important leaders.

Scripture indicates this incident occurred in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. Yet the prior chapter noted that Nebuchadnezzar had ordered a three-year training program for Daniel and other captives (Daniel 1:5). One possible explanation is that the events of this chapter occurred over the course of the second and third year. The king’s dreams may have begun in the second year, and only by the third did he become desperate for an answer (Daniel 2:2).

A much more likely reason is that Babylonian records didn’t begin counting a ruler’s reign until the beginning of a new calendar year. The first months of Nebuchadnezzar’s regime, then, would have come before what was called his “first” year. In 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians and captured Judah (Daniel 1:1). That same year, his father Nabopolassar died and Nebuchadnezzar became the sole king of Babylon. This would make 603 BC the third year of Daniel’s training, while only being counted as the “second” of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. This is when the king is said to have experienced his disturbing dreams.

Context Summary
Daniel 2:1–16 builds on the introduction to Daniel and his three friends given in chapter 1. Babylon’s king, Nebuchadnezzar, is deeply disturbed by a recurring dream. He insists that his pagan advisors tell him what the dream contained, to prove they have genuine insight. When the Babylonian counselors say that only a god could do that, the king plans to have every advisor in Babylon killed. Daniel, however, claims he can meet Nebuchadnezzar’s challenge. The text switches from Hebrew to Aramaic in verse 4 and will not revert until chapter 8.

Verse 2. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar employed a variety of spiritualists, diviners, occultists, and scholars to give him advice (Daniel 1:20; 2:10, 27). Some probably served a function like the magicians of Egypt in the days of Joseph and Moses (Genesis 41:8; Exodus 7:11). The same Hebrew root word, hartōm, refers to all these men and is translated “magician.” The term literally refers to a person who writes, in this case an occult scribe.

This verse also uses the root word assāp, referring to conjurers or necromancers. The third term is kashaph, meaning a witch or sorcerer. Last are kasdim’, translated as “Chaldeans;” that cultural group was particularly associated with astrology (Daniel 2:4). The men described by these various terms would have claimed the ability to read stars, commune with spirits, conjure the dead, or cast spells to tell the future and uncover hidden knowledge.

The unusual part of the king’s request is that he wants to be told the content of his dream—not merely what it meant (Daniel 2:5). This serves as a test of his diviners and magicians. If they have that much insight, shouldn’t they be able to tell him what he’d dreamed? If they cannot, why not think they’re lying and inventing their interpretations? The men ultimately admit that only a real god could know Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:11), opening the door for Daniel to explain the power of the God of Israel (Daniel 2:27–28).

Verse 3. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

Babylon’s king, Nebuchadnezzar, had an especially troublesome dream (Daniel 2:1). As the text points out later, the dream had major prophetic implications for the Gentile—non-Jewish—people (Daniel 2:36–45). So, he asks his spiritual advisors for their wisdom. However, the king adds a new facet to his command: he wants the conjurers and occultists (Daniel 2:2) to tell him the content of the dream, as well as the meaning (Daniel 2:5). This appears to be a test, probably tied to the intense nature of the dream.

Just as God worked to place Daniel in his position as a Babylonian advisor (Daniel 1:1–4; 17–19), He used Nebuchadnezzar to prove the divine nature of true prophecy. The king’s astrologers and sorcerers will beg for the king to tell them what the dream was about, stalling for time (Daniel 2:4–9). He will refuse, threatening to kill them all if they cannot prove their spiritual insight by explaining the content of the dream. The Babylonian mediums admit that only a true god’s knowledge could meet that challenge (Daniel 2:10–11), setting the stage for Daniel to demonstrate the power of the God of Israel (Daniel 2:27–30).

Verse 4. Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”

In this context, “Chaldeans” are astrologers and scholars associated with the Babylonian Empire. Their king, Nebuchadnezzar, made an unusual and impossible request. He wants their wisdom about a disturbing recurring dream (Daniel 2:1–3). Yet he also wants them—the advisors—to tell him what he dreamed (Daniel 2:5). This appears to be a test; Nebuchadnezzar senses that this dream is too important to risk lies and invented predictions. If the self-proclaimed astrologers and occultists can’t tell him what he dreamed, why think they have the insight to know what the dream means?

At this point, the book of Daniel changes languages: from Hebrew to Aramaic. The text will not return to Hebrew until chapter 8. The events of those passages are primarily messages to Gentile—non-Jewish—people. This includes the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace (Daniel 3), Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity (Daniel 4), the handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5), Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6), and Daniel’s vision of the four beasts, which includes Messianic prophecy (Daniel 7). Each incident expresses the ultimate power and wisdom of the God of Israel. In that era, Aramaic was becoming the favored language of the Babylonian people. Recording these prophecies and miracles in the common language of a pagan people emphasized their obligation to learn from God’s messengers.

When Sennacherib’s messenger Rabshakeh threatened Jerusalem nearly a century prior, Jewish respondents asked him to speak to them in Aramaic. They understood Aramaic, but the residents of Jerusalem did not. The respondents did not want the people on the wall to understand what Rabshakeh threatened in the Hebrew language (2 Kings 18:26). At that time very few Jews knew Aramaic. Yet when their people returned to Jerusalem from the captivity in Babylon decades after this event with Nebuchadnezzar, Aramaic was common among the Jews. It could be that Nehemiah 8:8 is referring to language interpretation (explaining the Hebrew in Aramaic) and not just exegesis or teaching. In the first century AD, Aramaic was still common (John 19:20; 20:16; Mark 5:41).

Verse 5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.

As did most rulers in the ancient world, king Nebuchadnezzar held absolute and unlimited power. After being disturbed by a recurring dream (Daniel 2:1–4), the king demands his astrologers and magicians explain it. Not only does the king want to know what the dream means, but he also expects the advisors to tell him what the dream was about. This, it seems, was a way of testing their insight. If they couldn’t divine the content of the dream, why think they could determine its meaning?

Nebuchadnezzar’s threat is extreme, but almost certainly literal. Babylonian rulers were known for their cruelty. When Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah, his men slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons while Zedekiah looked on. It was the last thing Zedekiah would see, because Nebuchadnezzar’s men gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, chained him, and transported him to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7). The same king demonstrated a violent temper when three advisors refused to worship his idol (Daniel 3:19–20).

What follows is a series of attempted delays and excuses from the Babylonian occultists. Eventually, they will admit that only a real god could know what the king had dreamed (Daniel 2:10–11). This creates an opportunity for Daniel (Daniel 1:17–20) to prove that the God of Israel is the only true God (Daniel 2:27–35).

Verse 6. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

Nebuchadnezzar could apparently be both generous and cruel (Daniel 2:5). He promised lavish gifts to those who could tell him more about his disturbing dream (Daniel 2:1–4). His request is unusual, in that he wants to know more than the meaning of the dream. To test the insight of these advisors, Nebuchadnezzar wants them to tell him what he dreamt. If they can’t discern what the dream was, he has no reason to think they have special understanding. In fact, it would suggest their previous claims were lies (Daniel 2:9). Eventually, the sorcerers will admit their limitations (Daniel 2:10–11), allowing Daniel to credit God with revealing the truth (Daniel 2:27–35). As promised, Nebuchadnezzar will reward Daniel for his role in solving his dream’s mystery (Daniel 2:46–48).

