Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 06

Daniel 2:1-30

Through My Bible – December 06

Daniel 2:1-30 (EHV)

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Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar Challenges the Wise Men to Explain His Dream

1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. His spirit was troubled, but he fell back to sleep again. The king gave orders to summon the magicians, the spell casters, the sorcerers, and the astrologers [1] to relate the king’s dream to him. So they came and stood before the king. The king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit was troubled because I did not understand the dream.”

The astrologers said to the king in Aramaic, [2] “Your Majesty, [3] may you live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will explain its meaning.”

The king answered the astrologers, “My decision is final. If you do not tell me the dream and what it means, your body shall be cut to pieces, and your houses will be made into a pile of rubble. However, if you explain the dream and its meaning, you will receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So, explain to me the dream and its meaning!”

They responded a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will explain its meaning.”

The king answered, “Now I know for sure that you are buying time because you see that my decision is final. If you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to give me a lying and cheating response until the situation changes. So, tell me the dream, and I will know that you are also able to explain its meaning to me.”

10 The astrologers responded to the king, “There is no person on earth who is able to reveal what the king wants. No great and powerful king has ever asked for a thing like this from any magician, spell caster, or astrologer. 11 The thing that the king is asking is difficult. There is no one who can reveal it to the king except the gods, who do not dwell with mortal flesh.”

12 Because of this the king became very angry. He was enraged and gave orders to put the wise men of Babylon to death. 13 The decree was issued that all the wise men were to be executed. So executioners looked for Daniel and his companions to execute them.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream to Daniel

14 Then Daniel responded with good judgment and tact to Ariok, the chief of the king’s executioners, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He said to Ariok, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” So Ariok explained the situation to Daniel. 16 Daniel then entered the court and asked the king to give him time so that he could reveal the interpretation to the king.

17 Next, Daniel went to his house and explained the situation to Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, his companions. 18 They were to seek mercy from the God of Heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions would not be put to death with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven. [4] 20 Daniel said,

May the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

because wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and eras.

He removes kings,

and he brings kings to power.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have good judgment.

22 He reveals deep things and hidden things.

He knows what is in the dark,

and the light dwells with him.

23 To you, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and power. Now you have made known to me what we requested from you, because you have made known to us the thing the king asked about.

Daniel Explains Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

24 As a result of this, Daniel went to Ariok, whom the king had assigned to put the wise men of Babylon to death. Daniel went and said this to him: “Do not put the wise men of Babylon to death. Bring me before the king, and I will explain the meaning to the king.”

25 Then Ariok immediately brought Daniel before the king. This is what Ariok said to the king: “I have found a man from among the Judean exiles who will make the interpretation known to the king.”

26 The king said to Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw and its meaning?”

27 Daniel answered the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about, no wise men, spell casters, magicians, or diviners are able to explain it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. This is your dream; the visions in your head while you were on your bed were this:

29 For you, Your Majesty, while you were on your bed, thoughts arose about things that will come after this, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen. 30 But the reason that this mystery was revealed to me was not because I have more wisdom in me than any other living being. Rather, it was revealed to me so that the meaning could be made known to Your Majesty and so that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 2:2 In the book of Daniel there are two homonyms, both pronounced kasdim. One word refers to a type of astronomer/astrologer. The other word refers to the Chaldeans, the ethnic group that ruled Babylon. In most cases the context indicates the correct meaning.
  2. Daniel 2:4 The text of Daniel is written in Aramaic from this point through the end of chapter 7.
  3. Daniel 2:4 Literally O King
  4. Daniel 2:19 The God of Heaven is the common title for the Lord in Daniel.

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.