23 I H576 thank H3029 thee, and praise H7624 thee, O thou God H426 of my fathers, H2 who hast given H3052 me wisdom H2452 and might, H1370 and hast made known H3046 unto me now H3705 what we desired H1156 of thee: H4481 for thou hast now made known H3046 unto us the king's H4430 matter. H4406
That they would desire H1156 mercies H7359 of H4481 H6925 the God H426 of heaven H8065 concerning H5922 this H1836 secret; H7328 that Daniel H1841 and his fellows H2269 should not H3809 perish H7 with H5974 the rest H7606 of the wise H2445 men of Babylon. H895
And God H430 said H559 moreover H5750 unto Moses, H4872 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob, H3290 hath sent H7971 me unto you: this is my name H8034 for ever, H5769 and this is my memorial H2143 unto all H1755 generations. H1755
As for thee, H607 O king, H4430 thy thoughts H7476 came H5559 into thy mind upon H5922 thy bed, H4903 what H4101 should come to pass H1934 hereafter: H311 H1836 and he that revealeth H1541 secrets H7328 maketh known H3046 to thee what H4101 shall come to pass. H1934 But as for me, H576 this H1836 secret H7328 is not H3809 revealed H1541 to me for any wisdom H2452 that I have H383 more than H4481 any H3606 living, H2417 but H3861 for their sakes H1701 that H5922 shall make known H3046 the interpretation H6591 to the king, H4430 and that thou mightest know H3046 the thoughts H7476 of thy heart. H3825
In G1722 that G846 hour G5610 Jesus G2424 rejoiced in G21 spirit, G4151 and G2532 said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 that G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes: G3516 even so, G3483 Father; G3962 for G3754 so G3779 it seemed G1096 good G2107 in G1715 thy G4675 sight. G1715
At G1722 that G1565 time G2540 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 because G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes. G3516
Daniel H1841 answered H6032 and said, H560 Blessed H1289 be H1934 the name H8036 of God H426 for H4481 ever H5957 and ever: H5705 H5957 for wisdom H2452 and might H1370 are H1932 his: And he changeth H8133 the times H5732 and the seasons: H2166 he removeth H5709 kings, H4430 and setteth up H6966 kings: H4430 he giveth H3052 wisdom H2452 unto the wise, H2445 and knowledge H4486 to them that know H3046 understanding: H999
Wisdom H2451 is better H2896 than weapons H3627 of war: H7128 but one H259 sinner H2398 destroyeth H6 much H7235 good. H2896
And G2532 one G1520 of G1537 the elders G4245 saith G3004 unto me, G3427 Weep G2799 not: G3361 behold, G2400 the Lion G3023 of G5607 G1537 the tribe G5443 of Juda, G2455 the Root G4491 of David, G1138 hath prevailed G3528 to open G455 the book, G975 and G2532 to loose G3089 the seven G2033 seals G4973 thereof. G846
The Revelation G602 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 which G3739 God G2316 gave G1325 unto him, G846 to shew G1166 unto his G846 servants G1401 things which G3739 must G1163 shortly G1722 G5034 come to pass; G1096 and G2532 he sent G649 and signified G4591 it by G1223 his G846 angel G32 unto his G846 servant G1401 John: G2491
Henceforth G3765 I call G3004 you G5209 not G3765 servants; G1401 for G3754 the servant G1401 knoweth G1492 not G3756 what G5101 his G846 lord G2962 doeth: G4160 but G1161 I have called G2046 you G5209 friends; G5384 for G3754 all things G3956 that G3739 I have heard G191 of G3844 my G3450 Father G3962 I have made known G1107 unto you. G5213
And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Shall I hide H3680 from Abraham H85 that thing which H834 I do; H6213
A wise H2450 man H1397 is strong; H5797 yea, a man H376 of knowledge H1847 increaseth H553 strength. H3581
[[A Psalm of David.]] H1732 Bless H1288 the LORD, H3068 O my soul: H5315 and all that is within H7130 me, bless his holy H6944 name. H8034 Bless H1288 the LORD, H3068 O my soul, H5315 and forget H7911 not all his benefits: H1576 Who forgiveth H5545 all thine iniquities; H5771 who healeth H7495 all thy diseases; H8463 Who redeemeth H1350 thy life H2416 from destruction; H7845 who crowneth H5849 thee with lovingkindness H2617 and tender mercies; H7356
Offer H2076 unto God H430 thanksgiving; H8426 and pay H7999 thy vows H5088 unto the most High: H5945
And said, H559 O LORD H3068 God H430 of our fathers, H1 art not thou God H430 in heaven? H8064 and rulest H4910 not thou over all the kingdoms H4467 of the heathen? H1471 and in thine hand H3027 is there not power H3581 and might, H1369 so that none is able to withstand H3320 thee?