Centuries earlier, another pagan ruler had a troubling dream: the Pharaoh of Egypt. Like Nebuchadnezzar, he summoned the magicians and all the wise men of his kingdom, but none of them could interpret his dream. Finally, Pharaoh’s cupbearer told him about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. Soon, Joseph stood before Pharaoh, who credited God with his ability to interpret dreams. When Pharaoh described his dream to Joseph, Joseph promptly provided the interpretation, and Pharaoh rewarded him. He gave Joseph material wealth, a wife, and great power within the kingdom (Genesis 41).

Verse 7. They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.”

When king Nebuchadnezzar was deeply troubled by a dream, he brought a test to his royal magicians. Rather than telling them the dream and asking for interpretation, he insisted the spiritualists tell him what the dream was about. In this way, he puts their claims to a harsh test. If they claim supernatural power to discover the meaning of a dream, shouldn’t they also have the power to know what someone had dreamed in the first place (Daniel 2:1–4)? Nebuchadnezzar is serious about this issue, promising either torture and death or great reward depending on how he is answered (Daniel 2:5–6). It’s no surprise they are stalling for time (Daniel 2:8).

Had Nebuchadnezzar forgotten his dream, the sorcerers and mediums could have invented one. Had he told them the dream, they could have claimed almost any meaning (Daniel 2:9). Because he knows the dream, and they don’t, Nebuchadnezzar can directly test the knowledge of his conjurers. Eventually, they will admit his challenge is beyond any mortal person: only a real god could know such things (Daniel 2:10–11). The wisdom of the wise always falls short of divine wisdom. Even the world’s wisest men are incapable of understanding and accepting spiritual truth unless God opens their minds and hearts to receive it (1 Corinthians 1:20–21). Only through God’s power will the king’s request be granted (Daniel 2:27–35).

Verse 8. The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm —

Pagan spiritual advisors of Nebuchadnezzar’s court repeatedly ask the king to describe his dream (Daniel 2:1), so they can tell him what it means. Yet the king wants them to tell him what the dream was about (Daniel 2:2–7). If they cannot conjure the dream itself, why would the king believe their other claims were anything but lies (Daniel 2:9)? On the other hand, if the royal sorcerers can uncover his dream, they can probably untangle its meaning. The king’s accusation is entirely accurate. The Babylonian diviners knew he would carry out his threat to execute them if they failed to fulfill his request.

Eventually, the occultists will admit their limitations (Daniel 2:10–11), giving Daniel the opportunity to glorify the God of Israel (Daniel 2:27–35).

Time is the most valuable commodity anyone has. It can be used wisely or unwisely. Therefore, Christians are called to spend our time towards good purposes (Ephesians 5:16). The apostle James compares a person’s life span to “a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). Believers who make the best use of their time can look forward to a reward (2 Timothy 4:8).

Verse 9. if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.”

This statement makes it clear that Nebuchadnezzar had not forgotten his dream (Daniel 2:1); he has asked his royal astrologers and sorcerers to describe the dream to him (Daniel 2:2–3). Of course, the occultists ask the king to describe the dream, so they can tell him what it means (Daniel 2:4–7). Yet Nebuchadnezzar will not be fooled. He knows what he is doing: testing to see if these self-proclaimed diviners have real insight. If they can tell him “what” he dreamed, he can trust their ability to explain the vision. If not, then there is no reason to think they have special knowledge, at all. As the king notes, that suggests their prior advice was nothing more than lies.

This incident happens early in Nebuchadnezzar’s rule (Daniel 2:1), so the counselors in question may have been those appointed by his father. The text does not suggest Nebuchadnezzar had caught the advisors in lies before. Yet it hints that he did not fully trust them. Despite their pleas, the king assured his subjects he would make good on his violent threats if they could not meet his challenge.

The conjurers, ultimately, have no defense. They will admit that only a real god can know what the king asks (Daniel 2:10–11). Their rescue comes in the form of Daniel, who credits the God of Israel with providing the knowledge Nebuchadnezzar seeks (Daniel 2:27–35).

Verse 10. The 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 Chaldean.

The men labeled “Chaldeans” here are court astronomers, sorcerers, and magicians employed by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. The king has demanded they describe his troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). He suspects they may lie about knowing what the dream means, so he tests them by requiring them to say what the dream was about. They stall for time (Daniel 2:4–9), before saying something which is both a startling admission and potentially offensive to the king.

First, the men admit that what the king wants to know cannot be known by any person. They will go on to say that only a real god could have such knowledge (Daniel 2:11). When Daniel hears about this and addresses the king, he will point out that it is the One True God, the God of Israel, who gives the meaning of the king’s dream (Daniel 2:27–35).

Second, the royal advisors criticize Nebuchadnezzar’s request as unprecedented. This is not how they are used to working. They claim that no king, regardless of power, has ever made such an unreasonable demand of his seers.

Verse 11. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

This portion of the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:4—7:28) is written in Aramaic. At the time, this was the common language of the Babylonian culture. The miracles and stories recorded in this section are mostly messages about, or targeted at, the Gentile people. The statement recorded in this verse comes from the pagan magicians and sorcerers of king Nebuchadnezzar. He has commanded them to prove their divining powers not merely by interpreting a dream, but also by describing the dream he had (Daniel 2:1–3). What the conjurers admit here is a cornerstone idea in the story of Daniel.

The diviners likely meant this as a cry for sympathy from the king. He had threatened them with gruesome death (Daniel 2:4–7). One reason Nebuchadnezzar created this challenge was to test the spiritual insight of his magicians (Daniel 2:8–9). So, it might even be a subtle admission that they had been lying in the past. Their contention is that only a real god—a true deity—could know what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed without being told. As it happens, Daniel (Daniel 1:17) has insight from the One True God (Daniel 2:27–35) and will be able to meet the king’s demands.

The God who created all things is transcendent—above and beyond all—yet He involves Himself in human affairs. The Babylonian deities were fictional, so they could not communicate with human beings. Yet the God of Israel has communicated with human beings through direct revelation, dreams, visions, signs, nature, Jesus’ incarnation, the Holy Spirit, and His inspired Word (Romans 1:19–20; Hebrews 1:1–4; 1 Corinthians 2:10–16; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). Second Timothy 3:16 affirms that all Scripture is God-breathed, and 2 Peter 1:21 states that “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Verse 12. Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

This incident occurred early in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:1). The royal magicians and sorcerers were likely those of his father, and he may not have trusted their advice. Rather than simply asking for the meaning of a troubling dream, the king demanded the occultists tell him what the dream was. He intends to either prove they have spiritual insight, or that they are liars (Daniel 2:2–9). The astrologers are desperate, appealing to Nebuchadnezzar that his request is impossibly unfair (Daniel 2:10–11).

As promised (Daniel 2:5), the enraged king responds with violence. As were most rulers of ancient empires, Nebuchadnezzar was not accustomed to being contradicted. Apparently his pride was equaled only by his anger. While Nebuchadnezzar’s rage is terrible, it is not without cause. If these men have no spiritual power, then their words have been lies (Daniel 2:9). Anger in response to sin or evil is sometimes called “righteous indignation.” Jesus exhibited this emotion against those who had corrupted the temple and made it into a crass marketplace (John 2:13–17).

Here, Nebuchadnezzar’s approach is unjustified. At least some of his anger is motivated by vengeance and a sense of superiority. It also extends to cruelty and brutality, by insisting on the deaths of those uninvolved in his current situation (Daniel 2:13). Daniel and his three friends are “wise men,” part of a larger group of royal counselors. They are not among those lying to Nebuchadnezzar about spiritual insight. The king’s command to have them murdered is an act of spiteful arrogance.

The reference to “Babylon,” in this context, may refer to the whole empire, but it most likely refers to the city of Babylon. Most of the diviners and astrologers would have lived near to the king.

