Daniel 2, Part 1

Already in Chapter 2, we see why Daniel 1:17 is important and where it comes into play.

Daniel 1:17 ESV

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now, only two years into his reign, Nebuchadnezzar will have a dream that it seems no one can interpret.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel 2:1 ESV

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

Putting this into the time frame - two trains of thought exist, that Daniel and the other boys were not through their training program, that’s why he was not called with the rest of the wise men. Makes sense, but the most accurate we can figure is that they had completed their program and things are falling into place chronologically. Even with it being in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the first year is considered an accession year, just completing what is left of the calendar year, and the first full year is considered the “first year”, so even in the third year of training it would be seen as the king’s “Second year”. If Daniel was fourteen or fifteen when taken captive, he still would have been quite young at this time, only seventeen or eighteen years of age. He was not an old grey haired prophet in this story.

Daniel 2:2–13 ESV

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. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 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.” 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. 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.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 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— 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.” 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. 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.” 12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 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.

Nebuchadnezzar tells the assembled experts that he has had a dream and complains that he will have no peace of mind until its meaning is clear. The Chaldeans ask Nebuchadnezzar to tell the dream, and they promise then to give the interpretation. The Chaldeans have many books with dreams classified by subject matter. They can glean the meaning from these with certainty and authority.

Then Nebuchadnezzar makes an impossible demand.

Refusing to tell his dream, he demands that the Chaldeans tell him both the dream and its interpretation. Like a typical oriental despot, Nebuchadnezzar promises dire consequences if they fail, and great rewards if they succeed. Can Nebuchadnezzar not remember his dream? There is also a Babylonian saying that if a person can not remember a dream, that person’s god is angry with him.

In the face of Nebuchadnezzar’s awesome threats, the Chaldeans respond a second time: Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation (2:7). As polytheists, they say that only the gods could reveal such a difficult thing (2:11). In the Bible, the dreams of Pharaoh are noted, and outside the Bible mention is made of the dreams of the Assyrian kings Sennacherib and Esarhaddon. Dream manuals, known to us through archaeology, list many precedents. Thus the experts are acquainted with a large number of “case histories” and supposedly are able to work from the data of a given dream to its interpretation. But here they are without data! How could they interpret a dream they were not told?

Since the Chaldeans are unable to tell both his dream and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar in anger accuses them of stalling for time. He charges them with lying to buy time until things take a turn (there is one sentence for you), perhaps until the crisis the dream foretold is past. In his conversation with the Chaldeans, there is a hint that Nebuchadnezzar does indeed remember his dream. His demand that they tell both the dream and its interpretation is his way of testing the genuineness of the Chaldean’s claims.

Nebuchadnezzar’s anger comes to a breaking point. He cuts off further conversation with the Chaldeans. The king issues a decree to kill all the wise men of Babylon. The storyteller notes that Daniel and his companions are to be included in the slaughter. So this decree would have directly impacted Daniel and his friends, also.

What did Nebuchadnezzar do about his troubling dreams?

What did the king expect from his wise men?

Why was the task assigned by the king too difficult for the astrologers to do?

What did the king decree?

Interpretation Given

Daniel 2:14–23 ESV

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. 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. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 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. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 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.”

There are two accounts as to how Daniel comes before Nebuchadnezzar (2:14–16; 2:24–28). In both accounts one of Nebuchadnezzar’s officials is introduced: Arioch, the king’s chief executioner. In both accounts Arioch is given the unpleasant task of slaughtering the wise men of Babylon (2:14, 24). In the first account (2:14), Arioch apparently comes to Daniel. In the second account (2:24), Daniel goes to Arioch.

From the first account, one gathers that Daniel is acquainted with the king. After inquiring of Arioch as to the reason for the king’s severe decree, Daniel went in to Nebuchadnezzar to request time so he might give the king the interpretation (2:16).

In the second account, after Daniel has received a vision revealing the mystery, he pleads with Arioch not to destroy the wise men (2:24). Then Daniel asks Arioch to make an appointment with Nebuchadnezzar so that Daniel can interpret the dream. A measure of Daniel’s faith is also seen here in that Daniel commits himself to interpret the dream to Nebuchadnezzar before God has revealed the dream to him. Arioch hastily tells Nebuchadnezzar about the captive from Judah who is able to interpret dreams and soon introduces Daniel to the king (2:24). At this point, Daniel’s Babylonian name is used: Belteshazzar (2:26). Instead of Daniel’s offer to interpret the king’s dream as in the first account (2:16), the king asks Daniel if he is indeed able to tell the dream and to make the interpretation (2:26).

The significance of the two accounts should not be overlooked. The first account tells how Daniel and his companions pray for the revelation of the dream and its interpretation. The second account enables Daniel to tell Nebuchadnezzar that no wise man, enchanter, magician, or astrologist could ever fulfill Nebuchadnezzar’s demand. Only the God in heaven (2:28), Daniel’s God, can do this! From the point of view of literary artistry, the two accounts reinforce each other. When heard by an audience in an oral retelling, the two accounts accent the surprising developments.

Daniel receives the revelation of the dream and its interpretation within a community of faith. Daniel and his friends are receiveing a non-Hebrew education; however their faith in the God of the Hebrews never fails. Their refusal of the king’s food and wine provides a daily reminder of their primary allegiance. Here their Hebrew names are used. The God to whom their names points, reveals the mystery as they are together.