Now therefore, our God, H430 we thank H3034 thee, and praise H1984 thy glorious H8597 name. H8034
Wherefore David H1732 blessed H1288 the LORD H3068 before H5869 all the congregation: H6951 and David H1732 said, H559 Blessed H1288 be thou, LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 our father, H1 for H5704 ever H5769 and ever. H5769
And it came to pass at the time of the offering H5927 of the evening sacrifice, H4503 that Elijah H452 the prophet H5030 came near, H5066 and said, H559 LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and of Israel, H3478 let it be known H3045 this day H3117 that thou art God H430 in Israel, H3478 and that I am thy servant, H5650 and that I have done H6213 all these things at thy word. H1697
The LORD H3068 our God H430 be with us, as he was with our fathers: H1 let him not leave H5800 us, nor forsake H5203 us:
And Jacob H3290 said, H559 O God H430 of my father H1 Abraham, H85 and God H430 of my father H1 Isaac, H3327 the LORD H3068 which saidst H559 unto me, Return H7725 unto thy country, H776 and to thy kindred, H4138 and I will deal well H3190 with thee: I am not worthy of the least H6994 of all the mercies, H2617 and of all the truth, H571 which thou hast shewed H6213 unto thy servant; H5650 for with my staff H4731 I passed over H5674 this Jordan; H3383 and now I am become two H8147 bands. H4264 Deliver me, H5337 I pray thee, from the hand H3027 of my brother, H251 from the hand H3027 of Esau: H6215 for I fear H3373 him, lest he will come H935 and smite me, H5221 and the mother H517 with H5921 the children. H1121
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Daniel 2
Commentary on Daniel 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
It was said (ch. 1:17) that Daniel had understanding in dreams; and here we have an early and eminent instance of it, which soon made him famous in the court of Babylon, as Joseph by the same means came to be so in the court of Egypt. This chapter is a history, but it is the history of a prophecy, by a dream and the interpretation of it. Pharaoh's dream, and Joseph's interpretation of it, related only to the years of plenty and famine and the interest of God's Israel in them; but Nebuchadnezzar's dream here, and Daniel's interpretation of that, look much higher, to the four monarchies, and the concerns of Israel in them, and the kingdom of the Messiah, which should be set up in the world upon the ruins of them. In this chapter we have,
Dan 2:1-13
We meet with a great difficulty in the date of this story; it is said to be in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, v. 1. Now Daniel was carried to Babylon in his first year, and, it should seem, he was three years under tutors and governors before he was presented to the king, ch. 1:5. How then could this happen in the second year? Perhaps, though three years were appointed for the education of other children, yet Daniel was so forward that he was taken into business when he had been but one year at school, and so in the second year he became thus considerable. Some make it to be the second year after he began to reign alone, but the fifth or sixth year since he began to reign in partnership with his father. Some read it, and in the second year, (the second after Daniel and his fellows stood before the king), in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, or in his reign, this happened; as Joseph, in the second year after his skill in dreams, showed and expounded Pharaoh's, so Daniel, in the second year after he commenced master in that art, did this service. I would much rather take it some of these ways than suppose, as some do, that it was in the second year after he had conquered Egypt, which was the thirty-sixth year of his reign, because it appears by what we meet with in Ezekiel, that Daniel was famous both for wisdom and prevalence in prayer long before that; and therefore this passage, or story, which shows how he came to be so eminent for both these must be laid early in Nebuchadnezzar's reign. Now here we may observe,
Dan 2:14-23
When the king sent for his wise men to tell them his dream, and the interpretation of it (v. 2), Daniel, it seems, was not summoned to appear among them; the king, though he was highly pleased with him when he examined him, and thought him ten times wiser than the rest of his wise men, yet forgot him when he had most occasion for him; and no wonder, when all was done in a heat, and nothing with a cool and deliberate thought. But Providence so ordered it; that the magicians being nonplussed might be the more taken notice of, and so the more glory might redound to the God of Daniel. But, though Daniel had not the honour to be consulted with the rest of the wise men, contrary to all law and justice, by an undistinguishing sentence, he stands condemned with them, and till he has notice brought him to prepare for execution he knows nothing of the matter. How miserable is the case of those who live under arbitrary government, as this of Nebuchadnezzar's! How happy are we, whose lives are under the protection of the law and methods of justice, and lie not thus at the mercy of a peevish and capricious prince!
We have found already, in Ezekiel, that Daniel was famous both for prudence and prayer; as a prince he had power with God and by man; by prayer he had power with God, by prudence he had power with man, and in both he prevailed. Thus did he find favour and good understanding in the sight of both, and in these verses we have a remarkable instance of both.
Dan 2:24-30
We have here the introduction to Daniel's declaring the dream, and the interpretation of it.
Dan 2:31-45
Daniel here gives full satisfaction to Nebuchadnezzar concerning his dream and the interpretation of it. That great prince had been kind to this poor prophet in his maintenance and education; he had been brought up at the king's cost, preferred at court, and the land of his captivity had hereby been made much easier to him than to others of his brethren. And now the king is abundantly repaid for all the expense he had been at upon him; and for receiving this prophet, though not in the name of a prophet, he had a prophet's reward, such a reward as a prophet only could give, and for which that wealthy mighty prince was now glad to be beholden to him. Here is,
Dan 2:46-49
One might have expected that when Nebuchadnezzar was contriving to make his own kingdom everlasting he would be enraged at Daniel, who foretold the fall of it and that another kingdom of another nature should be the everlasting kingdom; but, instead of resenting it as an affront, he received it as an oracle, and here we are told what the expressions were of the impressions it made upon him.