Verse 13. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

When king Nebuchadnezzar first proposed his challenge (Daniel 2:1–6), he spoke to four classes of advisors: magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans. The use of those four words is meant to summarize all the occultist and spiritualist experts of his royal court. In the prior chapter, Daniel and his companions were being prepared for roles as counselors to the king (Daniel 1:17–20). But though they were “wise men,” they were not among those called to respond to the king’s dream.

The all-inclusive decree for slaughter shows how Nebuchadnezzar’s mood could swing from one extreme to the other. One moment he chose the four Hebrew youths to stand before him in his court, but later he ordered their executions. Some commentators believe Nebuchadnezzar’s servants immediately began the extermination of Babylon’s wise men, starting first with those who failed to tell the king his dream and its interpretation (Daniel 2:3–9).

It’s possible this situation developed very quickly. Scripture does not give a timeline, but it may have been that Nebuchadnezzar called his occultists, challenged them, and had them executed all within a matter of hours. It does seem Daniel and his three friends were oblivious to what Nebuchadnezzar had asked, or what he had decreed (Daniel 2:15). Still, unless God intervened, they would surely be killed.

Verse 14. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king ‘s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.

Arioch, captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s royal bodyguard, seems to have wasted no time in carrying out the order to kill all the wise men (Daniel 2:12). This was in response to Nebuchadnezzar’s rage at his court conjurers being unable to tell him the contents of his own dream (Daniel 2:1–9). Unfortunately, that command extended to all the wise men, even those with no knowledge of the situation.

However, when Arioch came to kill Daniel and his friends, Daniel remained calm. He did not argue or whimper; he spoke to Arioch wisely and persuasively. Lives were at stake, including Daniel’s, those of his three friends, and many others. One wrong word by Daniel could have proven disastrous, but tactful, persuasive words could stop Nebuchadnezzar’s reign of terror and perhaps end it. Christians can learn from Daniel’s speech in the face of imminent death. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” When a perilous situation confronts a Christian, it is wise not to lash out at the accuser. A wise, tactful response may lower the heat of the moment. Believers need to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

The Babylonian occultists had admitted the king was asking for knowledge no human could uncover (Daniel 2:10–11), but Daniel (Daniel 1:17) had access to the perfect knowledge of God (Daniel 2:27–35). He will declare, in confident faith, that he can answer the king’s questions (Daniel 2:16).

Verse 15. He declared to Arioch, the king ‘s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.

The Bible only records the essential details of this incident. However, what it includes suggests important details. The king has ordered the slaughter of his advisors (Daniel 2:12), because his magicians could not complete his challenge regarding a troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–11). Yet his order extended to all the wise men, even those uninvolved. In the prior verse, the king’s guard has come to kill Daniel and his friends, only for Daniel to respond calmly. Here, he asks why the king’s command is so pressing, and the guard pauses long enough to explain what has happened.

This shows that Daniel already had a tremendous reputation. Arioch (Daniel 2:13–14) had received orders to kill every wise man, including Daniel and his three friends. That command came from an all-powerful, vicious ruler in Nebuchadnezzar. Yet Arioch listened to Daniel’s question and then answered him. Whether he was hesitant to kill Daniel or not, he respected him enough to tell him why this was happening. Daniel’s faith shines in this conversation. He dared to ask why Nebuchadnezzar was in such a hurry to execute so many people. Obviously, Daniel believed God would protect him from whatever reaction Arioch would give in response, even if he were indirectly criticizing the king’s overreaction. The exchange also shows Daniel’s wisdom. He knew how to avoid what seemed to be the imminent execution of his friends and himself. Finally, the exchange shows how calm Daniel was in the face of Arioch’s mission to kill him and his friends. He did not panic but remained calm.

The likely-now-dead occultists had lied about spiritual insight (Daniel 2:8–9) before admitting their limitations (Daniel 2:10–11). Daniel, however, was given legitimate skill in dreams and visions by the One True God (Daniel 1:17). He will confidently claim the ability to answer the king’s challenge (Daniel 2:16) and credit the Lord with the knowledge (Daniel 2:27–35).

Verse 16. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

Daniel’s courage is evident in this passage. Although Nebuchadnezzar had decreed Daniel’s unexpected and unjustified execution, he calmly responded when men arrived to kill him (Daniel 2:12–13). He asked what was happening and was respected enough to be given an answer (Daniel 2:14–15). Here, he sends a message to the king saying he can provide the knowledge the magicians could not. At the time Daniel made this appointment, he had not yet been given any such information from God (Daniel 2:17–19). Yet he had faith that the Lord would provide it (Daniel 1:17).

Truly, God’s hand was protecting Daniel because He had plans for him. Nebuchadnezzar correctly accused his conjurers of stalling for time (Daniel 2:8). The fact that Nebuchadnezzar allowed Daniel to request an appointment shows that God had worked in his heart. Under other circumstances, both Daniel and the guard captain who allowed him to make the request might have been killed. Of course, since Daniel was not among those who evaded the king’s request, Nebuchadnezzar might have been more willing to give him the chance to answer. Truly, God’s will superintends the actions of even powerful rulers (Job 42:1–2; Isaiah 14:26–27).

Verse 17. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,

King Nebuchadnezzar challenged his magicians to prove their spiritual insight by telling him the contents of his disturbing dream (Daniel 2:1–11). When they were unable to meet the impossible request, the enraged king ordered all his wise men executed—even those uninvolved in the request. Daniel met this threat with courage and asked for an audience with the king, promising to explain his dream (Daniel 2:12–16). At the time the promise was made, Daniel had received no revelations about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream—he was acting entirely on faith that the Lord would provide a solution. While the court conjurers correctly noted that no mortal could know what the king was asking (Daniel 2:10–11), Daniel would pray to the One True God who knows everything (Daniel 2:18).

Daniel shared what little he knew with his three friends (Daniel 1:6–7, 19). He presumably informed them about the king’s mysterious dream, the failure of the diviners and sorcerers to discover it, the king’s order to have the advisors executed, the visit from royal guards, his request to the king, and the appointed time to describe and interpret the king’s dream. Having friends with whom a person can share his needs and challenges is essential and valuable. When Jesus healed the demon-possessed man in the country of the Gerasenes, he commanded him to return home and tell his friends how much the Lord had done for him and how he had mercy on him (Mark 5:19). During his voyage to Rome, when the ship docked at Sidon, Paul received a favor from Julius, the centurion in charge of the prisoners. Julius allowed him to go ashore and visit his friends and be cared for (Acts 27:3). Believers are brothers and sisters in Christ; we are called to mutually encourage and care for one another (Romans 12; Ephesians 4; Hebrews 10:23–25).

Context Summary
Daniel 2:17–23 explains what happened after Daniel requested an appointment to explain king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. When royal magicians could not explain his dream, the king gave an extreme command: to kill all his advisors, even those not involved with his request (Daniel 2:1–15). Daniel, despite knowing nothing about the dream, at first, promised the king an answer (Daniel 2:16). This passage shows what happened next and reveals more information about Daniel’s character. This continues a stretch of Scripture recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28).

Verse 18. and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

When King Nebuchadnezzar tested his occult advisors, they proved themselves false. They could not tell him what he had dreamed, so he had no reason to think they could supernaturally interpret the vision (Daniel 2:1–3). This also meant they had been lying about their powers (Daniel 2:9). They would be brutally killed as punishment (Daniel 2:5). Unfortunately, the king’s rage also fell on other wise men, such as Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:6–7, 19; 2:12). Daniel reacted calmly when the guards came to kill him, then promised he could answer the king’s challenge (Daniel 2:13–16).

