Daniel 1.20-Nebuchadnezzar Finds Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael And Azariah Superior To His Occult Priests And Necromancers
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday January 17, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 1:20-Nebuchadnezzar Finds Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael And Azariah Superior To His Occult priests And Necromancers
Lesson # 23
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 1:1.
This evening we will study Daniel 1:20 which records that as a result of interrogating Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, Nebuchadnezzar found them superior in knowledge and wisdom than all the occult priests and necromancers in his kingdom.
Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. 20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. (NASB95)
“As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “as for” which is followed by the adjective kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “every” which is modifying the masculine singular construct form of the noun dā∙ḇār (דָּבָר) (daw-bawr), “matter of” and then we have the feminine singular construct form of the noun ḥā∙ḵemā(h) (חָכְמָה) (khok-maw), “wisdom” which is followed by the feminine singular form of the noun bî∙nā(h) (בִּינָה) (bee-naw), “understanding” and then we have the relative particle ʾǎšěr (אֲשֶׁר) (ash-er), “which” and this is followed by the third person masculine singular piel active perfect form of the verb bā∙qǎš (בָּקַשׁ) (baw-kash), “consulted” and then we have the preposition min (מִן) (min), “from” and its object is the third person masculine plural pronomial suffix -hē∙mā(h) (־הֵמָה) (hay-maw), “them” which is followed by the articular masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh-lek), “the king.”
The conjunction wa is emphatic meaning that the word is introducing a statement that is advancing upon and intensifying the previous statement in verse 19.
That the conjunction wa is emphatic in verse 20 is indicated by the fact that it introduces a statement that tells the reader something about these four in relation to the occult priests and necromancers who were already serving Nebuchadnezzar throughout his empire, which was out of the ordinary and surprising.
Verse 20 says that Nebuchadnezzar found these four ten times more wise and intelligent than any of his occult priests and necromancers who served him throughout his empire.
This statement was extraordinary and surprising since Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had just completed a three year training program which would prepare them to serve in the king’s government whereas the occult priests and necromancers were already serving him.
They had experience on the job.
Daniel and these three had none.
Thus, for these four to be found by Nebuchadnezzar as superior to the occult priests and necromancers already serving in his government was unusual and not to be expected since the latter had experience and the former did not.
The noun dā∙ḇār refers to the various subjects which Nebuchadnezzar questioned Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah about.
This would include mathematics, astrology, astronomy, science, agriculture, philosophy, medicine, government, law, military history and tactics.
It refers to the various subjects that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were taught during their three year training program.
The noun dā∙ḇār is modified by the adjective kōl, which is used in a distributive sense meaning “each and every” indicating that Nebuchadnezzar extracted information from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah with regards to grasping wisdom in “each and every” subject.
The noun ḥā∙ḵemā(h) means “wisdom” indicating that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had a total grasp of “wisdom” in each and every subject.
This would include math, medicine, science, agriculture, philosophy, languages, military, history, astrology, astronomy, law and government.
The noun bî∙nā(h) means “understanding, total grasp” in the sense of having a mental hold or comprehension of a particular subject.
This indicates that Nebuchadnezzar extracted information from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah with regards to “grasping” wisdom in each and every subject.
Again, this would include math, medicine, science, agriculture, philosophy, languages, military, history, astrology, astronomy, law and government.
The verb bā∙qǎš means “to extract information from” someone by interrogating them in the sense of questioning formally and systematically.
This indicates that Nebuchadnezzar “extracted information” from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah with regards to their grasping wisdom in each and every subject.
The piel stem of the verb is iterative referring to an activity that is done multiple times indicating that Nebuchadnezzar extracted information from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah multiple times or on more than one occasion.
In order to determine their superiority in knowledge and wisdom, Nebuchadnezzar would have had to speak with them on a number of occasions.
