Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Daniel 2

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Nebuchadnezzar, forgetting his dream, requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threatenings.
10  They acknowledging their inability are judged to die.
14  Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream.
19  He blesses God.
24  He staying the decree is brought to the king.
31  The dream.
36  The interpretation.
46  Daniel's advancement.
Verse 1

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
in
1:1-5, 2 Chronicles 36:5-7
the second
That is, the second according to the Babylonian computation, but the fourth according to that of the Jews, who reckon from the time he was associated with his father.
Jeremiah 25:1
Nebuchadnezzar
3, 4:5, Genesis 40:5-8, 41:1-36, Job 33:15-17
and his
6:18, Esther 6:1
Verse 2

Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
1:20, 4:6, 5:7, Genesis 41:8, Exodus 7:11, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Isaiah 8:19, 19:3, Isaiah 47:12,13
Verse 3

And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
1, Genesis 40:8, 41:15
Verse 4

Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
in
Genesis 31:47, Ezra 4:7, Isaiah 36:11
Syriack
Aramith, "Aramean," the language of Aram or Syria; a general term comprehending both the Chaldee and Syriac, the latter merely differing from the former as a dialect, and being written in a different character. With the following words the Chaldee part of Daniel commences; and is continued to the end of the seventh chapter.
O king
3:9, 4:19, 5:10, 6:6,21, 1 Samuel 10:24, 1 Kings 1:25,31, Nehemiah 2:3, Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9,10
tell
4:7, 5:8, Genesis 41:8, Isaiah 44:25
Verse 5

The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
ye shall
This was unreasonable, arbitrary, and tyrannical in the extreme; but, in the course of God's providence, it was overruled to serve the most important purpose.
3:29, 1 Samuel 15:33, Psalms 50:22, 58:7
cut in pieces
Chal. made pieces. made.
Deuteronomy 13:16, Joshua 6:26, 2 Kings 10:27, Ezra 6:11
Verse 6

But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
ye shall
48, 5:7,16,29, Numbers 22:7,17,37, 24:11
rewards
or, fee.
5:17; *marg:
Verse 7

They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
Let
4,9, Ecclesiastes 10:4
Verse 8

The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
gain
Chal. buy.
Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5
Verse 9

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
there is
3:15, Esther 4:11
for
1 Kings 22:6,22, Proverbs 12:19, Isaiah 44:25, Ezekiel 13:6,17,19, 2 Corinthians 2:17
the time
21, 5:28,31, 7:25
I shall
Isaiah 41:23
Verse 11

And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
and there
This was their decision: and when the living and true God, who indeed condescends to dwell with men, and who alone could reveal the dream and the secrets contained in it, actually made it known to Daniel, he evinced the infinite difference between Jehovah and his prophets, and the idols and magicians of Babylon.
27,28, 5:11, Genesis 41:39, Exodus 8:19, Matthew 19:26
whose
Exodus 29:45, Numbers 35:34, 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 6:18, Psalms 68:18, 113:5,6, 132:14, Isaiah 8:18, 57:15, 66:1,2, Joel 3:21, John 1:1-3,14, 14:17,23, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Revelation 21:3
Verse 12

For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
3:13, Job 5:2, Psalms 76:10, Proverbs 16:14, 19:12, 20:2, 27:3,4, 29:22, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 5:22
Verse 13

And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
the decree
6:9-15, Esther 3:12-15, Psalms 94:20, Proverbs 28:15-17, Isaiah 10:1
and they
1:19,20, 6:12
Verse 14

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
answered
Chal. returned. with.
2 Samuel 20:16-22, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
captain of the king's guard
or, chief marshall. Chal. chief of the executioners, or slaughter-men.
Genesis 37:36, Jeremiah 39:9, 52:12,14; *margins
Verse 15

He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
made
Verse 16

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
and desired
9-11, 1:18,19
Verse 17

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Hananiah
1:7,11, 3:12
Verse 18

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
they would
3:17, 1 Samuel 17:37, Esther 4:15-17, Psalms 50:15, 91:15, Proverbs 3:5,6, Isaiah 37:4, Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 18:12,19, Acts 4:24-31, 12:4, Romans 15:30, 2 Timothy 4:17,18
of the God of heaven
Chal. from before God. Daniel and his fellows should not perish. or, they should not destroy Daniel, etc.
Genesis 18:28, Malachi 3:18, 2 Peter 2:9
Verse 19

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
was
22,27-29, 4:9, 2 Kings 6:8-12, Psalms 25:14, Amos 3:7, 1 Corinthians 2:9,10
in
7:7, Numbers 12:6, Job 4:13, 33:15,16, Matthew 2:12,13
Verse 20

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Blessed
Genesis 14:20, 1 Kings 8:56, 1 Chronicles 29:10,20, 2 Chronicles 20:21, Psalms 41:13, 50:23, Psalms 72:18,19, 103:1,2, 113:2, 115:18, 145:1,2
for wisdom
21-23, 1 Chronicles 29:11,12, Job 12:13,16-22, Psalms 62:11, 147:5, Proverbs 8:14, Jeremiah 32:19, Matthew 6:13, Jude 1:24, Revelation 5:12
Verse 21