However, at the time he made the promise, Daniel knew nothing about the dream or what it meant. The court magicians were correct when they claimed Nebuchadnezzar’s request was beyond human ability (Daniel 2:10–11). Only a real god could know what the king had dreamed without being told. Daniel, of course, was in communication with the only existing God. Here, he and his friends pray for wisdom and guidance. God will grant their request (Daniel 2:19).

Solving the mystery of the king’s dream would preserve Daniel’s life and the lives of his three friends. This action shows Daniel to be faithful as well as prayerful. Remarkably, these four Hebrew youths withstood the pagan influences of Babylon and remained true to their faith in the God of heaven and earth (Daniel 1:8–16). Although they were hundreds of miles from family and Jerusalem, they were still close to God. Later, both Daniel and his friends will face persecution (Daniel 3; 6) yet remain faithful. In the New Testament era, Christian believers will again demonstrate unity (Acts 2:42–47) and prayerful faith in the face of danger (Acts 4:29–31; 12:5).

Verse 19. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

When Nebuchadnezzar’s royal advisors could not tell him the content of his own dream, he knew they had been lying about their spiritual powers (Daniel 2:8–9). The magicians admitted that only a true god could know such things (Daniel 2:10–11), and in a rage the king ordered all the wise men of Babylon be executed. Daniel, despite knowing nothing about the king’s dream, promised he would be able to give an answer (Daniel 2:12–16). He and his three friends prayed, and God granted their request (Daniel 1:6; 2:17–18).

Scripture does not say when Daniel was to meet with Nebuchadnezzar, but it was likely very soon after his request for an audience, perhaps even the next day. The Bible does not say exactly when this vision came to Daniel, but it came in response to his earnest prayer. In most contexts, the Bible uses the term “dream” to refer to something seen while sleeping, while a “vision” occurs when a person is awake. Prophets were known to experience both dreams and visions, both of which were supernatural revelations. Perhaps he and his three friends prayed far into the night, and then God gave Daniel the vision.

God provided the answer which only He could give (Daniel 2:27–28). He always answers prayer at exactly the appropriate time (Hebrews 4:16). True to his character, Daniel responded to this revelation by blessing the God of heaven. He did not rush to reveal the dream’s meaning to Nebuchadnezzar. First, he praised the Lord for granting him knowledge. It is always appropriate to praise God for answered prayer.

Verse 20. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,to whom belong wisdom and might.

The enraged king Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the deaths of his entire corps of wise men, because his court magicians could not meet his challenge regarding a dream (Daniel 2:1–2; 10–13). Daniel, however, calmly promised he could answer the king’s questions and prayed for guidance from the Lord (Daniel 2:14–18). God responded by giving Daniel a vision uncovering the secrets he needed to know (Daniel 2:19). Daniel’s immediate response was to bless the Lord, leading into this section of praise.

Daniel’s praise reads very much like a psalm. Apparently, Daniel was well acquainted with hymns of praise in the book of Psalms. In praising God’s “name,” Daniel celebrates His entire character. In this celebration, Daniel will focus primarily on God’s perfect knowledge and control of all things (Daniel 2:21–23).

Psalms 103:1–2 and 113:1–2 also extoll God’s name. Although he was under great stress, Job trusted that God had complete understanding of his situation and the power to bring something good out of it (Job 12:10–13). When people gave free-will offerings for the temple in David’s day, David blessed the Lord. Like Daniel, he praised God for his might. First Chronicles 29:10–11 quotes him as saying, “Blessed are you, O Lᴏʀᴅ the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lᴏʀᴅ, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in earth is yours.”

Verse 21. He changes times and seasons;he removes kings and sets up kings;he gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to those who have understanding;

Daniel correctly perceived God as more powerful than any earthly king. Here, he praises the Lord for revealing a mystery over which King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the deaths of his entire staff of wise men (Daniel 2:1–3; 12–16). However, God chose to reveal the mystery to Daniel (Daniel 1:17; 2:17–19), resulting in his prayer of blessing (Daniel 2:20).

God is in control of all events; He determines who occupies earthly thrones (Romans 13:1). Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon only because God had willed it, and someday God would end Nebuchadnezzar’s reign and set up another king in his place. Psalm 75:6–7 declares: “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”

Daniel knew that God is the source of wisdom. The wise men of Babylon lied about their insight, having no connection to the wisdom given by God (Daniel 2:8–11). Yet Daniel was wise enough to trust God for wisdom, and he understood that God grants knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). When speaking to the king about the dreams, Daniel will credit God as being the only One wise enough to know the truth (Daniel 2:27–28).

Verse 22. he reveals deep and hidden things;he knows what is in the darkness,and the light dwells with him.

King Nebuchadnezzar devised a test for his royal magicians: to tell him what he had dreamed, rather than simply telling him what a dream meant (Daniel 2:1–6). He suspected they had been lying to him, and their inability to discern his mystery proved they had no spiritual insight (Daniel 2:8–11). Daniel, however, relied on the power of God and was given a vision explaining what he needed to know (Daniel 2:17–19). Later, Daniel will make it clear that he, himself, was not the source of this information, but that the Lord was the One who provided it (Daniel 2:27–28).

Nothing is hidden from God, not even things covered up or hidden by or to humans (Psalm 44:21; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Mark 4:22; Hebrews 4:13). God knows what is in darkness even though He dwells in the light. Extolling God’s omniscience in Psalm 139:11–12, David writes: “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” When God saves a sinner, He shines in his heart “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Verse 23. To you, O God of my fathers,I give thanks and praise,for you have given me wisdom and might,and have now made known to me what we asked of you,for you have made known to us the king ‘s matter.”

This completes Daniel’s prayerful thanks to God (Daniel 2:20–22), for answering prayer in a dangerous situation (Daniel 2:12–19).

Daniel addresses his praise to “God of my fathers.” Despite being taken from his home and family as a young boy (Daniel 1:1–6), Daniel remained faithful to the God of Israel (Daniel 1:8–16). Even now, he identifies himself as one of the people of Israel, connecting his experience to Hebrew people of the past. Furthermore, he did not forget that his companions’ prayer was just as effective as his own. As a humble servant of God, he acknowledged the role of his three friends in the prayer that God answered.

The first six books of the Old Testament are especially focused on how faithful God had been to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. He provided for them and protected them in accordance with the covenant he had given to the patriarchs and their descendants.

Verse 24. Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

Daniel was a foreigner and a slave in Babylon trained to be an advisor to his own captors (Daniel 1:1–6). Yet he maintained faith in the God of Israel and was gifted in dreams and visions (Daniel 1:8–17). In this passage, he has shown firm trust in the Lord. He calmly asked for an explanation from the man charged with killing him (Daniel 2:12–15). Then, he promised he could answer the king’s challenge about a dream (Daniel 2:1–6, 16). This was then revealed to Daniel in a vision from God (Daniel 2:17–19).

The sequence of these events shows evidence of God’s guiding hand. King Nebuchadnezzar was vicious and could be cruel when he did not get his way (Daniel 2:5; 3:19–20; 2 Kings 25:1–7). The same king later demonstrates his violent temper when three advisors—the companions who prayed with Daniel during this event—refuse to worship his idol (Daniel 3:13–20). Yet at this time the captain of the guard was willing to explain the situation to Daniel and give him time to request an audience with the king (Daniel 2:15–16). He also paused executing the wise men, on nothing more substantial than Daniel’s promise. In a sense, Arioch is giving obedience and trust to Daniel, rather than Nebuchadnezzar. This could have cost him his life, yet he acts according to the plans of God (Daniel 2:21–23).

