Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009

Structure A

A'

Introduction, v. 1 B The king & his unwise courtiers, vv. 2-12 C Daniel & Arioch, vv. 13-16 D Daniel & his friends pray to God, vv.17-23 C' Daniel & Arioch, vv. 24-25 B' The king & Daniel, the wise courtier, vv. 26-47 Result, vv. 48-49

Introduction, 2:1 I.

NRS

Daniel 2:1 In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. A. B. C.

The second year would be March/April 603 His armies were in a protracted siege against Syria — possibly producing these cares Daniel and his friends were still in training, cf. 1:5

The King & His Unwise Courtiers, 2:2-12 II.

NIV

Daniel 2:2-3 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means." A. B.

Apparently N. had forgotten part of the dream, but could remember some details N's order is two-fold 1.

He wanted the wise men a. b.

To tell him what he dreamed (v. 2) and What it [the dream] means, v. 3b

2.

Revealing both the content and the interpretation was unreasonable and unprecedented

3.

?Whenever a king would share the content of his dream with his experts, they, in turn, would consult their dream manuals. These manuals consisted of 1

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 historical dreams and the events that followed them. Without the content of the dream . . . , the experts had no way to anticipate the events to follow, or . . . to interpret it" (Mangano, 181). 4. III.

NIV

Daniel 2:4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it." A.

the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic begins the Aramaic portion of the book

B.

The book has a bifid structure (cf. Bailey, 516-17):

C.

IV.

Perhaps N suspected his wise men had not dealt faithfully with him.

Historical

1-6

Apocalyptic

7-12

Hebrew

1:1-2:4a; 8:1-13

Aramaic

2:4b-7:28

3rd person speech

1-6

1st person speech

7-12 (framed by 3rd person speech, 7:1; 10:1)

1.

The bifid structure facilitates memorization and allows the narratives (chapters 1-6) to serve as the socio-political background out of which the prophetic visions (chapters 7-12)were revealed.1

2.

The Hebrew comprises those sections which deal with God’s people and their destiny while Aramaic embodies those sections describing the great empires (e.g., Harrison, Young, and Archer).

Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it reveals the standard MO of dream interpretation of the day.

NRS

Daniel 2:5-9 The king answered the Chaldeans, "This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation." 7 They answered a second time, "Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation." 8 The king answered, "I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: 9 if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one

1

Harrison, “Book of,” 860; cf. Harrison, Introduction, 1107, 1127. 2

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."

V.

VI.

A.

N's reaction is very harsh, involving the destruction of the wise men and their families

B.

He also promises great rewards if they tell . . . the dream and its interpretation, v. 6

C.

They reply they must know the dream to give its interpretation, v. 8

D.

Verse 9's tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation indicates that he suspects the trustworthiness of their intreptation.

NRS

Daniel 2:10-11 The Chaldeans answered the king, "There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals." A.

The experts assert, There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands . . . except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals

B.

They also freely admit, The thing that the king is asking is too difficult

NIV

Daniel 2:12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. A.

N, ruling by his emotions, became so angry he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon

B.

This threatened the lives of Daniel and his friends

Daniel & Arioch, 2:13-16 VII.

NRS

Daniel 2:13-16 The decree was issued, and the wise men were about to be executed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions, to execute them. 14 Then Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the king's chief executioner, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon; 15 he asked Arioch, the royal official, "Why is the decree of the king so urgent?" Arioch then 3

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 explained the matter to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation. A.

The narrative does not explain how Daniel was able to gain an audience with the king — God's providence?

B.

Evidently some of the wise men had already been executed, for

C.

1.

Daniel speaks to Arioch, the king's chief executioner, who must have been about to execute Daniel!

2.

Daniel's request that the king give him time amounts to a stay in the execution process.

Daniel's question, Why is the decree of the king so urgent?, indicates Daniel did not know about these events, which is easily explained since this happened during his and his three friends' training period (603 BC).

Daniel & His Friends Pray to God, 2:17-23 VIII.

IX.

NIV

Daniel 2:17-19 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, M ishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven A.

Daniel's actions confirm the wise men's statement in v. 11, ?no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals."

B.

So he urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery

C.

Their prayer presupposed Amos 3:7, ?Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets."

D.

In this context, the Hebrew names, Hananiah, M ishael and Azariah, are appropriately used.

NIV

Daniel 2:20-23 and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals 4

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." A.

This ?spontaneous" prayer makes the exact point of the wise men — only God rules the world in his providence

B.

Concerning this only true God: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Wisdom and power are his He changes times and seasons He sets up kings and deposes them He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning He reveals deep and hidden things He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. He gave Daniel wisdom and power & made known the dream of the king."

Daniel & Arioch, 2:24-25 X.

NRS

Daniel 2:24-25 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation." 25 ¶ Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him: "I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation." A.