“He found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb mā∙ṣā(ʾ) (מָצָא) (maw-tsaw), “he found” and then we have the third person masculine plural pronomial suffix -hē∙mā(h) (־הֵמָה) (hay-maw), “them” and then we have the masculine singular construct form of the cardinal number ʿě∙śěr (עֶשֶׂר) (eh-ser), “ten” and this is followed by the feminine plural form of the noun yāḏ (יָד) (yawd), “times” and then we have the adjective kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “all” which is modifying the articular masculine plural form of the noun ḥǎr∙ṭōm (חַרְטֹם) (khar-tome), “the magicians” which is followed by the articular masculine plural form of the noun ʾǎš∙šāp̄ (אַשָּׁף) (ash-shawf), “conjurers” and then this is followed by the relative particle ʾǎšěr (אֲשֶׁר) (ash-er), “who” and this is followed by the preposition bĕ (בְּ) (beth), “in” and this is followed by the adjective kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “all” which is modifying the feminine singular construct form of the noun mǎl∙ḵûṯ (מַלְכוּת) (mal-kooth), “realm” and is modified by the third person masculine singular pronomial suffix –hû (־הוּ) (who), “his.”
This time the conjunction wa is introducing a statement that presents the “result” of Nebuchadnezzar extracting information from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah on more than one occasion with regards to grasping wisdom in each and every subject.
The verb mā∙ṣā(ʾ) means “to find” in the sense of discovering something by the function of one’s intellect.
Therefore, the verb indicates that as a result of extracting information from them on more than one occasion with regards to grasping wisdom in each and every subject, Nebuchadnezzar “found” Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah ten times better than any of his occult priests and necromancers in his empire.
The noun yāḏ is used in a figurative sense meaning “times” since it is used as a multiplicative word in a phrasal combination expressing how many instances of a quantity or factor are taken together.
The word is modified by the cardinal number ʿě∙śěr, which means “ten” indicating that while interrogating Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah Nebuchadnezzar found repeatedly that they were “ten times” better than any of his occult priests and necromancers that were serving him in his kingdom.
These two words express the fact that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were “superior to” the occult priests and necromancers in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
They are hyperbolic emphasizing the superiority of Daniel and his three companions in the sense that they were brilliant and exceedingly wiser than any one in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
In Daniel 1:20, the noun ḥǎr∙ṭōm refers to the “occultists” in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom who were a class of intelligent and clever priests involved with the occult, which is driven by demons.
These occult priests occupied themselves with the arts and sciences of the Babylonians, which involves astrology, the interpretation of dreams, the foretelling of events, as well as magic and channeling.
They were regarded as the possessors of secret arts.
In Daniel 1:20, this noun ʾǎš∙šāp̄ refers to a necromancer who was an individual who attempted to contact the dead for the purpose of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events.
It does not refer to astrologers since if this were the case Daniel would have used the noun kaśdîm as he does in Daniel 2:2, 4.
The Aramaic kaśdā’în that refers to necromancers appears 2:5, 10 [twice]; 3:8; 5:7, 11).
This verse is an emphatic clause and tells the reader that when Nebuchadnezzar interviewed Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah he found over and over again that they were superior in wisdom and knowledge than all of his occult priests and necromancers.
The latter were considered by the Babylonians as the most intelligent people in Babylon.
These “occult priests” and “necromancers” served in the Babylonian religion.
They were not only active participants in this religion but also promoted it.
They promoted the worship of the various Babylonian gods including Marduk.
Theologically, religion is the antithesis to Biblical Christianity in that it is the ignorant, presumptuous, vain and arrogant attempt by man to gain the approbation of God by depending upon a legalistic, meritorious system of human works rather than the impeccable Person and Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Religion is sponsored by Satan and the kingdom of darkness and is his ace trump.
Religion is the genius of Satan but on the other hand, Biblical Christianity is total dependence upon God.
It is God providing man everything needed o worship Him through the Person, Work and Life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Religion promotes creature credit whereas Biblical Christianity promotes Creator credit.
It is through religion that Satan feeds the arrogance of man so that he remains alienated from God.
Satan employs religion to appear as an angel of light.
Biblical Christianity and religion are antithetical concepts since the latter is man’s presumptuous, ignorant and vain attempt to gain the approbation of God through a meritorious, legalistic system of man-made oral traditions.
Religion is seeking to worship God apart from the protocol set by the Lord in John 4:23-24.
Those who seek to worship the Father must do so by means of the Spirit and truth.