This section of the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:4—7:28) is recorded in Aramaic, rather than Hebrew. Aramaic was the common language of Babylon at that time. This highlights how the early contents of the book are meant as messages to, and about, the Gentile people.

Verse 25. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

Arioch (Daniel 2:12–15) hurried to take Daniel (Daniel 2:16–19) to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:1–4, 24). He must have believed Daniel could solve the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It also sems he hoped Nebuchadnezzar would reward him for his part in revealing the secret (Daniel 2:6). Arioch claimed some credit by saying he “found” Daniel among the captured Hebrew youths (Daniel 1:1–7). Of course, Daniel 2:16 tells us that Daniel had requested a stay of execution from the king. It seems reasonable that Arioch would know that. But he still announces Daniel in this way and wants to link himself to the success he expects Daniel to experience before the king. This could have backfired on Arioch: the king ordered him to kill Babylon’s wise men, not to seek out the answer to a mystery. And yet, Arioch, a pagan with no connection to the God of Israel, trusted Daniel, a captive Jew, to shine light into Nebuchadnezzar’s dark and mysterious dream.

In the future tribulation period, saved Jews will be among those to shine the light of the gospel of the kingdom into both Jewish and Gentile hearts. Matthew 24:14 promises, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Verse 26. The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?”

Nebuchadnezzar challenged his court magicians to tell him his own dream, as a test of their powers (Daniel 2:8–9). The men admitted they could not (Daniel 2:10–11), and in a rage the king ordered his entire corps of wise men be slaughtered (Daniel 2:5, 12). Daniel, however, promised to give the king an answer (Daniel 2:13–16) and received the information from God in a vision (Daniel 2:17–19). Where the false, lying conjurers had failed, Daniel will succeed because of his reliance on the One True God (Daniel 2:27–28).

Even today, the wisest unbelievers cannot understand and apply supernatural truth (1 Corinthians 1:18–25; 2 Corinthians 4:1–6). Intellect and learning can only go so far in uncovering spiritual truth (Romans 1:18–23; Psalm 19:1). A person must submit to God and seek Him to understand certain things (1 Corinthians 2:14; Matthew 7:7–8). The apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 2:6–10 that he imparted wisdom, not the wisdom of the world, but a secret and hidden wisdom of God. He adds that “none of the rulers of the age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” He points out that God has revealed His truths through the Spirit to those who love Him.

Here, the king refers to Daniel using the name given to him when he was taken from his home in Judea (Daniel 1:6–7). Daniel’s Hebrew name means “God is my judge.” His imposed Babylonian name, Belteshazzar, refers instead to the false deity Bel.

Verse 27. Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked,

This phrasing is an interesting and risky choice for Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the slaughter of all his wise men because his court magicians admitted they could not conjure up the king’s own dream (Daniel 2:8–12). Daniel is only before the king, now, because he claimed he could provide an answer to Nebuchadnezzar’s challenge (Daniel 2:16). And yet, the first thing Daniel says echoes the sorcerers’ excuse: that no man could know what the king demanded. This may also have been a subtle way of questioning the king’s enraged response when the Babylonian sorcerers failed to meet his challenge.

However, Daniel will continue to make an important point. Referring to the various occultists of the kingdom (Daniel 1:20; 2:2), he suggests that human wisdom or spirituality grounded in false gods is useless. Much as the plagues of Egypt proved that false Egyptian deities were powerless (Exodus 3:19–20; Exodus 7:5; Numbers 33:4), Daniel’s ability to uncover the king’s dream shows the Babylonian idols were impotent. This power, of course, is credited to God and not to Daniel as a human being (Daniel 2:28).

This scene resembles Pharaoh’s meeting with Joseph, many centuries before Daniel (Genesis 41). Like Nebuchadnezzar, the Pharoah was bothered by a dream he did not understand, and which none of his advisors could untangle. Joseph stood before Pharaoh and said, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Genesis 41:16), before demonstrating God’s power by giving the dream’s exact prophetic meaning.

Verse 28. but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

This is the crucial second half of the statement Daniel began in the last verse (Daniel 2:27). King Nebuchadnezzar furiously ordered the deaths of all his advisors when court magicians could not tell him the contents of his own dream (Daniel 2:9–12). Daniel promised he could uncover the mystery, and God revealed the information to him in a vision (Daniel 2:16–19). And yet, when he first spoke to the king, he said the same thing as the sorcerers: that no human being could possibly know what the king was asking.

Here, however, Daniel points out that the One True God can know this information. The king’s necromancers and conjurers relied on deception or contact with demons and other spirits. Daniel, himself, is not the reason this secret is being revealed. Rather, it is the Lord who uncovers the truth.

In this way, Daniel’s appearance before the king is a powerful testimony for the God of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been suspicious of his magicians. This is likely because he inherited them from his father and did not trust them. Rather than merely telling his dream and asking what it meant, the king tested his occultists by asking them to tell him what he’d seen. If they couldn’t divine the dream, it meant they had no real power (Daniel 2:1–9). When Daniel credits “a God in heaven” he distinguishes the true Lord from the false deities of Babylon and the lies of the sorcerers.

Although he was a captive in Babylon, Daniel recognized that he belonged to God and was privileged to make Him known to the king (Daniel 2:30). The term “the latter days” may refer to historic events that occur from Nebuchadnezzar’s time to the coming of Christ to rule the earth. Or the expression may refer to Messianic conditions culminating in Christ’s kingdom on earth.

This segment of Daniel is written in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28), which was the common language of Babylon at the time. This follows the purpose of the miracles and prophecies the passage contains. These are about, and spoken to, the non-Jewish peoples of the world (Daniel 2:29)

Verse 29. To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.

This portion of the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:4—7:28) is written in Aramaic, rather than in Hebrew. Since the prophecies and miracles this part records are about the non-Jewish people—the Gentiles—it makes sense they would be recorded in their common language. As Daniel noted (Daniel 2:27–28), the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream comes from God and God alone. What the king saw (Daniel 2:1–3) was a glimpse of the future. Daniel’s privilege is to be how the Lord gives this information to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:30).

Nebuchadnezzar gained the throne and great power over Southwest Asia. He was regarded as a strong king who held absolute sway over his subjects. Perhaps he’d begun to reflect on what would happen to his kingdom. God opened the future in the form of a dream. Yet, the king did not understand what he saw. Daniel, on the other hand, was allowed to see both the vision and the meaning (Daniel 2:17–19). This aligns with the idea that God, not human intellect, reveals the most important pieces of wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Visions and dreams are only occasionally used by God when speaking to people. The Lord offers information, primarily, through Jesus Christ (John 1:17; Hebrews 1:1–2) and His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 4:6), illuminated by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6–16; Ephesians 1:17–21).

Verse 30. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Once again, Daniel clarifies that he can solve the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3) only because God revealed the dream’s content and meaning (Daniel 2:17–19). The king had been right to assume that his court magicians had no spiritual insight (Daniel 2:8–9). Under pressure, they admitted that only a real god could know what the king demanded, meaning they had no such contacts (Daniel 2:10–11). Because Daniel trusted the One True God, he was given the answer to the mystery (Daniel 2:17–19). Daniel did not take credit for this himself (Daniel 2:27–28) but gave all glory to God.