Court politics are evident

B.

Daniel 1. 2.

C.

Had requested time, vv. 14-15 Daniel prayed and received the message from God

Arioch's statement, I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation, 1.

Takes credit for solving the problem — I have found

2.

Expresses confidence in Daniel — a man who can tell the king the interpretation 5

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009

The King & Daniel, the Wise Courtier, 2:26-45 XI.

NRS

Daniel 2:26-28 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?" 27 Daniel answered the king, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: A.

N's question implies disbelief — Are you able to tell me the dream . . . and its interpretation?

B.

Daniel confirms the wise men's statement that only the gods could do that — No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show . . . the mystery

C.

But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries — here is a further explanation of the wise men's ignorance. 1.

They had said, ?"There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals," vv. 10-11

2.

Daniel says, No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries

3.

Daniel's and the wise men's statements are similar, but different a.

Wise men (2:11): no one . . . except the gods (1) (2)

b.

!yhiêl a' / !heäl ' . . .yt;êyai 'îtay . . . lähën 'élähîn

Daniel: No[one] . . . , but there is a God in heaven (1)

‘aY"m;v .B i Hl'Ûa/ yt;úyai ~r:‡B . aK'(l .m;l . hy"ïw"x ]h ;(l . !yliÞk .y . . . al'ó

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Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 (2)

c. XII.

XIII.

lä ' . . . yäklîn lüha|H áwäyâ lümalKä ' Büram ' îtay ' éläh Bišmayyä '

Daniel's is more emphatic

NIV

Daniel 2:29-30 "As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. A.

Implies N was thinking about the future has he went to sleep — your mind turned to things to come

B.

States that God determined to clarify the future for N — the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen

C.

Daniel further reaffirms he has no power to reveal the mystery within himself — this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men

NIV

Daniel 2:31 -35 "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue-an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. A.

The 4 Kingdoms 1. 2. 3. 4.

B.

Head of the statue was made of pure gold — N, Babylon Its chest and arms of silver — Medo-Persia Its belly and thighs of bronze — Greece Its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay — Rome

The rock — destroys the statue and becomes a huge mountain and filled the whole earth

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Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009 NIV

XIV.

Daniel 2:36 "This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king — the we may include Daniel's friends; after all, they had prayed for God to reveal the dream to Daniel

XV.

NIV

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

Daniel 2:37-38 You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. A.

N represents the Babylonian empire — the head of gold

B.

The God of heaven [gave him that] dominion and power and might and glory

NIV

Daniel 2:39 "After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. A.

Summary fashion explains that the other three are also kingdoms

B.

The decline in material (gold 6silver 6bronze 6iron/clay) implies gradual decline

NIV

Daniel 2:40-43 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron-- for iron breaks and smashes everything-- and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. A.

This 4 th kingdom is described in greater detail — so it will crush and break all the others

B.

The phrase so the people will be a mixture — literally, ?they will mix through the seed of man," indicating intermarriage of various races, cultures, etc.

C.

However, they will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

D.

In short, Rome will be vulnerable because it will seek to mix the unmixable NIV

Daniel 2:44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 8

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009

A.

XIX.

In the time of those kings — the Roman Empire NIV

1.

Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2.

NRS

3.

NRS

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

B.

The God of heaven will set up a kingdom — the church, established on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2

C.

It will never be destroyed

NIV

Daniel 2:45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands-- a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy." A.

The rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands emphasizes the divine nature of this kingdom

B.

The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy — an affirmation of certainty

Result/Nebuchadnezzar's Response, 2:46-49 XX.

NIV

Daniel 2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. A.

Nebuchadnezzar worshiped Daniel 1. 2. 3.

B.

This is the first step in N's possible conversion He is convinced that Daniel's God is a great and powerful God of gods Daniel's God has done what the others could not

Daniel's reaction to this worship is not recorded, and what could Daniel have done anyway? 9

Com m entary on Daniel: Chapter 2—God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel; BI 4244/4344 Ezekiel and Daniel; Faulkner University; Randall C. Bailey, Ph.D.; Spring, 2009

XXI.

XXII.

NIV

Daniel 2:47 The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery." A.

N is a polytheist; he is merely adding Daniel's God to his pantheon

B.

The evidence? Daniel's God was a revealer of mysteries, for you [Daniel was] . . . able to reveal this mystery

NIV

Daniel 2:48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men — N kept his promise and promoted Daniel NRS

XXIII.

Daniel 2:49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, M eshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court. A.

Daniel and his friends were promoted

B.

Daniel remained at the king's court

C.

Shadrach, M eshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon 1. 2.

Note the use of the Babylonian names Their promotion sets the stage for chapter 3

XXIV. Conclusion — This chapter is meant to teach ancient Nebuchadnezzar as well as many modern ones that God, and God alone, raises and brings down kingdoms.

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