After Daniel’s talk with Arioch, he returns to his companions. He is not a solitary, lonely hero. Together Daniel and his friends seek mercy from the God of heaven. They come together in prayer, and pray for the revelation so that neither they nor ANY of the other wise men will be killed. In Babylon, far from the holy city, far from the temple, and immersed daily in the idolatrous lore of the Chaldeans, the young men serve Nebuchadnezzar. But more than this, they serve the God of heaven. This Aramaic title for God appears only in this chapter (2:18–19, 37, 44). It parallels the Most High God in chapters 3 to 7, King of heaven (4:37), and Lord of heaven (5:23). The title God of heaven appears elsewhere in the Hebrew form, but in POST EXILE scripture, possibly as a way of counteracting the astral worship of peoples like the Babylonians. The title stresses that God is the Creator also of planets and stars.

In the midst of a praying, believing fellowship, God gives a vision in the night. The mystery of the dream and its meaning is revealed. The word translated “mystery” is a word of Persian origin meaning a “secret” or “enigma” that can only be understood through divine revelation because it deals with God’s purposes in history.

The revelation results in a hymn of praise (2:20–23). The name of God is blessed. To bless is to empower; when used toward God, it means to give thanks, honor, and appreciation to the one named. In the blessing, the nature and works of God are expressed. Daniel’s language is familiar from the Psalms (as in 72:18–19) and seems to be shaped in imitation of a thanksgiving psalm, giving thanks to God and incorporating a personal experience.

Psalm 72:18–19 ESV

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. 19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!

The God of heaven has wisdom and power (2:20) which in comparison makes the wisdom of the Chaldeans and the strength of Nebuchadnezzar pale into insignificance. Here a double reason for blessing God is given.

The God of heaven changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings (2:21). This is a statement of faith. The God of Israel is in final control of history. The word times has the sense of duration, while seasons suggests the appropriate moment for something to happen. God has power over kings. Kings come and go. Kingdoms rise and fall. Behind current events, God works out his purposes. The kings on whom the stories of Daniel focus, as well as the readers of Daniel, will be made well aware of this fact.

The God of heaven gives wisdom and knowledge to those who have understanding. These terms, at home in wisdom literature, are especially apt, given the Chaldeans’ claim to wisdom. God is the source of wisdom and knowledge, and he distributes them as he wills. This agrees with the psalmist in Psalm 111:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” Daniel and his friends fear the Lord. In an unusual way, God honors their commitment by revealing both the dream and its interpretation.

Psalm 111:10 ESV

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

The eternal God also reveals deep and hidden things. When God reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its meaning, Daniel and his friends come to realize that to their God, the past and future are the same; darkness is no barrier to him, and light dwells with him. This light is a sign that God is good, right, and holy, and has wisdom to share.

The thanksgiving concludes with a personal note of thanks and praise to the God of my ancestors (2:23). Daniel acknowledges God as the source of his wisdom and strength, the one who has answered their prayer. Daniel does not overlook the importance of a community of faith both in petition and in receiving God’s answer. God revealed to me what we asked of you, for you have revealed to us what the king ordered. This last line of the blessing clearly states the reason why he blesses the God of heaven (2:23).

A second account of Daniel’s intervention provides an important conversation between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar before Daniel reveals the dream (2:26–28). In the conversation, Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel, Are you able? (2:26). Daniel seizes the opportunity to point Nebuchadnezzar to the source of his ability, not within himself: There is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries (2:28).

Step by step, the first four chapters of Daniel confront Nebuchadnezzar with the God of Israel in whom true power and ability resides. Nebuchadnezzar, along with kings and politicians before him and since, overrate their own power. Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar will come to see that power is not in his hands nor in his kingdom but in the God of Israel, the God he thought he had defeated when he took the sacred vessels from Jerusalem and led Israelites and their king captive. Nebuchadnezzar is in the process of learning that the God of the Hebrews is sovereign over both heaven and earth.

Are you able? This is a persistent issue in the book. Daniel is able because there is a God who is able! Nebuchadnezzar admits that Daniel is able because a spirit of the holy gods is in him (4:18). Daniel’s God is able to save from the furnace of blazing fire. Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius will discover that their power is limited, that there is a God who is able. God’s power is not limited, though evil powers may lead to a delay in his final triumph.

Before telling the dream and its interpretation, Daniel provides Nebuchadnezzar background for understanding what he will hear. The dream, Daniel says, relates to the future, at the end of days (2:28), the days between Nebuchadnezzar’s present reign and an undefined point of time in the future.

Note the significant change in how God reveals himself. Here God reveals himself to a foreign ruler assisted by a Jewish wise person, and through the ruler to the whole world. Earlier in Israel’s history, God revealed his intentions largely through the patriarchs and the prophets of Israel. In this story, God works through the subconscious mind of a Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, and also through his servant Daniel. God will enable Daniel to tell and interpret the dream which he has given Nebuchadnezzar as he lay upon his bed. The ultimate meaning of this dream embraces the whole world!

What did Daniel and his friends ask of God in the midst of a desperate situation?

How did Daniel respond to the answered prayer?

Lederach, Paul M. 1994. Daniel. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.