Daniel faithfully represented the true God, the God of Israel, as he lived in captivity (Daniel 1:8–16). As he did so, he showed Nebuchadnezzar that the gods of the Babylonians were unable to respond to anyone’s needs. Centuries later, the apostle Paul presented the gospel to the Thessalonians. Many of them believed on God’s Son as their Savior and put aside their false gods. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 1:9¬–10 that the Thessalonian believers had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Verse 31. “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was bothered by a dream (Daniel 2:1–3). He seems suspicious of his royal magicians, so he tests their conjuring by asking them to tell him what he’d dreamed. If they can’t, he has no reason to think they have insight. In fact, it would suggest they’ve been lying about their power (Daniel 2:4–9). Daniel, however, was gifted by God with a special vision (Daniel 2:17–19) and will meet the king’s challenge. In this way, he will prove that what he says is information from a truly divine source (Daniel 2:27–28, 46–47). So, Daniel begins by describing what no one other than Nebuchadnezzar and the Lord God could know: the contents of the king’s dream.

The king’s dream began with a huge, powerful, extremely bright image. The image was a gigantic statue in the form of a human. The image was so large and brilliant, and so close to Nebuchadnezzar, that it terrified him. This explains part of what the king meant that his dream was “troubling” and caused him to lose sleep (Daniel 2:1). An unrestricted ruler over millions of people was nevertheless petrified by the image he saw in his dream. Daniel’s description of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream must have convinced him that Daniel truly knew what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed. He did not interrupt Daniel as Daniel continued with the description of the image (Daniel 2:32).

Context Summary
Daniel 2:31–45 provides both the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). The dream describes what is sometimes called “the latter days” or “the times of the Gentiles.” This is part of a section of the book of Daniel recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28), the common language of Babylon at the time. The image seen in the dream includes a progression of shapes and materials, representing a sequence of kingdoms, their characteristics, and their eventual fates.

Verse 32. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Once again, Daniel clarifies that he can solve the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3) only because God revealed the dream’s content and meaning (Daniel 2:17–19). The king had been right to assume that his court magicians had no spiritual insight (Daniel 2:8–9). Under pressure, they admitted that only a real god could know what the king demanded, meaning they had no such contacts (Daniel 2:10–11). Because Daniel trusted the One True God, he was given the answer to the mystery (Daniel 2:17–19). Daniel did not take credit for this himself (Daniel 2:27–28) but gave all glory to God.

Daniel faithfully represented the true God, the God of Israel, as he lived in captivity (Daniel 1:8–16). As he did so, he showed Nebuchadnezzar that the gods of the Babylonians were unable to respond to anyone’s needs. Centuries later, the apostle Paul presented the gospel to the Thessalonians. Many of them believed on God’s Son as their Savior and put aside their false gods. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 1:9¬–10 that the Thessalonian believers had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Verse 33. its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Daniel continues his description (Daniel 2:31–32) of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3). The image in the form of a gigantic man had a golden head, silver chest and arms, bronze midsection, and iron legs with feet composed partly of iron and partly of clay.

These materials become less dense and less valuable from top to bottom. The materials are also increasingly tough until clay, which is extremely brittle. Worse, clay and iron do not bond together. This makes the statue top-heavy and prone to collapse (Daniel 2:35). As Daniel will explain (Daniel 2:36), the various parts each represent kingdoms. The properties of the metals, the shape of the parts, and the eventual fate of the statue, are meant as prophecies about these nations.

Verse 34. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

Daniel further reveals what the king saw in his dream (Daniel 2:1–3). He has described a massive statue made of various materials: gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay (Daniel 2:31–33). These are arranged from most to least valuable, and heaviest to lightest. However, they also grow stronger, until the brittle clay.

Next, the king dreamt of a stone, or possibly a boulder. Since it is said to grow later, the initial size may have been small (Daniel 2:35). This impacts the statue on the feet, which are made of mixed clay and iron. Iron is strong, but clay is brittle, and the two materials do not bond to one another. So, the base of the statue is shattered and the entire image will collapse. In fact, the statue’s pieces will break so completely that the remains are blown away by the wind (Daniel 2:35).

Without a doubt, this powerful stone has a divine origin, implied by the fact that a human being did not create it. The various parts of the statue each represent kingdoms of the earth, and Daniel will go on to explain (Daniel 2:36). God is directly involved in the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms. Psalm 75:7 says, “it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” The apostle Paul writes in Romans 13:1, “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Verse 35. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3), the mysterious stone strikes the feet of the multi-part statue (Daniel 2:31–34). The top of the statue is made of heavier metals than the base, which is partly made from clay. When the stone impacts the feet, they shatter. The entire statue collapses and breaks into many pieces. In fact, it disintegrates into powder: the remains are so fine they blow away like dust particles. This is described as “chaff,” the light waste separated from edible grain during harvest. The total annihilation of the statue recalls what remained after Moses burned the golden calf that the Israelites worshiped (Exodus 32:20).

As for the stone not made by human hands (Daniel 2:34), it grew to massive size, like a mountain covering the entire world.

As Daniel will explain (Daniel 2:36), the various parts of the statue represent successive world-dominating kingdoms in history, starting with Babylon. The stone represents Jesus Christ and His kingdom (Daniel 2:44).

Verse 36. “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation.

When king Nebuchadnezzar was disturbed by a dream (Daniel 2:1–3), he tested the insight of his magicians. He refused to tell them what he had dreamed, arguing that if they could not discern his dream, there was no reason to think they could divine its meaning (Daniel 2:8–9). Daniel, however, was given insight by God about the king’s dream (Daniel 2:17–19) and has just finished describing it to Nebuchadnezzar.

The dream was of a massive statue made of various parts. The head was gold, the chest and arms silver, the midsection bronze, the legs iron, and the feet a mixture of iron and clay. Each of these, in order, is lighter and less valuable than what came before. They are also tougher, until the clay, which is brittle. Worse, clay will not merge with iron. So, when a supernatural stone strikes the feet, they shatter. The entire statue collapses into dust and is blown away by the wind, but the stone grows to cover the earth (Daniel 2:31–35).

What follows is Daniel’s explanation of the king’s dream. This is a prophecy of what, at the time, was still in the future (Daniel 2:28–29). Each of the statue’s portions represents a major kingdom which would rule over the land promised to Israel. With modern hindsight, it is possible to determine which nations are being depicted. The gold head is Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon (Daniel 2:37–38). The silver chest and arms are the Medes and Persians, while the bronze midsection is the Greeks (Daniel 2:39). Next is the Roman Empire, represented by iron (Daniel 2:40), which eventually corrupts from within, like the addition of clay, before being destroyed (Daniel 2:41–43). The rock is the kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Daniel 2:44–45).

This continues a section of Daniel recorded in Aramaic, the common tongue of Babylon in that era (Daniel 2:4—7:28). This emphasizes that its contents are meant as lessons to, and about, the Gentile nations.

Verse 37. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory,

Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1–2; 2:1) was a powerful king, with a kingdom unrivaled by any other. His empire towered over others the way a king controls his own subjects. Other prophets of that era, such as Ezekiel, use the same “king of kings” phrase in reference to Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 26:7). Through prophets like Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 27:3–7), God warned nations such as Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, that Nebuchadnezzar would subdue them and their nations would serve him. Daniel credits the Lord God’s provision for Nebuchadnezzar’s status as the world’s greatest king. All of this would come about because of God’s plan and according to His purpose.