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
he changeth
9, 7:25, 11:6, 1 Chronicles 29:30, Esther 1:13, Job 34:24-29, Psalms 31:14,15, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Jeremiah 27:5-7
he removeth
4:17,32, 1 Samuel 2:7,8, Job 12:18, Psalms 75:5,6, 113:7,8, Proverbs 8:15,16, Luke 1:51,52, Acts 13:21,22, Revelation 19:16
he giveth
Exodus 31:3,6, 1 Kings 3:8-12,28, 4:29, 10:24, 1 Chronicles 22:12, 2 Chronicles 1:10-12, Proverbs 2:6,7, Luke 21:15, 1 Corinthians 1:30, James 1:5,17, 3:15-17
Verse 22

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
revealeth
11,28,29, Genesis 37:5-9, 41:16,25-28, Job 12:22, Psalms 25:14, Isaiah 41:22,26, 42:9, Matthew 13:13, Romans 16:25,26, 1 Corinthians 2:9-11, Ephesians 3:5
he knoweth
Job 26:6, Psalms 139:11,12, Jeremiah 23:24, Luke 12:2,3, John 21:17, 1 Corinthians 4:5, Hebrews 4:13
and the
5:11,14, Psalms 36:9, 104:2, John 1:9, 8:12, 12:45,46, 1 Timothy 6:16, James 1:17, 1 John 1:5
Verse 23

I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
thank
1 Chronicles 29:13, Psalms 50:14, 103:1-4, Isaiah 12:1, Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21, John 11:41
O thou
Genesis 32:9-11, Exodus 3:15, 1 Kings 8:57, 18:36, 1 Chronicles 29:10, 2 Chronicles 20:6
who hast
20,21, Proverbs 8:14, 21:22, 24:5, Ecclesiastes 7:19, 9:16,18
and hast
18,29,30, Genesis 18:17, Psalms 25:14, Amos 3:7, John 15:15, Revelation 1:1, 5:5
Verse 24

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
Arioch
Destroy
12,13, Acts 27:24
Verse 25

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
brought
Proverbs 24:11, Ecclesiastes 9:10
I have
Chal. That I have. captives of Judah. Chal. children of the captivity of Judah.
1:6, 6:13, Nehemiah 7:6, 1 Corinthians 1:27,28
Verse 26

The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
Daniel
1:7, 4:8,19, 5:12
Art
3-7, 4:18, 5:16, Genesis 41:15, 1 Samuel 17:33
Verse 27

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
cannot
2,10,11, 5:7,8, Job 5:12,13, Isaiah 19:3, 44:25, 47:12-14
Verse 28

But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
a God
Psalms 115:3, Matthew 6:9
that revealeth
18,47, Genesis 40:8, 41:16, Isaiah 41:22,23, Amos 4:13
maketh known
Chal. hath made known. in the.
10:14, Genesis 49:1, Numbers 24:14, Deuteronomy 4:30, 31:19, Isaiah 2:2, Jeremiah 30:24, 48:47, Ezekiel 38:8,16, Hosea 3:5, Micah 4:1,2, 2 Timothy 3:1, Hebrews 1:1, 2 Peter 3:3
Verse 29

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
came into thy mind
Chal. came up.
Ezekiel 38:10
he that
22,28,47, Amos 4:13
Verse 30

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
this secret
Genesis 41:16, Acts 3:12, 1 Corinthians 15:8-12
but
17,18,49, Isaiah 43:3,4, 45:4, Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, 2 Corinthians 4:15
their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king
or, the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king. and.
Verse 31

Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
sawest
Chal. wast seeing. and the.
7:3-17, Matthew 4:8, Luke 4:5
terrible
Isaiah 13:11, 25:3-5, Ezekiel 28:7, Habakkuk 1:7
Verse 32

This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
head
37,38, 4:22,30, 7:4, Isaiah 14:4, Jeremiah 51:7, Revelation 17:4
breast
39, 7:5, 8:3,4, 11:2
belly
39, 7:6, 8:5-8, 11:3-20
thighs
or, sides.
Verse 33

His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
40-43, 7:7,8,19-26
Verse 34

Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
a stone
44,45, 7:13,14,27, Psalms 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Zechariah 12:3, Matthew 16:18, Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7, Revelation 11:15
was cut
8:25, Zechariah 4:6, John 1:13, 2 Corinthians 5:1, Hebrews 9:24
without hands
or, which was not in hands.
which
Psalms 2:8-12, 110:5,6, 149:6-9, Isaiah 60:12, Zechariah 12:3, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:11-21
Verse 35

Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
like
Psalms 1:4,5, Isaiah 17:13,14, 41:15,16, Hosea 13:3, Micah 4:13
no place
Job 6:17, Psalms 37:10,36, 103:16, Revelation 12:8, 20:11
became
Isaiah 2:2,3, Micah 4:1,2
and filled
Psalms 22:27, 46:9, 66:4, 67:1,2, 72:16-19, 80:9,10, 86:9, Isaiah 11:9, Zechariah 14:8,9, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Revelation 11:15, 20:2,3
Verse 36