Daniel’s description, “the God of heaven,” was well known by the Jews. The temple lay in ruins in Daniel’s day, and God’s presence and authority moved from the ark of the covenant to the heavens. Interestingly, decades later when the Lord moved Cyrus the king of Persia to release Jewish captives to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, the king referred to the Lord as “the God of heaven” (Ezra 1:2).

Verse 38. and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all — you are the head of gold.

Daniel is giving the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3), crediting it to the One True God (Daniel 2:27–28). Here, he partly explains what he meant by the phrase “king of kings” in the prior verse (Daniel 2:37). The prophet Jeremiah had predicted Nebuchadnezzar’s extensive rule. Jeremiah 27:6 quotes the Lord as saying, “I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him.” Daniel showed respect for Nebuchadnezzar, but he had a much higher regard for the God of Israel, and he wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know that he owed his position and power to the true God.

In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he had seen a massive statue made of various materials (Daniel 2:31–35). According to Daniel’s explanation (Daniel 2:36), the statue’s golden head represented king Nebuchadnezzar, himself. The head stands for the Babylonian Empire, over which Nebuchadnezzar reigned.

Daniel will continue the interpretation of the king’s dream by predicting a succession of other kingdoms, also formed as parts of the statue. These are described by a series of metals that lessen in value. The kingdoms are also increasingly “divided,” until the toes are depicted as a fragile mix of metal and pottery (Daniel 2:39–45).

Verse 39. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

King Nebuchadnezzar was bothered by a dream (Daniel 2:1–3), and Daniel was given special revelation from God to interpret it (Daniel 2:27–28). The king saw a massive statue, made of various materials, which was struck by a rock and destroyed. From top to bottom, the figure’s components become less valuable but harder, until the base where the toes are an unstable mixture of iron and clay (Daniel 2:31–35). In the prior verse, Daniel explained that the statue’s golden head symbolized what was then the current Babylonian Empire, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:38).

The kingdoms which would rule over the middle east after Babylon are depicted by a chest and arms of silver, followed by a stomach and thighs of bronze. Silver is less valuable than gold, lighter, yet tougher. So, too, bronze is stronger and less dense than silver, while of less value. The statue’s head is singular, but the torso has two separate arms. The midsection begins as one but separates just as it transitions into the legs.

In hindsight, we can see which nations fit the description given by Daniel. The second kingdom (Daniel 2:32) fits the Medo-Persian Empire. This was “inferior” to Babylon in terms of being less of an absolute monarchy. The two arms express the joined-but-separate nature of the Median and Persian cultures who never fully cohered as one. The third nation, Greece, endowed still less supreme authority in its ruler. Alexander the Great united Greece, but after his death, it was split by his generals.

Verse 40. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.

Daniel’s explanation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3) described the symbolism behind a massive statue made of various materials (Daniel 2:31–35). The dream revealed what was then the unknown future of the middle east (Daniel 2:27–28). The statue’s golden head represented Babylon, ruled with absolute power by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:37–38). The silver torso and arms symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire, which would be less absolute and somewhat divided as compared to Babylon. Next was a bronze midsection and thighs. This is Greece, which would begin united but split apart after the death of Alexander the Great (Daniel 2:39).

The fourth kingdom is represented by the statue’s legs and feet. The legs are iron—much harder than any other substance in the statue. However, this iron kingdom suffers from a sharp division, right from its beginning. This continues, symbolically, as the dream makes note of the statue’s ten separate toes.

This represents what would become the power of the Roman Empire. As iron could overcome metals such as gold, silver, and bronze, so would the Romans conquer the known world. And, continuing the pattern, they would initially have a less-absolute ruler than their predecessor. Rome would always struggle with internal strife, which would eventually create open hostility, inner weakness, and the eventual shattering of the empire.

This ultimate end is symbolized by the toes and feet of the statue (Daniel 2:41), made of mixed iron and clay. Those two substances will not bond to each other, and clay is very brittle.

Verse 41. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter ‘s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay.

The dream Daniel is explaining (Daniel 2:36) was a prophecy about the nations that would rule over the middle east after Babylon. A massive statue’s golden head represented Babylon. A chest and arms of silver would be the Medo-Persian Empire. The midsection of bronze would be Greece. The iron legs would be the Roman Empire, which would eventually include brittle, incompatible elements creating weakness (Daniel 2:37–40). In the dream, this final element is struck by a supernatural stone which shatters the entire statue to powder (Daniel 2:31–35).

Some commentators suggest the split between the two iron legs represents the east-west division which struck Rome in the fourth century. Others suggest that Rome was always plagued by internal strife and dissonance, which only became worse over time. What almost all agree on is that the Roman Empire was both strong and weak—both iron and clay—militarily and politically strong but weak and prone to fracture because its diverse conquered people objected to Rome’s rule.

Verse 42. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.

Each part of the statue seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:1–3) symbolized a nation; this predicted the future of the middle east (Daniel 2:31–35). The golden head was Babylon (Daniel 2:36–38). Knowing which nations were predicted by the other portions is possible, now, through the hindsight of history. The silver chest and arms represent the Medo-Persian Empire. The bronze midsection was Greece (Daniel 2:39). The iron legs and feet were Rome (Daniel 2:40–41). The feet and toes being made of both iron and clay—two materials that do not meld—highlights the nation’s division. Rome was both strong iron and weak clay. The description in this verse further notes the inclusion of brittle clay among the iron, further weakening it.

Most commentators suggest the toes of the statue are meant to represent ten kings ruling the territory of the Roman Empire. This will be part of Daniel’s prediction later in this book (Daniel 7:24–27). However, the toes are not mentioned as individual parts here in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. As far as Daniel’s dream is concerned, the toes may represent further division and weakness, but they are not references to the end times—yet.

Certain interpretations of the tribulation period suggest a revived Roman Empire will emerge. Revelation 13:1 refers to ten horns that protrude from the head of the beast, presumably the head of the revived Roman Empire. These ten horns are equivalent to the ten toes of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, but not necessarily explained there. Revelation 17:12 refers specifically to ten kings who share authority with “the beast” for a brief time in the tribulation period. Ultimately, they will hand their power and territories over to the beast. The emergence of these ten kings and their kingdoms awaits the time when Christ comes in the air to rapture His church (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).

Verse 43. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Iron and clay are both useful materials, but they are entirely separate. They cannot be melded together; they can only share boundaries. In the dream which Daniel explains (Daniel 2:31–36), the base of a massive statue is composed of iron mingled with clay. This symbolizes the then-future Roman Empire, which would have an ironlike strength of military power, while also being divided and brittle on the inside.

Commentators note various ways in which Rome was divided. Among these were its moral weaknesses. These became worse over time, much as the statue’s composition goes from iron, to iron and clay, to individual toes made of clay and iron. Much as there were two legs on the statue, Rome was frequently in conflict between democratic and dictatorial preferences. The jumble of iron and clay, which can never unite, hints at the forced intermingling of cultures and peoples brought about by Rome’s military conquest.

Interestingly, Daniel describes the iron and the clay as mixing together in marriage. If two different personalities with different values and attitudes are as resistant to unity as are clay and iron, the relationship is likely to fail. Rome’s marriage of iron and clay was doomed from the start and eventually ended.

Verse 44. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

At the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s disturbing dream (Daniel 2:1–3), he saw a supernatural stone shatter the base of a massive statue (Daniel 2:31–34). The statue’s components were pulverized and the stone grew to fill the entire earth (Daniel 2:35). Daniel has explained the dream as a prophecy about the kingdoms which would rule after Babylon (Daniel 2:27–28, 36), represented by the statue’s head (Daniel 2:37–38). This would be followed by the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires (Daniel 2:39–43).

In this verse, the symbolism of the stone is revealed. The stone which shattered the statue is a kingdom set up by God, which will never be overcome. Daniel reiterates that the stone—this future kingdom—would not be established by human hands, but by the power of the Lord (Daniel 2:45). While hindsight and history identify the other kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, there is some debate about the exact identity of this final realm.

Many views of the end times include belief in a millennial kingdom: Christ’s personal, direct, earthly political rule over the world for a thousand years. The initial followers of Jesus anticipated this kind of rule (Acts 1:6). Descriptions in the book of Revelation (Revelation 20:1–6) and other Old Testament prophecies (Zechariah 3:8–10; Micah 4:2–4; Deuteronomy 30:15) also suggest such a political fulfillment. Some who hold this view see the nation formed by the stone in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as this literal government headed by Christ. As with some of Daniel’s other prophecies (Daniel 9:24–27), this interpretation implies time gaps between events.

Other commentators interpret the final kingdom in this dream to be the spiritual rule of Christ in the hearts of Christian believers. This view includes some who believe in a literal millennial kingdom as well as those who do not. The stone in the dream strikes the brittle, clay-iron amalgam of the Roman Empire, and then grows to fill the earth (Daniel 2:34–35). According to some interpreters, this predicts the establishment of Christianity in the last days of the Roman Empire and the gospel’s spread around the globe.

The phrase “in the days of those kings” may refer to the ten rulers represented in other end times prophecies (Daniel 7:7–8; Revelation 13:1).

Verse 45. just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel again notes that the stone which shattered the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was supernatural (Daniel 2:31–35). The statue’s gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay parts represented kingdoms which would come in what was then the future (Daniel 2:36–44). The stone which grew to fill the earth symbolizes the rule of Christ, replacing the Gentile domination of the world. This concludes Daniel’s God-given assessment of Nebuchadnezzar’s mysterious dream (Daniel 2:17–19, 27–28). He repeats the claim that this dream is prophetic: it speaks of things to come and those events are absolutely guaranteed.

History and hindsight have explained most of the imagery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The line of middle east empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome—matches that prediction. But there are details yet to be revealed, and debates over how they will unfold. No limited human being can know every aspect of the future from beginning to end—even when the Lord offers special revelation, there will be details we cannot fully comprehend in advance. Yet biblical prophecy is true and trustworthy. Just as every Old Testament prophecy concerning Jesus’ first coming was fulfilled, every prophecy about what lies ahead will be fulfilled. Christians can rejoice in the One who holds the future in His omnipotent hands.

Verse 46. Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him.

King Nebuchadnezzar demanded proof of supernatural power in response to his troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). He reasoned that if his court magicians couldn’t tell him what he’d dreamed there was no reason to think they had insight into what a dream meant (Daniel 2:8–9). When the conjurers admitted this, indirectly (Daniel 2:10–11), the enraged king ordered that his entire corps of wise men be killed (2:5, 12–13). Yet Daniel was gifted with a vision from God (Daniel 2:17–19) and answered the king’s challenge (Daniel 2:31–45), giving credit to God (Daniel 2:27–30).

The pagan king asked for a demonstration of supernatural power and got exactly what he’d wanted. In response, he bowed and ordered rituals to be performed. This was not necessarily out of respect for Daniel, himself, but in awe of divine power. This may be why Daniel did not correct the king’s actions. In several instances, apostles in the New Testament received a similar reaction when nonbelievers saw miraculous events, and they deflected worship from themselves to the Lord (Acts 10:22–26; 14:11–15). Though Nebuchadnezzar credits Daniel’s God with power, rather than Daniel (Daniel 2:47), his words imply that God is “only” the best among many deities. The king is not abandoning his pagan beliefs, but he is modifying them in response to what he has seen.

This passage is among those recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28), the common language of Babylon at the time, emphasizing their importance to Gentile people.

Context Summary
Daniel 2:46–49 follows Daniel’s description and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3, 27–45). It demonstrates the pagan king’s response to obvious divine power, as well as a further glimpse into Daniel’s loyalty to his three friends (Daniel 1:1–6; 2:17–19).

Verse 47. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”

Daniel previously testified to Nebuchadnezzar that “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:27–28). The king insisted that he be told the content of his troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3) as well as the meaning, to be sure such insight was divine (Daniel 2:8–11). This is exactly what Daniel provided (Daniel 2:17–19; 30–45) and Nebuchadnezzar recognized it as supernatural knowledge (Daniel 2:46).

Now, Nebuchadnezzar admits the Lord’s wisdom and supremacy. However, this falls short of genuine faith in the Lord of Israel as the One True God. As a Babylonian, Nebuchadnezzar believed in a plurality of gods. Here, he credits Daniel’s God as the best, or most powerful, among other deities. This is a crucial moment, but it does not represent Nebuchadnezzar rejecting his idols or fully embracing Daniel’s faith.

Nebuchadnezzar also acknowledged that Daniel’s God was superior to kings, including himself. He may have also recognized that Daniel’s God had given him his position as the king of Babylon. Daniel had told him that God had given him his position and authority (Daniel 2:37–38).

Verse 48. Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

For solving his mysterious dream (Daniel 2:1–3, 46–47), Nebuchadnezzar generously gave rewards to Daniel (Daniel 2:6). Among these was a position of great power. The nation of Babylon was divided into provinces, each having a governor. The capital district was also called “Babylon,” and Daniel appears to have been appointed governor of the region containing the city of Babylon and the royal court. He also received the responsibility of serving as president over the wise men of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar recognized Daniel’s connection to divine wisdom and acted accordingly.

Of course, God was working behind the scenes to place Daniel into a position of great influence. Daniel’s work for God was not done. He would testify for God and serve Him well in his prestigious positions (Daniel 1:17–21). Some of this service would come in his strength to endure persecution without abandoning faith (Daniel 6). Centuries earlier, another Hebrew was a foreigner in a strange land that worshiped a multitude of false gods. It was Joseph in Egypt, and like Daniel, he interpreted the ruler’s dreams and was promoted to a prominent position, second in command of the entire country (Genesis 41:16, 39–40). The Lord honors faithfulness (Matthew 25:23) and works in His own way to accomplish His purposes (Romans 8:28).

Verse 49. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king ‘s court.

When Daniel was taken from his homeland (Daniel 1:1–5), he and three other captives retained their faith in God (Daniel 1:6–16). When the Babylonian king ordered the slaughter of his wise men over a mysterious dream (Daniel 2:10–16), Daniel and his three friends prayed for God’s intervention (Daniel 2:17–19). God answered the request and allowed him to answer the king’s challenge (Daniel 2:27–45). As a result, king Nebuchadnezzar appointed Daniel to a position of great power (Daniel 2:46–48). Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar wanted Daniel to be close by as his chief advisor.

Daniel did not forget those faithful friends who had prayed for him. He asked Nebuchadnezzar to favor them, probably noting they were skilled and competent men who also knew Daniel’s God (Daniel 1:17–20). As a result, Nebuchadnezzar appointed them over the business of the province of Babylon. They would share administrative duties there with Daniel, who remained at the king’s court. Proverbs 3:27 offers sound advice for everyone who desires to be a true friend to others. It counsels: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Daniel received the power to do good to those to whom it was due, and he did not fail.

These three friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—will see their faith strongly tested in their new positions. The trio is most famously known by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their refusal to worship anyone other than the God of Israel leads to their experience in a blazing furnace (Daniel 3).

End of Daniel Chapter 2

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