This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
23,24
Verse 37

Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
a king
1 Kings 4:24, Ezra 7:12, Isaiah 10:8, 47:5, Jeremiah 27:6,7, Ezekiel 26:7, Hosea 8:10, Revelation 1:5, 17:14
the God
4:25,32, 5:18, 2 Chronicles 36:23, Ezra 1:2, Proverbs 8:15, Jeremiah 28:14, Revelation 19:16
power
4:3,34, Psalms 62:11, Matthew 6:13, John 19:11, Revelation 4:11, 5:12
Verse 38

And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
the beasts
4:21,22, Psalms 50:10,11, Jeremiah 27:5-7
Thou art
The Chaldean monarchy, over which Nebuchadnezzar was the only king of note; in whose time it extended over Chaldea, Assyria, Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Libya: the head of gold represented its immense riches.
Verse 39

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
another kingdom
The empire of the Medes and Persians, whose union was denoted by the breast and two arms of silver; and which was established on the ruins of that of the Chaldeans on the capture of Babylon by Cyrus, B.C. 538.
32, 5:28-31, 7:5, 8:3,4,20, 11:2, Isaiah 44:28, 45:1-5
another third
The empire of the Macedonians, or "brazen-coated Greeks," aptly denoted by the belly and thighs of brass, founded by Alexander the Great, who terminated the Persian monarchy by the overthrow of Darius Codomanus at Arbela, B.C. 331
32, 7:6,7,23, 8:5-14, 10:20, 11:3-20, Zechariah 6:3,6
Verse 40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
the fourth
The Roman empire, which comprised nearly the whole world.
33, 7:19-26, 8:24, 9:26, 11:36-45, John 11:48
forasmuch
7:7, Jeremiah 15:12, Amos 1:3
Verse 41

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
the feet
33-35, 7:7,24, Revelation 12:3, 13:1, 17:12
Verse 42

And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
the toes
Daniel 7:24, Revelation 13:1
broken
or, brittle.
Verse 43

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
one to another
Chal. this with this. even. The Roman empire became weakened by a mixture of barbarous nations, by the incursions of whom it was torn asunder about the fourth century after Christ, and at length divided into ten kingdoms, answering to the ten toes of the image.
Verse 44

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
in the days
Chal. in their days. That is, in the days of one of these kingdoms, (see Ru 1:1,) i.e, the Roman; in which the "God of heaven set up" the spiritual kingdom of the Messiah, which shall yet "become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth."
the God
28,37
set up
Genesis 49:10, Psalms 2:6-12, 72:1-20, 89:3,4,19-36, 110:1-4, Isaiah 9:6,7, Matthew 3:2,3, 28:18, Ephesians 1:20-22
which shall never
4:3,34, 6:26, 7:13,14, Psalms 145:13, Ezekiel 37:25, Micah 4:7, Luke 1:32,33, John 12:34, Revelation 11:15
kingdom
Chal. kingdom thereof. break.
8:25, Psalms 2:9, 21:8,9, Isaiah 60:12, 1 Corinthians 15:24,25, Revelation 2:27, 19:15-20
Verse 45

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
thou sawest
24,35, Isaiah 28:16, Zechariah 12:3, Matthew 21:24
without hands
or, which was not in hands.
34, Luke 17:20, 2 Corinthians 10:4,5
the great
Deuteronomy 10:17, 2 Samuel 7:22, 1 Chronicles 16:25, Nehemiah 4:14, 9:32, Job 36:26, Psalms 48:1, Psalms 96:4, 135:5, 145:3, Jeremiah 32:18,19, Malachi 1:11, Revelation 19:17
make known
Genesis 41:28,32, Matthew 24:35, Revelation 1:19, 4:1
hereafter
Chal. after this.
Verse 46

Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
fell
Luke 17:16, Acts 10:25, 14:13, 28:6, Revelation 11:16, 19:10, 22:8
and sweet
Leviticus 26:31, Ezra 6:10
Verse 47

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
a God
11:36, Deuteronomy 10:17, Joshua 22:22, Psalms 136:2
a Lord
37, 4:17,32, Job 12:19, Psalms 2:10,11, 72:11, 82:1, Proverbs 8:15,16, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 1:5, 17:14, 19:16
a revealer
19,28, 4:8,9, Genesis 41:39, Amos 3:7
Verse 48

Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
a great
6, 5:16, Genesis 41:39-43, Numbers 22:16,17, 24:11, 1 Samuel 17:25, 25:2, 2 Samuel 19:32, 2 Kings 5:1, Job 1:3, Jeremiah 5:5
ruler
5:29, 6:1,2
and chief
4:9, 5:11
Verse 49

Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
he set
17, 1:17, 3:12-30, Proverbs 28:12
sat
Esther 2:19,21, 3:2, Jeremiah 39:3, Amos 5:15

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